Increase of the plasma α-synuclein levels in patients with multiple system atrophy

• Published in: Movement disorders 2014-03, Vol.29 (3), p.375-379
• Main Authors: Sun, Zhan-Fang, Xiang, Xiao-Shuang, Chen, Zhao, Zhang, Li, Tang, Bei-Sha, Xia, Kun, Jiang, Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; alpha-Synuclein - blood; alpha-Synuclein - genetics; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Female; Gene Expression - physiology; Humans; Inclusion Bodies - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; multiple system atrophy; Multiple System Atrophy - blood; Multiple System Atrophy - genetics; SNCA; Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale; α-synuclein
• ISSN: 0885-3185; 1531-8257
• DOI: 10.1002/mds.25688

ABSTRACT Multiple system atrophy, a sporadic neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by the presence of high numbers of glial cytoplasmic inclusions mainly formed by α‐synuclein protein, which is encoded by the SNCA gene. To date, however, few studies have investigated the plasma α‐synuclein levels in patients with multiple system atrophy. We studied plasma α‐synuclein concentrations by using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in 74 patients with multiple system atrophy and 90 healthy controls. The plasma α‐synuclein levels were significantly elevated in patients who had multiple system atrophy compared with the control group (P = 0.000). In a subgroup of 48 patients who had probable multiple system atrophy, there was a weakly negative correlation between plasma α‐synuclein levels and subscores on Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale item VI (rs = −0.307; P = 0.034). Plasma α‐synuclein levels were elevated in patients with multiple system atrophy, and these levels may be decreased with the development of disease. © 2013 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.