title: Diminished production of proinflammatory cytokines in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Cerebral inflammation as well as systemic immunological alterations have been reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We examined the production of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6, interleukin-12, interferon-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in whole blood cell cultures of AD patients and age-matched controls. The production of all measured cytokines after mitogen stimulation is significantly decreased in the AD group compared to controls. The results reflect an attenuated secretory activity of monocytes/macrophages, but also of T-helper cells. The data sustain the assumption that a systemic, possibly age-related alteration of immune mechanisms may play a pathogenetic role in the development of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Osianderstrasse 24, DE-72076 Tübingen, Germany. elke.richartz@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Richartz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Batra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wormstall
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buchkremer
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schott
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma