Preliminary findings on the variation of serum apolipoprotein levels in neural degenerative disorders.

We measured six apolipoproteins (Al, All, B, Cll, Clll, and E) in the serum of patients with several kinds of neural diseases [diabetic neuropathy and neural degenerative disorders (motor neuron degenerative disorders, spinocerebellar degeneration, Parkinson's disease)], comparing them to the age-matched healthy controls using the immunoturbidimetric method. Statistically significant decreases of serum apo-AI, apo-A-ll and increases of apo-CIII, apo-E were observed in neural degenerative diseases; and, particularly, higher apo-B and apo-CII concentrations were observed in diabetic neuropathy. Most neural degenerative disease showed lower apo-All. However, in motor neuron degenerative disorders, higher apo C-ll and apo-E were seen. Lower apo-AI was seen in spinocerebellar degeneration, and lower apo-All was seen in Parkinson's disease. Higher apo-B, Cll, and E levels were observed in females with spinocerebellar degeneration and Parkinson's disease, and lower apo-All was seen in males with spinocerebellar disease. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.