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Abnormal pattern of platelet APP isoforms in Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome
Di Luca M, Pastorino L, Cattabeni F, Zanardi R, Scarone S, Racagni G, Smeraldi E, Perez J.. Archives of neurology, 1996-11-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective To determine if changes in levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) isoforms in periphery are associated with Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome. Design After subjects were grouped according to diagnosis, APP isoform levels in platelets were compared. Setting University medical center. Subjects Ten patients who fulfilled diagnostic criteria for probable Alzheimer disease, 22 healthy volunteers, and 7 elderly (mean age, 42.7 years) and 7 young (mean age, 19.0 years) patients with Down syndrome. Main outcome measures The levels of APP isoforms were evaluated by means of Western blot analysis and immunostaining of whole platelets. Results The ratio between the 130- and the 106- to 110-kd APP isoforms was markedly lower in patients with Alzheimer disease and in elderly patients with Down syndrome than in control subjects. In young patients with Down syndrome, the ratio did not significantly differ from that in control subjects. Conclusions A consistent alteration in platelet APP isoforms has been found in Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome. Further studies will determine whether this alteration could provide a peripheral biochemical marker of the disorder and whether it could intervene in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease.
Key findings
- Objective To determine if changes in levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) isoforms in periphery are associated with Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome.
- Results The ratio between the 130- and the 106- to 110-kd APP isoforms was markedly lower in patients with Alzheimer disease and in elderly patients with Down syndrome than in control subjects.
- In young patients with Down syndrome, the ratio did not significantly differ from that in control subjects.
Why it matters
This study found a lower ratio of platelet amyloid precursor protein isoforms in patients with Alzheimer disease and in elderly patients with Down syndrome than in controls, while young patients with Down syndrome did not differ from controls. The authors say further studies are needed to know whether this could be a peripheral marker, so it is not a treatment or prevention finding.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 36 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 38 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Archives of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Archives of Neurology: journal h-index 353 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1996 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 78 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.4 citations a year over 32 year(s) since 1996 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Milan: institution h-index 1,023 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 8912490) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 36 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 36 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 38 out of 100. |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Di Luca, M., Pastorino, L., Cattabeni, F., Zanardi, R., Scarone, S., Racagni, G., et al. (1996). Abnormal pattern of platelet APP isoforms in Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome. Archives of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1996.00550110114019
Vancouver
Di Luca M, Pastorino L, Cattabeni F, Zanardi R, Scarone S, Racagni G, et al. Abnormal pattern of platelet APP isoforms in Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome. Archives of neurology. 1996. doi:10.1001/archneur.1996.00550110114019. PMID: 8912490.
BibTeX
@article{diluca1996-8912490,
author = {Di Luca, M. and Pastorino, L. and Cattabeni, F. and Zanardi, R. and Scarone, S. and Racagni, G. and Smeraldi, E. and Perez, J.},
title = {{Abnormal pattern of platelet APP isoforms in Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome}},
journal = {Archives of neurology},
year = {1996},
doi = {10.1001/archneur.1996.00550110114019},
pmid = {8912490},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1996.00550110114019}
}
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