Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease
Background: Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Early diagnosis and monitoring are critical but remain challenging. Apelin-17 and Elabela, endogenous ligands of the apelin receptor (APJ), have emerged as neuroprotective peptides with potential...
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College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Baghdad Journal of Biochemistry and Applied Biological Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://bjbabs.org/index.php/bjbabs/article/view/407 |
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| author | Shaimaa Imad Ali Alabbas Majeed |
| author_facet | Shaimaa Imad Ali Alabbas Majeed |
| author_sort | Shaimaa Imad Ali |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Early diagnosis and monitoring are critical but remain challenging. Apelin-17 and Elabela, endogenous ligands of the apelin receptor (APJ), have emerged as neuroprotective peptides with potential biomarker utility. Objective: To evaluate circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela levels as predictive biomarkers of neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: We measured plasma Apelin-17 and Elabela in 60 Alzheimer’s disease patients and 60 cognitively normal controls. Correlations with cognitive scores, CSF AD biomarkers (Aβ42, total tau, phosphorylated tau), inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α, CRP), and MRI volumetric data were assessed. A subset (n=30) was followed longitudinally for 12 months. Results: Alzheimer’s disease patients showed significantly reduced Apelin-17 (48.7 ± 15.3 pg/mL vs. 82.1 ± 20.4 pg/mL) and Elabela levels (31.5 ± 9.8 pg/mL vs. 57.3 ± 14.1 pg/mL; p < 0.001 for both). Peptide levels correlated positively with MMSE and specific cognitive domains and inversely with CSF tau, inflammatory markers, and brain atrophy (hippocampus, entorhinal, parietal cortex). Baseline peptides predicted 12-month cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss. Combined biomarker models including Apelin-17, Elabela, and classical markers improved diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.93). Conclusion: Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela are promising predictive biomarkers for neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease, reflecting multiple pathological processes. They hold potential for early diagnosis, monitoring, and therapeutic targeting. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-53f7a5b7f1304ff68dccde30a261f892 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2706-9915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Baghdad Journal of Biochemistry and Applied Biological Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-53f7a5b7f1304ff68dccde30a261f8922025-08-20T03:51:43ZengCollege of Medicine, Al-Nahrain UniversityBaghdad Journal of Biochemistry and Applied Biological Sciences2706-99152025-07-016316817510.47419/bjbabs.v6i3.407Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s DiseaseShaimaa Imad Ali0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6799-8053Alabbas Majeed1https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2609-1840Department of Chemistry, College of science, Al-Nahrain University, Jadriya, Baghdad, IraqDepartment of Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Biotechnology, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq.Background: Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Early diagnosis and monitoring are critical but remain challenging. Apelin-17 and Elabela, endogenous ligands of the apelin receptor (APJ), have emerged as neuroprotective peptides with potential biomarker utility. Objective: To evaluate circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela levels as predictive biomarkers of neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: We measured plasma Apelin-17 and Elabela in 60 Alzheimer’s disease patients and 60 cognitively normal controls. Correlations with cognitive scores, CSF AD biomarkers (Aβ42, total tau, phosphorylated tau), inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α, CRP), and MRI volumetric data were assessed. A subset (n=30) was followed longitudinally for 12 months. Results: Alzheimer’s disease patients showed significantly reduced Apelin-17 (48.7 ± 15.3 pg/mL vs. 82.1 ± 20.4 pg/mL) and Elabela levels (31.5 ± 9.8 pg/mL vs. 57.3 ± 14.1 pg/mL; p < 0.001 for both). Peptide levels correlated positively with MMSE and specific cognitive domains and inversely with CSF tau, inflammatory markers, and brain atrophy (hippocampus, entorhinal, parietal cortex). Baseline peptides predicted 12-month cognitive decline and hippocampal volume loss. Combined biomarker models including Apelin-17, Elabela, and classical markers improved diagnostic accuracy (AUC=0.93). Conclusion: Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela are promising predictive biomarkers for neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease, reflecting multiple pathological processes. They hold potential for early diagnosis, monitoring, and therapeutic targeting.https://bjbabs.org/index.php/bjbabs/article/view/407alzheimer’s diseaseapelin-17elabelail-6tnf-α |
| spellingShingle | Shaimaa Imad Ali Alabbas Majeed Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease Baghdad Journal of Biochemistry and Applied Biological Sciences alzheimer’s disease apelin-17 elabela il-6 tnf-α |
| title | Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease |
| title_full | Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease |
| title_fullStr | Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease |
| title_short | Circulating Apelin-17 and Elabela Levels as Predictive Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease |
| title_sort | circulating apelin 17 and elabela levels as predictive biomarkers of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in alzheimer s disease |
| topic | alzheimer’s disease apelin-17 elabela il-6 tnf-α |
| url | https://bjbabs.org/index.php/bjbabs/article/view/407 |
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