Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol 53, Issue 2 B125-B132, Copyright © 1998 by The Gerontological Society of America
Increased total 7 alpha-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone in serum of patients with Alzheimer's disease
S Attal-Khemis, V Dalmeyda, JL Michot, M Roudier and R Morfin
Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers, Paris, France.
Evidence has indicated that circulating adrenal steroid quantitites were
significantly changed in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aside of 3
beta-sulfatation and 3 beta-acylations, levels of dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHEA) result from production and metabolic transformation yields. 7
alpha-Hydroxylation of DHEA has been described in humans, and 7
alpha-hydroxy-DHEA may be responsible for the known antiglucocorticoid
effects of DHEA. Using a negative ion fragmentometry method with gas
chromatography/mass spectrometry on trifluoroacetate derivatives, we
measured levels of free 7 alpha-hydroxy-DHEA as well as its sulfated
conjugate and its fatty acid esters in serum of 10 female patients with AD
and of 8 age-matched healthy control women. Free 7 alpha-hydroxy-DHEA
levels in AD and controls were not significantly different (240.2 +/- 37.2
pg/ml and 206.8 +/- 21.6 pg/ml, respectively), but sulfate conjugate levels
were significantly increased in AD (p = .01) (262 +/- 28.4 and 145.4 +/-
27.6, respectively) as well as fatty acid esters (p = .041) (65.7 +/- 6.9
and 40.7 +/- 9.2, respectively). These results indicated that the total 7
alpha-hydroxy-DHEA produced was significantly increased in AD (p = .024)
and may contribute to the disease-related disturbances of DHEA production
and metabolism.
