Back to Publications​
Back to Posters
Publications

Plasma proteomics reveals stage-dependent biological remodelling in Alzheimer’s disease

  • September 14, 2026
  • Sang Won Seo, et al., Samsung Medical Center
Product:
CNS Disease Panel 120
Topic:
Neurology
Disease Area:
Alzheimer's Disease
Sample Type:
Plasma

Abstract

Plasma biomarkers of amyloid-associated tau phosphorylation (T1) and established tau proteinopathy (T2) can approximate Alzheimer’s disease stage, but whether plasma-defined stages correspond to broader biological states is unknown. In 1,035 participants from a multicentre Korean cohort, we used a 220-plex immunoassay platform to compare T1/T2 biomarkers against amyloid and tau positron emission tomography anchors and construct a five-stage framework. Brain-derived phosphorylated tau 217 and endogenously cleaved microtubule-binding-region tau formed the parsimonious backbone. Baseline stage ordered Clinical Dementia Rating–Sum of Boxes trajectories, and forward within-person stage movement was associated with faster clinical worsening. Among 197 non-tau proteins, 34 were stage-associated; the T1-positive transition showed the broadest proteomic shift, with more selective remodelling later. In serial samples, 15 proteins changed longitudinally, with 13 recapitulating the cross-sectional stage pattern. Thus, plasma-defined disease position mapped onto distinct, partly dynamic biological states beyond the defining T1/T2 biomarkers.

READ THE PRE-PRINT

Authors and Affiliations

Yuna Gu¹,², Jun Pyo Kim¹,², Bo Hyun Kim², Hyunwoo Lee², Jungah Lee², Heekyoung Kang¹, Sohyun Yim¹, Daeun Shin¹, Hee Kyung Park¹, Seonghyeon Kim¹, Byung Hwa Lee¹, Jeongha Lee¹, Hyeongjin Kim², Henrik Zetterberg³,⁴,⁵,⁶,⁷,⁸, Min Young Chun⁹,¹⁰, Duk L. Na¹,¹¹, Jae-Hong Lee¹², Soo Hyun Cho¹³, Byeong C. Kim¹³, Si Eun Kim¹⁴, Gyeongmo Sohn¹⁴, Jihwan Yun¹⁵, Jae-Sung Lim¹², Juyoung Kim², Kyungbok Lee², Jaeho Kim¹⁶, Hee Jin Kim¹, Eun-Joo Kim¹⁷, Hyemin Jang¹², Sang Won Seo¹,²

¹ Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

² Alzheimer’s Disease Convergence Research Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea

³ Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden

⁴ Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden

⁵ Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK

⁶ UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK

⁷ Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong SAR, China

⁸ Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA

⁹ Department of Neurology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

¹⁰ Department of Neurology, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, Yongin, Republic of Korea

¹¹ Happymind Clinic, Seoul, Republic of Korea

¹² Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

¹³ Department of Neurology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea

¹⁴ Department of Neurology, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea

¹⁵ Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

¹⁶ Department of Neurology, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Republic of Korea

¹⁷ Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea

Linkedin

Steve Williams, MD, PhD

CSO

Dr. Willams serves as the company’s Chief Scientific Officer. He was previously Chief Medical Officer at Standard Biotools and at SomaLogic where he pioneered the discipline for discovery and validation of predictive, diagnostic and prognostic models using machine-learning applied to large-plex proteomics. 20 such tests were used for drug characterization, safety and efficacy when incorporated in clinical drug trials at Pharma/Biotech and 17 different multivariate tests were validated and translated into regulated healthcare uses. Prior to SomaLogic, Dr. Williams was at Pfizer in the UK and the USA as a clinical triallist in Translational Medicine, and subsequently as VP, Global Clinical Technology. He sat on the National Advisory Council for the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the Executive Committee for the FNIH Biomarkers Consortium, and worked with FDA and PhRMA on developing evidentiary standards for biomarker qualification. Dr. William’s medical training was in London, at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, followed by a PhD in medicine/physiology at the same institution and training in Radiology at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Steve is co-inventor on 26 proteomics patents and author/coauthor on multiple foundational proteomics manuscripts.

Linkedin

Justin McAnear

CFO

Mr. McAnear serves as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. He brings over 25 years of operational and financial leadership experience across various sectors and was instrumental in taking 10x Genomics public in 2019, serving as its CFO for over five years. Mr. McAnear served for over 3 years as Tesla’s VP of Worldwide Finance and Operations, supporting landmark initiatives such as the Model X and Model 3 launches and Solar City acquisition.  He also held various roles at Apple and J&J earlier in his career and served as a naval officer and aviator for over 9 years.