旅美華人科學(xué)家申勇領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的國際研究小組5日報(bào)告說,，老年癡呆癥發(fā)病早期,，患者腦脊液里的貝塔分泌酶顯著升高，這一發(fā)現(xiàn)有助于老年癡呆癥的早期診斷,。
美國老年病研究所分子細(xì)胞實(shí)驗(yàn)室主任申勇領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的研究小組,，由美國、德國,、瑞典等多國科學(xué)家組成,。他們對大約300個老年癡呆癥病例進(jìn)行臨床研究后發(fā)現(xiàn)，在老年癡呆癥發(fā)病早期,，也就是病人剛剛出現(xiàn)輕微記憶力和智力下降時(shí),，病人腦脊液里的貝塔分泌酶就已顯著升高。貝塔分泌酶是產(chǎn)生貝塔淀粉狀蛋白的關(guān)鍵酶,。
這項(xiàng)研究成果已發(fā)表在美國《普通精神病學(xué)文獻(xiàn)》月刊上,。
此前,，申勇領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的另外一個研究小組曾在《自然－醫(yī)學(xué)》雜志上發(fā)表論文說，老年癡呆癥并非基因突變所致,，而是大量貝塔淀粉狀蛋白在腦內(nèi)形成塊狀沉淀造成的,。研究人員說，找到一種可靠,、客觀的生物標(biāo)記準(zhǔn)確診斷老年癡呆癥,，對于盡早采取有效治療手段具有重要意義。
老年癡呆癥是影響老年人健康的頑癥,。美國《普通精神病學(xué)文獻(xiàn)》提供的資料顯示,，全世界60歲以上老年人中約有10％患有此病。（生物谷援引新華網(wǎng)）
原始出處:
Arch Gen Psychiatry,，Vol. 64 No. 6, June 2007
Levels of -Secretase (BACE1) in Cerebrospinal Fluid as a Predictor of Risk in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Zhenyu Zhong, MSc; Michael Ewers, MD; Stefan Teipel, MD; Katharina Bürger, MD; Anders Wallin, MD; Kaj Blennow, MD; Ping He, PhD; Carrie McAllister, BSc; Harald Hampel, MD; Yong Shen, MD, PhD
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007;64:718-726.
Context Elevated -secretase (-site amyloid precursor protein–cleaving enzyme 1 [BACE1]) activity has been found in the brains of patients with sporadic Alzheimer disease (AD) compared with controls. Now we are particularly interested in whether BACE1 can be identified in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a population at high risk for AD. The possible presence of BACE1 in the CSF of patients with AD and MCI has so far gone unreported.
Objective To examine whether BACE1 can be identified in the CSF of patients with MCI.
Design We evaluated CSF BACE1 levels using 2 sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, BACE1 enzymatic activities by means of synthetic fluorescence substrate, and total amyloid- peptide levels using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Setting Two independent research centers.
Participants Eighty patients with sporadic AD, 59 patients with MCI, and 69 controls.
Main Outcome Measures BACE1 levels and enzymatic activities and amyloid- peptide levels.
Results Increased CSF levels of BACE1 protein were associated with increased risk ratios (RRs) for patients with MCI compared with controls (RR, 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-2.58) and patients with AD (RR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.19-2.03). Similarly, patients with MCI showed increased levels of BACE1 activity compared with controls (RR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.66-2.71) and patients with AD (RR, 3.71; 95% CI, 2.74-4.36). For total amyloid- peptide and tau, increased CSF levels were associated with a higher risk of MCI compared with controls. The BACE1 activity was significantly correlated with BACE1 protein level ( = 0.23; P<.001) and amyloid- peptide level ( = 0.39; P<.001), with amyloid- peptide correlated with BACE1 protein level ( = 0.30; P<.001).
Conclusion Significant elevation of BACE1 levels and activity in CSF is an indicator of MCI, which could be an early stage of AD.
Author Affiliations: Haldeman Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, Ariz (Mr Zhong, Drs He and Shen, and Ms McAllister); Alzheimer Memorial Center, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany (Drs Ewers, Teipel, Bürger, and Hampel); and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Göteborg, Sahlgren's University Hospital, Möndal, Sweden (Drs Wallin and Blennow).
