title: Red blood cell copper, zinc superoxide dismutase activity is higher in Alzheimer's disease and is decreased by D-penicillamine.
abstract: Copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn SOD) activity was measured in red blood cells (RBC) of 32 patients affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD), eight other AD patients treated with the copper-chelating agent D-penicillamine, 13 first-degree relatives and 22 controls. All AD patients enrolled in our study showed a higher level of Cu, Zn SOD activity early in the disease. No correlation between apolipoprotein E genotype and SOD activity was found in AD patients. D-penicillamine treatment of AD patients for 24 weeks lowered the enzyme activity even below the control value. These results support the hypothesis that a higher level of Cu, Zn SOD activity in RBC can be an early diagnostic peripheral marker of this disease and a sensor to monitor treatments with copper-chelating drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome, Italy. luisa.rossi@uniroma2.it
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Squitti
authors.forename: Patrizio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pasqualetti
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchese
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cassetta
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forastiere
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rotilio
authors.forename: Paolo M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finazzi-Agró
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010396:Penicillamine; D015032:Zinc