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
- Blood Proteins Linked to Mortality Risk and Biological Aging Across Organ Systems
- Two-Step Blood Test Improves Specificity for Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
- Common Kidney Function Tests May Miss CKD in Cancer Patients
- Point-of-Care Blood Biomarker Test Detects Brain Injury Missed by CT
- Daily Blood Testing May Help Guide Earlier Antibiotic Stopping in Sepsis
- Blood Proteins Reveal Signals Linked to Prostate Cancer Risk Years Before Diagnosis
- Two-Step Blood Testing Approach Reduces Uncertainty in Amyloid Assessment
- Multimodal Platform to Combine Blood and Imaging Biomarkers for Lung Nodule Assessment
- Study Links Saliva-Based Epigenetic Signals to OCD Treatment Outcomes
- New One-Step Syphilis Test Could Enable Earlier Detection and Faster Treatment
- Multimodal Clinical Data Models Predict Cachexia Risk Across Cancers
- Study Evaluates Alzheimer’s Blood Biomarker Across Racial and Ethnic Groups
- Blood Protein May Help Identify Treatment-Resistant Psychosis
- Electrochemical Biosensor Rapidly Detects Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks
- Blood Protein Panel Supports Monitoring of Treated Celiac Disease
- Hemoglobin Levels May Help Signal Long-Term Dementia Risk
Channels
Molecular Diagnostics
view channel
Spinal Fluid Liquid Biopsy May Help Clarify Uncertain Brain Tumor Findings
Brain and spinal cord tumors can be difficult to diagnose when imaging is inconclusive or tissue biopsy cannot be performed safely. MRI changes may reflect cancer, inflammation, or treatment-related effects,... Read more
New NGS Panel Detects AML Fusions at MRD-Level Sensitivity
Genomic testing for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can be limited by incomplete coverage of disease-associated alterations. Fusion events may remain undetected when workflows rely on multiple assays or lack... Read more
Updated Framework Guides Assessment of Actionable Cancer Biomarkers
Cancer care increasingly relies on molecular testing to guide targeted treatment selection. Broader use of tumor sequencing has expanded the volume and diversity of biomarker data available to oncologists,... Read more
Genomic Tissue Test Predicts Metastasis and Abiraterone Benefit in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, affecting more than 1 million men worldwide in 2013. Its clinical course varies substantially between patients, complicating efforts to identify those... Read moreHematology
view channel
New Risk-Stratification Tool Predicts Relapse After Blinatumomab in Childhood ALL
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and young people requires careful assessment of relapse risk, particularly as treatment approaches move beyond standard chemotherapy. Traditional relapse predictors... Read more
New Myelofibrosis Guidelines Recommend Expanded Genetic Testing at Diagnosis
Myelofibrosis is a rare, life-threatening blood cancer affecting up to six per 100,000 people. The disease causes scarring in the bone marrow, limiting the production of healthy blood cells and potentially... Read moreImmunology
view channel
Immune and Inflammatory Markers May Help Assess CAR T-Cell Complication Risk
Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) can occur after chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in patients with autoimmune disease. Identifying which patients are more likely to develop this complication... Read more
COVID-19 and Flu Combo Test Launches With FDA Clearance
Overlapping symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza can create diagnostic uncertainty, particularly in urgent and point-of-care settings. Rapid differentiation from a single specimen can streamline triage and... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Decentralized Laboratory Network Improves Detection of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in Guinea
Viral hemorrhagic fevers remain a major diagnostic challenge in West Africa because their early symptoms can resemble those of other febrile illnesses. The 2014–2016 Ebola epidemic underscored the need... Read more
Molecular Panel Gains WHO Emergency Use Listing to Support Ebola Outbreak Response
The ongoing Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries has become one of the largest outbreaks of this Ebola virus species recorded to date.... Read morePathology
view channel
Roche Launches Automated Test to Support Mesothelioma Differential Diagnosis
Mesothelioma is a rare, deadly cancer that forms in the tissue lining many internal organs. Most patients are diagnosed late, with median overall survival reported at 12 to 18 months. Differential diagnosis... Read more
Digital Pathology Test Stratifies Recurrence Risk in Early Breast Cancer
In hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative early breast cancer, accurate recurrence-risk assessment helps guide treatment decisions. However, individual risks... Read more
AI Pathology Tool Predicts DNA Repair Deficiency in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
High-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma is an aggressive cancer arising in the ovaries or fallopian tubes. Some tumors exhibit homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), a feature reflecting impaired DNA repair.... Read moreTechnology
view channel
Compact PCR Thermal Cycler Launches for Routine Molecular Laboratory Workflows
Molecular laboratories rely on nucleic acid analysis to detect molecular information accurately and reproducibly across a wide range of applications. Supporting these routine workflows, a newly launched... Read more
New AI-Powered System Aims to Streamline Laboratory and Manufacturing Workflows
Scientific laboratories supporting drug development, biotechnology, and materials research increasingly rely on coordinated digital workflows to move data, samples, and activities across teams.... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Collaboration Brings Tumor-Informed MRD Monitoring to Breast Cancer Care in Abu Dhabi
For many patients, cancer treatment does not eliminate the risk of recurrence, which may occur months or years later and become harder to treat after spreading. Recurrence is often detected only after... Read more







