1
|
Kluge A, Iranzo A. Biofluid Detection of Pathological α-Synuclein in the Prodromal Phase of Synucleinopathies. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2024:JPD230429. [PMID: 38995801 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Synucleinopathies are disorders characterized by the aggregation and deposition of pathological α-synuclein conformers. The underlying neurodegenerative processes begin years or decades before the onset of cardinal motor symptoms. This prodromal phase may manifest with various signs or symptoms. However, there are no current standardized laboratory tests to ascertain the progression and conversion of prodromal conditions such as mild cognitive impairment, isolated REM sleep behavior disorder or pure autonomic failure. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the diagnostic possibilities using human biofluids as source material to detect pathological α-synuclein in the prodromal phase of synucleinopathies. Our review identified eight eligible studies, that investigated pathological α-synuclein conformers using cerebrospinal fluid from patients with prodromal signs of synulceinopathies to differentiate this patient group from non-synucleinopathies, while only one study investigated this aspect using blood as medium. While previous studies clearly demonstrated a high diagnostic performance of α-synuclein seed amplification assays for differentiating synucleinopathies with Lewy bodies from healthy controls, only few analyses were performed focussing on individuals with prodromal disease. Nevertheless, results for the early detection of α-synuclein seeds using α-synuclein seed amplification assays were promising and may be of particular relevance for future clinical trials and clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika Kluge
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel and Kiel University, Germany
| | - Alex Iranzo
- Sleep Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Barcelona University, IDIBAPS, CIBERNED, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kuang Y, Mao H, Gan T, Guo W, Dai W, Huang W, Wu Z, Li H, Huang X, Yang X, Xu PY. A skin-specific α-Synuclein seeding amplification assay for diagnosing Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10:129. [PMID: 38961119 PMCID: PMC11222486 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00738-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The seeding amplification assay (SAA) has recently emerged as a valuable tool for detecting α-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates in various clinically accessible biospecimens. Despite its efficiency and specificity, optimal tissue-specific conditions for distinguishing Parkinson's disease (PD) from non-PD outside the brain remain underexplored. This study systematically evaluated 150 reaction conditions to identify the one with the highest discriminatory potential between PD and non-synucleinopathy controls using skin samples, resulting in a modified SAA. The streamlined SAA achieved an overall sensitivity of 92.46% and specificity of 93.33% on biopsy skin samples from 332 PD patients and 285 controls within 24 h. Inter-laboratory reproducibility demonstrated a Cohen's kappa value of 0.87 (95% CI 0.69-1.00), indicating nearly perfect agreement. Additionally, αSyn seeds in the skin were stable at -80 °C but were vulnerable to short-term exposure to non-ultra-low temperatures and grinding. This study thoroughly investigated procedures for sample preprocessing, seed amplification, and storage, introducing a well-structured experimental framework for PD diagnosis using skin samples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyun Kuang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Hengxu Mao
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Tingting Gan
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, 341000, Ganzhou, China
| | - Wenyuan Guo
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Neurology, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Hospital, 830054, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Weimeng Huang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Zhuohua Wu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Neurology, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Hospital, 830054, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xiaoyun Huang
- Dongguan Songshan Lake Central Hospital, 523000, Donggguan, China.
| | - Xinling Yang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, 830054, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Ping-Yi Xu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Z, Gilliland T, Kim HJ, Gerasimenko M, Sajewski K, Camacho MV, Bebek G, Chen SG, Gunzler SA, Kong Q. A minimally Invasive Biomarker for Sensitive and Accurate Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.06.29.24309703. [PMID: 38978648 PMCID: PMC11230335 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.29.24309703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Importance Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease, is pathologically characterized by intraneuronal deposition of misfolded alpha-synuclein aggregates (αSyn D ). αSyn D seeding activities in CSF and skin samples have shown great promise in PD diagnosis, but they require invasive procedures. Sensitive and accurate αSyn D seed amplification assay (αSyn-SAA) for more accessible and minimally invasive samples (such as blood and saliva) are urgently needed for PD pathological diagnosis in routine clinical practice. Objective To develop a sensitive and accurate αSyn-SAA biomarker using blood and saliva samples for sensitive, accurate and minimally invasive PD diagnosis. Design Setting and Participants This prospective diagnostic study evaluates serum and saliva samples collected from patients clinically diagnosed with PD or healthy controls (HC) without PD at an academic Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center from February 2020 to March 2024. Patients diagnosed with non-PD parkinsonism were excluded from this analysis. A total of 124 serum samples (82 PD and 42 HC) and 131 saliva samples (83 PD and 48 HC) were collected and examined by αSyn-SAA. Out of the 124 serum donors, a subset of 74 subjects (48 PD and 26 HC) also donated saliva samples during the same visits. PD patients with serum samples had a mean age of 69.21 years (range 44-88); HC subjects with serum samples had a mean age of 66.55 years (range 44-81); PD patients with saliva samples had a mean age of 69.58 years (range 49-87); HC subjects with saliva samples had a mean age of 64.71 years (range 30-81). Main Outcomes and Measures Serum and/or saliva αSyn D seeding activities from PD and HC subjects were measured by αSyn-SAA using the Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC) platform. These PD patients had extensive clinical assessments including MDS-UPDRS. For a subset of PD and HC subjects whose serum and saliva samples were both collected during the same visits, the αSyn D seeding activities in both samples from the same subjects were examined, and the diagnostic accuracies for PD based on the seeding activities in either sample alone or both samples together were compared. Results RT-QuIC analysis of αSyn D seeding activities in the 124 serum samples revealed a sensitivity of 80.49%, a specificity of 90.48%, and an accuracy of 0.9006 (AUC of ROC, 95% CI, 0.8472-0.9539, p <0.0001) for PD diagnosis. RT-QuIC analysis of αSyn D seeding activity in 131 saliva samples revealed a sensitivity of 74.70%, a specificity of 97.92%, and an accuracy of 0.8966 (AUC of ROC, 95% CI, 0.8454-0.9478, p <0.0001). When aSyn D seeding activities in the paired serum-saliva samples from the subset of 48 PD and 26 HC subjects were considered together, sensitivity was 95.83%, specificity was 96.15%, and the accuracy was 0.98 (AUC of ROC, 95% CI, 0.96-1.00, p <0.001), which are significantly better than when αSyn D seeding activities in either serum or saliva were used alone. For the paired serum-saliva samples, when specificity was set at 100% by elevating the αSyn-SAA cutoff values, a sensitivity of 91.7% and an accuracy of 0.9457 were still attained. Detailed correlation analysis revealed that αSyn D seeding activities in the serum of PD patients were correlated inversely with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score ( p =0.04), positively with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) ( p =0.03), and weakly positively with PDQ-39 cognitive impairment score ( p =0.07). Subgroup analysis revealed that the inverse correlation with MoCA was only seen in males ( p =0.013) and weakly in the ≥70 age group ( p =0.07), and that the positive correlation with HAM-D was only seen in females ( p =0.04) and in the <70 age group ( p =0.01). In contrast, αSyn D seeding activities in the saliva of PD patients were inversely correlated with age at diagnosis ( p =0.02) and the REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) status ( p =0.04), but subgroup analysis showed that the inverse correlation with age at diagnosis was only seen in males ( p =0.04) and in the <70 age group ( p =0.01). Conclusion and Relevance Our data show that concurrent RT-QuIC assay of αSyn D seeding activities in both serum and saliva can achieve high diagnostic accuracies comparable to that of CSF αSyn-SAA, suggesting that αSyn D seeding activities in serum and saliva together can potentially be used as a valuable biomarker for highly sensitive, accurate, and minimally invasive diagnosis of PD in routine clinical practice. αSyn D seeding activities in serum and saliva of PD patients correlate differentially with some clinical characteristics and in an age and sex-dependent manner. KEY POINTS Question: Are αSyn D seeding activities in serum and saliva together a more sensitive and accurate diagnostic PD biomarker than αSyn D seeding activities in either sample type alone? Are αSyn D seeding activities in either serum or saliva correlated with any clinical characteristics? Findings: Examinations of αSyn D seeding activities in 124 serum samples and 131 saliva samples from PD and heathy control subjects show that αSyn D seeding activities in both serum and saliva samples together can provide significantly more sensitive and accurate diagnosis of PD than either sample type alone. αSyn D seeding activities in serum or saliva exhibit varied inverse or positive correlations with some clinical features in an age and sex-dependent manner. Meaning: αSyn D seeding activities in serum and saliva together can potentially be used as a valuable pathological biomarker for highly sensitive, accurate, and minimally invasive PD diagnosis in routine clinical practice and clinical studies, and αSyn D seeding activities in serum or saliva correlate with some clinical characteristics in an age and sex-dependent manner, suggesting some possible clinical utility of quantitative serum/saliva αSyn-SAA data.
Collapse
|
4
|
Yuan Y, Wang Y, Liu M, Luo H, Liu X, Li L, Mao C, Yang T, Li S, Zhang X, Gao Y, Xu Y, Yang J. Peripheral cutaneous synucleinopathy characteristics in genetic Parkinson's disease. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1404492. [PMID: 38751879 PMCID: PMC11094647 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1404492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (p-α-syn) deposition is an important biomarker of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD). Recent studies have reported synucleinopathies in patients with common genetic forms of PD. Objective This study aimed to detect p-α-syn deposition characteristic in rare genetic PD patients with CHCHD2 or RAB39B mutations. Moreover, this study also aimed to describe peripheral alpha-synuclein prion-like activity in genetic PD patients, and acquire whether the cutaneous synucleinopathy characteristics of genetic PD are consistent with central neuropathologies. Methods We performed four skin biopsy samples from the distal leg (DL) and proximal neck (C7) of 161 participants, including four patients with CHCHD2 mutations, two patients with RAB39B mutations, 16 patients with PRKN mutations, 14 patients with LRRK2 mutations, five patients with GBA mutations, 100 iPD patients, and 20 healthy controls. We detected cutaneous synucleinopathies using immunofluorescence staining and a seeding amplification assay (SAA). A systematic literature review was also conducted, involving 64 skin biopsies and 205 autopsies of genetic PD patients with synucleinopathy. Results P-α-syn was deposited in the peripheral cutaneous nerves of PD patients with CHCHD2, LRRK2, or GBA mutations but not in those with RAB39B or PRKN mutations. There were no significant differences in the location or rate of α-syn-positive deposits between genetic PD and iPD patients. Peripheral cutaneous synucleinopathy appears to well represent brain synucleinopathy of genetic PD, especially autosomal dominant PD (AD-PD). Cutaneous α-synuclein SAA analysis of iPD and LRRK2 and GBA mutation patients revealed prion-like activity. Conclusion P-α-syn deposition in peripheral cutaneous nerves, detected using SAA and immunofluorescence staining, may serve as an accurate biomarker for genetic PD and iPD in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanpeng Yuan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yangyang Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Minglei Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Haiyang Luo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaojing Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Lanjun Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Chengyuan Mao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ting Yang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaoyun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yuming Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cerebrovascular Disease, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mulroy E, Erro R, Bhatia KP, Hallett M. Refining the clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2024; 122:106041. [PMID: 38360507 PMCID: PMC11069446 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2024.106041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Our ability to define, understand, and classify Parkinson's disease (PD) has undergone significant changes since the disorder was first described in 1817. Clinical features and neuropathologic signatures can now be supplemented by in-vivo interrogation of genetic and biological substrates of disease, offering great opportunity for further refining the diagnosis of PD. In this mini-review, we discuss the historical perspectives which shaped our thinking surrounding the definition and diagnosis of PD. We highlight the clinical, genetic, pathologic and biologic diversity which underpins the condition, and proceed to discuss how recent developments in our ability to define biologic and pathologic substrates of disease might impact PD definition, diagnosis, individualised prognostication, and personalised clinical care. We argue that Parkinson's 'disease', as currently diagnosed in the clinic, is actually a syndrome. It is the outward manifestation of any array of potential dysfunctional biologic processes, neuropathological changes, and disease aetiologies, which culminate in common outward clinical features which we term PD; each person has their own unique disease, which we can now define with increasing precision. This is an exciting time in PD research and clinical care. Our ability to refine the clinical diagnosis of PD, incorporating in-vivo assessments of disease biology, neuropathology, and neurogenetics may well herald the era of biologically-based, precision medicine approaches PD management. With this however comes a number of challenges, including how to integrate these technologies into clinical practice in a way which is acceptable to patients, promotes meaningful changes to care, and minimises health economic impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eoin Mulroy
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Roberto Erro
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, (SA), Italy
| | - Kailash P Bhatia
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Mark Hallett
- Human Motor Control Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kluge A, Schaeffer E, Bunk J, Sommerauer M, Röttgen S, Schulte C, Roeben B, von Thaler AK, Welzel J, Lucius R, Heinzel S, Xiang W, Eschweiler GW, Maetzler W, Suenkel U, Berg D. Detecting Misfolded α-Synuclein in Blood Years before the Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. Mov Disord 2024. [PMID: 38651526 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) already in the prodromal phase of the disease has become a priority objective for opening a window for early disease-modifying therapies. OBJECTIVE The aim was to evaluate a blood-based α-synuclein seed amplification assay (α-syn SAA) as a novel biomarker for diagnosing PD in the prodromal phase. METHODS In the TREND study (University of Tuebingen) biennial blood samples of n = 1201 individuals with/without increased risk for PD were taken prospectively over 4 to 10 years. We retrospectively analyzed blood samples of 12 participants later diagnosed with PD during the study to detect and amplify pathological α-syn conformers derived from neuronal extracellular vesicles using (1) immunoblot analyses with an antibody against these conformers and (2) an α-syn-SAA. Additionally, blood samples of n = 13 healthy individuals from the TREND cohort and n = 20 individuals with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) from the University Hospital Cologne were analyzed. RESULTS All individuals with PD showed positive immunoblots and a positive α-syn SAA at the time of diagnosis. Moreover, all PD patients showed a positive α-syn SAA 1 to 10 years before clinical diagnosis. In the iRBD cohort, 30% showed a positive α-syn SAA. All healthy controls had a negative SAA. CONCLUSIONS We here demonstrate the possibility to detect and amplify pathological α-syn conformers in peripheral blood up to 10 years before the clinical diagnosis of PD in individuals with and without iRBD. The findings of this study indicate that this blood-based α-syn SAA assay has the potential to serve as a diagnostic biomarker for prodromal PD. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika Kluge
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Eva Schaeffer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Josina Bunk
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael Sommerauer
- Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Sinah Röttgen
- Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Claudia Schulte
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Roeben
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharina von Thaler
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Julius Welzel
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Ralph Lucius
- Institute of Anatomy, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sebastian Heinzel
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Wei Xiang
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gerhard W Eschweiler
- Geriatric Center, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Walter Maetzler
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Ulrike Suenkel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Berg
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Kiel, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Orrú CD, Groveman BR, Hughson AG, Barrio T, Isiofia K, Race B, Ferreira NC, Gambetti P, Schneider DA, Masujin K, Miyazawa K, Ghetti B, Zanusso G, Caughey B. Sensitive detection of pathological seeds of α-synuclein, tau and prion protein on solid surfaces. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012175. [PMID: 38640117 PMCID: PMC11062561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Prions or prion-like aggregates such as those composed of PrP, α-synuclein, and tau are key features of proteinopathies such as prion, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, respectively. Their presence on solid surfaces may be biohazardous under some circumstances. PrP prions bound to solids are detectable by ultrasensitive real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assays if the solids can be immersed in assay wells or the prions transferred to pads. Here we show that prion-like seeds can remain detectable on steel wires for at least a year, or even after enzymatic cleaning and sterilization. We also show that contamination of larger objects with pathological seeds of α-synuclein, tau, and PrP can be detected by simply assaying a sampling medium that has been transiently applied to the surface. Human α-synuclein seeds in dementia with Lewy bodies brain tissue were detected by α-synuclein RT-QuIC after drying of tissue dilutions with concentrations as low as 10-6 onto stainless steel. Tau RT-QuIC detected tau seeding activity on steel exposed to Alzheimer's disease brain tissue diluted as much as a billion fold. Prion RT-QuIC assays detected seeding activity on plates exposed to brain dilutions as extreme as 10-5-10-8 from prion-affected humans, sheep, cattle and cervids. Sampling medium collected from surgical instruments used in necropsies of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease-infected transgenic mice was positive down to 10-6 dilution. Sensitivity for prion detection was not sacrificed by omitting the recombinant PrP substrate from the sampling medium during its application to a surface and subsequent storage as long as the substrate was added prior to performing the assay reaction. Our findings demonstrate practical prototypic surface RT-QuIC protocols for the highly sensitive detection of pathologic seeds of α-synuclein, tau, and PrP on solid objects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina D. Orrú
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Bradley R. Groveman
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Andrew G. Hughson
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Tomás Barrio
- UMR INRAE ENVT 1225, Interactions Hôtes-Agents Pathogènes, École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, France
| | - Kachi Isiofia
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Brent Race
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Natalia C. Ferreira
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - Pierluigi Gambetti
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - David A. Schneider
- Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Kentaro Masujin
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kohtaro Miyazawa
- National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH), National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity (LNII), Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Brockmann K, Lerche S, Baiardi S, Rossi M, Wurster I, Quadalti C, Roeben B, Mammana A, Zimmermann M, Hauser AK, Deuschle C, Schulte C, Liepelt-Scarfone I, Gasser T, Parchi P. CSF α-synuclein seed amplification kinetic profiles are associated with cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10:24. [PMID: 38242875 PMCID: PMC10799016 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00627-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Seed amplification assays have been implemented in Parkinson's disease to reveal disease-specific misfolded alpha-synuclein aggregates in biospecimens. While the assays' qualitative dichotomous seeding response is valuable to stratify and enrich cohorts for alpha-synuclein pathology in general, more quantitative parameters that are associated with clinical dynamics of disease progression and that might potentially serve as exploratory outcome measures in clinical trials targeting alpha-synuclein would add important information. To evaluate whether the seeding kinetic parameters time required to reach the seeding threshold (LAG phase), the peak of fluorescence response (Imax), and the area under the curve (AUC) are associated with clinical trajectories, we analyzed LAG, Imax, and AUC in relation to the development of cognitive decline in a longitudinal cohort of 199 people with Parkinson's disease with positive CSF alpha-synuclein seeding status. Patients were stratified into tertiles based on their individual CSF alpha-synuclein seeding kinetic properties. The effect of the kinetic parameters on longitudinal development of cognitive impairment defined by MoCA ≤25 was analyzed by Cox-Regression. Patients with a higher number of positive seeding replicates and tertile groups of shorter LAG, higher Imax, and higher AUC showed a higher prevalence of and a shorter duration until cognitive impairment longitudinally (3, 6, and 3 years earlier with p ≤ 0.001, respectively). Results remained similar in separate subgroup analyses of patients with and without GBA mutation. We conclude that a more prominent alpha-synuclein seeding kinetic profile translates into a more rapid development of cognitive decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Brockmann
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Stefanie Lerche
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Simone Baiardi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Via Altura 1/8, 40139, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DiBiNeM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marcello Rossi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Via Altura 1/8, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Isabel Wurster
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Edmond J. Safra Fellow in Movement Disorders, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Corinne Quadalti
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Via Altura 1/8, 40139, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Benjamin Roeben
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Angela Mammana
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Via Altura 1/8, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Milan Zimmermann
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Hauser
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christian Deuschle
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Schulte
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Inga Liepelt-Scarfone
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Gasser
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe Seyler‑Strasse 3, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Piero Parchi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Via Altura 1/8, 40139, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DiBiNeM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Schaeffer E, Kluge A, Schulte C, Deuschle C, Bunk J, Welzel J, Maetzler W, Berg D. Association of Misfolded α-Synuclein Derived from Neuronal Exosomes in Blood with Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis and Duration. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2024; 14:667-679. [PMID: 38669557 PMCID: PMC11191501 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background Misfolded α-synuclein can be detected in blood samples of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients by a seed amplification assay (SAA), but the association with disease duration is not clear, yet. Objective In the present study we aimed to elucidate whether seeding activity of misfolded α-synuclein derived from neuronal exosomes in blood is associated with PD diagnosis and disease duration. Methods Cross-sectional samples of PD patients were analyzed and compared to samples of age- and gender-matched healthy controls using a blood-based SAA. Presence of α-synuclein seeding activity and differences in seeding parameters, including fluorescence response (in arbitrary units) at the end of the amplification assay (F60) were analyzed. Additionally, available PD samples collected longitudinally over 5-9 years were included. Results In the cross-sectional dataset, 79 of 80 PD patients (mean age 69 years, SD = 8; 56% male) and none of the healthy controls (n = 20, mean age 70 years, SD = 10; 55% male) showed seeding activity (sensitivity 98.8%). When comparing subgroups divided by disease duration, longer disease duration was associated with lower α-synuclein seeding activity (F60: p < 0.001). In the longitudinal analysis 10/11 patients showed a gradual decrease of α-synuclein seeding activity over time. Conclusions This study confirms the high sensitivity of the blood-based α-synuclein SAA applied here. The negative association of α-synuclein seeding activity in blood with disease duration makes this parameter potentially interesting as biomarker for future studies on the pathophysiology of disease progression in PD, and for biologically oriented trials in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva Schaeffer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Annika Kluge
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Claudia Schulte
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Deuschle
- Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Josina Bunk
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Julius Welzel
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Walter Maetzler
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Daniela Berg
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Peña-Bautista C, Kumar R, Baquero M, Johansson J, Cháfer-Pericás C, Abelein A, Ferreira D. Misfolded alpha-synuclein detection by RT-QuIC in dementia with lewy bodies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1193458. [PMID: 37266333 PMCID: PMC10229818 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1193458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the field is still lacking a specific biomarker for its core pathology: alpha synuclein (α-syn). Realtime quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC) has recently emerged as a strong biomarker candidate to detect misfolded α-syn in DLB. However, the variability in the parameters of the technique and the heterogeneity of DLB patients make the reproducibility of the results difficult. Here, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art research of α-syn RT-QuIC in DLB focused on: (1) the capacity of α-syn RT-QuIC to discriminate DLB from controls, Parkinson's disease (PD) and AD; (2) the capacity of α-syn RT-QuIC to identify prodromal stages of DLB; and (3) the influence of co-pathologies on α-syn RT-QuIC's performance. We also assessed the influence of different factors, such as technical conditions (e.g., temperature, pH, shaking-rest cycles), sample type, and clinical diagnosis versus autopsy confirmation. Methods: We conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines in August 2022, without any limits in publication dates. Search terms were combinations of "RT-QuIC" and "Lewy Bodies," "DLB" or "LBD". Results: Our meta-analysis shows that α-syn RT-QuIC reaches very high diagnostic performance in discriminating DLB from both controls (pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.94 and 0.96, respectively) and AD (pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.95 and 0.88) and is promising for prodromal phases of DLB. However, the performance of α-syn RT-QuIC to discriminate DLB from PD is currently low due to low specificity (pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.94 and 0.11). Our analysis showed that α-syn RT-QuIC's performance is not substantially influenced by sample type or clinical diagnosis versus autopsy confirmation. Co-pathologies did not influence the performance of α-syn RT-QuIC, but the number of such studies is currently limited. We observed technical variability across published articles. However, we could not find a clear effect of technical variability on the reported results. Conclusion: There is currently enough evidence to test misfolded α-syn by RT-QuIC for clinical use. We anticipate that harmonization of protocols across centres and advances in standardization will facilitate the clinical establishment of misfolded α-syn detection by RT-QuIC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Peña-Bautista
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, Avda de Fernando Abril Martorell, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Miguel Baquero
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, Avda de Fernando Abril Martorell, Valencia, Spain
- Neurology Unit, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jan Johansson
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Consuelo Cháfer-Pericás
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, Avda de Fernando Abril Martorell, Valencia, Spain
| | - Axel Abelein
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel Ferreira
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Reddy K, Dieriks BV. Multiple system atrophy: α-Synuclein strains at the neuron-oligodendrocyte crossroad. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:77. [DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00579-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe aberrant accumulation of α-Synuclein within oligodendrocytes is an enigmatic, pathological feature specific to Multiple system atrophy (MSA). Since the characterization of the disease in 1969, decades of research have focused on unravelling the pathogenic processes that lead to the formation of oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions. The discovery of aggregated α-Synuclein (α-Syn) being the primary constituent of glial cytoplasmic inclusions has spurred several lines of research investigating the relationship between the pathogenic accumulation of the protein and oligodendrocytes. Recent developments have identified the ability of α-Syn to form conformationally distinct “strains” with varying behavioral characteristics and toxicities. Such “strains” are potentially disease-specific, providing insight into the enigmatic nature of MSA. This review discusses the evidence for MSA-specific α-Syn strains, highlighting the current methods for detecting and characterizing MSA patient-derived α-Syn. Given the differing behaviors of α-Syn strains, we explore the seeding and spreading capabilities of MSA-specific strains, postulating their influence on the aggressive nature of the disease. These ideas culminate into one key question: What causes MSA–specific strain formation? To answer this, we discuss the interplay between oligodendrocytes, neurons and α-Syn, exploring the ability of each cell type to contribute to the aggregate formation while postulating the effect of additional variables such as protein interactions, host characteristics and environmental factors. Thus, we propose the idea that MSA strain formation results from the intricate interrelation between neurons and oligodendrocytes, with deficits in each cell type required to initiate α-Syn aggregation and MSA pathogenesis.
Graphical Abstract
Collapse
|