Acute phase reactant alpha 1-antichymotrypsin is increased in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of patients with probable Alzheimer disease.
Levels of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (alpha 1-ACT) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum from patients with probable Alzheimer disease (AD) of both early (e-AD) and late (l-AD) onset assessed by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were higher than those found in controls or in patients with vascular dementia (VD). A negative correlation between CSF levels of alpha 1-ACT and the stage of the disease was present in patients with both e-AD and l-AD. No difference in alpha 2-macroglobulin levels in CSF and serum from patients with e-AD, l-AD, VD, and nondemented controls was found. Serum concentrations of alpha 1-antitrypsin from l-AD subjects were within the normal range. Thus, increased levels of alpha 1-ACT in CSF and serum were specifically associated with AD, and the detection of this serpin in CSF may be useful in monitoring the progression of the disease.
Licastro
F
F
Dipartimento di Patologia Sperimentale, Università di Bologna, Italy.
Parnetti
L
L
Morini
M C
MC
Davis
L J
LJ
Cucinotta
D
D
Gaiti
A
A
Senin
U
U
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000502:physiology*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006850:Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin