Blennow K, Hesse C, Fredman P
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Göteborg, Mölndal Hospital, Sweden.
Neuroreport. 1994 Dec 20;5(18):2534-6. doi: 10.1097/00001756-199412000-00032.
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). ApoE is synthesized within the brain and has been suggested to be involved in the re-utilization of membrane lipids during neuronal repair and remyelination after injury. Spherical ApoE-containing lipoprotein particles are found in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To study further the pathogenetic role of ApoE in degenerative brain disorders, we analysed ApoE in CSF. A significant (p < 0.001) reduction of CSF ApoE (1.5 +/- 1.2 ng ml-1) was found in AD compared with controls (5.0 +/- 2.7 ng ml-1). A less pronounced reduction was also found in frontal lobe dementia (3.1 +/- 1.5 ng ml-1; p < 0.05). These findings support the hypothesis that ApoE is involved in the pathogenesis of degenerative brain disorders such as AD. An increased reutilization of ApoE-lipid complexes in the brain, as part of a generalized repair process, may explain the low CSF ApoE in AD. Alternatively, the reduction of CSF ApoE may be caused by absorption of ApoE to senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
载脂蛋白E（ApoE）与阿尔茨海默病（AD）的发病机制有关。ApoE在脑内合成，有人认为它在神经元损伤后的修复和髓鞘再生过程中参与膜脂的再利用。在脑脊液（CSF）中发现了含ApoE的球形脂蛋白颗粒。为了进一步研究ApoE在退行性脑疾病中的致病作用，我们分析了脑脊液中的ApoE。与对照组（5.0±2.7 ng/ml）相比，AD患者脑脊液中ApoE显著降低（1.5±1.2 ng/ml，p<0.001）。在额叶痴呆患者中也发现了较不明显的降低（3.1±1.5 ng/ml；p<0.05）。这些发现支持了ApoE参与AD等退行性脑疾病发病机制的假说。作为一种全身性修复过程的一部分，脑内ApoE-脂质复合物再利用增加可能解释了AD患者脑脊液中ApoE含量低的原因。另外，脑脊液中ApoE的降低可能是由于ApoE被吸收到老年斑和神经原纤维缠结中所致。
