Faculty Collaboration Database

Endocannabinoids and related lipids in serum from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Muscle Nerve 2021 Jan;63(1):120-126

Date

10/24/2020

Pubmed ID

33094490

DOI

10.1002/mus.27096

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85096633541 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   3 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The goals of this study were to determine whether serum concentrations of endocannabinoids (eCB) and related lipids predict disease status in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) relative to healthy controls, and whether concentrations correlate with disease duration and severity.

METHODS: Serum concentrations of the eCBs 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA), and related lipids palmitoylethanolamine (PEA), oleoylethanolamine (OEA), and 2-oleoylglycerol (2-OG), were measured in samples from 47 patients with ALS and 19 healthy adults. Hierarchical binary logistic and linear regression analyses assessed whether lipid concentrations predicted disease status (ALS or healthy control), duration, or severity.

RESULTS: Binary logistic regression revealed that, after controlling for age and gender, 2-AG, 2-OG and AEA concentrations were unique predictors of the presence of ALS, demonstrating odds ratios of 0.86 (P = .039), 1.03 (P = .023), and 42.17 (P = .026), respectively. When all five lipids and covariates (age, sex, race, ethnicity, body mass index, presence of a feeding tube) were included, the resulting model had an overall classification accuracy of 92.9%. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that in patients with ALS, AEA and OEA inversely correlated with disease duration (P = .030 and .031 respectively), while PEA demonstrated a positive relationship with disease duration (P = .013). None of the lipids examined predicted disease severity.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings support previous studies indicating significant alterations in concentrations of circulating lipids in patients with ALS. They suggest that arachidonic and oleic acid containing small lipids may serve as biomarkers for identifying the presence and duration of this disease.

Author List

Carter GT, McLaughlin RJ, Cuttler C, Sauber GJ, Weeks DL, Hillard CJ, Weiss MD

Author

Cecilia J. Hillard PhD Associate Dean, Center Director, Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Arachidonic Acids
Biomarkers
Endocannabinoids
Female
Glycerides
Humans
Lipids
Male
Middle Aged
Polyunsaturated Alkamides
Severity of Illness Index