Diagnosis

New Biomarker for Diagnosing Parkinson Disease, Multiple System Atrophy

Researchers of a new study have found that α‐synuclein levels in brain-derived blood exosomes can distinguish healthy controls from patients with either Parkinson disease (PD) or multiple system atrophy (MSA) and that those a-synuclein levels can be a way to distinguish PD from MSA.1

 

The study, authored by Suman Dutta, PhD, and colleagues, was presented at the American Neurological Association’s 143rd Annual Meeting, which took place October 21-23, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Developing reliable biomarkers that can distinguish among the synucleinopathies is an urgent public health need,” the researchers wrote.

 

To examine the biomarkers, the researchers isolated neuronal and oligodendroglial exosomes from the serum of 50 controls, 50 participants with PD, and 30 participants with MSA. The researchers then measured the α‐synuclein concentration using electrochemiluminescence ELISA.

 

Results showed that the 80 participants with either PD or MSA had significantly higher levels of α‐synuclein than did control. α‐Synuclein in oligodendroglial exosomes distinguished patients with MSA from healthy controls with 100% sensitivity and 96% specificity.

 

While the absolute values of measured α‐synuclein showed a moderate separation between the PD and MSA groups, the individual ratio between the 2 cell types allowed separation of the 2 disease groups with 90% sensitivity and 90% specificity.

 

“This is a significant step toward developing a blood test specific for diagnosing these ‘synucleinopathies’ in life, paving the way for more precise prevention and treatment of these devastating brain diseases,” said M. Elizabeth Ross, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Neurogenetics at Weill Cornell Medicine and chair of the American Neurological Association’s Scientific Program Advisory Committee.2

 

—Colleen Murphy

 

References:

 

  1. Dutta S, del Rosario I, Paul K, et al. α‐synuclein in brain‐derived blood exosomes distinguishes multiple system atrophy from Parkinson's disease. Paper presented at: American Neurological Association’s 143rd Annual Meeting; October 21-23; Atlanta, GA. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.25331. Accessed October 25, 2018.
  2. New research takes a significant step toward developing a blood test for accurate diagnosis of Parkinson’s and overlapping disorders [press release]. Mount Laurel, NJ: American Neurological Association; October 21, 2018. https://2018.myana.org/sites/default/files/docs/2018/2018_ana_abstract_press_release_6_parkinsons.pdf. Accessed October 25, 2018.