Alterations of anorectic cytokine levels from plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in idiopathic senile anorexia.
Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of two well-known satiety cytokine peptides have been measured in elderly persons with idiopathic anorexia and normal weight healthy subjects in a similar age range. Plasma and CSF levels of tumor necrosis factor alfa (TNF alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) were assayed by commercially available kits. Elderly under-weight anorectic patients had significantly lower levels of TNF alpha but unchanged concentrations of IL-1 beta in both plasma and CSF when compared to controls. In addition to significantly lower levels of TNF alpha in CSF, we found a positive correlation between the body mass index and CSF TNF alpha concentrations (r = 0.61, P < 0.05) in the anorectic group. CSF IL-1 beta concentrations showed a significant negative correlation with plasma albumin levels in senile anorectics (r = -0.66, P < 0.05) but not in controls. On the basis of our findings, we conclude that a decrease in plasma and CSF TNF alpha concentrations could have beneficial effects for the primary anorexia of aging both at central level to offset anorexia and at peripheral sites decreasing tissue catabolism.
Martinez
M
M
Servicios de Bioquímica, Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain.
Arnalich
F
F
Hernanz
A
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D000855:Anorexia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism*
D007375:Interleukin-1; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014168:Transferrin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha