Alzheimer Disease: Kemény L

Zana M, Juhász A, Rimanóczy A, Bjelik A, Baltás E, Ocsovszki I, Boda K, Penke B, Dobozy A, Kemény L, Janka Z, Kálmán J. · Department of Psychiatry, Albert Szent-Györgyi Center for Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Szeged, 6 Semmelweis Street, Szeged H-6725, Hungary. · Neurobiol Aging. · Pubmed #15961188 No free full text.

Abstract: In the present pilot investigation, the susceptibility of T-lymphocytes from Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects (n=22) and aged-matched, non-demented controls (CNT) (n=12) was examined with ultraviolet (UV) B light-induced apoptosis in vitro. The basal apoptotic ratios were similar in both groups. However, the AD lymphocytes displayed significantly (p<0.0001) lower apoptotic levels than those of the CNT lymphocytes at all of the applied UVB exposure doses (100, 200 and 300 mJ/cm(2)). These observations indicate that AD lymphocytes are more resistant than CNT lymphocytes to UVB irradiation.

Palotás A, Penke B, Palotás M, Kenderessy AS, Kemény L, Kis E, Vincze G, Janka Z, Kálmán J. · Department of Medical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. · Skin Pharmacol Physiol. · Pubmed #15258451 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Antipsychotics are widely used in the treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. A low frequency of Alzheimer's disease in patients with schizophrenia is reported, and it has been proposed that antipsychotic medications, such as haloperidol, may be responsible. Disruption of intracellular calcium levels is considered to play a key role in beta-amyloid-induced neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease. Haloperidol has also been reported to interact with calcium homeostasis through dopamine-2 and sigma-1 receptors, and other, yet unknown mechanisms. OBJECTIVE: Therefore, we investigated whether differences in the basal intracellular free calcium levels of cultured cutaneous fibroblasts--cells that do not express dopamine-2 and sigma-1 receptors--derived from sporadic Alzheimer patients and from age-matched control individuals after haloperidol treatment might be present. METHODS: Intracellular calcium level was measured in Fura-2AM-loaded human fibroblasts by dual wavelength spectrofluorimetry. RESULTS: Alzheimer cells exhibited significantly lower calcium level as compared to the control cultures. Exposure of fibroblasts to beta-amyloid peptide resulted in increased calcium concentration of the control cells, but not of Alzheimer fibroblasts. Co-incubation of cultures with a therapeutic dose of haloperidol blocked the beta-amyloid-induced elevation of calcium. CONCLUSION: This finding indicates that haloperidol efficiently countervails ionic imbalance and suggests that it may serve as a potential agent in alleviating neurotoxic effects of beta-amyloid peptide.