Chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines in Down's syndrome: an early marker for Alzheimer-type dementia?

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

People with Down's syndrome (DS) show early Alzheimer-like dementia. It has been suggested that the pro-inflammatory cytokine class plays a role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study aims at verifying whether pro-inflammatory cytokines in DS are correlated with age, affective symptoms and intellectual decline to a different degree than in subjects with non-DS learning disabilities.

METHODS:

CASES:

19 subjects with DS; controls: sex- and age-matched individuals with learning disabilities caused by perinatal ischaemic damage. The level of mental retardation was assessed according to DSM-IV; psychopathological symptoms were measured by the Assessment and Information Rating Profile. Serum levels of cytokines were determined with ELISA.

RESULTS:

DS patients showed higher levels of cytokines and chemokines, with the exception of RANTES; but the only significant difference detected was for MIP-1alpha. A correlation between the degree of mental retardation and IL-6, and between MIP-lalpha and age was found in patients with DS, but not in controls.

CONCLUSIONS:

The data obtained suggest a possible involvement of chemokines in the inflammatory and degenerative processes similar to AD in DS. Further longitudinal research is required to confirm these findings.

• Authors: Mauro G Carta, Paolo Serra, Assunta Ghiani, Elisabetta Manca, Maria Carolina Hardoy, Gennaro S Del Giacco, Giacomo Diaz, Bernardo Carpiniello, Paolo E Manconi
• Journal: Psychotherapy and psychosomatics (Psychother Psychosom) 2002 Jul-Aug Vol. 71 Issue 4 Pg. 233-6 ISSN: 0033-3190 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 12097789 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

Chemical References

• Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
• Biomarkers
• Chemokines
• Cytokines

Topics

• Adult
• Alzheimer Disease (metabolism)
• Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor (metabolism)
• Biomarkers
• Chemokines (blood, metabolism)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Cytokines (blood, metabolism)
• Down Syndrome (metabolism)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Time Factors