The discovery of serum biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents an enormous unmet medical need. This project will further explore the hypothesis that the adaptive immune system might react to unusual antigens produced as a result of AD pathology and as a result produce high levels of antibodies that would not be found in a normal individual. There is some evidence that this is the case. To discover these antibodies we plan to screen large libraries of bead-displayed synthetic oligomers and find compounds that retain far more antibodies from AD serum samples than from controls. These molecules would be employed as first generation capture agents for the AD-specific antibodies in a multiplexed Luminex-like diagnostic assay. If this R21 preliminary investigation is successful, it would set the stage for compound optimization and a much larger validation trial that could lead to an effective blood test for AD.

Public Health Relevance

The development of a blood test for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents a major unmet medical need. The goal of this project will be to discover antibodies unique to AD patients and develop a blood test with which to quantify them. This will be done through the discovery of novel synthetic molecules that bind to these antibodies with high affinity and selectivity.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21AG052813-02
Application #
9265411
Study Section
Clinical Neuroscience and Neurodegeneration Study Section (CNN)
Program Officer
Hsiao, John
Project Start
2016-05-01
Project End
2018-04-30
Budget Start
2017-05-01
Budget End
2018-04-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Scripps Florida
Department
Type
DUNS #
148230662
City
Jupiter
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
33458
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Wu, Hao; Mousseau, Guillaume; Mediouni, Sonia et al. (2016) Cell-Permeable Peptides Containing Cycloalanine Residues. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 55:12637-42
Doran, Todd M; Morimoto, Jumpei; Simanski, Scott et al. (2016) Discovery of Phosphorylated Peripherin as a Major Humoral Autoantigen in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Cell Chem Biol 23:618-628