Identifying Links between Alzheimer's Disease and Type 2 Diabetes through Proteomics

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are both amyloidogenic, age-associated chronic diseases and their occurrences are linked by epidemiological evidence and common dysregulated molecular functions including glucose hypometabolism, dyslipidemias, and altered insulin signaling. High-throughput molecular profiling of the genome and transcriptome has advanced our understanding of their molecular links; however, proteomic signatures may reveal novel biomarkers and additional insights because proteins are the primary purveyors of molecular function. Herein, the contributions to our understanding of the molecular links between AD and T2D by high-throughput proteomics are reviewed. Collectively, the studies highlight strong, but broad, common molecular and metabolic signatures; however, more investigation is needed to define shared mechanisms and identify robust biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.