Alpha-Synuclein in Peripheral Tissues in Parkinson's Disease
First author:Ma Ling-Yan
Corresponding author:Feng Tao
2019-02-20
Journal:ACS chemical neuroscience
Publication type: Review
IF(IF): 4.418
PMID: 30714719 Link To Pubmed Full text Download
Neuronal loss in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) associated with Lewy bodies/neurites is the pathological hallmark feature of PD. The major component of Lewy pathology (LP) is misfolded alpha-synuclein (α-SYN). There is evidence that the distribution of LP is not only limited to the brain but extends to peripheral tissues, including gastrointestinal tract, salivary glands, olfactory mucosa, skin, retina, adrenal gland, and heart. Sensitivity and specificity of α-SYN detection in PD vary greatly among studies due to methodological heterogeneity, such as sampling sites and size, tissue preparation, staining techniques, and antibodies used. Of note, α-SYN has also been found in preclinical and prodromal PD.
Further in vivo studies focusing on favorable biopsy sites and standard techniques are needed to get better understanding of α-SYN deposits in preclinical, prodromal, and clinical PD.