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Elevated plasma endothelial microparticles in Alzheimer's disease
Shouru Xue1, Xiuyin Cai, Wanjun Li
1Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China. xueshouru@suda.edu.cn
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
|October 19, 2012
Summary
Endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are elevated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and correlate with cognitive decline, primarily generated through apoptosis/necrosis, not activation. This finding aids in understanding AD vascular pathology.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Vascular Biology
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are elevated in vascular diseases.
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves microcirculatory injury and blood-brain barrier disruption.
- Elevated EMPs may indicate vascular pathology in AD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if EMPs are increased in AD patients.
- To determine if EMPs correlate with cognitive decline in AD.
- To ascertain if EMPs are released via activation or apoptosis/necrosis in AD.
Main Methods:
- Plasma EMP levels were quantified using flow cytometry.
- EMP markers for apoptosis/necrosis (PECAM-1/CD31) and activation (E-selectin/CD62e) were evaluated.
- The ratio of CD62E/CD31 populations differentiated EMP generation pathways.
Main Results:
- AD patients showed significantly higher counts of CD31+/CD42- and CD62e+/CD42- EMPs compared to controls.
- Circulating EMP counts correlated significantly with cognitive scores (MMSE and ADAS-cog).
- Multivariate analysis confirmed the correlation between ADAS-cog score and CD31+/CD42- EMPs.
Conclusions:
- EMPs in AD are generated via apoptosis/necrosis, not activation.
- Specific circulating EMP phenotypes are associated with cognitive decline in AD patients.
- EMP analysis offers insights into AD vascular pathophysiology.
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