Can platelet BACE1 levels be used as a biomarker for Alzheimer\u27s disease? Proof-of-concept study

Decourt, Boris
Walker, Aaron
Gonzales, Amanda
Malek-Ahmadi, Michael
Liesback, Carolyn
Davis, Kathryn J.
Belden, Christine M.
Jacobson, Sandra A.
Sabbagh, Marwan N.

Open link

Publication date

April 2013

DOI

10.3109/09537104.2012.688899

Publisher

Informa UK Limited

Abstract

To date there is no validated peripheral biomarker to assist with the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD). Platelet proteins have been studied as AD biomarkers with relative success. In this study, we investigated whether platelet BACE1 levels differ between AD and cognitively normal (CN) control patients. Using a newly developed ELISA method, we found that BACE1 levels were significantly lower in AD compared to CN subjects. These data were supported by the observation that several BACE1 isoforms, identified by Western blotting, were also lower in AD platelets. This proof-of-concept study provides evidence for testing platelet BACE1 levels as a peripheral AD biomarker using a novel, sensitive and inexpensive method. © 2013 Inf...