Alzheimer's disease: initial report of the purification and characterization of a novel cerebrovascular amyloid protein.

A purified protein derived from the twisted beta-pleated sheet fibrils in cerebrovascular amyloidosis associated with Alzheimer's disease has been isolated by Sephadex G-100 column chromatography with 5 M guanidine-HC1 in 1 N acetic acid and by high performance liquid chromatography. Amino acid sequence analysis and a computer search reveals this protein to have no homology with any protein sequenced thus far. This protein may be derived from a unique serum precursor which may provide a diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease and a means to understand its pathogenesis.