Plasma biomarkers associated with ALS and their relationship to iron homeostasis

Muscle Nerve. 2010 Jul;42(1):95-103. doi: 10.1002/mus.21625.

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with complicated pathogenesis with variable presentation and disease progression. There is a critical need for a panel of biomarkers to provide clinicians and researchers with additional information. In this study, multiplex immunoassays were used to screen a number of cytokines, growth factors, and iron-related proteins. ALS patients had significantly higher plasma levels of L-ferritin and lower concentrations of transferrin when compared to healthy controls and together classified a test group of subjects with 82% accuracy. Duration of ALS symptoms correlated positively with levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and negatively with levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The biomarker profile suggests iron homeostasis is disrupted in ALS patients, and changes in ferritin and transferrin (Tf) appear to be indicators of ongoing inflammatory processes. The data demonstrate a plasma biomarker profile in ALS patients that may differ from published reports of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aging / metabolism
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / blood*
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / genetics*
  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / blood
  • Biomarkers
  • Chemokine CCL2 / blood
  • Cytokines / blood
  • DNA / genetics
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Ferritins / blood
  • Genotype
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / blood
  • Hemochromatosis Protein
  • Hepcidins
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics
  • Homeostasis / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoassay
  • Iron / blood
  • Iron / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Middle Aged
  • Transferrin / metabolism

Substances

  • Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
  • Biomarkers
  • CCL2 protein, human
  • Chemokine CCL2
  • Cytokines
  • HFE protein, human
  • Hemochromatosis Protein
  • Hepcidins
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Transferrin
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • DNA
  • Ferritins
  • Iron