The reduced level of antibodies to acetylcholine receptor alpha 7 fragment in the blood serum of patients with Alzheimer’s disease

OBJECTIVE: Determination of antibodies to neuronal membrane proteins in the blood serum of patients is of interest for diagnosis and optimization of treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Authors studied the level of antibodies to acetylcholine receptor alpha 7 protein fragment (AChR), prion protein (РrР) and glycation end-products (RAGE) as well as to intracellular proteins nucleophosmin (Nuc) and survivin (Sur) in the serum of AD patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Serum samples of 26 patients with probable AD and 13 healthy people were studied. Exposed sections of each protein were used for the choice of peptides for antibody visualization. ELIZA was a main method in this study. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Antibodies to several proteins were identified but significant differences were found only for AChR-(173-193). The results demonstrated the involvement of AChR and AChR-antibodies in the development of AD. Determination of antibodies to AChR-(173-193) may be a marker of AD and a method for specifying the diagnosis of AD.