Analysis of the Human Plasma Proteome Using Multi-Nanoparticle Protein Corona for Detection of Alzheimer's Disease

As the population affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) grows, so does the need for a noninvasive and accurate diagnostic tool. Current research reveals that AD pathogenesis begins as early as decades before clinical symptoms. The unique properties of nanoparticles (NPs) may be exploited to develop noninvasive diagnostics for early detection of AD. After exposure of NPs to biological fluids, the NP surface is altered by an unbiased but selective and reproducible adsorption of biomolecules commonly referred to as the biomolecular corona or protein corona (PC). The discovery that the plasma proteome may be differentially altered during health and disease leads to the concept of disease-specific PCs. Herein, the disease-specific PCs formed around NPs in a multi-NPs platform are employed to successfully identify subtle changes in plasma protein patterns and detect AD (>92% specificity and approximate to 100% sensitivity). Similar discrimination power is achieved using banked plasma samples from a cohort of patients several years prior to their diagnosis with AD. With the nanoplatform's analytic ability to analyze pathological proteomic changes into a disease-specific identifier, this promising, noninvasive technology with implications for early detection and intervention could benefit not only patients with AD but other diseases as well.

Automated summary

As the population affected by Alzheimer's disease grows, there is a need for a noninvasive and accurate diagnostic tool, which may be achieved through the unique properties of nanoparticles. Research shows that disease-specific protein coronas formed around nanoparticles can successfully identify subtle changes in plasma protein patterns and detect AD with high specificity and sensitivity. This promising, noninvasive technology has implications for early detection and intervention in AD and other diseases.