Download Mobile App

Featured Video

ERBA MANNHEIM:
Meet our New Hematology Analysers H360 and H560

View Video

Events

more events

31 May 2019 - 04 Jun 2019

ASCO 2019 – Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

01 Jun 2019 - 05 Jun 2019

EAACI Congress 2019 – European Academy of Allergy & Clinical Immunology

03 Jun 2019 - 06 Jun 2019

BIO International Convention 2019

Recommended on TradeMed

visit trademed.com

Multitasker
UHPLC System

Urine Sediment Analyzer
UriSed 3 PRO

Clinical Chemistry Analyzer
ADVIA Chemistry XPT System

Partner Sites

HospiMedica

Intracranial Coiling Device Assists Aneurysm Embolization

Induced Labor No Costlier than Spontaneous Labor

Collaboration Formed to Advance Digital Patient Safety

Aortic Stenosis Device Improves Valve Hemodynamics

Remote ECG Monitoring Solution Detects Elusive AF

Test Detects Protein Associated with Alzheimer’s and CTE

By Labmedica International staff writers
Posted on 09 Jan 2019

Image: The FLUOstar Omega is a multi-mode microplate reader and has six detection modes (Photo courtesy of BMG LabTech).

An ultrasensitive test has been developed that detects a corrupted protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This advance could lead to early diagnosis of these conditions and how they originate.

Alzheimer disease (AD) afflicts 5.7 million people in the USA alone and their care is estimated to cost USD 232 billion annually. Like other proteins involved in neurological diseases, tau protein clusters can seed themselves and contribute substantially to the disease processes of Alzheimer’s and CTE. The diagnostic test originally developed for prion diseases to detect abnormal clusters of tau protein.

A team of scientists collaborating with the Rocky Mountain Laboratories (NIAID, Hamilton, MT, USA) analyzed brain samples from 16 Alzheimer’s patients, two boxers with CTE, and numerous control cases involving other brain diseases. Tissue samples for neuropathological studies were obtained from representative brain regions. The following methods were used: Weigert’s hematoxylin–eosin, Woelcke–Heidenhain, Bodian, Gallyas, and thioflavin S. For immunohistochemistry, antibodies against tau, Aβ, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), prion protein, ubiquitin, and TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) were used.

To probe the molecular basis for AD’s tau filament propagation and to improve detection of tau aggregates as potential biomarkers, the team exploited the seeded polymerization growth mechanism of tau filaments to develop a highly selective and ultrasensitive cell-free tau seed amplification assay optimized for AD (AD real-time quaking-induced conversion or AD RT-QuIC). The reaction is based on the ability of AD tau aggregates to seed the formation of amyloid fibrils made of certain recombinant tau fragments and read on a BMG FLUOstar plate reader.

The investigators reported that AD RT-QuIC detected seeding activity in all AD brains at dilutions as extreme as 107–1010-fold, but was 102–106-fold less responsive when seeded with brain from most cases of other types of tauopathy with comparable loads of predominant three-repeat (3R) or four-repeat (4R) tau aggregates. The CTE brains had seed concentrations comparable to the weakest of the AD specimens, and higher than three of four specimens with 3R/4R primary age-related tauopathy. AD seeds shared properties with the tau filaments found in AD brains, as AD seeds were sarkosyl-insoluble, protease resistant, and reactive with tau antibodies. AD RT-QuIC detected as little as 16 fg of pure synthetic tau fibrils.

The authors concluded that the distinctive seeding activity exhibited by AD and CTE tau filaments compared to other types of tauopathies in these seeded polymerization reactions provides a mechanistic basis for their consistent propagation as specific conformers in patients with 3R/4R tau diseases. Importantly, AD RT-QuIC also provides rapid ultrasensitive quantitation of 3R/4R tau-seeding activity as a biomarker. The study was published on December 20, 2018, in the journal Acta Neuropathologica.

Related Links:
Rocky Mountain Laboratories

Latest Clinical Chemistry News

Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel

Image: A histopathology of castration-resistant prostate cancer (Photo courtesy of Andrew J. Armstrong, MD, ScM).

Hematology

view channel

Sickle Cell Disease Screening Helps Save Lives of Migrants

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body. This abnormal hemoglobin can... Read more

Image: The Bioanalyzer 2100 system is a microfluidic platform that provides quantitation and quality control of DNA and RNA by capillary electrophoresis (Photo courtesy of Agilent Technologies).

Multiple Myeloma Sequences Reveal Prognostic Immunoglobulin Translocation

Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematological cancer, which affects terminally differentiated antibody secreting B cells, known as plasma cells. Clinical manifestations of myeloma include hypercalcemia,... Read more

Image: The Early Sepsis Indicator kit was designed for use on automated hematology instruments such as the DxH 900 analyzer (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter).

Early Sepsis Detection Test Approved for U.S. Marketing

A test for the early detection of sepsis has been approved for marketing in the United States as an in vitro diagnostic product. Sepsis is caused by an inflammatory immune response triggered by an infection.... Read more

Image: The PacBio RS II sequencer uses single molecule, real time (SMRT) sequencing technology (Photo courtesy of Pacific Biosciences).

High-Res Genotyping Improves Survival for Stem Cell Transplantation

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) provides a curative treatment option for individuals with hematologic diseases. Recipients and donors are considered to be compatible or “well matched”... Read more

Immunology

view channel

Simple and Inexpensive Ebola Virus Disease Test Developed

Ebola and Marburg viruses can cause severe bleeding and organ failure, with fatality rates reaching 90% in some outbreaks. The diseases spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person,... Read more

Image: The FLEXMAP3D Analyzer is an advanced and versatile multiplexing platform (Photo courtesy of Luminex).

Renal Transplant Rejection Assessed by HLA Antigen Bead Assay

Acute cellular rejection (ACR) is associated with complications after kidney transplantation, such as graft dysfunction and graft loss. Early risk assessment is therefore critical for the improvement of... Read more

Image: The Helios CyTOF mass cytometry platform (Photo courtesy of Fluidigm).

Immune Cell Profiling Assay Boosts Use of Mass Cytometry

A new, multiplexed, antibody-based assay for immune cell profiling on its mass cytometry platform has been launched. The assay is comprised of a single-tube assay pre-loaded with 30 metal-labeled antibodies... Read more

Image: The ABI 7900HT Fast Real-Time PCR System (Photo courtesy of Thermo Fisher Scientific).

Novel Genes and Pathways Discovered in Celiac Disease

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that occurs globally in genetically predisposed individuals in response to ingestion of gluten-containing grains. While the pathognomonic damage... Read more

Microbiology

view channel

Image: The HumaLoop M: The easy-to-use Loopamp technology for primary and district laboratories (Photo courtesy of Human Diagnostics).

LAMP Malaria Test Detects Less-Diagnosed Species

A new loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) molecular assay has been developed that can detect Plasmodium vivax, a species of the parasite that causes malaria. Almost all molecular tests currently... Read more

Image: QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) is a simple blood test that aids in the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria which causes tuberculosis (TB). QFT is an interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assay, commonly known as an IGRA, and is a modern alternative to the tuberculin skin test (Photo courtesy of Qiagen).

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Explored for TB Diagnosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is among the top 10 causes of death worldwide, and the leading cause from a single infectious agent. In 2017, TB caused an estimated 1.3 million deaths among Human Immunodeficiency Virus... Read more

Image: The RealTime HBV is an in vitro polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the quantitation of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA in human plasma or serum from HBV-infected individuals (Photo courtesy of Abbott Molecular).

Serum HBV RNA Quantification Monitors Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Chronic hepatitis B viral infection is a global health problem, especially in the Asian-Pacific region. Approximately 1.2 million people in the USA and 350 million people worldwide have Hepatitis B.... Read more

Image: A photomicrograph of human papilloma virus associated oropharyngeal cancer. The tissue has been stained to show the presence of the virus by in situ hybridization (Photo courtesy of Jennifer L. Hunt, MD).

Oral HPV-DNA Persists after Oropharyngeal Cancer Treatment

Head and neck cancers affect some 53,000 people in the USA each year, according to the National Cancer Institute, and human papilloma virus (HPV) has been implicated in many of those cases.... Read more

Pathology

view channel

Image: A photomicrograph showing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in a case of colorectal cancer with evidence of high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) on immunostaining (Photo courtesy of Nephron).

Biomarker Predicts Appropriate Immunotherapy for Cancer Patients

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a hypermutable phenotype caused by the loss of DNA mismatch repair activity. MSI is detected in about 15% of all colorectal cancers; 3% are of these are associated with... Read more

Image: A diagram of evolutionary trajectories of IDH-WT glioblastomas revealing a common path of early tumorigenesis instigated years ahead of initial diagnosis (Photo courtesy of German Cancer Research Center).

Glioblastoma Driver Mutations Appear Long Before Diagnosis

Glioblastomas are the most common high-grade (cancerous) primary brain tumor in adults. They can also occur, rarely, in children. Glioblastomas belong to a group of brain tumors known as gliomas, as they... Read more

Image: A histopathology of hepatocellular carcinoma: a mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate extends from portal areas and disrupts the limiting plate of hepatocytes which are undergoing apoptosis, the so-called interface hepatitis of chronic active hepatitis. In this case, the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) were positive (Photo courtesy of University of Utah Medical School).

Virus-Associated Liver Cancer Detected by Blood Tests

Viral infection with either hepatitis C virus (HCV) or Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the chief cause of liver cancer in the world today, accounting for 80% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).... Read more

EBUS More Reliable Than Histology for Cancer Diagnoses

Radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a minimally invasive procedure that improves localization of peripheral pulmonary lesions. Cytology samples of the suspect lesion site collected by radial... Read more

Lab Tech.

view channel

Image: The Atellica CH Enzymatic Hemoglobin A1c (A1c_E) Assay (Photo courtesy of Siemens Healthineers).

Siemens Healthineers Hemoglobin A1c Test Now Available on Atellica Solution

The Atellica CH Enzymatic Hemoglobin A1c (A1c_E) Assay is an easy-to-implement chemistry test, offering precise and accurate results for diabetic patient management. The A1c_E assay is less prone to... Read more

Image: A nanoelectronics assay: stressed blood cells could be a biomarker for chronic fatigue (Photo courtesy of The Scientist).

Biomarker Test Developed for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), is a serious condition that may affect up to 2.5 million people in the USA. Symptoms include extreme tiredness, difficulty sleeping, trouble... Read more

Flow Cytometry Leukemia/Lymphoma Antibody Panel Receives Approval

A panel of immune-phenotyping flow cytometer reagents that identifies both lymphoid and myeloid cell lines has been granted diagnostic marketing clearance by the [U.S.] Food and Drug Administration to... Read more

Image: Liquid handling products from Hecht-Assistant (Photo courtesy of Glaswarenfabrik Karl Hecht).

Glaswarenfabrik Karl Hecht Celebrates 100-year Anniversary

In 1919, Karl Hecht laid the foundation for the Glaswarenfabrik in Sitzendorf-Unterweißbach in Thuringia, Germany. Over the decades the company continuously specialized in production and distribution of... Read more

Industry News

view channel

Image: The DxA total lab automation solution (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter).

Beckman Coulter Introduces New Total Laboratory Automation Solution

Beckman Coulter’s (Brea, CA, USA) latest addition to its automation portfolio, the DxA 5000 total laboratory automation solution has achieved European CE Mark and China Food and Drug Administration approval.... Read more

Image: The Multi-Test VITROS chemistry product slides (Photo courtesy of Ortho Clinical Diagnostics).

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Presents Cardiac Advances at EuroMedLab 2019

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (Raritan, NJ, USA) sponsored an educational workshop on high-sensitivity troponin assays and presented five scientific posters at EuroMedLab 2019, the 23rd IFCC-EFLM European... Read more

Image: The global point of care diagnostics/testing market is expected to reach almost USD 23 billion by 2025 (Photo courtesy of iStock).

Global POC Diagnostics/Testing Market to Reach USD 22.8 Billion by 2025

The global point of care (POC) diagnostics/testing market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% over the forecast period 2019-2025 to reach USD 22.8 billion by 2025, driven by the ability of POC tests... Read more

Global Automated Immunoassay Analyzer Market Driven by Increase in Applications

The global automated immunoassay analyzer market is expected to achieve significant growth over the coming years, driven by innovations in the existing products and increased clinical applications of these systems.... Read more

BioResearch

view channel

$Image: A micrograph showing retinal cells derived from a patient\'s skin cells, via induced pluripotent stem cells. The cells are organized in a polygonal shape and have taken on characteristic pigmentation (Photo courtesy of the University of California, San Diego).$

Click for LinkXpress Reader Inquiry Service
Enter code to receive information:

Where I can find code?

LinkXpress

Featured Products

Download Mobile App

Trending Articles

Featured Video

Events

Recommended on TradeMed

Partner Sites

HospiMedica

Test Detects Protein Associated with Alzheimer’s and CTE

Latest Clinical Chemistry News

Channels

LabMedica

Channels

Features

Partner Sites