Circulating CD34-positive cells provide a marker of vascular risk associated with cognitive impairment.
Maintenance of uninterrupted cerebral circulation is critical for neural homeostasis. The level of circulating CD34-positive (CD34(+)) cells has been suggested as an index of cerebrovascular health, although its relationship with cognitive function has not yet been defined. In a group of individuals with cognitive impairment, the level of circulating CD34(+) cells was quantified and correlated with clinical diagnoses. Compared with normal subjects, a significant decrease in circulating CD34(+) cells was observed in patients with vascular-type cognitive impairment, although no significant change was observed in patients with Alzheimer's-type cognitive impairment who had no evidence of cerebral ischemia. The level of cognitive impairment was inversely correlated with numbers of circulating CD34(+) cells in patients with vascular-type cognitive impairment, but not Alzheimer's type. We propose that the level of circulating CD34(+) cells provides a marker of vascular risk associated with cognitive impairment, and that differences in the pathobiology of Alzheimer's- and vascular-type cognitive impairment may be mirrored in levels of circulating CD34(+) cells in these patient populations.
Department of Cerebrovascular Disease, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan. taguchi@ri.ncvc.go.jp
Akihiko
A
Taguchi
Tomohiro
T
Matsuyama
Takayuki
T
Nakagomi
Yoko
Y
Shimizu
Ryuzo
R
Fukunaga
Yoshiaki
Y
Tatsumi
Hiroo
H
Yoshikawa
Akie
A
Kikuchi-Taura
Toshihiro
T
Soma
Hiroshi
H
Moriwaki
Kazuyuki
K
Nagatsuka
David M
DM
Stern
Hiroaki
H
Naritomi
D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015415:Biomarkers