Plasma amyloid precursor protein is a marker for alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

βA4 amyloid deposition in brain, characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), may result from the failure of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) to be correctly processed. A blood marker reflecting this abnormal metabolism would be of predictive and diagnostic value, as well as provide a means of monitoring the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. We have previously sequenced APP from the human platelet where it is detected by Western blotting as 130 and 110 kDa proteins and may be released with the BA4 domain intact1. Plasma contained these and additional forms of 65 and 42 kDa. We analysed immunoblots of plasma APP from AD cases (n=26) and controls (n=34) and found a 60% increase of the 1..