Platelet APP, ADAM 10 and BACE alterations in the early stages of Alzheimer disease.

Amyloid precursor protein (APP), ADAM 10, and beta-site-APP cleaving enzyme (BACE) alterations were evaluated in platelets of 31 patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and 15 age-matched controls. A significant modification of these proteins and enzymes involved in the amyloid cascade was detected from the earliest clinically detectable disease stage. This observation suggests that AD is associated with an early metabolic derangement toward amyloidogenic pathways and supports the potential value of APP and secretase measurements for early diagnosis of AD.