Metal-Score as a Potential Non-Invasive Diagnostic Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

Title:Metal-Score as a Potential Non-Invasive Diagnostic Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

Volume: 10 Issue: 2

Author(s): Rosanna Squitti, Patrizio Pasqualetti, Renato Polimanti, Carlo Salustri, Filomena Moffa, Emanuele Cassetta, Domenico Lupoi, Mariacarla Ventriglia, Maurizio Cortesi, Mariacristina Siotto, Fabrizio Vernieri and Paolo Maria Rossini

Affiliation:

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, metal disarrangements, diagnostic test, statistical score, copper, transferrin, antioxidant capacity, vascular dementia

Abstract: The link between biometals and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been investigated with a focus on local metal accumulations. In this work, we have looked at systemic metal changes and computed a score (M-score) based on metal disarrangements to discriminate patients with AD from patients with vascular dementia (VaD) and from controls. We measured serum levels of iron, copper, ceruloplasmin, transferrin, and total antioxidant capacity (TAS), performed Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping and calculated non-ceruloplasmin copper (‘free’ ‘copper’) levels, transferrin saturation, total iron binding capacity, and ceruloplasmin-transferrin ratio (Cp/Tf) in 93 patients with AD, 45 patients with VaD, and 48 controls. All subjects underwent biochemical, neuroimaging and cognitive evaluations. Significant differences were observed among the tested groups for the levels of copper, free copper, peroxides, and TAS and for the Cp/Tf with disparity in couple comparison. On this basis we created the M-score as linear combination of biometal variables and APOE genotype. Besides its ability to discriminate AD patients vs. controls (ROC AUC=90%), M-score was able to distinguish AD vs. VaD (ROC AUC=79%). Moreover, we calculated the sensitivity and the specificity for M-score and for the other significant variables: M-score reached the highest sensitivity without a relevant loss in terms of specificity. When we compared M-score with APOE genotype and Medial Temporal Atrophy score, it resulted statistically better than these diagnostic markers. In conclusion, we confirm the link between biometals and AD and suggest its potential as diagnostic tool. Further studies may elucidate its potential role as reliable diagnostic test.

Cite this article as:

Squitti Rosanna, Pasqualetti Patrizio, Polimanti Renato, Salustri Carlo, Moffa Filomena, Cassetta Emanuele, Lupoi Domenico, Ventriglia Mariacarla, Cortesi Maurizio, Siotto Mariacristina, Vernieri Fabrizio and Maria Rossini Paolo, Metal-Score as a Potential Non-Invasive Diagnostic Test for Alzheimer’s Disease, Current Alzheimer Research 2013; 10 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1567205011310020009