Homocysteine may contribute to pathogenesis of RNA damage in brains with Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is related to homocysteine (HC), but the details are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to measure the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OHG), considering RNA oxidative damage marker, free HC and total HC in the CSF of patients with AD and in normal control subjects.

METHOD AND PATIENTS: Subjects were 18 untreated patients with AD (M/F = 7/11) and 15 age-matched controls (M/F = 9/6), with a mean age +/- SD of 67.4 +/- 5.0 years for patients and of 65.7 +/- 9.2 years for controls. The concentrations of free HC, total HC and 8-OHG in the CSF of AD patients were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography using an electrochemical detector. The control subjects were neurologically normal patients who underwent lumbar spinal anesthesia for minor surgery.

RESULTS

Total HC and 8-OHG concentrations were significantly increased, and there was a significant positive correlation between total HC and 8-OHG concentrations. However, the concentration of 8-OHG in the CSF showed no correlation with 8-OHG in serum and was not significantly altered in AD patients.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that total HC and 8-OHG are positively correlated and may be related to AD pathogenesis due to RNA-associated oxidative damage linked to total HC.