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Alpha-Synuclein in Peripheral Tissues in Parkinson's Disease
Ling-Yan Ma1,2, Gen-Liang Liu1,2, Dong-Xu Wang1,2
1Center for Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology , Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University , Beijing 100070 , China.
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
|February 5, 2019
Summary
Parkinson's disease diagnosis relies on symptoms, but alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) pathology extends beyond the brain. Detecting α-SYN in peripheral tissues may improve early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pathology
- Neurodegeneration
Background:
- Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis is primarily clinical, with definitive confirmation only postmortem.
- The hallmark of PD is neuronal loss in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and Lewy pathology (LP).
- Misfolded alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) is the main component of Lewy pathology (LP).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution of alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) deposits in peripheral tissues in Parkinson's disease (PD).
- To highlight the potential of peripheral α-SYN detection for improving PD diagnosis.
- To identify the need for standardized methods for α-SYN detection in vivo.
Main Methods:
- Review of studies on alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) detection in various tissues.
- Analysis of methodological heterogeneity impacting α-SYN detection sensitivity and specificity.
- Consideration of α-SYN presence in preclinical and prodromal stages of PD.
Main Results:
- Lewy pathology (LP), primarily α-SYN, is found not only in the brain but also in peripheral tissues like the GI tract, salivary glands, skin, and heart.
- α-SYN detection sensitivity and specificity vary due to inconsistent methodologies (sampling, staining, antibodies).
- α-SYN has been detected in preclinical and prodromal stages of Parkinson's disease.
Conclusions:
- Peripheral alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) detection shows promise for diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD).
- Methodological standardization is crucial for reliable α-SYN detection across studies.
- Further research on optimal biopsy sites and techniques is needed to understand α-SYN in all PD stages.