Assessment of melanotransferrin as an Alzheimer’s disease biomarker

Biomarkers that can reliably detect Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are essential for disease monitoring and development of drug therapy. We have shown that a protein, melanotransferrin (MTf), is elevated in the blood of humans with AD but is nearly undetectable in age-matched healthy controls. We will further validate MTf as a biomarker in mouse models of AD. This will be accomplished using a revolutionary diagnostic technology known as the SISCAPA assay; a technology invented and owned
by the partner organization. Using this clinically amenable method, we will monitor AD model and control mice throughout their life and correlate MTf concentration with neurodegeneration. It is expected that at young AD mice will be indistinguishable from healthy controls but as plaques appear in the brain, so too will MTf levels rise. These results will illuminate the timeline and intensity of MTf elevation and establish the baseline for MTf in healthy or pre-AD subjects.

Faculty Supervisor:

Wilfred Jefferies

Student:

Partner:

Vancouver Island Antibodies Ltd

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: