Total and Proteinase K-Resistant [alpha]-Synuclein Levels in Erythrocytes, Determined by their Ability to Bind Phospholipids, Associate with Parkinson's Disease

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 5; p. 11120
• Main Authors: Abd-elhadi, Suaad, Honig, Asaf, Simhi-haham, Dganit, Schechter, Meir, Linetsky, Eduard, Ben-hur, Tamir, Sharon, Ronit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group 01-06-2015
• Subjects: Endopeptidase K; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Erythrocytes; Movement disorders; Neurodegenerative diseases; Parkinson's disease; Phospholipids; Proteinase; Synuclein
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep11120

A marker for diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), which reflects on the occurrence of peripheral pathogenic mechanisms, would potentially improve therapy. The significance of α-Synuclein (α-Syn) expression in red blood cells (RBC) is currently unclear. Here we investigated whether RBC's-expressed α-Syn may associate with PD. To this aim, we determined the levels of total and proteinase K-resistant α-Syn in samples of packed red blood cells (PRBCs). Twenty-one individuals with PD at various disease stages and 15 healthy controls, with similar demographic features, were recruited to this study. α-Syn levels were determined by their biochemical property to bind phospholipids, using a phospholipid-ELISA assay. A significantly lower ratio of total-to-proteinase K-resistant α-Syn levels was detected in PD patients than in the healthy control group. However, there was considerable overlap between the two groups. Suggesting a need for additional markers to be tested in combination with α-Syn levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence for an association between RBCs-expressed α-Syn and pathogenic mechanisms involved in PD.