neural thread protein (NTP)

Function: - role in neuronal repair & regeneration in the brain (putative) Compartment: - present axonal processes Pathology: - found in large amounts in the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease - increased NTP levels may represent a response to cellular damage caused by neurodegenerative disease Genetics: - gene encoding NTP has been cloned & sequenced & the protein has been reproduced by recombinant techniques. Laboratory: - AD7C test is an immunoassay of NTP in CSF for screening of patients for Alzheimer's disease - detection of neural thread protein in urine is suggested as an assay for early Alzheimer's disease; NTP apparently finds its way into the serum & because of its low MW (21 kD) is filtered into the urine Clinical trials: - in a study of > 500 autopsy-verified Alzheimer's disease patient & age-matched controls, 88% of CSF samples from patients had higher levels of NTP than the highest value found in the controls [Nymox Corp]

Properties

SIZE: MW = 21 kD COMPARTMENT: cytoplasm

References

Nymox Corp, Montreal, Quebec http://www.nymox.com.