Transforming growth factor beta in Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been hypothesized to be an inflammatory condition. We hypothesized that anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), counteract the inflammatory process. In the present study, we found that TGF-beta levels were elevated in both cerebrospinal fluid and serum samples obtained from AD patients < 6 h after death. Serum TGF-beta levels were also markedly elevated before death. These results suggest that elevated TGF-beta levels in AD may represent a protective host response to immunologically mediated neuronal injury.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta