New Platforms for Early and Rapid Alzheimer's disease diagnosis

• Grant number: 15/02623-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2015
• End date: February 28, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Valtencir Zucolotto
• Grantee: Laís Canniatti Brazaca
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/03779-0 - Improving paper-based biosensors for the quantification of Alzheimer's disease blood biomarkers using printing techniques, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a devastating condition common among elderly people characterized by a progressive and slow brain degradation that may take decades to complete. This disease currently affects over 36 million people and mainly due to population aging, projections indicate that in 25 years this number will triple - resulting in very high cost to health systems. Although the causes and development of Alzheimer's disease are not well elucidated, it is estimated that the condition has a long asymptomatic period that may last 5 to 10 years. The diagnosis in the preclinical phase is important so that the disease can be treated in advance, slowing its progress. Furthermore, the identification of an increased number of patients in asymptomatic phases provides a larger amount of data for the study of the disease's development, auxiliating in the search for treatments or cures. Currently Alzheimer's diagnosis is complex and it is accomplished by a set of cognitive testing, neuroimaging techniques and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). These require very specialized equipment and researchers, and are, therefore, expensive. Recently, several blood biomarkers for the development of Alzheimer's disease were identified, enabling the low cost diagnosis on initial stages of the condition. The main ones are: prostate specific antigen complexed with inhibitor of serine ±1-antichymotrypsin protease, fetuin B, clusterin and the precursor of pancreatic hormone. These were significantly related to the diagnosis of disease, decreased brain volume and the rate of decline of cognitive functions and can be used for early diagnosis. In this project we propose the development of biosensors for the detection and quantification of a set of biomarkers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease based on the use of nanostructured platforms and the investigation of the relationship between the concentrations of these markers with the state of health of patients. This study may provide possibly the diagnosis through simpler, cheaper and faster devices. We hope we can diagnose a larger number of patients, allowing treatment and counseling these early, and allow further study of the mechanism of disease - thus assisting in the development of treatments and even a cure.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BRAZACA, LAIS C.; MORETO, JOSE R.; MARTIN, AIDA; TEHRANI, FARSHAD; WANG, JOSEPH; ZUCOLOTTO, VALTENCIR. Colorimetric Paper-Based Immunosensor for Simultaneous Determination of Fetuin B and Clusterin toward Early Alzheimer's Diagnosis. ACS NANO, v. 13, n. 11, p. 13325-13332, NOV 2019. (17/03779-0, 15/02623-0)

BRAZACA, LAIS C.; BRAMORSKI, CAMILA B.; CANCINO-BERNARDI, JULIANA; CRUZ-MACHADO, SANSERAY DA SILVEIRA; MARKUS, REGINA P.; JANEGITZ, BRUNO C.; ZUCOLOTTO, VALTENCIR. An antibody-based platform for melatonin quantification. COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES, v. 171, p. 94-100, NOV 1 2018. (13/13691-1, 15/02623-0, 15/19099-2)

BRAZACA, LAIS CANNIATTI; SAMPAIO, ISABELLA; ZUCOLOTTO, VALTENCIR; JANEGITZ, BRUNO CAMPOS. Applications of biosensors in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. Talanta, v. 210, APR 1 2020. (17/21898-6, 17/21097-3, 15/02623-0, 18/19750-3)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

BRAZACA, Laís Canniatti. Development of biosensors for assisting in the diagnosis of Alzheimer\'s disease, for the rapid quantification of melatonin and for the simple determination of the genetic trait of sickle cell anemia. 2019. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC/BT) São Carlos.