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Targeting Alpha Synuclein Aggregates in Cutaneous Peripheral Nerve Fibers by Free-floating Immunofluorescence Assay
Published on: June 25, 2019
Lewy body pathology involves cutaneous nerves.
Masako Ikemura1, Yuko Saito, Renpei Sengoku
1Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, and Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology
|September 19, 2008
Summary
Skin biopsies can help diagnose Lewy body diseases by detecting phosphorylated alpha-synuclein in peripheral nerves. This method shows high specificity for Parkinson disease and related dementias.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pathology
- Autonomic Nervous System Research
Background:
- Lewy body (LB) diseases, including Parkinson disease (PD), PD with dementia, and dementia with LBs, involve the peripheral autonomic nervous system.
- Current diagnostic methods for LB diseases can be invasive or lack specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of skin biopsy as a diagnostic tool for Lewy body diseases.
- To assess anti-phosphorylated alpha-synuclein immunoreactivity in skin peripheral nerves.
Main Methods:
- Examined skin biopsies from the abdominal wall and upper arm of 279 autopsied patients.
- Utilized anti-phosphorylated alpha-synuclein immunohistochemistry.
- Compared findings with central nervous system (CNS) and adrenal gland LB pathology.
Main Results:
- Positive immunoreactivity found in dermal unmyelinated fibers of 20/85 patients with LB pathology.
- High sensitivity observed in Parkinson disease (70%) and PD with dementia (70%), and dementia with LBs (40%).
- No reactivity detected in non-LB pathology cases, including multiple-system atrophy, progressive nuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration, demonstrating high specificity.
Conclusions:
- The skin is involved in Lewy body diseases.
- Skin biopsy is a highly specific and potentially useful site for pathological diagnosis of LB diseases.
- This approach may offer a minimally invasive diagnostic option for LB spectrum disorders.
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