Is anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody a good value biomarker for Alzheimer disease?

Alzheimer's disease [AD] is one of the most important neurodegenerative disorder. Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide [anti-CCP] may all be involved in the development of vascular disease such as AD. The aim of this study is detection of seropositivity for anti-CCP antibody in AD patients. In our study, 30 patients with AD and 29 healthy controls [age and-sex matched] were recruited. Homocysteine and anti-CCP was measured by spectrophotometrically and immunoassay. Mean +/- SE anti-CCP was higher significantly between AD [13.6 +/- 3] and healthy subjects [4.8 +/- 0.2] [P = 0.006]. In the patients, anti CCP serum level was in high range [32.1%] of abnormal levels, but there was no significant difference in serum homocysteine in AD patients compared with controls. There is no correlation between anti-CCP and homocysteine levels in AD patients [P = 0.75], but between age and anti-CCP level observed a significantly correlation [P = 0.04]. It needs more studies to clarify confirmation the role of anti-CCP antibody production in AD patients

Can vitamin D suppress endothelial cells apoptosis in multiple sclerosis patients?

Multiple sclerosis [MS] is an autoimmune disease of central nerves system, in which neurological disabilities occur in young adults. Despite increasing number of studies on MS, some aspects of this disorder are still unclear. In the previous studies, it has been proven that there is direct relation between MS incidence and vitamin D deficiency. Thereby, strong evidence in MS pathogenesis suggests that endothelial cells [EC] could be harmed in MS. In addition, functional changes in EC and macrovascular injuries lead blood-brain barrier disruption in MS. Current study is the first investigation to elucidate positive influences of vitamin D against EC apoptosis in MS. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVECs] were cultured and then treated with sera from patients with active MS [in relapse] and sera from healthy volunteer participants as control group [each group n=15]. 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-5- [3-carboxymethoxyphenyl]-2-[4-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt [MTS] assay for cell surveillance and cell-death detection kit for evaluating apoptosis were used in this study. There was a significant decrease in apoptosis rate by the serum of patients, just when 1,25[OH][2]D[3] applied before treating HUVECs with sera from active MS [in relapse]. Furthermore, the cells surveillance increased markedly with the presence of 1,25[OH][2]D[3] in culture, too. With regard to increment in EC apoptosis rate, which treated by the sera from MS patients and decrement in apoptosis rate by the presence of vitamin D in culture media, it could be proposed that vitamin D pre-treatment can be used for MS patients, due to its beneficial effects on protecting EC apoptosis