Glial fibrillary acidic protein as a marker of astrocytic activation in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. (April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Benninger, Felix; Glat, Micaela J.; Offen, Daniel; Steiner, Israel
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical neuroscience. Volume 26(2016:Apr.)
• Page Start: 75
• Page End: 78
• Publication Date: 2016-04
• Subjects: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- Astrocytes -- Biomarker -- GFAP -- Motor neuron disease; Brain -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Brain -- surgery -- Periodicals; Neurosurgical Procedures -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2015.10.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0967-5868

Abstract

Highlights: The cause and patho-mechanism of ALS is still unknown. Astrocytes might be involved in the process of motor neuron death. Activation of astrocytes causes increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). GFAP is elevated in the CSF of ALS patients accentuating the probable involvement of astrocytes in the disease course. Abstract: Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) has been shown to be increased in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients suffering from neurological diseases involving the activation of astrocytes, but has not been studied in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients to our knowledge. CSF samples of patients with definite ALS and of those with other neurological diseases were evaluated for their GFAP concentrations. CSF-GFAP concentrations of patients with ALS were significantly elevated by 53% compared to patients with other neurologic diseases. GFAP might serve as a biomarker in ALS. Our findings support the concept that astrocytes play a role in ALS pathogenesis.