Patent ID: 9012237
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining an increased likelihood of Alzheimer's disease in a patient, said method comprising the steps of: characterizing quantities of high and low molecular weight Tau protein variants in a reference population of persons not suffering from Alzheimer's disease; obtaining and stabilizing platelets from a patient; extracting Tau protein variants from said platelets; using said extracted Tau protein variants, analyzing platelet proteins electrophoresis pattern in 1-D and 2-D gels; performing immunoassay with Tau5 anti-Tau antibodies directed against total Tau and using at least one antibody directed against hyperphosphorylated Tau selected from the group consisting of AT8 and PHF1 anti-Tau antibodies, thereby identifying Tau protein variants; comparing the relative amounts of high and low molecular weight Tau protein variants in the platelets of said patient to that of said reference population and determining an increased likelihood of Alzheimer's disease in a patient when the ratio of high to low molecular weight Tau protein variants in the immunoassay results exceeds said ratio in the reference population; wherein low molecular weight Tau protein variants are those of weight less than 70 kDa and high molecular weight Tau protein variants are those of weight greater than 70 kDa.