CA2162048A1 - Cell test for alzheimer's disease - Google Patents

Cell test for alzheimer's disease

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Publication number
CA2162048A1
CA2162048A1 CA002162048A CA2162048A CA2162048A1 CA 2162048 A1 CA2162048 A1 CA 2162048A1 CA 002162048 A CA002162048 A CA 002162048A CA 2162048 A CA2162048 A CA 2162048A CA 2162048 A1 CA2162048 A1 CA 2162048A1
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Prior art keywords
cells
patient
intracellular calcium
calcium ion
fibroblasts
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CA002162048A
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French (fr)
Inventor
Daniel L. Alkon
Rene Etcheberrigaray
Ito Etsuro
Gary E. Gibson
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US Department of Health and Human Services
Cornell Research Foundation Inc
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Individual
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    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/48Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
    • G01N33/50Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
    • G01N33/68Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing involving proteins, peptides or amino acids
    • G01N33/6872Intracellular protein regulatory factors and their receptors, e.g. including ion channels
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07KPEPTIDES
    • C07K14/00Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
    • C07K14/435Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
    • C07K14/46Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans from vertebrates
    • C07K14/47Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans from vertebrates from mammals
    • C07K14/4701Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans from vertebrates from mammals not used
    • C07K14/4711Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid plaque core protein
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07KPEPTIDES
    • C07K16/00Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies
    • C07K16/18Immunoglobulins [IGs], e.g. monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies against material from animals or humans
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/48Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
    • G01N33/50Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
    • G01N33/5005Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing involving human or animal cells
    • G01N33/5091Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing involving human or animal cells for testing the pathological state of an organism
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/48Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
    • G01N33/50Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
    • G01N33/68Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing involving proteins, peptides or amino acids
    • G01N33/6893Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing involving proteins, peptides or amino acids related to diseases not provided for elsewhere
    • G01N33/6896Neurological disorders, e.g. Alzheimer's disease
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2800/00Detection or diagnosis of diseases
    • G01N2800/28Neurological disorders
    • G01N2800/2814Dementia; Cognitive disorders
    • G01N2800/2821Alzheimer
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10STECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S436/00Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing
    • Y10S436/811Test for named disease, body condition or organ function

Abstract

The present invention is a method for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease using human cells. Specifically the method detects differences between potassium channels in cells from Alzheimer's patient and normal donors, and differences in intracellular calcium concentrations between Alzheimer's and normal cells in response to chemicals known to increase intracellular calcium levels.

Description

W094/25872 216 2 0 4 ~ PCT~S94/04754 CELL TEST FOR AT-~TM~ 'S DISEASE

FIELD OF THE lNv~NllON
The present invention relates to methods for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. The technique utilizes newly discovered differences between cells ~rom healthy donors and those with Alzheimer's disease. In one method, differences in the existence of functional potassium ch~nnelg are agsessed. In another method, differences in intracellular calcium levels in response to depolarization by a potassium ch~nnel blocker are assessed. In yet another method, differences in intracellular calcium levels in response to a chemical known to increase intracellular calcium levels by releasing calcium from intracellular stores are assessed.

~ACKGROUND OF THE lN V~N'l'lON
Alzheimer's disease is associated with extensive loss of specific neuronal subpopulations in the brain (Sims, N.R., et al. (1987) Annals of Neuroloqy 21:451), with memory loss being the most universal symptom.
(Katzman, R. (1986) New England Journal of Medicine 314:964). Alzheimer's disease has been linked to a genetic origin. (Schellenberg, G.D., et al. (1992) Science 258:668; ~i, G., et al. (1991) Psychiatric Clinics of North America 14:267; St. George-Hyslop, P.H., et al.
(1989) Neurobioloqy of Aginq 10:417; St. George-Hyslop, P.H., et al. (1987) Science 235:885). Early-onset familial forms of the disease exhibit a genetic defect on chromosome 21. (St. George-Hyslop, P.H., et al. (1987)).
Cellular changes, leading to neuronal loss and the underlying etiology of the disease, remain unknown.
Proposed causes include environmental factors, (Perl, D.P.
(1985) Environmental Health Perspective 63:149; Katzman, W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 4~

R. (1986)), including metal toxicity, (Perl, D.P., et al.
(1980) Science 208:297), defects in ~-amyloid protein metabolism, (Shoji, M., et al. (1992) Science 258:126;
Joachim, C.L. and Selkoe, D.J. (1992) Alzheimer Disease Assoc. Disord. 6:7; Kosik, K.S. (1992) Science 256:780;
Selkoe, D.J. (1991) Neuron 6:487; Hardy, H. and Allsop, D.
(1991) Trends in Pharmacoloqical Science 12:383), and abnormal calcium homeostasis and/or calcium activated kinases. (Mattson, M.P., et al. (1992) Journal of Neuroscience 12:376; Borden, L.A., et al. (1991) Neurobioloqy of Aqinq 13:33; Peterson, E., et al. (1989) Annals of New York Academy of Science 568:262; Peterson, C., et al. (1988) Neurobioloqy of Aging 9:261; Peterson, C., et al. (1986) Proceedinqs of the National Academy of Science 83:7999) Al~he;m~r's disease is well characterized with regard to neuropathological changes. However, abnormalities have been reported in peripheral tissue supporting the possibility that Alzheimer's disease is a systemic disorder with pathology of the central nervous system being the most pr~m;n~nt. (Rizopoulos, E., et al.
(1989) Neurobioloqy of Aqing 10:717; Peterson (1986)).
Potas ium rh~nnels have been found to change during memory storage. (Etcheberrigaray, R., et al.
(1992) Proceedinq of the National Academy of Science 89:7184; Sanchez-Andrés, J.V. and Alkon, D.L. (1991) Journal of Neurobiology 65:796; Collin, C., et al. (1988) Biophysics Journal 55:955; Alkon, D.L., et al. (1985) Behavioral and Neural Biology 44:278; Alkon, D.L. (1984) Science 226:1037). This observation, coupled with the almost universal symptom of memory 105S in Alzheimer's patients, led to the investigation of potassium ch~nn~l function as a possible site of Alzheimer's disease pathology and to the current invention.

W094/25872 ~16 2 ~ ~ 8 PCT~S94/04754 The so-called patch clamp technique and improvements thereof, have been developed to study electrical currents in cells. The method is used to study ion transfer through channels. To measure these currents, the membrane of the cell is closely attached to the opening of the patch micropipette so that a very tight seal is achieved. This seal prevents current from leaking outside of the patch micropipette. The resulting high electrical resistance across the seal can be exploited to perform high resolution current measurements and apply voltages across the membrane. Different configurations of the patch clamp technique can be used. (Sakmann, B. and Neker, E. (1984) ~nn~l~l Review of Physioloqy 46:455).
Currently, there is no laboratory diagnostic test for Al~he;m~r's disease. Therefore, there is a great need for a method to rapidly and clearly distinguish between Alzheimer's patients, normal aged people, and people suffering from other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's, Huntington's chorea, Wernicke-Korsakoff or schizophrenia. Although some investigatorshave suggested that calcium imaging measurements in fibroblasts were of potential clinical use in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (Peterson et al. 1986, 1988, supra), other researchers using similar cell lines and techniques, have shown no difference in calcium levels in Alzheimer's and normal control fibroblasts. (Borden et al. 1991, supra). Thus, the latter work refutes the findings of the former work.
The methods for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease of the present invention using cells isolated from patients are needed and will greatly improve the now very complicated clinical diagnostic process for Alzheimer's disease. These methods are especially important because they are able to distinguish patients with Alzheimer's W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 o disease from patients with other neurodegenerative diseases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a method for assaying ~or Alzheimer's disease using cells isolated from patients.
In one embodiment of the invention, the presence or absence of a particular potassium rhAnnel is measured. In a cell from a healthy control, potassium channels with slope conductances of 113 pS (picosiemens) and 166 pS are present and functional. In Alzheimer' 8 cells, the 113 pS
potassium rh~nnel is missing or nonfunctional.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the effect of potassium ch~Annel blockers specific for the 113 pS potassium chAnnel on intracellular calcium levels is assessed. In this method, intracellular calcium levels are found to be elevated in response to potassium chAnn blockers in normal cells, but not in cells from donors with Alzheimer's disease. The preferred potassium chAnne blocker is tetraethylAmm~;um ("TEA") at a final extracellular concentration of 100 mM. However, other potassium chAnnel blockers which specifically block the 113 pS potassium chAnnPl may also be used. Furthermore, when TEA is used, other final concentrations of TEA may be used as long as the level of TEA causes intracellular calcium levels to be elevated in normal cells, but not in cells from donors with Al~he;mPr's disease.
In a third embodiment of the invention, sample cells from a patient are contacted with an activator of intracellular calcium release, in an amount sufficient to release calcium from intracellular storage sites, and the resulting increase in intracellular calcium levels is measured. In this embodiment, both normal cells and cells from Alzheimer's patients exhibit an increase in intracellular calcium; however, the increase in ~ W094/25872 PCT~S94tO4754 21620~8 Alzheimer's patients is much greater. When an inositol-1,4,5,-trisphosphate (IP3) activator is used to increase intracellular calcium levels, the preferred embodiment utilizes bombesin added to a final extracellular S concentration of 1 ~m. However, other final concentrations can be used.
As shown in the examples, the combination of the second and third embodiments of the invention can be used in series to provide a very accurate method of diagnosing AD, with no false positives or false negatives.
Furth~rmore, these methods are able to distinguish patients with Al~hP;mPr's disease from patients with other neurodegenerative diseases. Cells from patients with Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, Huntington's chorea, and Wernicke-Korsakoff exhibit responses of ~Qrm~ 1 cells when treated with either TEA or bombesin.
It is not known at the present time if the defects detected by the methods of this invention appear prior to or concurrently with the clinical onset of Al~h~;m~r~s disease. However, if the former is true, it is anticipated that the methods of this invention will have predictive as well as diagnostic utility in the detection of Al7hP;m~r's disease.

Figures. lA-lB. 113pS ch~nnel. (lA). Cell attached recordings from Alzheimer and control fibroblasts. A potassium ch~nnel of ~4.5 pA unitary current size (O mV pipette potential), with identical kinetics appeared in age-matched control (AC) and young controls (YC) fibroblasts, but was entirely absent in the recording of AD fibroblasts (lA, bottom) Do.~lwdrd deflections represent the open state. (lB). I/V
relationships and slope conductances. I/V relationships and slope conductances (detPrm;neA by linear regression) SUBSTITUTE St IEET (RULE 26~) W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 ~6~ 18 o were almost identical within the voltage range explored, 113.2+0.9 pS (mean+S.D., n=8) for YC and 112.9+3.2 pS
(n=7) for AC fibroblasts.
Figures 2A-2B. 166pS ch~nnel~ (2A). Cell attached recordings from Alzheimer and control fibroblasts. A second rh~nnel (166 pS) was recorded under the same conditions from fibroblasts of all three groups (AD, YC and AC). (2B). I/V relations and slope conductances. I/V relations as well as slope conductances [YC= 174+5.7 pS, n-4; AC= 169.2+2.8 pS, n-4; AD= 157.6+4.7 pS, n~6 (Mean+S.D.)] were approximately the same across groups. Membrane potential was g;m;l~r in control (-42.6+5.4, Mean+S.D., ne7) and in AD (-45.4+6.9, n-3) fibroblasts.
Figures 3A-3C. (3A) and (3B). Percent of cells responding to the addition of 50 mM potassium chloride and average [Ca2+]i (nM) of responding cells. High potassium-induced depolarization caused [Ca2+]i elevation (at least 100~ increase) in all three groups (AD N= 13 cell lines;
AC N=10, YC N=6). The proportion of responding cells and the [Ca2+]i peak values were significantly higher in YC
(n= 183 cells) fibroblasts (x2- 14.22, p ~ 0.001), as compared to AC (n-299) and AD (n=268) fibroblasts (3A and 3B). (3C). Sample traces of time courses of the Ca2+
response in cells after the addition of 50 mM RCl. The [Ca2+]i peak occurs 10 to 15 seconds after stimulation, returning to basal levels after 100 seconds. No responses were observed if external [Ca2+] was lowered ~"n~m;n~lly Ca2+ free" solution, 5 mM EGTA was added (estimated free Ca2+ = 0.04 ~M)], or Ca2+ ch~nnel blockers (0.1 mM LaCl3, 10 mM CoCl2, 10 mM NiCl2, 10 mM CdCl2 or 10 ~M nifedipine) were added before stimulation (no Ca2+").
Figures 4A-4C. [Ca2+]i elevation in response to TEA. (4A) Percentage of cells responding to the addition of TEA and (4B) Average [Ca2+]i response in the cells after SU8STITUTE S~EET (RULE 26) W094/25872 216 2 0 4 8 PCT~S94/04754 TEA treatment. 1 mM TEA application elevated [Ca2+]; in YC
fibroblasts (n= 130 cells) but not in AC (n= 184) or AD
fibroblasts (n= 195). 10 mM TEA elevated [Ca2+]j in YC (n=
176 cells), AC (n= 231), but not in AD (n= 204) S fibroblasts (X 134.00, p c O.001). Similarly, 100 mM TEA
elevated [Ca2+]; in YC (n= 532 cells), AC (n= 417), but not in AD (n= 738) fibroblasts, x2 231.44, p ~ 0.001 (also see Table 2). Basal [Ca2+]; levels were virtually the same (S.E. c 2 nM), therefore, st~n~rd error bars are not disting~l;shAhle from the bar representing the arithmetic mean for those groups. (4C). Time course of Ca2+
responses. The [Ca2+]i peak occurs 20 to 30 seconds after 100 mM TEA addition in YC and AC fibroblasts, returning to basal levels after 100 seconds. Note that no response meeting criterion (10~ of cells in a line with ~ 100 elevation) was observed in AD cells. Similarly, the response was absent in control cells when external [Ca2+]
was lowered.
Figures 5A-5B. (5A). Ca2+ mobilization induced by 1 ~m bombesin in the absence of extracellular calcium.
(5B). Ca2+ responses at 42 sec after 1 ~M bombesin application. The [Ca2+]j levels in AD cells are much larger than in AC and YC cells. The numbers of cell lines (N) are 9, 8 and 6 for AD, AC and YC, respectively. The values are means + S.E.M.
Figures 6A-6B. (6A). Ca2+ responses induced by 1 ~m bombesin in the presence of extracellular calcium.
~m bombesin elicited a fast peak of [Ca2+]j, followed by a sust~;ne~ phase for YC and AC cells, but not for AD cells, in the presence of extracellular 2.5 mM CaCl2. The arrow indicates drug application. (6B). Bar graph illustrating differences evident 90 seconds after bombesin application.
In the presence of normal extracellular calcium (2.5 mM), a sust~;n~ calcium entry follows the initial bombesin response in control cells but is completely absent in AD
SUBSTITU~ S~EET (RULE 26~

W094/~872 PCT~S94/04754 ~2~

O
fibroblasts. The difference evident 90 seconds after bombesin application is shown and has a significance level of p ~ 0.001.
DETAI~ED DESCRIPTION OF THE lNV~NllON
The invention concerns methods of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD). These methods are based upon detecting the absence of a particular potassium ion rh~nn~l in the cells of an AD patient; upon differences in intracellular calcium ion concentration in AD and non-AD
cells in response to potassium rh~nnel blockers specific for the potassium ion rh~nnel that is absent in the cells of an AD patient; and differences between AD and non-AD
cells in response to activators of intracellular calcium release such as activators of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3).
The fir t embodiment of the invention i8 based upon the discovery by the inventors that cells from people not suffering from AD have (at least) two types of functional potassium rh~nn~ls, with conductances of 113 pS
(picosiemens) and 166 pS, as measured by the patch clamp technique (see Example 1). The 113 pS rh~nn~l is either missing or not functioning in people with AD. The first embo~;m~nt of the invention involves diagnosing AD by determ;n;ng whether cells of the patient have a functioning 113 pS potassium rh~nnel. The presence of a functioning 113 pS potassium rh~nnel indicates that the patient does not have AD. However, the absence of a functioning 113 pS potassium ch~nnel indicates that the patient does have AD.
In this embodiment of the invention, a suitable method of recording electrical conductances in the cells must be used to detect functional potassium ch~nnels in cells. Any technique which can measure electrical conduct~nc~s in a cell can be used. Examples include intracellular microelectrode recording (indirect SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26~

W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 '~162~
g o measurement), two microelectrode voltage clamp, and single microelectrode voltage clamp. The patch clamp techni~ue, as described herein, is a preferred method for measuring electrical conductance in small structures. In an embodiment of the invention, the cell attached mode of the patch clamp technique is used to record the existence of potassium ch~nnel S and the inside-out and outside-out patch configurations are used to record the sensitivity of potassium channels to various chemicals.
The second embodiment of the invention concerns another method for diagnosing AD. In this second embodiment, the cells are contacted with a potassium ch~nn~l blocker that blocks the 113 pS channel but not the 166 pS ch~nnel. This blocker may substantially block the 113 pS channel but not substantially block the 166 pS
ch~nn~l. An example of such a blocker is TEA, or tetraethyl~mm~n;um. The blocker has the effect in non-AD
cells of transiently increasing intracellular Ca2+
concentrations. In AD cells, the blocker has substantially no ef~ect, allowing for variation within observational or technical error. In contrast, the intracellular calcium ion concentration increases several fold in non-AD cells after being exposed to 100 mM TEA
(see Fig. 4B). The intracellùlar Ca2+ concentration can be measured in various ways, such as by adding fluorescent indicators or absorbance indicators or by using a Ca2+
electrode. Preferably, because of ease of operation, fluorescent indicators are used.
In this embodiment of the invention, the cells are first cultured with a Ca2+ indicator, such as quin or - fura-2, that fluoresces with an intensity proportional to the calcium concentration. The cells are then contacted - with a select potassium channel blocker that has the ability to block the 113 pS ~h~nn~l but not the 166 pS
~h~nnel. The fluorescence intensity of the cells before W094l25872 PCT~S94/04754 ~
. ~ .

o ~162~ o and after the addition of the potassium channel blocker is measured. In cells from people not suffering ~rom AD the fluorescence intensity increases rapidly, peaks and then drops back down (Fig. 4C). This shows that the blocker S has the effect of increasing, transiently, the calcium ion concentration. In cells from AD patients, the fluorescence intensity is substantially the same before and after the blocker is added. This is a reflection of the fact that the 113 pS channel is missing or non-functional in AD patients and thus potassiu-m-~ ion ch~nnel blockers that block the 113 pS chAnnel, but not the 166 pS
ch~nnel, do not have any effect on AD cells.
As mentioned above, the select potassium ch~nnPl blocker used in this second embodiment of the invention is one that has the ability to block the 113 pS potassium ~h~nnel but that has little or no effect on the 166 potassium ch~nnel. One example of such a blocker is TEA, with any biologically compatible counter anion.
Preferably, the counterion is chloride. Other suitable potassium rh~nnel blockers can be easily found using the following method. Using the patch clamp technique described in Example 1, the 113 pS and 166 pS ch~nn~ls are detected in a viable human cell. The candidate potassium ~h~nnel blocker is added to the culture cont~;n;ng the cells, and the patch clamp technique is used again. If the 166 pS ch~nn~l is still functional, but the 113 pS
channel is not, then the candidate blocker is suitable for use in this invention. Candidate potassium rh~nnel blockers include the known potassium ch~nnel blockers charybdotoxin, ~p~m~n, dendrotoxin, kalidotoxin, MCD-peptide, scyllatoxin, barium, cesium, leiurotoxin I and ~oxiustoxin. As shown in Bxample 2, TEA concentrations between 10 mM and 100 mM worked well. It is easy to extend this range of workable concentrations by using AD
and non-AD control cells.

W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 ~162018 Example 2 exemplifies the second embodiment of the invention for diagnosing AD using a select potassium channel blocker, TEA, and measuring the effect on intracellular calcium ion. This method is so simple, with a yes or no answer, that the exemplified sophisticated apparatus is not required to make the diagnosis. Any method which will tell one if the intracellular calcium ion concentrations has increased or not as a result of contact with the select potassium ion ch~nnel blocker will suffice to give a diagnosis. In the preferred method, fluorescent calcium ion indicators are used. In this case, any method which will tell one if the fluorescence of the indicator has increased or not as a result of contact of the cells with the select potassum ChAnn~l blockers will suffice. Any method used must be able to make the measurements in the short time available. The calcium ion influx peaks a short time after contact with the blocker, and then decreases to the baseline value. In Example 2, the time it takes to peak i8 less than one minute.
A simpler method for detecting a fluorescent calcium ion indicator would involve using a fluorimeter, a device with a light source for exciting the calcium ion indicator and a light meter for measuring the intensity of a the fluorescence. Fluorimeters are well known and commercially available. At the simplest level, the calcium ion indicator is added to the cells taken from the patient (either fresh or ~p~nA~d in culture). After an hour or so of being in contact with the indicator (at about 2 micromolar concentration) the cells in suspension are placed in the fluorimeter and the fluorescence intensity from the indicator is measured. Then the select - potassium channel blocker is added; if TEA is used, it is added to a concentration of about lO0 mM. The fluorescence is measured again. If the intensity, within W094/25872 PCT~S94/047~4 a time period between 20 seconds and 40 seconds, is substantially the same as before the TEA was added (taking account of changes in volume due to the addition of the TEA), then a positive diagnosis of AD is made. If the S intensity increases within 30 seconds and subsides after another 30 seconds, then the patient does not have AD.
It is within the skill of the art to improve the simple scheme outlined above. For example, one could use a fluorimeter with dual sample holders, in which the difference in fluorescence from two samples is measured.
Starting with identical samples of patient's cells (after incubation with the indicator) in each sample holder, the select potassium ch~nnpl blocker is added to only one of the samples. If there is no change in the difference signal (that is, it rPm~;n~ as essentially zero), a diagnosis of AD is made. If the difference signal changes significantly, then the patient does not have AD. The advantage of the differences method is that it has a built in control which increases the accuracy of the measurement. It is still within the skill of the art to add the select potassium ch~nn~l blocker automatically and to make more than one measurement at a time; i.e., to automate the method for a commercial medical laboratory.
Before making any diagnoses ùsing the methods taught here, the methods should be optimized for the particular apparatus and conditions in the laboratory by using non-AD
and AD control cells, which are commercially available.
The third e-mbodiment of the invention is yet another method of diagnosing AD. This method concerns the effect of agents that activate inositol-1,4,5,-trisphosphate (IP3) or otherwise induce the release of calcium from intracellular storage sites. Such storage sites include the endoplasmic reticulum and other organelles that have receptors for IP3. The preferred IP3 activator is bombesin. Other agents that activate the W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 release of calcium from intracellular stores which are useful in the invention include thrombin, bradykinin, prostaglandin F2a and vasopressin. See, e.g., Berridge, M.J. and Irvine, R.F. ~1984) Nature 312:135).
S It has been discovered that cells from people not suffering from AD and cells from people suffering from AD both transiently release calcium ion in response to bombesin, but the resulting intracellular calcium concentration is much larger in AD cells than in non-AD
cells. The determ;n~tion is easily made using any method of measuring intracellular calcium ion concentration, as discussed above with respect to the second embodiment of the invention. Again, the use of flourescent calcium indicators is the preferred method. The same experimental setup as described above for measuring fluorescence intensity can be used, i.e., a fluorimeter. In this method, it is also possible to st~n~rdize the fluorescence apparatus using non-AD and AD cells as controls. In this way, later measurements of just the patient's cells can provide a diagnosis. Alternatively, the patient's cells can be compared with non-AD cells as a control.
Example 3 exemplifies the third embodiment of the invention concerning the diagnosis of AD using activators of IP3 and measuring their effect on calcium ion release into the cytosol from intracellular storage sites after contact with said activators. The amount of released calcium is larger in AD cells compared to non-AD
cells. The increase in intracellular calcium concentration is transient: the concentration peaks soon - after contact with the activator and is back to baseline value with 90 seconds. This effect is enhanced when the - extracellular calcium ion concentration is zero or near zero (which is generally accomplished by washing the cells with BSS nom~ n~l ly free of calcium, however, other methods W094l25872 PCT~Sg4/04754 ~ 0~ - 14 -of tying up or negating the effect of the extracellular calcium ions can be used, such as adding EDTA, or adding a calcium channel blocker such as nifedipine, respectively).
After contact with an IP3 activator, such as bombesin, the intracellular calcium ion concentration in AD cells reaches a higher peak value and takes longer to return to the baseline value than either young or aged control cells (Fig. 5A). In the experimental setup described in Bxample 3, it was found that 42 seconds after the bombesin was added to the cells that the difference between the intracellular calcium ion concentrations in AD cells and in control cells was at a m~X; mllm, and that at that time period, i.e., at 42 seconds after bombesin was applied, the concentration of calcium ions was always greater than 300 nM in AD cells and was always less than 300 nM in control non-AD cells (Fig. 5B). Basal levels of both AD
and non-AD fibroblasts were at 80 nM + O.5 nM. However, it should be noted that control values might differ from 80 nM, necessitating a criterion level of calcium signal greater or less than 300 nM. Furthermore, differences in measuring conditions might req~ire a time longer or briefer than 42 seconds to show m~x;m~l differences between the calcium signals of AD and non-AD fibroblasts.
Again, it is not nècessary to use the sophisticated methods and apparatus exemplified herein.
This method of diagnosing AD can be performed more simply.
One need not measure the absolute concentration of intracellular calcium; a measurement of its relative value will also work. In Example 3, the basal level of intracellular calcium ion concentrations in resting (i.e., nonactivated) cells was the same for both AD and control non-AD cells, 80 nM + O.5 nM. Thus, at the time where the concentration differences between AD and non-AD cells was m~;mllm (i.e., at 42 seconds using bombesin and the inventors' apparatus, but the time would need to be worked ~ W094/25872 21~ 2 0 4 8 PCT~S94/04754 out empirically for different activators and different setups) the intracellular calcium concentration in non-AD
cells would be less than (300/80 =) 3.75 times the basal level whereas the intracellular calcium concentration in AD cells would be greater than (300/80 =) 3.75 times the basal level. Using commercially available AD and non-AD
cells, one can easily determine the time at which the calcium concentrations are maximally different between AD
and non-AD cells. This involves measuring relative intracellular calcium concentrations for resting cells, adding bombesin or another IP3 activator, following the relative calcium ion concentrations for a minute or SQ, and finding the time (after the activator is added) at which the difference in relative calcium ion concentrations is at its m~x;mllm. Then, for any real sample from a patient, one simply needs to measure the relative basal intracellular calcium concentration by any means known in the art, add the activator to its prescribed concentration (about l micromolar for bombesin), wait the predet~rm;ne~ time and again measure the relative intracellular calcium concentration. If the ratio of the intracellular calcium concentration "after"
the addition of the activator to the intracellular calcium concentration "before" the addition of the activator is greater than 3.75, the patient has AD; if it is less than 3.75, the patient does not have AD. It is not necessary to determine the time of m~x;m~l difference in calcium concentrations -- any time where there is a reproducible difference between these ratios can be used. It is only necessary to work out the particular ratios for the time chosen from known AD and non-AD control cells.
The calcium ion indicators used in the second - and third embodiments include any compounds which can enter the cell, are biocompatible, and which can bind to calcium ions to produce a species whose concentration is W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 2162~ 16 O
easily measured using any physico-chemical means and is proportional to the calcium ion concentration. Preferably the means is fluorescence or absorbance. Preferable fluorescent indicators are the commercially available indicators fura-2 AM, fura-2 pentapotassium salt, quin-2, and indo-l from Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR). The Chemical Abstracts name for fura-2, AM is 5-oxazolecarboxylic acid, 2-(6-(bis(2-((acetyloxy)methoxy)-2-oxoethyl)amino)-5-~2-(2-(bis(2-((acetyloxy)methoxy)-2-oxoethyl)amino)-5-methylphenoxy)ethoxy)-2-benzofuranyl)-, (acetyloxyl)methyl ester. The Chemical Abstracts name for fura-2, pentapotassium salt is 5-oxazolecarboxylic acid, 2-(6-(bis(carboxymethyl)amino)-5-(2-(2-(bis(carboxymethyl)amino)-5-methylpheno~y)ethoxy)-2-benzofuranyl)-. Other fluorescent calcium indicators include Fluo-3, Rhod-2, Calcium GreenTM, Calcium OrangeTM, Calcium CrimsonTM Fura RedTM and Calcium Green DextranTM
(Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR)). Generally, the cells are incubated with the indicators at a concentration of about 2 micromolar for about 60 minutes. An absorbance indicator which may be used is arsenazo. Finally, calcium levels could also be measured for this invention with calcium electrodes inserted into the cells.
In the exemplified e-mbodiment of the invention, fluorescence was measured using an imaging system under the control of a personal computer. For excitation, 340 nm and 380 nm band path filters with a neutral-density filter were used. Images of fluorescence were obtained using a dichroic mirror, barrier filter and objective lens. The whole image can be recorded or portions thereof. A ~m~m~tSU Photonics Argus 50 Calcium Imaging system imaging 60 cells in a microscopic field at l0 x magnification was used. Fluorescence from the cells was quantified in 1~ of the field at l0x magnification. Such an imaging system (and other similar currently available ~ W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 systems) with its microscope could be custom designed for everyday clinical laboratory analysis of cells' calcium signals. Other instrumentation and/or measurements would have to be adapted for the use of other calcium indicators.
In the methods of the invention, the cells that are taken from the patient can be any viable cells.
Preferably they are fibroblasts; buccal mucosal cells;
blood cells such as erythrocytes, lymphocytes, and lymphoblastoid cells; or nerve cells such as olfactory neurons. The cells may be fresh or may be cultured (as described in the examples). The fibroblast potassium channel dysfunction and resulting absence of TEA-induced calcium signals described herein suggest that AD, which primarily affects brain cells, is likely to alter potassium rh~nnel function in many different types of cells in the body. Similarly, AD is likely to alter calcium released by bombesin and related agents in many different types of cells in the body. The methods described herein to measure potassium ch~nnel function and calcium release, therefore, should be applicable for AD
diagnosis using other cell types.
A punch skin biopsy could be used to obtain skin fibroblasts from a patient. These fibroblasts might be analyzed directly with the techniques described herein or be introduced into cell culture conditions. The resulting cultured fibroblasts would then be analyzed as described for the cultured fibroblasts obta;nP~ from the Coriell Cell Repositories described below. Other steps would be required to prepare other types of cells which might be used for analysis such as buccal mucosal cells, nerve cells such as olfactory cells, blood cells such as erythrocytes and lymphocytes, etc. For example, blood cells can be easily obtained by drawing blood from peripheral veins. Cells can then be separated by stan~rd W094/25872 PCT~S94/047~4 2~

procedures (e.g., by using a cell sorter, centrifugation, etc.) and later analyzed in suspension or on a solid support (e.g., in petri dishes).
The present invention will now be described by way of examples, which are meant to illustrate, but not limit, the scope of the invention.

Example 1 Patch-clamp Diagnostic Test Cultured skin fibroblasts (described in Table 3) from the Coriell Cell Repositories (C~m~n, NJ) were grown under highly st~n~rdized conditions. Cristafallo, V.J.
and Chapentier, R.J. (1980) Tissue Culture Methods 6:117.
The following cell lines were used for the experiments:
Young Control Fibroblasts ("YC") 3652, 3651, 2987, 4390, 3377, 8399 (21.5+2.8 years, Mean +S.D); Age-matched Control Fibroblasts ("AC") 3524, 6010, 6842, 7603, 9878 (65.2+6.0 years); and Alzheimer's Disease Fibroblasts ("AD") 6848, 7637, 5809, 8170, 6840, 8243, 6263 (60.6+6.8 years). Five AD lines were from familial patients. Some of the lines (2 AC and 4 AD) were from C~n~ n kindred.
In agreement with the literature, the data indicate the time to phase out does not vary between the AD and control lines (YC and AC). Cells were seeded (approximately 5 cells per mm2) in 35 mm Nunc petri dishes in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM, Gibco), supplemented with 10~ fetal calf serum and used when cell density was equivalent for all cell lines, between days 2 and 4 after plating. On average, fibroblasts from AD
patients and controls took the same time to reach erosion density (50 cells/mm2).
Patch-clamp experiments were performed at room temperature (21-23C), following st~n~rd procedures set forth in Sakmann, B. and Neher, E. (1983) Sinqle Channels Recordinqs (Plenum New York) and Kukuljan, M., et al.

~ W094/25872 ~16 2 0 4 8 PCT~S94/04754 (1991) J. Membrane Biol. 119:187. Before recordings, culture medium was replaced with the following solution:
150 mM NaCl, 5 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl2, 1 mM MgCl2, 10 mM HEPES
(NaCl) pH=7.4. Pipettes were made from Blue Tip capillary tubes (I.D. 1.1-1.2 mm) using a BB-CH Mecanex puller, and then filled with a high potassium solution of 140 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl2, 1 mM MgCl2, 10 mM HEPES (NaOH), pH=7.4.
Pipette resistances were approximately 6 MQ. Records were obtained using an Axopatch-lC amplifier (dc-10 kHz), stored on tape (Toshiba PCM-video recorder), and later transferred to a personal computer using an Axolab interface. Only recordings lasting for at least 3 minutes were considered for final analysis. The pClamp suite of programs was used for single-~hAnnel data acquisition and analysis. Amplifier, interface and software were obt~;ne~
from Axon Instruments (Foster City, CA).
In the cell-attached mode, two types of potassium ch~nnels were recorded from human skin fibroblasts. Since pipettes were filled with a high potassium solution, potassium currents were inward as expected, and their reversal potential approximately corresponded to the cell resting potential. A potassium channel (113 pS) of approximately 4.5 pA unitary current size (O mV pipette potential), with identical kinetics appeared in YC and AC fibroblasts, but was entirely absent in the recording of AD fibroblasts (Fig. lA). Downward deflections represent the open state. I/V relationships of the same channels in Fig. lA (Fig. lB) and slope conductances (detPrm;ned by linear regression) were almost identical within the voltage range explored, 113.2+0.9 pS
(Mean+S.D., n=8)) for YC and 112.9+3.2 pS (n=7) for AC
fibroblasts.
A second ch~nnPl (166 pS) was recorded under the same conditions from fibroblasts of all three groups (Fig.
2A). I/V relations (Fig. 2B) as well as conductance W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 C~1~20 ~8 o (YC=173.4+5.7 pS, n-4; AC= 169.2+2.8 pS, n=4; AD=157.6+4.7 pS, n=6 (Mean+S.D.)) were approximately the same across groups. Membrane potential was similar in control (-42.6+5.4, Mean+S.D., n=7) and in AD (-45.4+6.9, n=3) S fibroblasts.
Both ~h~Annels had linear voltage-current relationships, with slope conductances of 113 pS and 166 pS respectively (Figs. lA-lB and 2A-2B). At 0 mV pipette potential, the ch~nnels could easily be identified by their unitary current size (Figs. lA and 2A) and by their percentages of open time, approximately 60~ for the 113 pS
K+ rh~nnel and approximately 10~ for the 166 pS R+
~hAnnPl. For both ch~nnpls~ the percentages of open time showed no significant voltage-depPn~Pnce (+60 to -40 mV
pipette potential). The 113 pS K+ rh~nnPl was found in 47~ of YC cells (n~30) and 94~ of the AC cells (n=17), while it was never found in AD fibroblasts (n=24) (X2 =
18.96, p c 0.001 (Table 1)). There were no AD cell lines (N=6) that had fibroblasts with an observable 113 pS
chAnnel. By contrast, all AC cell lines (N=5) and three of six YC cell lines had fibroblasts with observable 113 pS ch~nnels (X2-11.93, pcO.005 (Table 2)). The 166 pS
chAnnPl found was s;m; 1 ~r fre~uency in all three groups (X2=0.89, N.S. (Tables 1 and i)).
The 113 pS ch~nnpl found to be "absent" in the AD fibrobla~ts, could be present but not functional. Such dysfunction could involve structural changes in the ch~nnel and/or alteration in processes involved in ch~nnPl activity regulation.
Using cell-free patches, following the method described above, it was observed that both chAnnpls were sensitive to 50 mM Ba2+ (inside-out, n=4 for each ~h~nnPl), but only the 113 pS ch~nnel was sensitive (outside-out, n=4 YC, n~3 AC) to the K+ ~hAnn~l blocker tetraethyl~mm~n;um (TEA). The TEA-blockade of the 113 pS
SUBSTITUTE St~EET (RULE 2&) W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 ~620~

o channels (possibly together with other channels) significantly affects membrane potential since control cells (n=4) depolarized 13-20 mV after 100 mM TEA
addition.
s Table 1 Number of Cells 113 pS K+ 166 pS K+
Condition Total ~hAnn~l rh~nn~
Young Controls 30 14(47~) 6(20~) Aged Controls 17 16(94~) 6(35~) Alzheimer Patients 24 0(0~) 8(33~) Table 2 Number of Cell Lines 113 pS K+ 166 pS K+
Condition Total Ch~nnel Ch~nnPl Young Controls 6 3 4 Aged Controls 5 5 3 Alzheimer Patients 7 0 4 When using control cells, it is best to use age-matched control cells.

Example 2 TEA-Ca2+ Diagnostic Test Cultured skin fibroblasts (described in Table 3) from the Coriell Cell Repositories (C~m~n, NJ) were grown as described in Example 1.
r Thirteen AD, ten AC, and six YC were used for the calcium-imaging experiments. Culture medium was replaced and washed three times with basal salt solution ("BSS") consisting of 140 m~M NaCl, 5 mM KCl, 2. 5 mM CaCl2, 3~ 1.5 mM MgCl2, 5 mM glucose, 10 mM HEPES (NaOH), pH 7.4.

W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 21620~

Nsm;n~1ly Ca2+ free BSS was prepared as BSS without adding CaCl2 .
Fura-2 (acetyloxymethyl ester) (Fura-2AM) was purchased from Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR) and stored as a 1 mM solution in dimethylsul~oxide. Fura-2AM was added to a final concentration of 2 ~M and cells were incubated at room temperature (21-23C) for 60 minutes. After incubation, cells were washed at least three times with BSS at room temperature before tCa2+]i det~rm~n~tions.
Fluorescence was measured with a u~m~m~tsu ARGUS 50 imaging system (~m~m~tSU Photonics, Japan) under the control of a personal computer (~m~m~tSU imaging software package). Excitation at 340 nm and 380 nm was attenuated with neutral density filters. Fluorescent images were obt~; ne~ with a 400 nm dichroic mirror and a 510 nm long-pass barrier filter. The objective lens was an X10 Nikon W fluor. Fluorescence was measured within a uniformly illuminated fraction (~) of the whole image.
The averaged Ca2+ responses within 15 x 15 pixels in cytosolic and in nuclear cellular compartments obt~; ne~ were quantified with ratios between emitted 510 nm fluorescence activated at 340 nm and fluorescence emitted at 510 nm with activation at 380 nm. These ratios were transformed to absolute values of [Ca2+], after calibration based on the following equation:
R - R~ + (R~ - R~)/(1 + ([Ca2+]j/Kd) b), Here R denotes fluorescence intensity illuminated by 340 nm divided by fluorescence intensity illuminated by 380 nm (F340/F380), and R~ and ~ are the values of R when the concentration of calcium is at a m~x;mllm and a m;n;mllm (i.e., the m~x;mllm and m;n;mllm value measurable by the machine under the measuring conditions), respectively. Kd is a dissociation constant of fura-2 for Ca2+ and was determined as 240 nM. The value of b, which determined the degree of asymmetry, was 1.2. TEA

W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 2~62V~8 o application caused a m;n;mllm of 100~ [Ca+2]j elevation in at least 18~ of cells in every control cell line except one young control. A response of 100~ [Ca+2]i elevation in at least 10~ of cells in a line was, therefore, considered to be a conservative criterion for a positive response.
Only one AD cell line had cells with any response (100 [Ca+2]j elevation in 4~ of cells), well below the criterion).
Depolarization of the fibroblasts by perfusion in elevated external potassium caused greater elevation of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]j) in YC as compared to AC and AD
cells (Fig. 3A-3C). This depolarization-induced [Ca2+]j elevation was eliminated by lowering external calcium or by adding calcium chAnn~l blockers (Fig. 3C). High K+-induced depolarization caused a marked [Ca2+i] elevation (at least 100~ increase) in all three groups (AD, nc 13 cell lines; AC, n= 10; YC, n~ 6). The proportion of responding cells and the [Ca2+]; peak values were significantly higher in YC (n= 183 cells) fibroblasts (X2=14.22, p c 0.001), as compared to AC (n= 299) and AD
(n= 268) fibroblasts. The [Ca2+]i peak occurs 10 to 15 seconds after stimulation, returning to basal levels after 100 seconds. No responses were observed if external calcium was lowered by addition of "n~m;nAlly Ca2+ free"
2S solution or 5 mM EGTA (estimated free Ca2+=0.04 ~M) or Ca2+
chAnnel blockers (0.1 mM ~aCl3, 10 mM CoCl2, 10 mM NiC12, 10 mM CdCl2 or 10 ~M nifedipine) before stimulation.
Depolarization of control fibroblasts by TEA
also caused [Ca2+]; elevation, that was eliminated by lowering external calcium or by adding calcium ~h~Annel blockers. AD fibroblasts, however, only showed [Ca2+];
elevation in elevated external potassium and had no [Ca2+];
response with addition of even 100 mM TEA. Every AC cell line (N=10) and all but one YC cell line (N=6) had cells responding to TEA, while none of the thirteen AD cell SUBSTITUT~ S~lEET (RULE 2~) W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 ~16,~

o lines ~m; ned had cells responding to 100 mM TEA
(X2=25.66, p<0.001) (Tables 3 and 5).

Table 3 Number of Cell Lines Increase in [Ca+2];
Condition Total with 100 mM TEA
Young Controls 6 5 Aged Controls 10 10 Alzheimer's Patients 13 0 1 mM TEA application elevated tCa2+]i in YC
fibroblasts (n=130 cells) but not in AC (n=184) or AD
(n=195) fibroblasts. 10 mM TEA elevated [Ca2+]j in YC
(n=176) and AC (n=231) but not in AD fibroblasts(n-204).
Similarly 100 mM TEA elevated [Ca2+]; in YC (n=532) and AC
(n=417), but not in AD fibroblasts (n=738) (X2=231.44, P~
0.001). At least 417 cells were explored in each experimental group (Table 4). The [Ca2+]j values of the responding cell were s;m; 1 ~r in YC and AC cells after 10 and 100 mM TEA addition. Basal [Ca2+]j levels were virtually the same (S.E. c 0.5 nM), therefore st~n~rd error bars are not distingll;Rh~hle from the bar representing the arithmetic mean for those groups (Fig.
4B). Time courses of Ca+2 response shows that the [Ca2+];
peak occurs 20 to 30 seconds, after 100 mM TEA addition in YC and AC fibroblastæ, returning to basal levels after 100 seconds. No response was observed in AD cells (10~ of cells in a line with 2 100~ elevation). Similarly, the response was absent in control cells when external [Ca2+]
was lowered (Fig. 4C).

wog4l258n PCT~S94/04754 ~16~048 Table 4 Number o~ Cells Increase in [Ca+2];
Condition Total with 100 mM TEA
Young Controls 532 145 (27~) Aged Controls 417 119 (29~) Alzheimer's Patients 738 4 (0.5~) TEA-induced [Ca2+]; elevations were repeated using a coded subsample that included Alzheimer's and control fibroblasts. Experiments and analyses were conducted without the experimenter's knowledge of the cell lines identity. The results were in complete agreement with the non-blind sample. None of the blindly e~m;ned AD cell lines (N=ll) showed [Ca2+]; elevation in response to TEA and all but one of the control cell lines (4 AC and 6 YC) had TEA responses (X2=17.33, p c 0.001 (Table 5)).
Since [Ca2+]j elevation in response to high potassium was virtually the same for AC and AD cells, the lack of AD cells response to TEA is almost certainly due to dysfunction of K+ channels and not to Ca2+ ch~nnel dysfunction.
The [Ca2+]; measurements are in agreement with the patch-clamp measurements insofar as they both indicate potassium rh~nn~l dysfunction in the AD fibroblasts. See Table 5.

~ ~ 6 ~ 26 -o Table 5 Line # Age Gender Race Diag. Criteria 113 K+ TEA Response Channel N Blind Blind ,AI7h,~im~r's Disease Fil"ubla~l~
AG06840+~ 56 M W Clinical - Fam. H.
AG06848+2 55 F W Clinical - Fam. H.~ - - N.T.
AG07637+ 55 F W Clinical - Fam. H.
AG08170+ 56 M W Clinical - Fam. H.
AG06844+ 59 M W Clinical - Fam. H.~ N.T. N.T.
AG04400~: 61 F W Clinical - Fam. H. N.T. N.T.
AG04401~ 53 F W Clinical - Fam. H.~ N.T.
AG05809 63 F W Clinical - Fam. H. - - N.T.
AG08243 72 M W Clinical - No Fam. H. - - -AG07375 71 M W Clinical - No Fam. H. N.T.
AG07376 59 M W Clinical - No Fam. H. N.T.
AG06263 67 F W Clinical - No Fam. H.
AG07377 59 M W Clinical - No Farn. H. N.T. N.T.
Age-Matched Control Fil,-ul l&.it~
GM03524 67 F B Normal + + N.T.
AG06010 62 F W Norm~l + + +
AG06842+ 75 M W Normal-Fam. H. + N.T. N.T.
AG07603+ 61 F W Normal-Fam. H. + + N.T.
AG09878 61 F B Normal + + +

AG08044 58 F B Normal N.T. + N.T.
AG6241 61 M W Normal N.T. + N.T.
AG4560 59 M W Normal N.T. + N.T.
GM04260 60 M W Normal - N.T. + N.T.
AG07141 66 F W Norrnal N.T. N.T. +
AG11363 74 F W No~mal N.T. N.T. +
Young Control Fil~-ubl~ ~
GM03652 24 M W Normal + + +
GM03651 25 F W Normal + + +

W094/2~872 ~16 2 0 4 ~ PCT~S94/04754 o GM02987 19 M W No~
Line # Age Gender Race Diag. Criteria 113 K+ TEA Response Channel N Blind Blind GM04390 23 F W Normal + + +
GM03377 19 M W Normal - + +
GM08399 19 F ? Norm~l - + +

Alzheimer's fibroblasts were from familial (N=8) and non-familial cases (N=5). Five (t) are members of the Canadian family 964, only 1 and 2 are immediate relatives (sibs). "~" are members (sibs) of family 747. Autopsy confirmed Alzheimer's Disease in three cases (*). Two of the age-matched control (N=11) cell lines are unaffected members of the Canadian family (964). All young control lines (N=6) are from normal and without AD family history individuals. Criterion tca2+]; responses (to 100 mM TEA), indicates as +, were observed in all AC lines used and in all but one of the YC lines. The presence of the 113 pS
K+ channel is indicated by the "+" sign. None of the AD
lines exhibited "positive" response. A blind protocol was conducted to measure TEA responses in Alzheimer's (N=11) and control (YC=6, AC=4) fibroblasts. The results exactly reproduced those of the non-b~ind sample: no AD cells line exhibited TEA responses and 9 out 10 control cells showed TEA responses, x2=17.33, p < 0.001. The notation "N.T." indicates cell line/conditions that were not tested.

30Example 3 Bombesin - Ca2+ Diaqnostic Test Human skin fibroblasts listed in Table 3 were used. The average age for the AD cell lines used is 60.5 + 5.9 years; for the AC cell lines is 62.3 + 9.6 years;
35and for the YC cell lines is 21.5 + 2.2 years. The method W094/25872 PCT~S94/047~4 21~2Q~

o of maintenance for the cells was described in Example 1, i.e., maintained 3-5 days at 37C in C02/air (5~/95~) to reach a density of 50 cells/mm2 before calcium measurements. The number of culture passages were less than 19.
Bombesin was purchased from Calbiochem (San Diego, CA). Bombesin was stored as a 1mM solution in distilled water. Fura-2 (acetyloxymethyl ester), fura-2 (pentapotassium salt) and omega-conotoxin (~-CgTX) GVIA
were from Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR). Fura-2 AM was stored as a lmM solution in dimethylsulfoxide; fura-2 pentapotassium salt was stored as a 6mM solution in potassium acetate, and ~-CgTX was stored as a lOO~M
solution in distilled water. All of the chemicals except for phenytoin were maint~;ne~ at -20C and protected from light.
The cells were incubated with 2~M fura-2 AM in BSS (described in Example 1) at room temperature (21 -23C) for 60 min. After being washed at least three times with BSS, the cells were used for measurement of [Ca2+], at room temperature. Cell fluorescence was measured as described in Example 2. Absolute calcium values were calculated as shown in Example 2.
Bombesin was added to the cells at a final concentration of l~M. Calcium mobilization levels were measured from -30 seconds to 150 seconds after bombesin treatment. (Fig. 5A) The particular experimental set up resulted in a m~;mllm difference in [Ca2+]; between AD
cells and control cells at a time of 42 seconds after bom.besin was added.
Forty two (42) seconds after bombesin treatment, ïn the absence of extracellular Ca2+, the [Ca2+]; levels in Alzheimer's disease cells are much larger (pcO.OOO1) than in age-matched and young controls. The numbers of cell lines (N) are 10, 8, and 6 for Alzheimer's disease, age-W094/2~872 2 l ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ PCT~S94/04754 O
matched and young cells, respectively. The values are means ~ S.E.M. (Fig. 5B) Bombesin stimulated IP3-induced Ca2+ release from intracellular storage sites in fibroblasts from all S groups, but it caused a larger and more prolonged response in AD fibroblasts. This larger and prolonged response in AD cells was independent of extracellular Ca2+. On the other hand, the IP3-mediated Ca2+ responses in AC and YC
cells were followed by Ca2+ entry. When this Ca~+ entry was ~;m~ n; shed by removal of extracellular Ca2+, or blocking with inorganic Ca2+ blockers, the bombesin-elicited Ca2+ responses in control cells were found to return to the basal level faster than in AD cells (Fig.
5A). The results shown in Fig. 5A are for cells washed with BSS no~;nAlly free of Ca2+.
Since Ca2+ influx induced by bombesin was not observed in AD cells, this pathway of Ca2+ entry following the decrease of stored calcium seems to be altered. This test independently confirmed the diagnoses made by the previously described test based on potassium ~h~nnel dysfunction. In particular, the Ca2+ responses at 42 sec after 1 ~M bombesin stimulation in AD fibroblasts in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ were always higher than 300 nM. In contrast, the [Ca2+], in AC and YC were less than 300 nM and 200 nM, respectively (Fig. 5B).
In a variation on the above experiment, Ca2+
responses were induced by l ~m bombesin in the presence of extracellular calcium. In the presence of 2.5 mM
extracellular CaCl2, l ~m bombesin elicited a fast peak of [Ca2+];, followed by a sustained phase for YC and AC cells, but not for AD cells. (Fig. 6A). This difference was evident 90 seconds after bombesin application and with a significance level of p c 0.00l. (Fig. 6B). This difference in response of AD and non-AD cells to bombesin in the presence of extracellular calcium can be used to W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 ~62~ 30 provide a "yes or no" diagnosis of AD. Detection methods similar to those described above with respect to the second embodiment of the invention involving the diagnosis of AD by detecting differences between non-AD and AD cells in response to select potassium channel blockers (e.g., TEA) may be used. Furth~rmore, the combination of this diagnostic test with any one of the above diagnostic tests further increases the confidence level of a correct diagnosis as AD or non-AD.

Example 4 Responses In Neuropathological Non-AD Fibroblasts Using the techniques described in Examples 2 and 3, cells from donors with other diseases were measured for intracellular calcium levels in response to either TEA or bombesin.
Fibroblasts from a Parkinson's disease donor had normal TEA (indicated as +) and bombesin responses ("N"), and did not significantly differ from responses observed in the age-matched control group. Fibroblasts from two schizophrenic patients also had normal TEA and bombesin responses. In addition, normal TEA responses were observed in five out of seven cases of Huntington's disease, and the bombesin response was normal in all Huntington's cases. Furth~r~nre, normal TEA and bombesin responses were observed in four out of four cases of Wernicke-Korsakoff disease (Table 6). These responses are significantly different from those of AD fibroblasts to the level of p ~ 0.0001 (Fisher's exact test). "*"
indicates autopsy confirmation.

W094/25872 PCT~S94/04754 ~2Q'~ -o Table 6 Line ~ Age Gender Race Condition TEA Bombesin AG08395 85 F W Parkinson's* + N
5 GM01835 27 F W Schizophrenia + N
GM02038 22 M W Schizophrenia + N
GM06274 56 F W Huntington's + N
GM02165 55 M W Huntington's + N
GM00305 56 F W Huntington's - N
10GM01085 44 M W Huntington's + N
GM01061 51 M W Huntington's + N
GM05030 56 M W Huntington's - N
GM04777 53 M W Huntington's + N
15 7504 50 M W Wernicke-Kors. + N
7505 52 F W Wernicke-Kors. + N
7507 63 M W Wernicke-Kors. + N
7508 64 M W Wernicke-Kors. + N

Every reference cited hereinbefore is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that the invention is capable of other and different embodiments. As is readily apparent to those skilled in the art, variations and modifications can be affected within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure and description are for illustrative purposes only, and do not in any way limit the invention, which is defined only by the claims.

Claims (21)

We claim:
1. A method of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a patient, said method comprising the following steps:
a. obtaining a sample of cells from said patient; and b. detecting the presence or absence of a functioning 113 pS potassium ion channel;
the absence of said potassium ion channel being indicative of AD.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said cells are selected from the group consisting of fibroblasts, buccal mucosal cells, neurons, and blood cells.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said cells are fibroblasts.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting step b is performed by the patch clamp technique.
5. A method of diagnosing Alzheimer disease (AD) in a patient, said method comprising the following steps:
a. obtaining a sample of cells from said patient;
b. measuring the intracellular calcium ion concentration in said cells;
c. contacting said cells with a select potassium ion channel blocker, said blocker having the ability to block the 113 pS potassium ion channel but not the 166 pS potassium ion channel;
and d. within a time period less than one minute after said contacting step c, measuring the intracellular calcium ion concentration in said cells by the same method as in step b;
wherein if the intracellular calcium ion concentration does not increase within said one minute time period after said contacting step c, then said patient has AD, if said intracellular calcium ion concentration does increase then said patient does not have AD.
6. A method of diagnosing Alzheimer disease (AD) in a patient, said method comprising the following steps:
a. obtaining a sample of cells from said patient;
b. measuring the intracellular calcium ion concentration in said cells;
c. contacting said cells with a select potassium ion channel blocker, said blocker having the ability to block the 113 pS potassium ion channel but not the 166 pS potassium ion channel;
and d. measuring the intracellular calcium ion concentration in said cells by the same method as in step b at that time where there is a maximum difference in intracellular calcium ion concentration between AD cells and control cells;
wherein the absence of an increase of intracellular calcium ion concentration in the cells from said patient in the time period between step c and step d indicates that the patient does have AD and wherein an increase of intracellular calcium ion concentration in the cells from said patient in the time period between step c and step d indicates that the patient does not have AD.
7. A method of diagnosing Alzheimer disease in a patient according to claim 6 wherein step d comprises measuring the intracellular calcium ion concentration in said cells within a time period less than one minute after said contacting step c.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the select potassium ion channel blocker is tetraethylammonium.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein said cells are selected from the group consisting of fibroblasts, buccal mucosal cells, neurons, and blood cells.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said cells are fibroblasts.
11. The method of claim 5 wherein said measuring steps b and d are performed using a fluorescent calcium ion indicator and a fluorimeter.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein said calcium ion indicator is selected from the group consisting of fura-2 AM, fura-2 pentapotassium salt and quin-2.
13. A method of diagnosing Alzheimer disease (AD) in a patient, said method comprising the following steps:
a. obtaining a sample of cells from said patient;

b. measuring the basal level concentration of intracellular calcium ion in said cells;
c. contacting said cells with an activator of intracellular calcium release;
d. measuring the intracellular calcium ion concentration in said cells at a predetermined time after the contacting step c; and e. comparing the ratio of measured concentrations of step d to step b to previously determined ratios for known AD cells and non-AD cells at said predetermined times;
wherein if the ratio of step e is the same as or greater than the previously determined ratio for known AD cells, the patient has AD, and if the ratio of step e is the same as or less than the previously determined ratio for known non-AD cells, the patient does not have AD.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the predetermined time of step d is that time when the difference between relative intracellular calcium ion concentrations in AD cells and in control cells is at a maximum.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the activator of release of intracellular calcium release is the IP3 activator bombesin.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the extracellular calcium ion concentration is zero or near zero.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein said cells are selected from the group consisting of fibroblasts, buccal mucosal cells, neurons, and blood cells.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein said cells are fibroblasts.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein said measuring steps b and d are performed using a fluorescent calcium ion indicator and a fluorimeter.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein said calcium ion indicator is selected from the group consisting of fura-2 AM, fura-2 pentapotassium salt, and quin-2.
21. A method of diagnosing Alzheimer disease (AD) in a patient, said method comprising the following steps:
a. obtaining a sample of cells from said patient;
b. measuring the basal level concentration of intracellular calcium ion in said cells in the presence of extracellular calcium;
c. contacting said cells with an activator of intracellular calcium release; and d. measuring the intracellular calcium ion concentration in said cells at a predetermined time after the contacting step c;
wherein if the intracellular calcium ion concentration is the same as that measured in step b, then said patient has AD, if said intracellular calcium ion concentration is greater than that measured in step b, then said patient does not have AD.
CA002162048A 1993-05-03 1994-05-02 Cell test for alzheimer's disease Abandoned CA2162048A1 (en)

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ATE155888T1 (en) 1997-08-15
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HK1001500A1 (en) 1998-06-19
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DE69404460D1 (en) 1997-09-04
EP0697111A1 (en) 1996-02-21
DK0697111T3 (en) 1998-03-02
JPH09500202A (en) 1997-01-07
US5580748A (en) 1996-12-03
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