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Altered serum glycomics in Alzheimer disease: a potential blood biomarker?
Chen CC, Engelborghs S, Dewaele S, Le Bastard N, Martin JJ, Vanhooren V, Libert C, De Deyn PP.. Rejuvenation research, 2010-08-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
We investigated whether blood N-glycan changes can be used as a diagnostic biomarker for Alzheimer disease (AD). We used DNA sequencer-assisted, fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (DSA-FACE) technology to assay N-glycans in sera from 79 autopsy-confirmed dementia patients and 149 healthy controls. One N-glycan (NA2F) was substantially decreased in AD patients but not in controls. Use of NA2F for discriminating AD between dementia patients and healthy controls showed a diagnostic accuracy of 85.7% +/- 2.8% with 92% specificity and 70% sensitivity. The decrease in the level of NA2F in AD patients compared to non-AD patients was more pronounced in females (p < 0.0001) than in males (p < 0.014). Use of NA2F to differentiate female AD from female non-AD patients reached a diagnostic accuracy of 90.7% +/- 4.8 %. Pearson correlation analysis showed that in female dementia patients, serum NA2F levels were significantly correlated with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) beta-amyloid peptide of 42 amino acids (Abeta(1-42)) and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau(181P)) levels, whereas in male dementia patients serum NA2F levels were significantly correlated only with CSF total tau protein (T-tau) level. Thus, we suggest that the serum N-glycan marker might be suitable for longitudinal and follow-up studies.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Chen, C. C., Engelborghs, S., Dewaele, S., Le Bastard, N., Martin, J. J., Vanhooren, V., et al. (2010). Altered serum glycomics in Alzheimer disease: a potential blood biomarker? Rejuvenation research. https://doi.org/10.1089/rej.2009.0992
Vancouver
Chen CC, Engelborghs S, Dewaele S, Le Bastard N, Martin JJ, Vanhooren V, et al. Altered serum glycomics in Alzheimer disease: a potential blood biomarker? Rejuvenation research. 2010. doi:10.1089/rej.2009.0992. PMID: 20426627.
BibTeX
@article{chen2010-20426627,
author = {Chen, C. C. and Engelborghs, S. and Dewaele, S. and Le Bastard, N. and Martin, J. J. and Vanhooren, V. and Libert, C. and De Deyn, P. P.},
title = {{Altered serum glycomics in Alzheimer disease: a potential blood biomarker?}},
journal = {Rejuvenation research},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1089/rej.2009.0992},
pmid = {20426627},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1089/rej.2009.0992}
}
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.
Key findings
- The decrease in the level of NA2F in AD patients compared to non-AD patients was more pronounced in females (p < 0.0001) than in males (p < 0.014).
- Pearson correlation analysis showed that in female dementia patients, serum NA2F levels were significantly correlated with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) beta-amyloid peptide of 42 amino acids (Abeta(1-42)) and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau(181P)) levels, whereas in male dementia patients serum NA2F levels were significantly correlated only with CSF total tau protein (T-tau) level.
- Thus, we suggest that the serum N-glycan marker might be suitable for longitudinal and follow-up studies.
Why it matters
A serum N-glycan called NA2F was decreased in Alzheimer disease patients compared with controls and showed moderate diagnostic accuracy, with a stronger decrease in females. This suggests a possible blood marker, but it is a diagnostic finding and does not test any treatment.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Effect size85.7%; 2.8%; 90.7%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for sample size, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Rejuvenation research) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Rejuvenation Research: journal h-index 85 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 32 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.8 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Peter Paul De Deyn: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Ghent University: institution h-index 1,033 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20426627) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
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May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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