title: Sugar chains of cerebrospinal fluid transferrin as a new biological marker of Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a well-known type of dementia. However, it remains difficult to identify AD in the early stage and to distinguish it from other dementing disorders. We examined glycoproteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as potential biological markers of AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  CSF samples were collected from AD, other dementia and nondemented patients. Glycoproteins in CSF were detected by lectin blotting using wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and sugar chain analysis was performed by isoelectric focusing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Alzheimer's CSF, several glycoproteins had lower WGA-binding activities, one of which was sufficiently sensitive and specific to distinguish AD from nondemented controls and other dementias. Further analysis identified this glycosylated protein as transferrin, and altered sugar chain composition of transferrin isoforms was observed despite normal protein levels in CSF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decreased WGA-binding activity of transferrin in AD is probably due to altered glycosylation of transferrin molecules. Transferrin glycosylation is thus a potential biological marker for AD diagnosis, and changes in this glycosylation may play an important role in the pathophysiology of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Regulation, School of Health Sciences, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan. miyako@med.tottori-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okayama
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitaura
authors.forename: Daiki
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jimbo
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wakutani
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wada-Isoe
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akatsu
authors.forename: Katsutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Urakami
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D008297:Male; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D010766:Phosphorylation; D024801:Tauopathies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis; D014168:Transferrin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014168:Transferrin; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D016875:tau Proteins