Neurobiology of Aging
Volume 28, Issue 4 , Pages 533-536, April 2007

Serum TNF-alpha levels are increased and correlate negatively with free IGF-I in Alzheimer disease

  • Antón Álvarez

      Affiliations

    • EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, 15166 A Coruña, Spain
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Department of Neuropharmacology, EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, Santa Marta de Babío, 15166 Bergondo, A Coruña, Spain. Tel.: +34 981 78 05 05; fax: +34 981 78 05 11.
    • ,
  • Ramón Cacabelos

      Affiliations

    • EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, 15166 A Coruña, Spain
    • ,
  • Carolina Sanpedro

      Affiliations

    • EuroEspes Biomedical Research Center, 15166 A Coruña, Spain
    • ,
  • Manuel García-Fantini

      Affiliations

    • Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital Juan Canalejo, 15006 A Coruña, Spain
    • ,
  • Manuel Aleixandre

      Affiliations

    • Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

Received 22 November 2005; received in revised form 17 February 2006; accepted 18 February 2006. published online 27 March 2006.

Abstract 

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) have been involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as neurotoxic and survival factors, respectively. Recent experimental studies suggest that the signalling pathways of TNF-alpha and IGF-I are functionally interrelated. In order to investigate the possible interaction of TNF-alpha and IGF-I in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the serum levels of total IGF-I, free IGF-I and TNF-alpha were determined in 141 AD patients, 56 MCI cases and 30 controls. As compared with controls, AD patients showed increased TNF-alpha and decreased IGF-I levels in serum, as well as a significant negative correlation between TNF-alpha and free IGF-I values. MCI patients also exhibited significantly higher TNF-alpha levels than controls. The present results suggest that increased TNF-alpha levels are involved in the pathogenesis of AD and MCI, and might antagonize the neurotrophic activity of IGF-I in these medical conditions. In addition, the combined determination of TNF-alpha and IGF-I might be useful to monitor anti-inflammatory and/or neurotrophic drug effects in AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, Mild cognitive impairment, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, Insulin-like growth factor-I, Elderly control subjects

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PII: S0197-4580(06)00081-9

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.02.012

Neurobiology of Aging
Volume 28, Issue 4 , Pages 533-536, April 2007

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