Specificity of AD7C-NTP as a Biochemical Marker for Alzheimer's Disease

Hossein Ghanbari, PhD; Kasra Ghanbari; Michael Munzar, MD; Paul Averback, MD

Published: 30 June 1998

The 41-kD protein AD7C-NTP is present in neurons. It is selectively upregulated in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain and is associated with the pathology of the disease. In situ hybridization and immunostaining studies have localized AD7C-NTP gene expression in neurons. Overexpression of AD7C-NTP in transfected neuronal cells promotes neuritic sprouting and cell death. Using an enzyme-linked sandwich immunoassay constructed with antibodies to the recombinant protein, AD7C-NTP levels have been measured in cerebrospinal fluid samples from cases of AD as well as age-matched controls and a variety of neurological disease controls, including cases of stroke, Pick's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, diffuse Lewy-body disease, and certain psychiatric disorders of the elderly. The mean AD7C-NTP level in the possible/ probable AD group (4.3 ± 3.2 ng/mL) was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than the age-matched non-AD-demented control group (1.1 ± 0.9 ng/mL). However, there was no significant difference between AD7C-NTP levels in the non-AD-dementia control group and age-matched normal controls (1.1 ± 0.9ng/mL vs. 1.2 ± 0.9ng/mL). Levels of AD7C-NTP greater than 2.0 ng/mL were found in 83% of possible/probable AD, and in only 6% of the non-AD-demented control group. The data clearly confirms specificity of AD7C-NTP as a biochemical marker for Alzheimer's disease.

Keywords: AD7C, neuronal thread protein, Alzheimer's disease, bio-markers, diagnosis