Blood Test Predicts Onset of Alzheimer's Disease
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 22 Jul 2014 |

Image: The Luminex 200 System for Multiplex Testing (Photo courtesy of the University of Utah).
A combination of 10 proteins could predict whether individuals would progress from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease (AD) within a year has been discovered.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which includes problems with day-to-day memory, attention and language can be an early sign of dementia, but it can also be a symptom of stress or anxiety. About 10% of people with MCI go on to develop dementia within a year, however, apart from regular memory tests, there is currently no reliable way to predict who will and will not be among them.
Scientists at King's College London (UK) working with Proteome Sciences plc (Cobham, UK) analyzed blood samples from 1,148 subjects: 476 with AD, 220 with MCI, and 452 elderly controls with no dementia. The team analyzed 26 proteins in the blood samples and found that 16 linked strongly to brain shrinkage in the MCI and Alzheimer's groups. All candidate proteins were measured using xMAP multiplex bead assays incorporated in 7 MILLIPLEX MAP panels run on the Luminex 200 instrument (Luminex; Austin, TX, USA).
In a secondary analysis they discovered that a combination of 10 proteins could predict whether individuals would progress from MCI to Alzheimer's disease within a year with an accuracy of 87%. They found that the proteins transthyretin (TTR), clusterin, cystatin C, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (A1AcidG), Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM1), cytochrome c4 precursor (CC4), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), alpha 1-antitrypsin (A1AT), Chemokine ligand 5 (RANTES), and Apolipoprotein C-III (ApoC3) plus the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, had the greatest predictive power.
Abdul Hye, PhD, the lead author of the study said, “The study marks the end of many years' work to find which of the thousands of proteins in the blood were clinically relevant. We now have a set of 10 proteins that can predict whether someone with early symptoms of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment will develop Alzheimer's disease within a year, with a high level of accuracy.” The study was published on July 10, 2014, in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia.
Related Links:
King's College London
Proteome Sciences plc
Luminex
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which includes problems with day-to-day memory, attention and language can be an early sign of dementia, but it can also be a symptom of stress or anxiety. About 10% of people with MCI go on to develop dementia within a year, however, apart from regular memory tests, there is currently no reliable way to predict who will and will not be among them.
Scientists at King's College London (UK) working with Proteome Sciences plc (Cobham, UK) analyzed blood samples from 1,148 subjects: 476 with AD, 220 with MCI, and 452 elderly controls with no dementia. The team analyzed 26 proteins in the blood samples and found that 16 linked strongly to brain shrinkage in the MCI and Alzheimer's groups. All candidate proteins were measured using xMAP multiplex bead assays incorporated in 7 MILLIPLEX MAP panels run on the Luminex 200 instrument (Luminex; Austin, TX, USA).
In a secondary analysis they discovered that a combination of 10 proteins could predict whether individuals would progress from MCI to Alzheimer's disease within a year with an accuracy of 87%. They found that the proteins transthyretin (TTR), clusterin, cystatin C, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (A1AcidG), Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM1), cytochrome c4 precursor (CC4), pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), alpha 1-antitrypsin (A1AT), Chemokine ligand 5 (RANTES), and Apolipoprotein C-III (ApoC3) plus the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, had the greatest predictive power.
Abdul Hye, PhD, the lead author of the study said, “The study marks the end of many years' work to find which of the thousands of proteins in the blood were clinically relevant. We now have a set of 10 proteins that can predict whether someone with early symptoms of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment will develop Alzheimer's disease within a year, with a high level of accuracy.” The study was published on July 10, 2014, in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia.
Related Links:
King's College London
Proteome Sciences plc
Luminex
Latest Clinical Chem. News
- Compact Raman Imaging System Detects Subtle Tumor Signals
- Noninvasive Blood-Glucose Monitoring to Replace Finger Pricks for Diabetics
- POC Breath Diagnostic System to Detect Pneumonia-Causing Pathogens
- Online Tool Detects Drug Exposure Directly from Patient Samples
- Chemical Imaging Probe Could Track and Treat Prostate Cancer
- Mismatch Between Two Common Kidney Function Tests Indicates Serious Health Problems
- VOCs Show Promise for Early Multi-Cancer Detection
- Portable Raman Spectroscopy Offers Cost-Effective Kidney Disease Diagnosis at POC
- Gold Nanoparticles to Improve Accuracy of Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
- Simultaneous Cell Isolation Technology Improves Cancer Diagnostic Accuracy
- Simple Non-Invasive Hair-Based Test Could Speed ALS Diagnosis
- Paper Strip Saliva Test Detects Elevated Uric Acid Levels Without Blood Draws
- Prostate Cancer Markers Based on Chemical Make-Up of Calcifications to Speed Up Detection
- Breath Test Could Help Detect Blood Cancers
- ML-Powered Gas Sensors to Detect Pathogens and AMR at POC
- Saliva-Based Cancer Detection Technology Eliminates Need for Complex Sample Preparation
Channels
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
Blood Test Could Identify Biomarker Signature of Cerebral Malaria
Malaria remains a major cause of death and long-term disability in many low- and middle-income countries, with around 600,000 deaths reported globally each year. The most severe form, cerebral malaria,... Read more
World’s First Biomarker Blood Test to Assess MS Progression
Multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity is caused by an abnormal immune response that results in damage to the brain and spinal cord. However, there is a lack of reliable tools to measure or predict MS progression.... Read moreHematology
view channel
MRD Tests Could Predict Survival in Leukemia Patients
Acute myeloid leukemia is an aggressive blood cancer that disrupts normal blood cell production and often relapses even after intensive treatment. Clinicians currently lack early, reliable markers to predict... Read more
Platelet Activity Blood Test in Middle Age Could Identify Early Alzheimer’s Risk
Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease remains one of the biggest unmet needs in neurology, particularly because the biological changes underlying the disorder begin decades before memory symptoms appear.... Read more
Microvesicles Measurement Could Detect Vascular Injury in Sickle Cell Disease Patients
Assessing disease severity in sickle cell disease (SCD) remains challenging, especially when trying to predict hemolysis, vascular injury, and risk of complications such as vaso-occlusive crises.... Read more
ADLM’s New Coagulation Testing Guidance to Improve Care for Patients on Blood Thinners
Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are one of the most common types of blood thinners. Patients take them to prevent a host of complications that could arise from blood clotting, including stroke, deep... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Ultrasensitive Liquid Biopsy Demonstrates Efficacy in Predicting Immunotherapy Response
Immunotherapy has transformed cancer treatment, but only a small proportion of patients experience lasting benefit, with response rates often remaining between 10% and 20%. Clinicians currently lack reliable... Read more
Blood Test Could Identify Colon Cancer Patients to Benefit from NSAIDs
Colon cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related illness, with many patients facing relapse even after surgery and chemotherapy. Up to 40% of people with stage III disease experience recurrence, highlighting... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
New UTI Diagnosis Method Delivers Antibiotic Resistance Results 24 Hours Earlier
Urinary tract infections affect around 152 million people every year, making them one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. In routine medical practice, diagnosis often relies on rapid urine... Read more
Breakthroughs in Microbial Analysis to Enhance Disease Prediction
Microorganisms shape human health, ecosystems, and the planet’s climate, yet identifying them and understanding how they are related remains a major scientific challenge. Even with modern DNA sequencing,... Read morePathology
view channel
Genetics and AI Improve Diagnosis of Aortic Stenosis
Aortic stenosis is a progressive narrowing of the aortic valve that restricts blood flow from the heart and can be fatal if left untreated. There are currently no medical therapies that can prevent or... Read more
AI Tool Simultaneously Identifies Genetic Mutations and Disease Type
Interpreting genetic test results remains a major challenge in modern medicine, particularly for rare and complex diseases. While existing tools can indicate whether a genetic mutation is harmful, they... Read more
Rapid Low-Cost Tests Can Prevent Child Deaths from Contaminated Medicinal Syrups
Medicinal syrups contaminated with toxic chemicals have caused the deaths of hundreds of children worldwide, exposing a critical gap in how these products are tested before reaching patients.... Read more
Tumor Signals in Saliva and Blood Enable Non-Invasive Monitoring of Head and Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancers are among the most aggressive malignancies worldwide, with nearly 900,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Monitoring these cancers for recurrence or relapse typically relies on tissue... Read moreTechnology
view channel
AI Predicts Colorectal Cancer Survival Using Clinical and Molecular Features
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common and deadly cancers worldwide, and accurately predicting patient survival remains a major clinical challenge. Traditional prognostic tools often rely on either... Read more
Diagnostic Chip Monitors Chemotherapy Effectiveness for Brain Cancer
Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and fatal brain cancers, with most patients surviving less than two years after diagnosis. Treatment is particularly challenging because the tumor infiltrates... Read moreIndustry
view channel
BD and Penn Institute Collaborate to Advance Immunotherapy through Flow Cytometry
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H, Philadelphia, PA, USA) at the University... Read more







