LEVELS OF CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID APOLIPOPROTEIN-E IN PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

One isoform of apolipoprotein E (apoE), a protein primarily involved i n transport of lipids, is associated with an increased risk for Alzhei mer's disease. Moreover, fragments of apoE are deposited in the amyloi d that invariantly are found in brain tissue of disease victims. An in triguing possibility is therefore that increased levels of apoE are in volved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Levels of full-length apoE in cerebrospinal fluid from 13 Alzheimer patients and 12 healthy contr ols were determined using Western blotting technique. Levels of the pr otein were essentially identical to previously reported findings and n o difference between patients and healthy controls was found. Hence, i t is concluded that increases in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of a poE are not involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and th at measurement of CSF apoE levels does not seem to be useful as a diag nostic procedure. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.