ELEVATED INTERLEUKIN-6 SECRETION LEVELS BY MONONUCLEAR-CELLS OF ALZHEIMERS PATIENTS

It has been suggested in recent research that interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's d isease (AD). Production of IL-1, by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulate d monocytes, and IL-6, by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated mononuc lear cells, was assessed in patients with AD divided into two groups - mild and moderately severe - according to severity of disease, and el derly controls. No differences in IL-1 production were found among AD patients and controls. However, significant elevation in IL-6 secretio n levels was observed in both the mild and moderately severe AD patien ts. Our results suggest that peripheral IL-6 secretion levels may be r esponsible for acute-phase proteins observed in the serum of AD patien ts.