title: Altered expression of metabolic proteins and adipokines in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of upper cortical and lower motor neurons. ALS causes death within 2-5years of diagnosis. Diet and body mass index influence the clinical course of disease, however there is limited information about the expression of metabolic proteins and fat-derived cytokines (adipokines) in ALS. In healthy controls and subjects with ALS, we have measured levels of proteins and adipokines that influence metabolism. We find altered levels of active ghrelin, gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), pancreatic polypeptide (PP), lipocalin-2, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and 8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in the plasma of ALS patients relative to controls. We also observe a positive correlation between the expression of plasma nerve growth factor (NGF) relative to disease duration, and an inverse correlation between plasma glucagon and the ALS functional rating scale-revised (ALSFRS-R). Further studies are required to determine whether altered expression of metabolic proteins and adipokines contribute to motor neuron vulnerability and how these factors act to modify the course of disease.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia; Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia; University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: s.ngo@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia; University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Steyn
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia; The Wesley-St Andrew's Research Institute, Auchenflower, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mantovani
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: C M M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pfluger
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Woodruff
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: McCombe
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D054392:Adipokines / Q000097:blood*; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005749:Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide / Q000097:blood; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008660:Metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide / Q000097:blood; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D054392:Adipokines; D001798:Blood Proteins; D054439:Ghrelin; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D005749:Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide; D005934:Glucagon; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor
keywords: Adipokines; Adipose; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Body mass index; Metabolism; Neurodegeneration