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Alanyl-aminopeptidase activity decrease in cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer patients
M C Iribar1, J Montes, R Gonzalez Maldonado
1Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain.
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
|February 20, 1998
Summary
Alzheimer
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
- Protein dysfunction is implicated in AD pathogenesis.
- Amino acid metabolism and enzyme activity may be altered in AD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate amino acid concentrations and aminopeptidase activities in Alzheimer patients.
- To correlate these biochemical parameters with disease severity and duration.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of amino acid levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- Assay of aminopeptidase activities in plasma and CSF.
- Correlation analysis with cognitive impairment (Mini Mental State Examination), disease duration, and age.
Main Results:
- No significant changes in amino acid concentrations in CSF or plasma of AD patients compared to controls.
- Significantly lower alanyl-aminopeptidase activity in the CSF of AD patients.
- Elevated plasma/CSF ratio for alanyl-aminopeptidase activity in AD patients.
Conclusions:
- Alanyl-aminopeptidase activity in CSF may be a potential biomarker for Alzheimer disease.
- Altered aminopeptidase activity, not amino acid levels, might be linked to protein dysfunction in AD.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the role of aminopeptidases in AD pathology.