ADVANCED GLYCATION ENDPRODUCTS - ASSOCIATED PARAMETERS IN THE PERIPHERAL-BLOOD OF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), structural components of beta-a myloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, have been implicated in th e pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. AGE levels, measured by fluores cence, and their precursor molecules such as glucose and its Amadori p roduct, fructosylamine, were measured to examine the question whether the reported increased level of AGEs in the brain is reflected in an i ncrease in AGE-associated parameters in peripheral blood. Lactoferrin, proposed to play an important role in the interaction of AGEs with th eir receptors, was determined by ELISA. All AGE-associated parameters showed trends to lower values in patients with Alzheimer's disease com pared with non-demented controls. Albumin and total iron were not sign ificantly different between the groups. In contrast to diabetes and re nal failure, where high levels of AGEs and their precursors are presen t in tissue as well as in peripheral blood, elevated CNS AGE levels in patients with Alzheimer's disease are manifested without detectable p eripheral changes.