Increased tissue factor pathway inhibitor and homocysteine in Alzheimer's disease.
We investigated the possible involvement of vascular damage in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), by assessment of plasma levels of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), a serine protease inhibitor induced by endothelial injury, and homocysteine (Hcy), a known risk factor for cerebrovascular disorders, folate levels were also measured. 110 probable AD, 38 mild cognitive impairment, 31 patients affected by idiopathic Parkinson's disease (without dementia) and 100 healthy controls, who displayed no vascular disorders were enrolled. TFPI and Hcy were significantly higher in AD patients with respect to other groups. The levels of TFPI and Hcy were positively correlated in hyperhomocysteinemic AD and mild cognitive impairment subjects, and were negatively correlated with folate levels. Our findings suggest that an impairment of endothelial function associated with high Hcy levels may occur in AD patients, despite the absence of manifest cerebrovascular lesions. Therefore, TFPI may represent a candidate marker of endothelial damage in AD and might be used for the identification and monitoring of patients that would benefit from folate supplementation treatment.
Piazza
Fabrizio
F
Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Technologies, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza (MI), Italy. fabrizio.piazza@unimib.it
Galimberti
Gloria
G
Conti
Elisa
E
Isella
Valeria
V
Perlangeli
Maria V
MV
Speranza
Tiziana
T
Borroni
Barbara
B
Pogliani
Enrico M
EM
Padovani
Alessandro
A
Ferrarese
Carlo
C
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D015415:Biomarkers; D008074:Lipoproteins; C051928:lipoprotein-associated coagulation inhibitor; D006710:Homocysteine