Elevated Serum α-Synuclein Levels in Huntington's Disease Patients. (1st April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Breza, Marianthi; Emmanouilidou, Evangelia; Leandrou, Emmanouela; Kartanou, Chrisoula; Bougea, Anastasia; Panas, Marios; Stefanis, Leonidas; Karadima, Georgia; Vekrellis, Kostas; Koutsis, Georgios
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience. Volume 431(2020)
• Page Start: 34
• Page End: 39
• Publication Date: 2020-04-01
• Subjects: serum α-synuclein -- huntington's disease -- asymptomatic HD carriers -- huntingtin; Neurochemistry -- Periodicals; Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurochimie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurochemistry; Neurophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.01.037
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4522

Abstract

Highlights: A possible cross-talk between mutant huntingtin and α-synuclein aggregates has been postulated. We found that α-synuclein was elevated in HD patients vs. controls. There was no difference in α-synuclein levels between symptomatic vs. premanifest HD. Our results provide evidence for elevated serum α-synuclein in HD. Abstract: Recent evidence suggests a potential role for mixed proteinopathies in the development of clinical manifestations in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). A possible cross-talk between mutant huntingtin and α-synuclein aggregates has been postulated. Serum α-synuclein has been evaluated as a potential biomarker in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We presently sought to investigate serum α-synuclein levels in 38 HD patients (34 symptomatic and 4 premanifest) and compare them to 36 controls. We found that α-synuclein was elevated in HD patients vs. controls (2.49 ± 1.47 vs. 1.40 ± 1.16, p = 0.001). There was no difference in α-synuclein levels between symptomatic vs. premanifest HD, nor between HD patients receiving medication vs. treatment-naïve. Furthermore, α-synuclein levels showed no correlation with CAG2, Unified HD Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor score, age, disease duration or disease burden score. Our results provide evidence for elevated serum α-synuclein in HD and lend support to further investigating the role of α-synuclein in this disorder.