Cutting-Edge Nanotechnology Could Lead to Alzheimer's Disease Test

Researchers at Britain's University of Manchester have employed cutting-edge nanotechnology to extract blood signal of neurodegeneration, in the hope of developing a screening test for early Alzheimer's, reports Health Europa . "The technology developed opens up new possibilities for the development of novel multi-analyte blood tests to predict the onset and development of a wide range of neurodegenerative disorders," said Manchester Professor Nigel Hooper. An analysis in ACS Nano involved the extraction of blood signals of neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Nanoparticles called liposomes were injected into the mice to detect disease-specific proteins from blood; their surfaces spontaneously accumulated hundreds of neurodegeneration-associated proteins. Following the nanoparticles' retrieval, the researchers analyzed the molecular signatures on their surfaces. Manchester Professor Kostas Kostarelos said, "The nano-tool we developed allowed us to see deeper into the blood proteome, identifying proteins of interest that are directly associated with neurodegeneration processes in the brain, among thousands of other blood-circulating molecules. We hope that these early warning signs of Alzheimer's disease could one day be developed into a blood test and we are actively seeking validation of these signatures in human blood."