Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42104459›Full record

ArticleAlzheimer's research & therapy2026

Proteomic analysis in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: a focus on sex-specific differences.

Aina Comas-Albertí, Albert Lladó, Diana Esteller-Gauxax, Sergi Borrego-Écija, Neus Falgàs, Farida Dakterzada, Agnès Pérez-Millan, Roger Puey, Tània Collet-Romà, Núria Guillén and 11 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Aina Comas-Albertí *Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Albert Lladó *Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain. allado@clinic.cat.
Diana Esteller-GauxaxAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Sergi Borrego-ÉcijaAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Neus FalgàsAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Farida DakterzadaDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, 25003, Spain.
Agnès Pérez-MillanAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Roger PueyAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Tània Collet-RomàAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Núria GuillénAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Miquel MassonsAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Adrià Tort-MerinoAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Josep Maria AugéBiochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Guadalupe Fernandez-VillullasAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Bea BoschAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Raquel Ruiz-GarcíaImmunology Department, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Laura NaranjoImmunology Department, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Mircea BalasaAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Gerard Piñol-RipollAlzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Anna Antonell *Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.
Raquel Sánchez-Valle *Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona; FRCB-IDIBAPS, C/Villarroel, 170, Barcelona, 08036, Spain.

Funding

Fundación BBVA Joan Rodés-Josep Baselga grantFundació Rosa Maria Vivar polAris projectGeneralitat de Catalunya SGR 2021-01126Instituto de Salud Carlos III JR22/00014Instituto de Salud Carlos III PI23/00173
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFluid protein studies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma have provided important insights into neurodegenerative dementias; however, there is a limited investigation of sex-related differences and cross-biofluid relationships. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), Lewy body dementia (LBD), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), large-scale, sex-stratified analyses of paired CSF and plasma samples remain scarce. Using the multiplex and ultrasensitive capabilities of NULISAseq™ technology, this study aims to characterize sex- and disease-specific proteomic alterations associated with Central Nervous System (CNS) pathology to explore underlying mechanisms.

methodsCSF and plasma samples from 359 individuals with AD, LBD, FTD, and cognitively healthy controls were analyzed using the NULISAseq™ CNS Disease Panel 120. Differential protein expression analyses were conducted across diagnoses and stratified by sex, adjusting for relevant covariates. Spearman's correlation analyses were performed to assess concordance between CSF and plasma protein levels. All statistical analyses were conducted in R v4.4.3.

resultsDifferential protein expression analyses across diagnoses revealed two potential transdiagnostic biomarkers: ICAM1 in CSF and ANXA5 in plasma, showing consistent increases across AD, LBD, and FTD. Sex-stratified analyses in CSF showed modest changes, including higher CCL26, ANXA5, and IL10 in females with AD, and higher IL9, PRDX6, and CX3CL1 in males with AD. In LBD, females exhibited upregulation of ACHE, SFRP1, POSTN in both CSF and plasma. NPTX1 was identified as a potential CSF biomarker for FTD, showing downregulation particularly in males. In contrast, analyses stratified by sex in plasma displayed a larger number of proteins across all dementias, with females showing a higher number of upregulated inflammation-related proteins predominantly involved in cytokine signaling. Overall cross-fluid correlations were restricted to a small subset of proteins, indicating compartment-specific regulation.

conclusionsThis study represents a large-scale, sex-stratified proteomic analysis of CSF and plasma across major neurodegenerative dementias using NULISAseq™ technology. The findings highlight sex-dependent biomarker patterns, particularly in plasma, and underscore the importance of incorporating sex as a biological variable in dementia research. Future studies should validate candidate proteins in independent cohorts, investigate their functional and mechanistic roles, and assess their utility for biomarker development and sex-tailored therapeutic strategies.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseFrontotemporal DementiaProteomicsSex CharacteristicsAgedAged, 80 and overBiomarkersFemaleHumansLewy Body DiseaseMaleMiddle AgedBiomarkersAlzheimer’s diseaseBiomarkersCerebrospinal fluidFrontotemporal dementiaInflammationLewy body dementiaNeurodegenerationPlasmaProteomicsSex

Identifiers

PMID42104459
PMCPMC13195889

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.