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Technique for Intranasal Administration of α-Synuclein Aggregates
Published on: November 8, 2024
Converging Patterns of α-Synuclein Pathology in Multiple System Atrophy
Johannes Brettschneider1, EunRan Suh2, John L Robinson1
1Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (CNDR), University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) pathology in multiple system atrophy (MSA) evolves over time, starting in distinct brain regions for striato-nigral degeneration (SND) and olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy (OPCA) and converging as the disease progresses. A specific GBA variant is linked to MSA.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neuropathology
Background:
- Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation.
- Distinguishing between MSA subtypes, striato-nigral degeneration (SND) and olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy (OPCA), is crucial for understanding disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map the spatiotemporal progression of α-syn pathology in SND and OPCA.
- To investigate the association of the GBA variant, p.Thr408Met, with MSA.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 70-µm-thick brain sections from 20 CNS regions in 37 SND and 10 OPCA cases.
- Assessment of α-syn pathology distribution across different disease durations (phases 1-4).
- Genotyping for GBA variants in MSA cases and controls.
Main Results:
- Early α-syn pathology in SND involves the striatum, substantia nigra, and motor cortex, expanding to the spinal cord, thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and visual cortex with disease duration.
- SND and OPCA show distinct initial α-syn aggregation sites but increasingly overlapping patterns with prolonged disease duration.
- The GBA variant p.Thr408Met was significantly more frequent in SND cases (6.94%) compared to controls (0%), suggesting a genetic association with MSA.
Conclusions:
- SND and OPCA exhibit unique early α-syn pathology foci that converge over time.
- Disease duration significantly influences the spread and regional distribution of α-syn pathology in MSA.
- The GBA p.Thr408Met variant is a potential risk factor for MSA.
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