Evaluation of the gene expression in Alzheimer´s disease by cDNA microarray approach from human postmortem brain samples

Author(s)

Aderbal Ruy Teodoro da Silva

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina (FM/SBD)
• Defense date: 2008-12-18

Examining board members

Helena Paula Brentani; Silvia Regina Rogatto; Marilia de Arruda Cardoso Smith

• Advisor: Helena Paula Brentani

Abstract

Alzheimers disease (AD) has received intense study during the past decades. The pathophysiology of AD has been clarified but the diagnosis of AD is still imperfect. On one hand, about 20% of patients diagnosed with probable AD are found, at autopsy, to not meet the pathological definition of the disease. On the other hand, why some subjects have high AD neuropathology but do not have dementia is an open question. To achieve a better comprehension of the pathological findings and clinical signs in AD, differential transcriptome was searched, by the cDNA microarray technique, in hippocampus and frontal cortex form 32 individuals separated in four groups: 1) subjects with neuropathology and clinical AD (definitive AD); 2) subjects with pathological findings of AD but without any clinical symptom (pathologic AD); 3) individuals with cognitive impairment, but without AD pathology (others dementias); and 4) clinically normal individuals, without AD pathology (normal individuals). Based on gene expression profile these individuals, it could verify high similarity between definitive AD and pathologic AD. Despite this similarity, classifiers which could discriminate AD subjects from clinically normal subjects with AD neuropathology were provided, suggesting that an important difference between those groups could be in cell cycle progression (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 05/04151-7 - Evaluation of gene expression in Alzheimer´s disease by cDNA microarray technique
• Grantee: Aderbal Ruy Teodoro da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master