Case Control Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatry. Mar 19, 2024; 14(3): 380-387
Published online Mar 19, 2024. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v14.i3.380
Evaluating serum CXCL12, sCD22, Lp-PLA2 levels and ratios as biomarkers for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
Zeng-Ling Liu, Fei-Fei Hua, Lei Qu, Na Yan, Hui-Fang Zhang
Zeng-Ling Liu, Fei-Fei Hua, Lei Qu, Na Yan, Hui-Fang Zhang, Department of Neurology, Dongying People's Hospital, Dongying 257000, Shandong Province, China
Co-first authors: Zeng-Ling Liu and Fei-Fei Hua.
Author contributions: Liu ZL, Hua FF and Zhang HF conceived and designed the study; Qu L and Yan N provided clinical advice; Liu ZL and Hua FF analyzed the data; Liu ZL and Hua FF prepared the manuscript; all authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript. Liu ZL and Hua FF made the same contribution to this work and should share the first authorship. The involvement of Liu ZL and Hua FF in the research was equally significant. Their joint appointment as co-first authors serve to acknowledge their equal contributions and underscores the spirit of cooperation and teamwork inherent in our study. Conclusively, it is our belief that naming Liu ZL and Hua FF as co-first authors suitably reflect the essence of our team's collaborative efforts, equal input, and varied strengths.
Institutional review board statement: The authors are accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013). The study was approved by Institutional Review Board of Dongying People's Hospital. All the study subjects provided informed consent.
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Data sharing statement: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement—checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement—checklist of items.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Hui-Fang Zhang, MMed, Staff Physician, Department of Neurology, Dongying People's Hospital, No. 317 Dongcheng South 1st Road, Dongying District, Dongying 257000, Shandong Province, China. huifangzhang2@163.com
Received: December 17, 2023
Peer-review started: December 17, 2023
First decision: January 10, 2024
Revised: January 15, 2024
Accepted: February 4, 2024
Article in press: February 4, 2024
Published online: March 19, 2024
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

Understanding Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a challenge, and current diagnostic methods face many hurdles, making the identification of reliable biomarkers crucial for early detection, monitoring disease progression, and guiding treatment approaches.

Research motivation

Our research is motivated by the urgent need to improve AD diagnosis through non-invasive methods. Given the increasing prevalence of AD and the limitations of current diagnostic techniques, we aim to explore the potential of serum biomarkers CXCL12, sCD22, and Lp-PLA2 as reliable indicators for early detection and monitoring of AD progression.

Research objectives

To investigate the diagnostic potential of serum biomarkers CXCL12, sCD22, Lp-PLA2, and their ratios in AD. We aim to assess their effectiveness in enhancing early detection and informing targeted treatment strategies, thereby contributing to more precise and efficient management of AD.

Research methods

Our study employed a prospective case-control design. It involved 60 AD patients and 60 healthy individuals (control group). The levels of serum biomarkers CXCL12, sCD22, and Lp-PLA2, along with their ratios, were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Statistical methods were applied to analyze the differences between the two groups. Additionally, we constructed specific biomarker ratios to enhance the specificity and sensitivity of AD diagnosis.

Research results

Serum CXCL12 and Lp-PLA2 levels were significantly higher in the AD group compared to the control group, while sCD22 levels were lower. Notable differences in the ratios of CXCL12/sCD22 and Lp-PLA2/sCD22, along with high sensitivity and specificity confirmed by ROC analysis, highlight their potential in distinguishing AD.

Research conclusions

These biomarkers and their ratios serve as potential diagnostic indicators for AD, offering critical insights for early intervention and treatment.

Research perspectives

This research paves the way for advanced AD diagnosis through serum biomarkers, highlighting the potential for early detection and intervention. It underscores the importance of further exploring AD's pathophysiology for innovative treatment approaches.