Aims: The soluble Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Related Protein-1 (sLRP-1) is a soluble extracellular protein involved in various biological processes. This study aims to investigate the levels of plasma sLRP-1 in the patients with white matter lesions (WMLs) and its relationship with cognitive function.
Methods: A total of 181 patients with WMLs and 46 healthy subjects were included. The severity of WMLs was categorized as mild (n=91), moderate (n=63), and severe (n=27) using the Fazekas scale. The levels of sLRP-1 in the plasma were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Compared with healthy subjects, patients with WMLs demonstrated significantly lower levels of sLRP-1 in their plasma (p<0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR=1.084, 95% CI 1.039-1.132), glycated hemoglobin (OR=1.593, 95% CI 1.079-2.353), and alanine minotransferase (OR=1.079, 95% CI 1.018-1.143) were independent risk factors for WMLs, whereas sLRP-1 (OR=0.977, 95% CI 0.966-0.988) was identified as a protective factor. The ANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in sLRP-1 levels between the mild and moderate WMLs groups, as well as between the mild and the severe group (p<0.05). Furthermore, the binary logistic regression analysis indicated that homocysteine (OR=1.235, 95% CI 1.1-1.386) was an independent risk factor, while sLRP-1 (OR=0.975, 95% CI 0.961-0.990) was a protective factor for cognitive impairment in WMLs patients. Additionally, the Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between plasma sLRP-1 levels and delayed-recall scores (r=0.401, p<0.001) in WMLs patients.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that reduced plasma sLRP-1 levels may contribute to the development of WMLs and cognitive impairment.