Enteric nervous system α-synuclein immunoreactivity in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the expression of α-synuclein in colonic biopsies of patients with idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) and address if α-synuclein immunostaining of tissue obtained via colonic biopsies holds promise as a diagnostic biomarker for prodromal Parkinson disease (PD).

METHODS:

Patients with iRBD, patients with PD, and healthy controls were prospectively recruited to undergo colonic biopsies for comparison of α-synuclein immunoreactivity patterns between the groups by using 2 different antibodies.

RESULTS:

There was no difference in colonic mucosal and submucosal immunostaining between groups using the 15G7 α-synuclein antibody, which was found in almost all participants enrolled in this study. By contrast, immunostaining for serine 129-phosphorylated α-synuclein (pSyn) in submucosal nerve fibers or ganglia was found in none of 14 controls but was observed in 4 of 17 participants with iRBD and 1 out of 19 patients with PD.

CONCLUSIONS:

The present findings of pSyn immunostaining of colonic biopsies in a substantial proportion of iRBD participants raise the possibility that this tissue marker may be a suitable candidate to study further as a prodromal PD marker in at-risk cohorts.

• Authors: Fabienne S Sprenger, Nadia Stefanova, Ellen Gelpi, Klaus Seppi, Judith Navarro-Otano, Felix Offner, Dolores Vilas, Francesc Valldeoriola, Claustre Pont-Sunyer, Iban Aldecoa, Carles Gaig, Angels Gines, Miriam Cuatrecasas, Birgit Högl, Birgit Frauscher, Alex Iranzo, Gregor K Wenning, Wolfgang Vogel, Eduardo Tolosa, Werner Poewe
• Journal: Neurology (Neurology) Vol. 85 Issue 20 Pg. 1761-8 (Nov 17 2015) ISSN: 1526-632X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26475692 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• alpha-Synuclein

Topics

• Aged
• Biomarkers (analysis)
• Colon (chemistry, innervation, pathology)
• Enteric Nervous System (chemistry, pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prospective Studies
• REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (diagnosis, metabolism)
• Submucous Plexus (chemistry, pathology)
• alpha-Synuclein (analysis)