IBL News

Any IBL product introduced in this IBL news is applicable for research use only and it cannot be used for diagnosis or medical purpose.

Nagato Kuriyama, MD, PhD, associate professor at department of epidemiology for community health and medicine, and neurology, Kyoto prefectural University of medicine (Kyoto, Japan) have conducted an regional epidemiological study to which community residents in Kyoto participated during medical check-ups and 280 (187 male and 93 female, 70.8 years old) were enrolled as examinees. In this survey, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), genetic APOE4 and blood α-Klotho test and evaluation of cognitive function with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were included under given consent and relationship of them were analyzed.  

As a result: Cerebral deep white matter lesions (DWMLs) were assessed and graded by Fazekas scale into G0 to G3 using brain MRI, and it is revealed that α-Klotho level was the highest in G0 grade and the level decreased with advanced grades : 685.1 pg/mL in G0 (68 subjects), 634.1 pg/mL in G1 (134), 596.0 pg/mL in G2 (62), and 571.6 pg/mL in G3 (16) and notably that this decrease of α-Klotho level were accompanied with MMSE score decline as well. 

(Article)
Association between α-Klotho and Deep White Matter Lesions in the Brain: A Pilot Case Control Study Using Brain MRI. Kuriyama N et al. J Alzheimers Dis. 2018;61(1):145-155. 

(Background)　
Vascular dementia is known to closely relate to cerebral deep white matter lesions (DWMLs) as its cause. Also intracranial arteriosclerosis-associated DWMLs are an independent risk factor for cognitive decline. It is therefore taking them into account is important for treating senile dementia. So far however, there wasn’t clinical index that accurately identifies DWMLs at early stage.   

α-Klotho is an anti-aging protein and its role is well documented in chronic kidney diseases. Numerous studies were conducted in recent years to investigate its expression and beneficial effects to blood vessels, brain in cerebral choroid plexus and pituitary, kidney, and lung etc. Attempts for drug developments targeting α-Klotho are also under way in United States. 

This report revealed a reduced blood α-Klotho level was correlated with the grading of DWMLs and was accompanied by cognitive decline as an independent risk factor. It is of interest that it concluded α-Klotho may serve as a useful clinical index of vascular cognitive impairment in such occasion as brain check-ups.

For measurement of plasma α-Klotho level, our #27998 Human soluble α-Klotho Assay Kit – IBL is used in this report.

Related Product: #27601 Mouse soluble α-Klotho Assay Kit - IBL

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