Butyrylcholinesterase K variant associated with higher enzyme activity in the temporal cortex of elderly patients.
There is evidence to suggest an involvement of the K variant of the butyrylcholinesterase gene (BCHE) in dementia. We have examined the relationship between BCHE genotype and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity in autopsy brain tissue. We studied 164 autopsy cases, 144 with dementia and 20 controls, including 13 K homozygotes and 48 K heterozygotes, from three centres: Newcastle, Oxford and London. Mean BuChE activity in temporal cortex was 37% higher in K homozygotes than in wild-type homozygotes. Linear regression analysis, controlling for gender, diagnosis, age at death and study centre, showed that the number of BCHE-K alleles was associated with increasing BuChE activity (p=0.009).
Tasker
Andrea
A
Institute for Ageing and Health, Wolfson Research Centre, Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE4 6BE, UK.
Ballard
Clive G
CG
Joachim
Catharine
C
Warden
Donald R
DR
Okello
Edward J
EJ
Perry
Robert H
RH
Khan
Nadeem
N
Smith
A David
AD
Lehmann
Donald J
DJ
Perry
Elaine K
EK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000235:genetics*; D003704:Dementia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000201:enzymology*
D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase