Decreased plasmatic spermidine and increased spermine in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease patients

Abstract Background Current evidence suggests that upregulation of polyamines system plays a role both in cognitive deficit and synaptic loss observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective The aim of this study was to determine the plasmatic concentration of polyamines in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD patients in comparison with healthy controls (HC). Methods Plasmatic polyamines were quantified using the AbsoluteIDQ® p180 and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS). Results The study group comprised 34 AD patients, 20 MCI and 25 HC. All individuals were followed for 4 years. During this period 8 amnestic MCI patients (40% of the MCI sample at baseline) converted to AD. Spermidine level was lower in both patient groups (AD; MCI) compared to HC (p = 0.007). Plasma levels of spermine were higher in the MCI group (p < 0.001), but decreased in the sub-sample of MCI patients who converted to AD (p = 0.043). No statistically significant differences were found in ornithine and putrescine levels (p = 0.056 and p = 0.126, respectively). Discussion Our results suggest dynamic changes in the expression of polyamines in the MCI-AD continuum.

Efectos de la bromocriptina en pacientes con artritis reumatoide activa / Effects of bromocriptine in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Neuroendocrine factors play an important role in the expression of autoimmune disease. Proclatin (PRL) can induce T-cell proliferation and macrophage activation. Elevated PRL levels have been described in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and (RA). Aim and Methods: We studiend immunological and clinical effects of PRL suppression in 9 RA patients with active disease, treated for 3 months with bromocriptiner (BRC), an inihibitor of PRL secretion. Results: BRC induced a significant depression of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells response to antigen (p=0.008) and mitogen (p=0.008) which was significantly correlated with improvements in the HAQ disability index (r=0.68; p=0.04) and grip strength (r=0.7; p=0.02). Also, the in-vitro production of IL-2, nitric oxide and poliamines -that are critical for the proliferative response of lymphoid cells- decreased significantly. The group experienced significant improvement of grip strength (p=0.028) and the HAQ disability index (p=0.025), whereas 4 individuals archieved clinical improvement according to the American College of Rheumatology preliminary definition. We conclude that BRC treatment induces a significant depression of in-vitro immune function in RA patients and these changes are related to parameters of disease activity. The effects of BRC on immune function and disease activity in RA patients warrant further investigation