# Lipopolysaccharide Binding Protein and Lipopolysaccharide and Inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 2021 · $314,000

## Abstract

Abstract
It has been known for some time that there is a pro-inflammatory state in blood and brain of
subjects with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The explanation for this inflammation has been
unknown. However, we have made several discoveries: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram
negative bacteria combined with cerebral ischemia and hypoxia causes amyloid-like plaques in
rat brain; LPS levels in human AD brains are much greater than controls; and LPS levels in
peripheral blood increase with age in controls; and LPS blood levels in AD subjects are three
times those of controls. Thus, we hypothesize that LPS from the gut, gums and exogenous
Gram-negative bacteria increases in blood and brain with age and promotes inflammation in
blood and brain of AD patients. Moreover, LPS causes an increase in levels of Lipopolysacch-
aride Binding Protein (LBP) in blood and brain to detoxify LPS. In this proposal we will: (1)
demonstrate LPS and LBP levels increase in blood of controls with increasing age since age is
the number one risk factor for AD; (2) demonstrate that LPS and LPB levels are higher in blood
of patients with AD compared to age, sex and race matched controls; and (3) demonstrate that
LPS and LBP levels are higher in AD compared to control brains, and in AD brain that LPS and
LBP co-localize with amyloid plaques. This will be one of the first studies to explain the pro-
inflammatory state in blood and brain of patients with AD. Thus, the results of this study will be
used to support future studies that will aim to show that blood levels of LBP and LPS can be
used to: (a) identify those patients at greatest risk for developing AD; (b) identify those patients
who likely have AD; (c) and use blood LBP or LPS levels to assess the efficacy of various
treatment or prevention strategies including probiotics, antibiotics, supplements and formal drug
trials.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10086195
- **Project number:** 1R03AG069815-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **Principal Investigator:** FRANK R SHARP
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $314,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-03-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10086195

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10086195, Lipopolysaccharide Binding Protein and Lipopolysaccharide and Inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease (1R03AG069815-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10086195. Licensed CC0.

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