Compositions and methods for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and compositions for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. In particular, the present invention provides modified beta-amyloid peptides, antibodies that specifically bind to the modified beta-amyloid peptides, and methods for using these compositions in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, as well as methods to monitor treatment and/or disease progression of Alzheimer's disease in patients. The present invention also provides compositions and methods useful in research involving amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism and Alzheimer's disease.

1 - 3 . (canceled)  
     
     
         4 . A purified antibody directed against a modified β-amyloid peptide comprising at least one malondialdehyde adduct.  
     
     
         5 . A composition comprising the antibody of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         6 - 21 . (canceled)  
     
     
         22 . A kit for the detection of at least one modified β-amyloid peptide comprising at least one malondialdehyde adduct, comprising a solid support, and an antibody directed against a modified β-amyloid peptide comprising at least one malondialdehyde adduct.  
     
     
         23 . The kit of  claim 22 , wherein said kit comprises an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.  
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 23 , wherein said kit further comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of instructions, at least one modified β-amyloid peptide comprising at least one malondialdehyde adduct, enzyme-conjugated detection antibody capture antibody, buffer, and enzyme reaction substrate.  
     
     
         25 - 35 . (canceled)  
     
     
         36 . A kit for the detection of at least one antibody directed against at least one modified β-amyloid peptide comprising at least one malondialdehyde adduct, comprising a solid support, at least one purified and modified β-amyloid peptide comprising at least one malondialdehyde adduct, and at least one detection antibody.  
     
     
         37 . The kit of  claim 36 , wherein said kit is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.  
     
     
         38 . The kit of  claim 40 , wherein said kit comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of instructions, at least one purified antibody directed against at least one β-amyloid peptide comprising at least one malondialdehyde adduct, buffer, and enzyme reaction substrate.  
     
     
         39 . The antibody of  claim 4 , wherein said peptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         40 . The antibody of  claim 39 , wherein said at least one malondialdehyde adduct comprises at least one malondialdehyde lysine adduct.  
     
     
         41 . The antibody of  claim 4 , wherein said antibody further comprises a enzyme conjugate selected from the group consisting of horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, urease, glucoamylase, and β-galactosidase.  
     
     
         42 . The antibody of  claim 4 , wherein said antibody is a polyclonal antibody.  
     
     
         43 . The kit of  claim 23 , wherein said enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is selected from the group consisting of direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, direct sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, indirect sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.  
     
     
         44 . The kit of  claim 22 , wherein said kit comprises a western blot kit.  
     
     
         45 . The kit of  claim 37 , wherein said enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is selected from the group consisting of direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, direct sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, indirect sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.  
     
     
         46 . The kit of  claim 36 , wherein said kit comprises a western blot kit.