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]

More general terms

• cytoskeletal protein

Additional terms

• neurofibrillary tangle (NFT)