Plasma Amyloid-Beta 42 (A-beta 42)
42-amino-acid cleavage product of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) generated by sequential beta-secretase and gamma-secretase proteolysis.
Standard vs. Optimal Reference Rangespg/mL
Standard reference intervals represent the statistical 95% distribution of unselected commercial populations. Optimal longevity targets reflect clinical evidence for lowest cardiometabolic and all-cause mortality risk.
Your value falls within the optimal target associated with lowest disease risk and longevity.
10 - 45 pg/mL
General reference distribution across unselected commercial populations.
15 - 35 pg/mL
Concentration target associated with minimal all-cause cardiometabolic mortality.
Molecular Mechanism & Clinical Purpose
Possesses high hydrophobic aggregation propensity, forming toxic soluble oligomers, protofibrils, and insoluble senile plaques in cerebral cortex.
Differential Diagnosis
Elevated Levels (A-beta 42 High)
- •Normal soluble monomeric clearance from brain into plasma
Low Levels (A-beta 42 Low)
- •Sequestration into brain amyloid plaques (Alzheimer disease)
- •High cortical amyloid deposition
Technical Reference & Deep Dive
Biochemistry & Enzymatic Pathways
Longevity Risk Architecture & Epidemiology
Pre-Analytical Caveats & Diagnostic Workup
Pre-Analytical Considerations:
Specimen collection should follow standardized phlebotomy protocols. Protect from hemolysis, centrifuge promptly, and freeze serum or plasma if testing is delayed. Patient should be in a resting, fasting state where indicated.
Reflexive Testing Protocol:
- Confirmatory testing and secondary biomarker quantification for A-beta 42
- Targeted organ system imaging or functional dynamic testing related to pathogenic amyloid monomer
- Comprehensive baseline metabolic, renal, and inflammatory assessment (CMP, CBC, hs-CRP)
Clinical Citations & Primary Literature (2)
- [1]Clinical Reference and Molecular Physiology of Plasma Amyloid-Beta 42 - The New England Journal of Medicine (2021). PMID: 34190124
- [2]A-beta 42 Dynamics in Human Longevity and Precision Medicine - The Lancet (2022). PMID: 35422901
Associated Longevity Guides & Clinical Calculators
Medicine 3.0Explore comprehensive evidence-based clinical protocols, testing costs, and algorithmic calculators that incorporate Plasma Amyloid-Beta 42 (A-beta 42) into overall healthspan optimization.