Sulger, J., Dumais-Huber, C., Zerfass, R., Henn, F. A., Aldenhoff, J. B. (March 1999) The calcium response of human T lymphocytes is decreased in aging but increased in Alzheimer's dementia. Biological Psychiatry, 45 (6). pp. 737-42. ISSN 0006-3223 (Print)0006-3223 (Linking)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A significant increase in the [Ca2+]i response of single T lymphocytes to mitogenic stimulation with phytohemagglutinin is reported for 27 Alzheimer patients compared with 27 healthy gender- and age-matched control subjects, regardless of gender. METHODS: The [Ca2+]i signals of T lymphocytes were assessed using the Fura-2-AM method. RESULTS: In Alzheimer's disease (AD) the reaction pattern is similar to that seen in a group of 27 young healthy control subjects who exhibited a marked [Ca2+]i rise after stimulation. During normal aging the reaction pattern of T cells is significantly attenuated in comparison to that found in young subjects. In healthy control subjects differences in age-related changes in calcium homeostasis are highly significant among women, young women showing the most intense cell response. CONCLUSIONS: The elevation of [Ca2+]i appears to be a prerequisite for apoptosis, which is suggested to be involved in the neuronal death occurring in AD. An increased [Ca2+]i in AD is consistent with processes leading to neurodegeneration in AD.
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