Correlation of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in cerebrospinal fluid with Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers and cognitive function in non-dementia individuals

Objective To investigate the correlation of soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with core Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers and cognitive function in non-dementia individuals. Methods A total of 558 non-dementia individuals in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohort were enrolled as subjects, and related indicators were collected, including demographic features, the levels of neuroinflammatory marker sTREM-1, amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42), total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in CSF, and cognitive function scores assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). A multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the linear correlation between sTREM-1 in CSF and core AD biomarkers and cognitive function, and the mediation analysis was used to explore whether the core AD biomarkers in CSF mediated the association between sTREM-1 and cognitive function. Results The multiple linear regression analysis showed that the level of sTREM-1 in CSF was negatively correlated with MMSE and MoCA scores (P<0.05) and was positively correlated with p-tau, t-tau, p-tau/Aβ42 ratio, and t-tau/Aβ42 ratio in CSF (P<0.05), while it was not significantly correlated with the level of Aβ42 in CSF (P>0.05). The mediation analysis showed that p-tau and t-tau in CSF mediated the association between sTREM-1 and cognitive function. Conclusion In non-dementia individuals, the level of sTREM-1 in CSF is positively correlated with the levels of t-tau and p-tau in CSF. Neuroinflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of AD and the process of cognitive decline by affecting abnormal phosphorylation and aggregation of tau protein in neurons.