title: Increased cerebrospinal fluid A beta38/A beta42 ratio in Alzheimer disease.
abstract: We quantitated amyloid beta peptide (A beta) 38, A beta40 and A beta42 levels in matched CSF and plasma from Alzheimer disease (AD) patients and controls. CSF A beta38 and A beta40 levels were similar in AD patients and in controls; however, they were higher in controls with APOE upsilon4 allele than those without. CSF A beta42 levels were lower in AD patients than in controls. The CSF A beta38/42 ratio was higher in AD patients than controls, consistent with the previously reported higher A beta40/42 ratio. A beta38, A beta40 and A beta42 levels in plasma were similar in AD patients and in controls and showed no relationship to levels in CSF. Our findings suggest that the increased CSF A beta38/42 ratio found in AD patients is derived entirely from reduction of CSF A beta42 levels.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Basic Research, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA. pdmehta@worldnet.att.net
authors.forename: Pankaj D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pirttila
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000523:psychology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C078639:amyloid beta-protein (1-38); C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42)