Decreased resistin plasmatic concentrations in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A case-control study

Abstract

Previous studies suggested a role for adipokines in ageing and in several age-related diseases. The purpose of our study was to further elucidate adipokines involvement in neurodegeneration, investigating adiponectin, leptin and resistin in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). We enrolled for the study 70 subjects: 26 AD, 21 FTD, and 23 with other neurological (but not neurodegenerative) conditions (CTR, control group). According to a standardized protocol, we measured adipokines plasmatic levels, blood parameters of glucidic and lipidic metabolism, ESR, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of neurodegeneration (beta-amyloid, total-Tau, phosphorylated-Tau) and anthropometric parameters. In comparison with control group, we found lower resistin concentrations in patients with dementia, and in particular in AD (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, AD relative risk was reduced by resistin, when controlling for sex, age and anthropometric/metabolic parameters (RR = 0.71, P < 0.0001). Considering CSF biomarkers, we found a direct correlation between resistin and Aβ_1-42 CSF concentration in patients (p < 0.001, r = 0.50). Lower resistin characterized AD patients in our study and AD, but not FTD, diagnosis risk was found to be inversely associated with resistin when controlling for confounders. We hypothesize that resistin-linked metabolic profile has to be reconsidered and further investigated in AD.

Keywords: Adipokines; Adiponectin; Alzheimer's disease; Frontotemporal dementia; Leptin; Resistin.

Figure 1

Resistin plasmatic concentrations in study groups. Box plot represents median, interquartile range and range (maximum–minimum) of resistin plasmatic concentration (ng/mL) of patients with AD, patients with FTD, and controls (CTR). ∗∗ (p < 0.01).

Figure 2

Resistin values correlate with Aβ_1-42 CSF concentrations in AD and FTD patients. Scatter plot represents the correlation between resistin plasmatic and Aβ_1-42 CSF concentrations in patients (AD and FTD). The graphed line approximates the corresponding regression line (slope coefficient ±standard deviation: 23.0 ± 5.90).