Total and phosphorylated GSK3 beta as biomarkers of mild cognitive impairment in patients with Down Syndrome

• Grant number: 24/23206-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Leda Leme Talib
• Grantee: Alessandra Pedrão Santana
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psiquiatria Doutor Antonio Carlos Pacheco e Silva (IPq). Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The life expectancy of people with Down's Syndrome has increased considerably in recent decades. However, due to increased life expectancy and genetic factors associated with the syndrome, which promote premature aging, individuals in this population are more susceptible to the early development of illnesses similar to those present in the elderly, such as dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the prodromal stage that precedes AD and its early diagnosis is crucial for a more effective treatment, since there is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease. For this purpose, some molecules involved in the pathophysiology of the disease can be used as biomarkers of the pathological process. This research project proposes that the enzyme glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3¿) be studied as a potential biomarker for MCI in DS. To this end, total and phosphorylated GSK3¿ will be quantified in the plaques of blood samples of DS patients with mild cognitive impairment and compared with the results obtained from samples of healthy patients without DS. For such analysis, the immunoenzymatic test ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), via the commercial kits PathScan® Total GSK-3¿ Sandwich ELISA and PathScan® Phospho-GSK-3¿ (Ser9) Sandwich ELISA, from Cell Signaling Tecnhnology, was the chosen laboratory technique. Data will be compared using the Student or Mann-Whitney test according to data distribution (Gaussian or non-Gaussian). The estimated statistical significance level will be 0.05.