Circulating endotoxin and systemic immune activation in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS).
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Case-control observational study comparing plasma markers across disease cohorts and healthy controls
PubMed 19013651 · doi:10.1016/j.jneuroim.2008.09.017
What was done
Plasma endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations and blood monocyte/macrophage activation markers (including IL-10 expression) were measured and compared among patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and healthy controls.
What was found
Plasma LPS concentrations were elevated in sALS and AD patients compared to healthy controls, with the highest concentrations observed in patients with advanced sALS. Across disease groups, plasma LPS correlated positively with monocyte/macrophage activation. In sALS, plasma LPS had a significant negative correlation with monocyte/macrophage IL-10 expression. The abstract does not report specific numerical values, sample sizes, or p-values.
Why it matters
These findings suggest that systemic endotoxemia and innate immune activation may be involved in the pathophysiology and progression of sporadic ALS.
Limits
The abstract does not provide exact participant counts, numerical values, effect sizes, or p-values. As an observational case-control design, it cannot establish whether elevated LPS causes or results from neurodegeneration, and potential confounders such as infection or gut barrier changes are not detailed.
Cited by
- partial Antibodies against lipopolysaccharides are elevated in autism, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease.