Diagnostic assay for Alzheimer's Disease based on the proteolysis of Alzheimer's precursor protein

摘要

A method useful in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease in a patient in which an amyloid protein precursor (APP) substrate is combined with a sample of cerebrospinal fluid or blood obtained from the patient to be tested, and proteolytic cleavage of the APP substrate is detected. The absence of detectable proteolytic cleavage, or the detection of a substantially lesser degree of proteolytic cleavage, in the presence of the patient's sample compared to that detected when an APP substrate is combined with test samples from control individuals, indicates affliction with Alzheimer's Disease. Convenient test reagents and kits for aiding the diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease are provided, such as comprising an APP substrate and immunoreagents for detecting a fragment formed by proteolytic cleavage as well as chromogenic APP substrates.