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Salivary lactoferrin levels in Down Syndrome: a case-control study.
Desireé Antequera1,2, Lucía Sande3, Eliane García Mato3
1Neurobiology of Alzheimer's Disease Unit, Functional Unit for Research Into Chronic Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
|May 9, 2025
Summary
Salivary lactoferrin levels are altered in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), particularly decreasing in those over 45. This ratio decline in DS patients correlates with cognitive decline, suggesting a link to Alzheimer's disease risk.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
Background:
- Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit an elevated, age-dependent risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- This increased risk is linked to immune-inflammatory system dysregulation and lower salivary lactoferrin levels, an antimicrobial protein associated with AD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the changes in salivary lactoferrin levels throughout the lifespan of individuals with DS.
- To determine the relationship between salivary lactoferrin and cognitive decline in the DS population.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 152 participants (72 with DS, 80 euploid controls), divided into age groups under and over 45.
- Quantification of salivary lactoferrin and total protein levels.
- Analysis of the ratio of lactoferrin to total protein in relation to age and cognitive status.
Main Results:
- While overall salivary lactoferrin was higher in DS individuals, the ratio of lactoferrin to total protein was significantly lower in DS subjects over 45 years old compared to controls.
- In individuals with DS, a lower ratio of salivary lactoferrin to total protein was associated with more severe cognitive decline.
- DS individuals under 45 showed higher median salivary lactoferrin levels, but non-significant differences in the lactoferrin/total protein ratio.
Conclusions:
- Salivary lactoferrin is dysregulated in Down syndrome, with a notable decrease in the lactoferrin to total protein ratio in older adults with DS.
- The observed changes in salivary lactoferrin ratio in DS individuals over 45 may indicate an increased risk or progression related to Alzheimer's disease.
- The ratio of salivary lactoferrin to total protein serves as a potential biomarker for cognitive decline in individuals with Down syndrome.
