2 Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Araştırma Laboratuvarı (ARLAB), İZMİR
3 Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Halk Sağlığı Anabilim Dalı, İZMİR
4 Dokuz Eylül Ãœniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Anestezi ve Reanimasyon Anabilim Dalı, Ä°ZMÄ°R Introduction: The definite diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is based on post mortem pathological examination. To date, there is no laboratory test that can discriminate patients with AD from healthy individuals. Although, there is a relatively high accuracy rate of the clinical diagnosis of AD (∼%90) in expert research academic centers, the studies which aim to find out pathognomonic laboratory markers available for AD still continue. In the perspective of recent knowledge, there are three cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers which have the highest sensitivity and specificity: Beta-amyloid (Aβ)1-40, Aβ1-42 and phospho-tau (p-tau).
Aims: In this study, concentrations of these markers in CSF were quantified by using ELISA and the sensitivity and specificity for our laboratory were determined. Also, the effects of ‘Probable Alzheimer's Disease' (PRAD) patients' CSF on the survival of PC12 cell line were assessed. For that purpose, cell line viability was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol–2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test and the results were compared between groups. Material and Methods: In the present study, 15 PRAD patients and 15 control subjects were included. PRAD patients were selected from the patients of Dokuz Eylül University Neurology Department Dementia Outpatient Clinic and control subjects were selected from the patients who were undergone epidural anesthesia because of any surgical operation.
Results: There was a significant decrease of Aβ1-40 (p=0.014) and increase of p-tau (p=0.04) in patients with AD when compared with controls. Aβ1-42 concentration was not significantly different between groups (p=0.054) There was a positive corelation between duration of the disease and CSF of p-tau concentration in patients with AD (Spearman Rho=0.575; p=0.025). There was no significant difference in cell line viability values between groups (p=0.056).
Conclusion: There is an urgent heed for an evaluation of protective and toxic substances in the CSF of patients with AD.
Keywords : Alzheimer's disease, CSF markers, cytotoxicity, PC12 cell line