Neural cell adhesion molecule in human serum. Increased levels in dementia of the Alzheimer type.
Memory impairment is a process associated with alterations in neuronal plasticity, synapses formation, and stabilization. As the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) plays a key role in synaptic bond stabilization, we analyzed the usefulness of soluble NCAM isoforms in the diagnosis of patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT). NCAM was measured in the sera of 70 control subjects and 43 DAT patients (with different severity of cognitive impairment, GDS), employing Western blot and densitometric quantification. LMW-NCAM bands (100-130 kDa) decreased significantly with age independently of sex. DAT patients presented values of LMW-NCAM and HMW-NCAM significantly higher than healthy controls of similar age (higher than 130 kDa). Only LMW-NCAM was associated with GDS. Our results suggest that NCAM could be involved in the pathogenesis of DAT disorder and that serum NCAM levels could be useful as differential diagnostic markers of the disease.
Research Area of the Institute of Oncology Angel H. Roffo, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. ltodaro@fmed.uba.ar
Laura
L
Todaro
Lydia
L
Puricelli
Hernán
H
Gioseffi
María
M
Guadalupe Pallotta
José
J
Lastiri
Elisa
E
Bal de Kier Joffé
Mirta
M
Varela
Eugenia
E
Sacerdote de Lustig
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D020033:Protein Isoforms