Non‐existence of a positive correlation between urinary levels of α₁ ‐microglobulin and ulinastatin in patients with Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Urinary levels of alpha 1-microglobulin (alpha 1M) and of ulinastatin (UT) and the alpha 1M/UT ratio did not differ significantly between age-matched controls and patients with Parkinson's disease, and among subdivided groups based on Yahr's stages in Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, these indexes did not correlate with Yahr's stages. Although alpha 1M and UT levels did not correlate in patients with Parkinson's disease, a positive correlation was observed in the control group. The non-existence of a positive correlation between alpha 1M and UT levels distinguishes Parkinson's disease from other neuropsychiatric diseases such as dementia (Alzheimer-type and vascular dementia), schizophrenia and mood disorder.

Impairment of the Correlation between Urinary Contents of Alpha-1-Microglobulin and Ulinastatin Is Induced by Intracerebroventricularly Administered Interleukin-6 in Mice

“…administered IL-1ß or IL-6. As a result, we found that the lack of correlation between urinary contents of ·1M and UT, a phenomenon observed in patients with Parkinson's disease [7], was reversibly induced by IL-6, but not IL-1ß.…”

“…In our previous study, we have found that the lack of a positive correlation between urinary contents of ·1M and UT distinguishes Parkinson's disease from other neuropsychiatric diseases such as dementia (Alzheimer-type and vascular dementia), schizophrenia and mood disorder [7], although the mechanism(s) remains to be elucidated. This lack of ·1M/UT correlation can be reproducibly induced by treatment with either 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP; a compound which produces pathological changes similar to those observed in idiopathic Parkinson's disease in humans) or 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP + ; a neurotoxic metabolite of MPTP) in mice [22,23].…”

“…While ·1M and UT, respectively, display immunosuppressive and trypsin inhibitory activities [2], and their urinary contents per se serve as a biochemical marker for renal dysfunctions [3,4], their mutually and physiologically relevant functions remain obscure. In the course of our studies on changes in urinary contents of ·1M and UT under various pathophysiological conditions, we have found that the relation between urinary contents of ·1M and UT, but not the contents of the substances per se, Kaku differs with neuropsychiatric diseases in patients without any renal and hepatic dysfunctions [5][6][7]. Reportedly, pathophysiological aspects of various neuropsychiatric diseases closely involve interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 [8][9][10][11].…”

Nullification of a positive correlation between urinary contents of α 1 -microglobulin and ulinastatin with intracerebroventricularly administered 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP + ) in mice

“…However, nulliÞcation of this correlation was observed in patients with Parkinsons disease (Inagaki et al 1996b) and MPTPtreated mice (repetitively administered IP) (Shikimi et al 1997). In the present study, nulliÞcation of the positive correlation between urinary contents of a 1 M and UT was also observed after ICV administration of either MPTP or MPP + .…”

Change in the Equilibrium of the Levels of Free and Bound Forms of α₁-Microglobulin and Ulinastatin in Patients with Mood Disorders

“…However, mutual and physiologically relevant functions in vivo are still obscure. In the course of our studies on the relationship between renal function and the urinary content of ·1M and UT, we have found that the relationship between the urinary content of ·1M and UT varies with the type of psychoneurotic disease in patients without renal/hepatic dysfunction [4][5][6]. In these studies, the slope of the regression line relating the urinary content of ·1M and UT is steeper in patients with mood disorders (MD) than in age-matched healthy subjects [5].…”