title: Reduction of Amyloid-β Plasma Levels by Hemodialysis: An Anti-Amyloid Treatment Strategy?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cognitive impairment in hemodialysis patients is common, but the underlying pathogenesis remains unclear. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in the general elderly population. Histopathological hallmarks are, among others, senile plaques, which consist of amyloid-β (Aβ).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure plasma levels of Aβ42 and Aβ40 during hemodialysis and to examine potential associations with cognitive performance in cognitively impaired hemodialysis patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples of 26 hemodialysis patients were collected shortly before, after 50% of dialysis time, and at the end of a dialysis session. Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels were measured by a high-sensitivity ELISA for human amyloid-β. Cognition was tested under standardized conditions using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as proposed previously.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clearance rates of both peptides during one dialysis session were 22% and 35% for Aβ42 and Aβ40, respectively. Aβ42 but not Aβ40 baseline levels were significantly associated with MoCA test results (r = 0.654, p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In cognitively impaired hemodialysis patients plasma Aβ42 levels were associated with cognitive performance and both Aβ42 and Aβ40 plasma levels could be effectively reduced by dialysis. By inducing peripheral Aβ sink, hemodialysis may be considered as an anti-amyloid treatment strategy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tholen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmaderer
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.|Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chmielewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Förstl
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Heemann
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steubl
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grimmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000097:blood; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42)
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; amyloid-beta; cognitive impairment; hemodialysis