Alzheimer's in the blood
A method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease by blood analysis has been developed
Svetlana Maslova, Hi-tech+
The test analyzes the levels of molecules associated with beta-amyloid proteins that are toxic to neurons. If this technology is adapted for other similar biomarkers, the method can be used to diagnose a variety of diseases, scientists say.
The authors of the new test were researchers from Japan. The risks of Alzheimer's disease are particularly high in the country due to the growth of the aging population, so the healthcare system really needs simple tools for mass screening. Currently, Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed using cerebrospinal fluid analysis, as well as PET scans, but both methods are complex and expensive.
Developed by scientists from The Hokkaido University test analyzes the signals of beta-amyloid binding exosomes — proteins that, when accumulated and aggregated in the brain, lead to the death of neurons.
The article by Yuyama et al. Immuno-Digital Invasive Cleavage Assay for Analyzing Alzheimer's Amyloid β-Bound Extracellular Vesicles is published in the journal Alzheimer's Research & Therapy – VM.
It is known that as we age, amyloid plaques gradually accumulate in the brain. At the moment, they are considered the main cause of the development of neurodegeneration.
As previous studies have shown, the accumulation of amyloid plaques is associated with the growth of binding exosomes produced by neurons. Scientists have developed a highly sensitive device for analyzing these exosomes — a million microscopic micromillimeter-sized wells determine the presence or absence of signals.
Currently, the effectiveness of the test is being evaluated in clinical trials, but scientists continue their work. "Our method is applicable to exosome biomarkers in general, so it can be adapted for the diagnosis of many other diseases," they say.
For many years, it has been believed that neurodegeneration develops due to the accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain, but recent studies indicate the viral and autoimmune nature of the disease. This uncertainty is a key problem for the development of effective treatments.
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