Regular Article
Calcium Responses in Fibroblasts from Asymptomatic Members of Alzheimer's Disease Families

https://doi.org/10.1006/nbdi.1998.0176Get rights and content
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Abstract

We have previously identified alterations of K+channel function, IP3-mediated calcium release, and Cp20 (a memory-associated GTP binding protein) in fibroblasts from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients vs controls. Some of these alterations can be integrated into an index that distinguishes AD patients from controls with both high specificity and high sensitivity. We report here that alterations in IP3-mediated calcium responses are present in a large proportion of AD family members (i.e., individuals at high risk) before clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are present. This was not the case if such members later “escaped” AD symptoms. This preclinical calcium signal correlate of later AD does not reflect, however, the presence of the PS1 familial AD gene.

Keywords

Alzheimer's disease
calcium
fibroblast.

Cited by (0)

R. TanziW. Wasco

1

To whom correspondence should be addressed at The Research Building, WP14, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3970 Reservoir Road, NW Washington, DC 20007. Fax: (202) 687-0617. E-mail:[email protected].

2

Present address: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan.