A Novel Synonymous Variant in the AVP Gene Associated with Autosomal Dominant Familial Neurohypophyseal Diabetes Insipidus Causes Partial RNA Missplicing.

OBJECTIVE: Autosomal dominant familial neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus (adFNDI) is characterized by severe polyuria and polydipsia and is caused by variations in the gene encoding the AVP prohormone. This study aimed to ascertain a correct diagnosis, to identify the underlying genetic cause of adFNDI in a Swedish family, and to test the hypothesis that the identified synonymous exonic variant in the AVP gene (c.324G>A) causes missplicing and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention of the prohormone. DESIGN/PATIENTS: Three affected family members were admitted for fluid deprivation test and dDAVP (1-deamino-8-d-arginine-vasopressin) challenge test. Direct sequencing of the AVP gene was performed in the affected subjects, and genotyping of the identified variant was performed in family members. The variant was examined by expression of AVP minigenes containing the entire coding regions as well as intron 2 of AVP. METHODS/RESULTS: Clinical tests revealed significant phenotypical variation with both complete and partial adFNDI phenotype. DNA analysis revealed a synonymous c.324G>A substitution in one allele of the AVP gene in affected family members only. Cellular studies revealed both normally spliced and misspliced pre-mRNA in cells transfected with the AVP c.324G>A minigene. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed collective localization of the variant prohormone to ER and vesicular structures at the tip of cellular processes. CONCLUSION: We identified a synonymous variant affecting the second nucleotide of exon 3 in the AVP gene (c.324G>A) in a family in which adFNDI segregates. Notably, we showed that this variant causes partial missplicing of pre-mRNA, resulting in accumulation of the variant prohormone in ER. Our study suggests that even a small amount of aberrant mRNA might be sufficient to disturb cellular function, resulting in adFNDI.

Mild dementia is associated with increased adrenal secretion of cortisol and precursor sex steroids in women.

CONTEXT: Sex steroid levels decrease with increasing age, but little is known whether this is of importance for the age-related decline in cognitive function. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: A cross-sectional study of 50 (26 men) consecutive patients under primary evaluation of cognitive impairment (D group) and 18 (9 men) matched healthy controls (C group). MEASUREMENTS: Sex steroid and precursor levels were determined in serum and, when measurable, in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy (LC-MS). Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and cortisol concentrations were measured using conventional assays. RESULTS: Patients in the D group had higher 24-h urine cortisol levels and increased serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate ester dihydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), androsterone (ADT), and oestrone (E1) and its sulphate ester E1S, compared with the controls. When men and women were analysed separately, increased serum concentrations of E1 and E1S were observed in both D men and D women, whereas increased levels of other sex steroids and cortisol were seen only in D women. CONCLUSIONS: In both D men and women, serum E1 and E1S levels were increased, whereas other changes were gender specific and only seen in D women. Further studies are needed to determine whether these changes are a cause of, or merely a consequence of, cognitive impairment in elderly subjects.

Diverse vasopressin V2 receptor functionality underlying partial congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

X-linked congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (CNDI) is characterized by a defective renal response to the antidiuretic hormone (AVP) due to variations in the arginine vasopressin receptor 2 (AVPR2) gene. In a unique group of patients, the renal insensitivity to the effects of AVP is incomplete resulting in a partial phenotype. To investigate the molecular defects, two previously published variations in the AVPR2 gene, known to cause a partial CNDI phenotype, were expressed in transiently transfected human embryonic kidney cells. One variation (p.Arg104Cys) is located in the first extracellular loop and the other variation (p.Ser329Arg) is located in the intracellular COOH terminal of the receptor protein. Western blotting showed almost equal amounts of WT-V2R and Arg104Cys-V2R protein at steady state, whereas the level of Ser329Arg-V2R protein was lower. Confocal microscopy established that WT-V2R and Arg104Cys-V2R are localized on the cellular surface while the Ser329Arg-V2R primarily accumulates within the endoplasmic reticulum resulting in reduced surface expression. Ligand binding analysis demonstrated that the B(max) for cells expressing Arg104Cys-V2R and Ser329Arg-V2R were 14.8- and 2.5-fold lower than B(max) for WT-V2R, respectively. AVP affinity (1/K(d)) for WT-V2R and the Ser329Arg-V2R was similar while 1/K(d) for Arg104Cys-V2R was increased. cAMP assay revealed that cells expressing p.Arg104Cys-V2R or p.Ser329Arg-V2R produced 1.7- and 6.8-fold lower amounts of cAMP compared with WT-V2R, respectively. In conclusion, ligand binding and signal transduction capability are dependent on localization of the amino acid variation. Striking divergences at the level of receptor functionality may thus underlie similar clinical phenotypes in CNDI.

Osteopenia: a common aspect of Fabry disease. Predictors of bone mineral density.

PURPOSE: We investigated the bone mineral status in patients with untreated Fabry disease (FD). METHODS: Descriptive, cross-sectional study in 53 patients with FD investigating bone mineral density (BMD)/content (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan), bone metabolism (parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin, and insulin-like growth factor I), and renal function (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid clearance). RESULTS: Mean BMD z score at the lumbar spine and femoral neck were -0.05 +/- 1.46 SD and -0.37 +/- 1.02 SD, respectively. Approximately 50% had osteopenia in the hip or lumbar spine and additionally four had osteoporosis. Multivariate analysis including body weight, impaired renal function, and genotype overall explained 48% of the variance in lumbar spine BMD (P < 0.001), whereas body weight, impaired renal function, and menopausal status in the female population accounted for more than 50% of the variation in BMD of both the lumbar spine and femoral neck (both P < 0.001). Twenty percent of patients had hyperparathyroidism. Although the level of parathyroid hormone was significantly associated with impaired renal function, osteocalcin levels were significantly higher in patients with lumbar spine osteopenia or osteoporosis than in those with normal BMD. CONCLUSIONS: Osteopenia was present in approximately 50% of patients with untreated FD. Whether BMD and bone metabolism will improve after enzyme replacement therapy remains to be established.

Reduced cerebrospinal fluid concentration of interleukin-12/23 subunit p40 in patients with cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: The role of inflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other cognitive disorders is unclear. In a well-defined mono-center population, we measured cytokines and chemokines in paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. METHODS: Consecutive patients with AD (n = 30), stable mild cognitive impairment (SMCI, n = 11), other dementias (n = 11), and healthy controls (n = 18) were included. None of the subjects was treated with glucocorticoids, cholinesterase inhibitors, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Serum and CSF concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-12/23 p40, IL-15, IL-16, vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), and three chemokines were measured using a multiplex panel. RESULTS: After correction for multiple comparisons, only CSF IL-12/23 p40 concentration differed significantly between the total patient group (n = 52) and controls (n = 18; p = 0.002). Further analyses showed that CSF IL-12/23 p40 concentration was decreased in all patient subgroups (AD, other dementias, and SMCI) compared to healthy controls (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively). In the total study population (n = 70), CSF IL-12/23 p40 concentrations correlated positively with CSF concentrations of ß-amyloid1-42 (Aß1-42) and phosphorylated tau protein (P-tau) whereas in AD patients (n = 30), CSF IL-12/23 p40 only correlated positively with CSF P-Tau (r = 0.46, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Most cytokines and chemokines were similar in patients and controls, but CSF IL-12/23 subunit p40 concentration was decreased in patients with cognitive impairment, and correlated with markers of AD disease status. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of CSF IL-12/23 p40 in other dementias and SMCI.

Reduced Cerebrospinal Fluid Concentration of Apolipoprotein A-I in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) has been extensively studied in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but little is known of apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). OBJECTIVE: Plasma lipids as well as ApoA-I and ApoE in plasma and CSF were determined and related to Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, APOE genotype, and CSF AD biomarkers. METHODS: Consecutive patients with AD (n = 29), stable mild cognitive impairment (n = 13), other dementias (n = 14), and healthy controls (n = 18) were included at a single center. RESULTS: AD patients had higher plasma triglycerides and lower CSF ApoA-I concentration than controls (both p < 0.05). CSF ApoE concentration was reduced in other dementias (p < 0.01). In AD as well as other dementias, the ratios between CSF and plasma concentrations of both ApoA-I and ApoE were lower than those in the controls. ApoA-I and ApoE in plasma and CSF were not influenced by APOEɛ4 allele distribution. In the total study population (n = 74), CSF ApoA-I correlated positively with MMSE score (r = 0.26, p < 0.05) and negatively with CSF P-tau (r = -0.25, p < 0.05). CSF ApoE correlated positively with CSF concentrations of T-tau and P-tau in the total study population and in AD patients. CONCLUSION: CSF ApoA-I was reduced in AD patients and associated with measures of cognitive function and AD disease status. The mechanisms underlying the decreased CSF:plasma ratios of ApoA-I and ApoE in AD and other dementias need to be explored in further studies.

Thirty-four novel mutations of the GLA gene in 121 patients with Fabry disease.

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-chromosomal disorder caused by mutations in the GLA gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. We performed mutation screening on a cohort of 121 patients including 84 male and 37 female index cases and identified a total of 90 different mutations, 34 of which are reported for the first time here. Both point mutations (74.4%) and 'short length' rearrangements (25.6%) were found, including missense (54.4%), nonsense (14.4%), and splice site point mutations (5.6%), deletions (17.8%) or insertions/duplications (5.6%) of a few nucleotides, and complex rearrangements including larger deletions (2.2%). GLA mutations were identified in 82 (97.6%) of the 84 unrelated male patients.

Cerebrospinal fluid substance P concentrations are elevated in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

The neuropeptides substance P, orexin A (hypocretin-1) and neurotensin are signaling molecules that influence brain activity. We examined their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels in a study population consisting of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed with AD dementia upon follow-up (n=32), stable MCI (SMCI, n=13), other dementias (n=15), and healthy controls (n=20). CSF substance P level was increased in AD patients compared to patients with other dementias and healthy controls (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Patients with other dementia or SMCI had lower CSF orexin A level than AD patients (both P<0.05) and marginally lower level than healthy controls (both P=0.05). CSF neurotensin level was similar in all groups. In the total study population (n=80), CSF substance P level correlated positively with CSF levels of T-tau and P-tau, and in AD patients (n=32), CSF substance P level correlated positively with CSF Aß1-42 level. In conclusion, CSF substance P level was elevated in AD patients and correlated with CSF Aß1-42 level, a well established marker of senile plaque pathology. The role of low CSF orexin A level in other dementias or SMCI needs to be explored in further studies.

Increased Cerebrospinal Fluid Level of Insulin-like Growth Factor-II in Male Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) is important for brain development. Although IGF-II is abundant also in adult life, little is known of the role of IGF-II in Alzheimer's disease (AD). OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 60 consecutive patients under primary evaluation of cognitive impairment and 20 healthy controls. The patients had AD dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed with AD dementia upon follow-up (n = 32), stable MCI (SMCI, n = 13), or other dementias (n = 15). IGF-II, IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), and IGFBP-2 were analyzed in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). RESULTS: Levels of IGF-II, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-2 were similar in all groups in the total study population. Gender-specific analyses showed that in men (n = 40), CSF IGF-II level was higher in AD compared to SMCI and controls (p <  0.01 and p <  0.05, respectively). Furthermore, CSF IGFBP-2 level was increased in AD men versus SMCI men (p <  0.01) and tended to be increased versus control men (p = 0.09). There were no between-group differences in women (n = 40). In the total study population (n = 80) as well as in men (n = 40), CSF levels of IGF-II and IGFBP-2 correlated positively with CSF levels of the AD biomarkers total-tau and phosphorylated tau protein. CONCLUSION: In men, but not women, in the early stages of AD, CSF IGF-II level was elevated, and CSF IGFBP-2 level tended to be increased, compared to healthy controls.

Effects of seven years of GH-replacement therapy on insulin sensitivity in GH-deficient adults.

The few trials in GH-deficient (GHD) adults that have investigated the long-term effects of GH-replacement therapy on insulin sensitivity have shown conflicting results. In this study, insulin sensitivity was determined using the hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp technique in 11 GHD adults at baseline and after 6 months, 1 yr, 2 yr, and 7 yr of GH-replacement therapy. Furthermore, insulin sensitivity in the GHD patients was compared with that in 11 matched control subjects at baseline and with that in 11 other matched controls at study end. The mean initial GH dose was 1.10 mg/d. The dose was gradually lowered; and after 7 yr, the mean dose was 0.61 mg/d. A sustained reduction in body fat and a sustained increase in fat-free mass were observed. Serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) increased, and serum low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) decreased, after 7 yr of treatment. Fasting blood glucose was transiently increased during the first year of GH replacement. The glucose infusion rate/body weight (GIR/BW), as measured using the hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamp technique, was unaltered during GH-replacement therapy. The comparisons with the control subjects revealed that GIR/BW in the GHD patients was 45% of that in the control subjects at baseline; whereas, at study end, the GIR/BW was 71% of that in the control subjects (P = 0.06 vs. baseline). This could suggest that GH-replacement therapy may prevent the age-related decline in insulin sensitivity in GHD patients.

Identification of adrenocorticotropin receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in the human pituitary and its loss of expression in pituitary adenomas.

The ACTH receptor (ACTH-R) is the second member of the melanocortin (MC-2) receptor family that includes five seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors and has been shown to be predominantly expressed in the adrenal cortex. It has been postulated that ACTH may regulate its own secretion through ultra-short-loop feedback within the pituitary. ACTH-secreting adenomas are characterized by resistance to glucocorticoid feedback, and they may have dysregulated ACTH feedback. We therefore investigated the ACTH-R in normal and adenomatous human pituitary tissue. We report here the identification of ACTH-R mRNA in the human pituitary gland, which was confirmed by direct sequencing. We studied the expression of the ACTH-R in 23 normal pituitary specimens and 53 pituitary adenomas (22 ACTH-secreting, nine GH-secreting, eight prolactin-secreting, one TSH-secreting, one FSH-secreting, 10 nonfunctioning, and two silent corticotroph adenomas), using the sensitive technique of real-time quantitative PCR. Contamination of ACTH-secreting adenomas and nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas with nonadenomatous tissue was excluded by lack of Pit-1 expression. ACTH-R mRNA was detected in all normal pituitary specimens, and in situ hybridization colocalized expression to ACTH staining cells only. However, ACTH-R mRNA levels were undetectable in 16 of 22 ACTH-secreting tumors and in both silent corticotroph tumors. Diagnostic preoperative plasma ACTH levels were significantly lower in the ACTH-R positive ACTH-secreting tumors, compared with those who were ACTH-R negative (P = 0.0006). Direct sequencing of the coding region of the ACTH-R in cDNA from three ACTH-secreting tumors positively expressing the receptor showed no mutations, as did sequencing of genomic DNA in three receptor negative ACTH-secreting tumors and the two silent corticotrophs. These results provide further evidence compatible with an ACTH feedback loop in the pituitary and suggest that loss of expression of the ACTH-R in corticotroph adenomas of patients with Cushing's disease may play a role in the resistance to feedback of the pituitary-adrenal axis seen in these patients.

Growth hormone (GH) replacement in GH-deficient adults: a crossover trial comparing the effect on metabolic control, well-being and compliance of three injections per week versus daily injections.

Growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy regimens in adults using daily subcutaneous (sc) injections may not be optimal with respect to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of three times weekly injections with daily sc GH injections in terms of serum IGF-I, IGFBPs, lipoprotein levels, serum bone markers, glucose metabolism, body composition, compliance and well-being. Twenty hypopituitary men, 46-76 years, on a course of stable conventional GH replacement therapy for more than 12 months, were included in a 16-week crossover trial. During the first 8 weeks GH was administered three times per week followed by 8 weeks with daily sc injections with the same weekly dose of GH. Fasting serum samples were collected at baseline and on two consecutive days at the end of each 8-week period. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations were lower both the first and second morning after the last injection during the period with three injections per week. The second morning after the last GH injection in this period the IGF-I/BP-3 ratio, plasma insulin and FFA were lower whereas IGFBP-1 was increased as compared with values obtained during the period with daily injections. Serum Lp(a) levels, body composition, fat distribution, well-being and compliance were not differently affected by the two treatment regimens. These results suggest that the same weekly dose of GH given as three injections per week reduces serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels without affecting Lp(a) levels. The day-to-day variation in glucose metabolism and FFA serum levels differs considerably between the two modes of GH administration.

Reduced cerebrospinal fluid level of thyroxine in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Little is known of the association between thyroid hormones in the central nervous system and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We determined thyroid hormone levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a well-defined homogeneous mono-center population. METHODS: Fifty-nine consecutive patients under primary evaluation for cognitive impairment were recruited. The participants included patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed with AD upon follow-up (n=31), patients with stable MCI (SMCI, n=13), patients with other dementias (n=15), and healthy controls (n=19). Thyroid hormones in serum and CSF and AD biomarkers in CSF were analyzed using established immunochemical assays. Cognitive impairment was estimated using mini-mental state examination (MMSE). RESULTS: Serum levels of free and total thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) were similar in all groups whereas a marginal increase in serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level was observed in the AD patients. The CSF level of total T4 was decreased in patients with AD and other dementias compared to SMCI (both P=0.01) and healthy controls (both P=0.001), whereas CSF levels of TSH and total T3 were unchanged. In the total study population, CSF total T4 level correlated positively with MMSE score (r=0.26, P<0.05) and negatively with CSF total-tau (T-Tau) level (r=-0.23, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with AD as well as other dementias had signs of mild brain hypothyroidism, which could only to a small extent be detected in serum values.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and CSF acetylcholinesterase activity are reduced in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Little is known of vitamin D concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its relation with CSF acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, a marker of cholinergic function. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 52 consecutive patients under primary evaluation of cognitive impairment and 17 healthy controls. The patients had AD dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed with AD dementia upon follow-up (n = 28), other dementias (n = 12), and stable MCI (SMCI, n = 12). We determined serum and CSF concentrations of calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), and CSF activities of AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). FINDINGS: CSF 25OHD level was reduced in AD patients (P < 0.05), and CSF AChE activity was decreased both in patients with AD (P < 0.05) and other dementias (P < 0.01) compared to healthy controls. None of the measured variables differed between BuChE K-variant genotypes whereas the participants that were homozygous in terms of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele had decreased CSF AChE activity compared to subjects lacking the APOE ε4 allele (P = 0.01). In AD patients (n=28), CSF AChE activity correlated positively with CSF levels of total tau (T-tau) (r = 0.44, P < 0.05) and phosphorylated tau protein (P-tau) (r = 0.50, P < 0.01), but CSF activities of AChE or BuChE did not correlate with serum or CSF levels of 25OHD. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, both CSF 25OHD level and CSF AChE activity were reduced in AD patients. However, the lack of correlations between 25OHD levels and CSF activities of AChE or BuChE might suggest different mechanisms of action, which could have implications for treatment trials.

Serum but not cerebrospinal fluid levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) are increased in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Although insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is of importance for the adult function of the central nervous system (CNS), little is known of the significance of IGF-I in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in relation to Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 60 consecutive patients under primary evaluation of cognitive impairment and 20 healthy controls. The patients had AD dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed with AD dementia upon follow-up (n=32), stable MCI (SMCI, n=13), or other dementias (n=15). IGF-I, IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and insulin were measured in serum and CSF. RESULTS: Serum IGF-I level was increased in AD patients and in patients with other dementias compared to healthy controls (P=0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). Serum IGFBP-3 concentration was increased in AD and SMCI patients compared to controls (P=0.001 and P<0.05, respectively). CSF levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 as well as serum and CSF levels of insulin were similar in all study groups. In the total study population (n=80), serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 correlated negatively with CSF ß-amyloid1₋42 (Aß1₋42) level (r=-0.29, P=0.01 and r=-0.27, P=0.02, respectively) and in the AD patients (n=32), the increased CSF/serum IGF-I ratio correlated positively with the CSF level of phosphorylated tau protein (P-tau; r=0.42, P=0.02). CONCLUSION: Patients with AD as well as other dementias had high levels of IGF-I in serum but not in CSF. In AD patients, the IGF-I system was associated with biomarkers of AD disease status.

Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is reduced in stable mild cognitive impairment but low LTL is not associated with conversion to Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study.

Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with the aging process and may be related to cognitive aging. Previous studies have shown conflicting results whether LTL is affected in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this pilot study, we investigated LTL in a well-defined homogeneous mono-center population. Sixty consecutive patients admitted for cognitive impairment to a memory clinic were recruited. The participants included patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed with AD upon follow-up (n=32), patients with stable MCI (n=13), patients with other dementias diagnosed at primary evaluation or upon follow-up (n=15), and healthy controls (n=20). LTL was determined using a quantitative PCR assay. Patients with AD had similar LTL as healthy controls. Patients with stable MCI had reduced LTL both compared to AD patients (p=0.02) and controls (p=0.008). Subanalyses within the AD group showed that patients with MCI that later converted to AD had similar LTL as patients with clinical diagnosis of AD at primary evaluation and healthy controls whereas the LTL was longer compared to the stable MCI group (p=0.02). There were no correlations between LTL and the core AD biomarkers Aß(1-42), T-tau and P-tau. In conclusion, in this pilot study, patients with AD or MCI that later converted to AD had similar LTL as healthy controls. Patients with stable MCI that did not progress to dementia had reduced LTL compared to controls, which might suggest a more marked biological aging as a cause of the cognitive symptoms in this group.

Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease: diagnostic performance in a homogeneous mono-center population.

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers amyloid-ß (Aß)(1-42), T-tau, and P-tau have good diagnostic accuracy for clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, in multi-center studies, the predictive values of the CSF biomarkers have been lower, possibly due to differences in procedures for lumbar puncture and CSF handling and storage, and to differences in patient populations, clinical evaluations, and diagnostic procedures. Here we investigate the diagnostic accuracy of CSF biomarkers in a well defined homogeneous mono-center population. We also evaluate an extended panel of amyloid related biomarkers. Sixty consecutive patients admitted for cognitive impairment to a memory clinic were recruited. The participants included patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosed with AD upon follow-up (n = 32), patients with stable MCI (n = 13), patients with other dementias diagnosed at primary evaluation or upon follow-up (n = 15), and healthy controls(n = 20). CSF was analyzed for Aß(1-42), T-tau, and P-tau, and PA(X-38), Aß(X-40), Aß(X-42), sAßPPα, and sAßPPß. In multivariate analysis, thecore biomarkers Aß(1-42), T-tau, and P-tau demonstrated a high ability to diagnose AD versus the combined groups of controls and stable MCI, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.97 (95% CI 0.93­1.00, p < 0.0001). The additional biomarkers only marginally increased AUROC to 0.98 (95% CI 0.95­1.00, p < 0.0001), this increase mainly mediated by Aß(X-42). In conclusion, CSF biomarkers Aß(1-42), T-tau, and P-tau have very high diagnostic accuracy in a well defined cohort of untreated patients, demonstrating the excellent potency of CSF biomarkers to identify pathological processes in AD when astringent analytical protocol is used.

Discriminatory Analysis of Biochip-Derived Protein Patterns in CSF and Plasma in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The role of biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases has been emphasized by recent research. Future clinical demands for identifying diseases at an early stage may render them essential. The aim of this pilot study was to test the analytical performance of two multiplex assays of cerebral markers on a well-defined clinical material consisting of patients with various neurodegenerative diseases. We measured 10 analytes in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 60 patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, or mild cognitive impairment, as well as 20 cognitively healthy controls. We used the Randox biochip-based Evidence Investigator™ system to measure the analytes. We found it possible to measure most analytes in both plasma and CSF, and there were some interesting differences between the diagnostic groups, although with large overlaps. CSF heart-type fatty acid-binding protein was increased in AD. Glial fibrillary acidic protein and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in CSF and D-dimer in plasma were elevated in patients with cerebrovascular disease. A multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the pattern of analytes could help to differentiate the conditions, although more studies are required to verify this.

Cerebrospinal fluid microglial markers in Alzheimer's disease: elevated chitotriosidase activity but lack of diagnostic utility.

Activated microglial cells, which are the resident macrophages of the central nervous system, surround amyloid ß-plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Inflammation including microglial activation may contribute in AD pathogenesis, and biomarkers for this process may thus be of value to study AD pathogenesis and might facilitate development of therapies targeting these cells. We therefore examined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers in patients with AD, other dementias, mild cognitive impairment and in healthy controls. Samples were analyzed for markers with known association to macrophage activity, including chitotriosidase, YKL-40 (CHI3L1, HC gp-39) and chemokine CC motif ligand 2 (CCL2, MCP1). Patients with AD had higher chitotriosidase activity than controls and patients with stable mild cognitive impairment, consistent with the presence of activated microglial cells in AD brains, but with large overlaps between groups. CCL2 and YKL-40 concentrations did not differ among groups. Microglial markers are unlikely to be useful for AD diagnosis, but might be useful for identification of distinct subgroups of patients, and for the development and implementation of drugs targeting microglial pathology.

Converging pathways of chromogranin and amyloid metabolism in the brain.

Much is unknown regarding the regulation of Alzheimer-related amyloid-beta protein precursor (AbetaPP)-processing in the human central nervous system. It has been hypothesized that amyloidogenic AbetaPP-processing preferentially occurs in the regulated secretory pathway of neurons. To test this hypothesis we looked for correlations of AbetaPP-derived molecules in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with chromogranin (Cg) derived peptides, representing the regulated secretion. Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD, N=32), multiple sclerosis (MS, N=50), and healthy controls (N= 70) were enrolled. CSF was analyzed for the amyloid peptides Abeta1-42, Abetax-42, Abetax-40, Abetax-38, alpha-cleaved soluble AbetaPP (sAbetaPPalpha), beta-cleaved soluble AbetaPP (sAbetaPPbeta), and peptides derived from CgB and SgII (Secretogranin-II, CgC). We investigated CSF levels of the protease BACE1, which processes AbetaPP into Abeta, in relation to Cg-levels. Finally, we measured Cg levels in cell media from untreated and BACE1-inhibited SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. CSF Cg levels correlated to sAbetaPP and Abeta peptides in AD, MS, and controls, and to CSF BACE1. Cell medium from BACE1-inhibited cells had decreased CgB levels. These results suggest that a large part of AbetaPP in the human central nervous system is processed in the regulated secretory pathway of neurons.