Prostaglandin D2 synthase: Apoptotic factor in alzheimer plasma, inducer of reactive oxygen species, inflammatory cytokines and dialysis dementia.
BACKGROUND
Apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory cytokines have all been implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD).


OBJECTIVE
The present study identifies the apoptotic factor that was responsible for the fourfold increase in apoptotic rates that we previously noted when pig proximal tubule, LLC-PK1, cells were exposed to AD plasma as compared to plasma from normal controls and multi-infarct dementia.


METHODS
The apoptotic factor was isolated from AD urine and identified as lipocalin-type prostaglandin D2 synthase (L-PGDS). L-PGDS was found to be the major apoptotic factor in AD plasma as determined by inhibition of apoptosis approximating control levels by the cyclo-oxygenase (COX) 2 inhibitor, NS398, and the antibody to L-PGDS. Blood levels of L-PGDS, however, were not elevated in AD. We now demonstrate a receptor-mediated uptake of L-PGDS in PC12 neuronal cells that was time, dose and temperature-dependent and was saturable by competition with cold L-PGDS and albumin. Further proof of this endocytosis was provided by an electron microscopic study of gold labeled L-PGDS and immunofluorescence with Alexa-labeled L-PGDS.


RESULTS
The recombinant L-PGDS and wild type (WT) L-PGDS increased ROS but only the WTL-PGDS increased IL6 and TNFα, suggesting that differences in glycosylation of L-PGDS in AD was responsible for this discrepancy.


CONCLUSIONS
These data collectively suggest that L-PGDS might play an important role in the development of dementia in patients on dialysis and of AD.
Department of Medicine, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, N.Y., SUNY Medical School at Stony Brook, N.Y. USA.
John K
JK
Maesaka
Department of Medicine, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, N.Y., SUNY Medical School at Stony Brook, N.Y. USA.
Bali
B
Sodam
Department of Medicine, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, N.Y., SUNY Medical School at Stony Brook, N.Y. USA.
Thomas
T
Palaia
Department of Medicine, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, N.Y., SUNY Medical School at Stony Brook, N.Y. USA.
Louis
L
Ragolia
Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine. USA.
Vecihi
V
Batuman
Department of Medicine, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, N.Y., SUNY Medical School at Stony Brook, N.Y. USA.
Nobuyuki
N
Miyawaki
Department of Medicine, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, N.Y., SUNY Medical School at Stony Brook, N.Y. USA.
Shubha
S
Shastry
Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology, Westbury, N.Y. USA.
Steven
S
Youmans
Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Marwan
M
El-Sabban
Alzheimer’s disease; Apoptosis; Dialysis Dementia; Inflammatory cytokines; Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D2 synthase; Reactive oxygen species; Receptor-mediated endocytosis