Title : Protein-based MRI signal as a biomarker for alzheimer's disease
Abstract:
A major hallmark of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the gradual accumulation and aggregation of toxic soluble and insoluble Aβ species in the brain. Amide Proton Transfer (APT) imaging is a relatively new protein-based molecular MRI technique that is based on endogenous mobile proteins and peptides in tissue. It is known that both extracellular amyloid and intracellular tau first exist as soluble monomers and oligomers, which are APT-detectable. We hypothesize that early AD patients should show high APT signals across brain regions due to the abnormal accumulation of various mobile proteins, including soluble Ab species. Both animal AD models and human subjects were used. Animal MRI experiments were performed on a Bruker 11.7T MRI scanner. 20 mice at ~3 months old, including 5 APPswe/PSEN1dE9 and 5 wild-type, and 5 Tau P301S and 5 wild-type, were used. Human MRI experiments were carried on a Phillips 3T MRI scanner. 5 MCI patients and 8 normal controls were scanned. The average APT# signals were significantly higher in AD mice than in wild-type controls (p < 0.05). Compared to the normal controls, the MCI patients demonstrated higher APT# signals across almost the whole brain. Our early results show that APT imaging can sensitively detect soluble amyloid and tau proteins in AD mice and MCI patients.
Audience Take Away Notes:
- Learn the novel APT imaging technique
- Learn the novel application of APT imaging
- Researchers could expand their research and explore new applications
