摘要:

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in elderly people. Interrelations between AD and senescence have been the subject of many studies. Some researchers have suggested that chromosomal alterations may be involved in the etiology or pathogenesis of AD. We present cytogenetic findings in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, normal elderly controls and young controls. Aneuploidy, premature centromere division, polyploidy and C-anaphase, were analysed and the results suggest that the cytogenetic alterations observed are inherent to the cellular ageing process and not specifically related to Alzheimer’s disease.

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213508

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Study of DNA methylation of the c-myc gene in liver tumors of BCF1 mice treated with various agents revealed frequent alteration from that in normal liver. The alteration, however, was complex and showed either an increase or a decrease of methylation to various degrees. On the other hand, the tumors obtained from middle-aged C3H/He mice, which develop liver tumors spontaneously at a high incidence rate starting in middle age, showed predominantly increases of methylation in the c-myc gene, while the large tumors found in older mice revealed decreases. The normal part of the liver showed a slight gradual age-dependent increase. These suggest that hypermethylation of the c-myc gene is common to aging and early tumor development in liver. Thus the alteration of DNA methylation seems to be a good clue to investigate why the tumor incidence rate increases rapidly as individuals grow older.

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213558

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Phospholipids from liver mitochondrial and microsomal membrane preparations were analyzed to further assess the effects of age and lifelong calorie restriction on membrane lipid composition. Results showed that the major phospholipid classes, phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanol-amine (PE), phosphatidylinositol and cardiolipin did not vary significantly with age or diet. The fatty acid composition of the phospholipids was determined in PC and PE and ages of 6, 12 and 24 months. The data revealed characteristic patterns of age-related changes in ad libitum (AL) fed rats: membrane levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, 22:4 and 22:5, increased progressively, while membrane linoleic acid (18:2) decreased steadily with age. Levels of 18:2 fell by approximately 40%, and 22:5 content almost doubled making the peroxidizability index increase with age. In addition, levels of 16:1 and 18:1 decreased significantly with age, indicating a possible change in Δ9-desaturase activity coefficient. Food restriction resulted in a significant increase in levels of essential fatty acids while attenuating levels of 22:4, 22:5, 22:6 and peroxidizability. We concluded that the membrane-stabilizing action of long-term calorie restriction relates to the selective modification of membrane long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during aging

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213509

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Werner’s syndrome (WRN) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the appearance of features of premature aging in a young adult. Skin fibroblasts from WRN patient demonstrate slow growth, reduced life span in vitro and mutator phenotype. The genetic defect in WRN is unknown. We have studied 23 WRN patients mainly from first or second cousin marriage and have applied homozygosity mapping to search for the WRN locus. A peak lod score of 5.58 at a recombination fraction of 0.03 was obtained with D8S87. We confirmed that the WRN locus was located on the short arm of chromosome 8, 8pl 1.2–

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213560

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Down syndrome (DS) was studied in terms of immunological function and serological aspects. It was found that antibody levels against rubella and pertussis in the sera from 36 institutionalized DS patients were comparable with those of healthy controls while low antibody levels were detected against mumps and measles. Six tumor markers were also assayed in the serum from DS patients and the serum concentration of alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (α1-AGP) and immunosuppressive acidic protein, an analogous glycoprotein of α1-AGP, were significantly higher than those of the control group. Multivariate discriminant function was constructed based on the concentration of tumor markers. The function could discriminate between the two groups at a sensitivity of 92.3%. Flow-cyto-metrical analysis has revealed that helper T level of DS patients’ sera was lower than that of the control gr

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213561

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Our laboratory previously noted an increase in thymocyte mitogenic activity in the urine of many elderly patients. The present study was performed to verify this finding and to determine if this activity was actually due to an increase in interleukin-1 (IL-1). IL-1 levels were measured in the urine of 33 healthy, ambulatory, elderly subjects (ages 83-95 years), using both a murine thymocyte bioassay, measuring activation by the incorporation of tritiated thymidine and an MTT dye reduction assay. There was a significant increase in urine IL-1 in 85% of elderly individuals. In the MTT dye reduction assay, mean elderly urine IL-1 levels were 0.88 U/ml, in comparison with a young control group (ages 23-37 years) in which urine IL-1 levels were very low (mean IL-1 ≤0.05 U/ml). Urine levels of IL-1β were also measured by using a sensitive immunoassay (ELISA) and were found to be significantly increased in the elderly (mean = 57.4 pg/ml), compared to the young (mean = 2.5 pg/ml). In contrast, IL-2 levels in urine were very low, with no difference between the young and the elderly. Mean urine protein and creatinine levels did not differ significantly between young and old, and did not account for the increase in urine IL-1 levels. Although its immunologic significance is not yet understood, this striking increase in IL-1 is an unusual and interesting finding that merits further investigati

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213510

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

The major component of Alzheimer’s disease amyloid is a small polypeptide referred as the amyloid β protein, which is derived from a larger precursor, amyloid precursor protein (APP). Cell fractionation and immunological studies on the APP molecule indicate that APP is localized either in the neuron and astrocyte and that the molecule is recovered from lysosomal fracti

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213562

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has an established role in the management of pancreatobiliary disease, but its role in elderly patients has not been evaluated. A prospective study was carried out in 50 elderly patients, aged between 65 and 94 years, to compare the sensitivity and specificity of ERCP in this age group with ultrasound and liver blood tests, and to examine its safety and therapeutic effectiveness. ERCP was successful in 46 of 50 (92%) procedures. Thirty-four patients had abnormal findings, and 18 sphincte-rotomies were performed. No complications were recorded. There was a poor correlation between ultrasound and ERCP with agreement in only 45% of cases; sensitivity 35% and specificity 75%. Liver blood tests, alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transferase were elevated in all 30 cases with obstructed ducts on ERCP. Ultrasound revealed obstruction in only 10 (33%) of these. Thus, liver biochemistry proved a more reliable indicator of biliary obstruction than ultrasound. In 22 cases endoscopic stone clearance or demonstration of inoperable lesions obviated surgery while in 9 cases surgery was indicated, because of multiple large stones not cleared at ERCP, or for bypass of a malignant stricture. ERCP is therefore safe and effective with a high diagnostic and therapeutic yield even in the poor risk elderly

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213511

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

A trypsin-type protease was purified to enzymatic homogeneity from human umbilical vein endothelial cells by sequential affinity chromatographies. The enzyme specifically hydrolyzed dibasic substrates with leucine at the P3 positions, but scarcely hydrolyzed the other substrates tested. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by the Kunitz inhibitor domain peptide of Alzheimer’s disease amyloid protein precursor (Ki value, 0.35 nM) and by the microbial inhibitors leupeptin and anti-pain. These results, together with a previous finding of a significant increase in the expression of Alzheimer’s amyloid protein precursors (βAPPs) with the Kunitz inhibitor domain in Alzheimer’s disease, suggest that the activity of the trypsin-type protease is suppressed by an increase of βAPPs with inhibitor activity in Alzheimer’s disease, resulting in aberrant intracellular protein catabolism including degradation of βAPPs and β-protein

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213563

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

A perceived reluctance by many doctors to consider the use of thrombolytic therapy in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction prompted us to investigate the potential influence of pre-existing medical pathology on use of fibrinolysis. Of 251 patients consecutively admitted to hospital with suspected acute myocardial infarction, absolute contra-indications to thrombolysis were found in 9 (4%) patients and relative contra-indications in a further 82 (31%) patients. This study suggests that the presence of contra-indications plays a small role in influencing the potential use of thrombolysis in the elderly. Age itself should not be assumed to be inevitably associated with an unacceptable rate of contra-indications for thrombolytic therapy.

ISSN:0304-324X    

DOI:10.1159/000213512

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1993

数据来源: Karger