Plasma gelsolin and matrix metalloproteinase 3 as potential biomarkers for Alzheimer disease

Gelsolin (GSN) levels and matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) activity have been found to be altered in the plasma in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). The aim of this study was to determine whether a combination of these proteins with clinical data is specific and sensitive enough for AD diagnosis. In 113 non-demented controls and 113 patients with probable AD, the plasma GSN levels were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the plasma MMP3 activity was determined using casein zymography. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of these proteins combined with clinical data. Compared with the controls, the AD patients had significantly lower GSN levels and significantly higher MMP3 activity. Moreover, both the GSN level and MMP3 activity were significantly correlated with the MMSE scores. In AD patients, the GSN level was negatively correlated with MMP3 activity. ROC curve analysis showed that the specificity and sensitivity were 77% and 75.2%, respectively, for the combination of the following candidate biomarkers: GSN level/the total amount of Aβ42 and Aβ40, plasma MMP3 activity and clinical data. With its relatively high sensitivity and specificity, this combined biomarker panel may have potential for the screening of AD patients.