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Abnormalities of Amyloid Precursor Protein Expression in Platelets of Patients With Alzheimer Disease: Do We Understand Them Well Enough?

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

With great interest we have read the article by Di Luca et al¹ on the differential level of platelet amyloid precursor protein (APP) isoform expression in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Using Western blotting technology, the authors demonstrate that platelets from patients with AD have characteristic changes in the intensity of the different bands detectable with APP-specific antibodies. The changes are correlated with the progression of clinical symptoms. The authors conclude from these data that the platelet APP isoform expression pattern is specifically altered in AD. The possible use of peripheral isoform expression as a marker of disease progression in AD is then discussed. This would certainly be a major breakthrough. We would, however, like to add some words of caution and make a few comments.

By general agreement, isoforms are multiple forms of the same protein that differ in their primary structure.² They can be produced by different genes . . . [Full Text of this Article]