Biomarkers Discovered for Alzheimer's

A novel biomarker pattern for potential diagnostic use correctly classified 96% of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 94% of normal individuals. These results were presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans (LA, USA.)

Researchers analyzed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from probable Alzheimer's patients and age-matched normal individuals using the SELDI (surface-enhanced laser/desorption ionization) Protein Chip biomarker system and Expression Difference Mapping methodology of Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc. (Fremont, CA, USA). Profiling of CSF samples on a variety of ProteinChip arrays revealed 39 candidate biomarkers that were differentially expressed in samples from Alzheimer's patients versus age-matched normal control individuals.

The researchers at Ciphergen then used the company's Biomarker Pattern software to select a pattern of four biomarkers that correctly classified 29 out of 30 Alzheimer's patient samples and 33 out of 35 age-matched normal individuals. Ciphergen states that existing biochemical markers lack the sensitivity and specificity for routine clinical use, particularly for differentiation of Alzheimer's disease from other dementias.

"The AD profile discovered in this study using the SELDI ProteinChip technology may be a major breakthrough as a method to help clinicians identify AD very early in the disease process,” said Professor Kaj Blennow of Sahlgren's University Hospital (Goteborg, Sweden), who collaborated with Ciphergen scientists on the research.




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