Serum-based protein profiles of Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment in elderly Hispanics.

AIM: To describe the biomarker profiles in elderly Panamanians diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or no impairment using serum-based biomarkers.

METHODS

Twenty-four proteins were analyzed using an electrochemiluminescence-based multiplex biomarker assay platform. A biomarker profile was generated using random forest analyses.

RESULTS

Two proteins differed among groups: IL-18 and T-lymphocyte-secreted protein I-309. The AD profile was highly accurate and independent of age, gender, education and Apolipoprotein E ε4 status. AD and MCI profiles had substantial overlap among the top markers, suggesting common functions in AD and MCI but differences in their relative importance.

CONCLUSION

Our results underscore the potential influence of genetic and environmental differences within Hispanic populations on the proteomic profile of AD.