scholarly journals Association between CSF alpha-synuclein seeding activity and genetic status in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Brockmann ◽  
Corinne Quadalti ◽  
Stefanie Lerche ◽  
Marcello Rossi ◽  
Isabel Wurster ◽  
...  

AbstractThe clinicopathological heterogeneity in Lewy-body diseases (LBD) highlights the need for pathology-driven biomarkers in-vivo. Misfolded alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) is a lead candidate based on its crucial role in disease pathophysiology. Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) analysis of CSF has recently shown high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of misfolded α-Syn in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). In this study we performed the CSF RT-QuIC assay in 236 PD and 49 DLB patients enriched for different genetic forms with mutations in GBA, parkin, PINK1, DJ1, and LRRK2. A subgroup of 100 PD patients was also analysed longitudinally. We correlated kinetic seeding parameters of RT-QuIC with genetic status and CSF protein levels of molecular pathways linked to α-Syn proteostasis. Overall, 85% of PD and 86% of DLB patients showed positive RT-QuIC α-Syn seeding activity. Seeding profiles were significantly associated with mutation status across the spectrum of genetic LBD. In PD patients, we detected positive α-Syn seeding in 93% of patients carrying severe GBA mutations, in 78% with LRRK2 mutations, in 59% carrying heterozygous mutations in recessive genes, and in none of those with bi-allelic mutations in recessive genes. Among PD patients, those with severe GBA mutations showed the highest seeding activity based on RT-QuIC kinetic parameters and the highest proportion of samples with 4 out of 4 positive replicates. In DLB patients, 100% with GBA mutations showed positive α-Syn seeding compared to 79% of wildtype DLB. Moreover, we found an association between α-Syn seeding activity and reduced CSF levels of proteins linked to α-Syn proteostasis, specifically lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 2 and neurosecretory protein VGF.These findings highlight the value of α-Syn seeding activity as an in-vivo marker of Lewy-body pathology and support its use for patient stratification in clinical trials targeting α-Syn.

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geidy E Serrano ◽  
David Shprecher ◽  
Michael Callan ◽  
Brett Cutler ◽  
Michael Glass ◽  
...  

Abstract Comorbid Lewy body pathology is very common in Alzheimer’s disease and may confound clinical trial design, yet there is no in vivo test to identify patients with this. Tissue (and/or radioligand imaging) studies have shown cardiac sympathetic denervation in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, but this has not been explored in Alzheimer’s subjects with Lewy bodies not meeting dementia with Lewy bodies clinicopathological criteria. To determine if Alzheimer’s disease with Lewy bodies subjects show sympathetic cardiac denervation, we analysed epicardial and myocardial tissue from autopsy-confirmed cases using tyrosine hydroxylase and neurofilament immunostaining. Comparison of tyrosine hydroxylase fibre density in 19 subjects with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia with Lewy bodies, 20 Alzheimer’s disease with Lewy bodies, 12 Alzheimer’s disease subjects without Lewy body disease, 19 Parkinson’s disease, 30 incidental Lewy body disease and 22 cognitively normal without Alzheimer’s disease or Lewy body disease indicated a significant group difference (P < 0.01; Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance) and subsequent pair-wise Mann–Whitney U tests showed that Parkinson’s disease (P < 0.05) and Alzheimer’s disease/dementia with Lewy bodies (P < 0.01) subjects, but not Alzheimer’s disease with Lewy bodies subjects, had significantly reduced tyrosine hydroxylase fibre density as compared with cognitively normal. Both Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease/dementia with Lewy bodies subjects also showed significant epicardial losses of neurofilament protein-immunoreactive nerve fibre densities within the fibre bundles as compared with cognitively normal subjects (P < 0.01) and both groups showed high pathologic alpha-synuclein densities (P < 0.0001). Cardiac alpha-synuclein densities correlated significantly with brain alpha-synuclein (P < 0.001), while cardiac tyrosine hydroxylase and neurofilament immunoreactive nerve fibre densities were negatively correlated with the densities of both brain and cardiac alpha-synuclein, as well as Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale scores (P < 0.05). The clear separation of Alzheimer’s disease/dementia with Lewy bodies subjects from Alzheimer’s disease and cognitively normal, based on cardiac tyrosine hydroxylase fibre density, is the first report of a statistically significant difference between these groups. Our data do not show significant sympathetic cardiac denervation in Alzheimer’s disease with Lewy bodies, but strongly confirm that cardiac nuclear imaging with a noradrenergic radioligand is worthy of further study as a potential means to separate Alzheimer’s disease from Alzheimer’s disease/dementia with Lewy bodies during life.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasmine Y. Fathy ◽  
Frank Jan de Jong ◽  
Anne-Marie van Dam ◽  
Annemieke J.M. Rozemuller ◽  
Wilma D.J. van de Berg

AbstractThe insular cortex is a heterogeneous and widely connected brain region. It plays a role in autonomic, cognitive, emotional and somatosensory functions. Its complex and unique cytoarchitecture includes a periallocortical agranular, pro-isocortical dysgranular, and isocortical granular sub-regions. In Parkinson’s disease (PD), the insula shows α-synuclein inclusions in advanced stages of the disease and its atrophy correlates with cognitive deficits. However, little is known regarding its regional neuropathological characteristics and vulnerability in Lewy body diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the distribution pattern of α-synuclein pathology in the insular sub-regions and the selective vulnerability of its different cell types in PD and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Human post-mortem insular tissues from 10 donors with incidental Lewy body disease (iLBD), PD, DLB, and age-matched controls were immunostained for α-synuclein and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP). Results showed that a decreasing gradient of α-synuclein pathology was present from agranular to granular sub-regions in iLBD, PD and PD with dementia (PDD) donors. The agranular insula was heavily inflicted, revealing various α-synuclein immunoreactive morphological structures, predominantly Lewy neurites (LNs), and astroglial synucleinopathy. While dysgranular and granular sub-regions showed a decreasing gradient of inclusions and more Lewy bodies (LBs) in deeper layers. In DLB, this gradient was less pronounced and severe pathology was observed in the granular insula compared to PDD and regardless of disease stage. Protoplasmic astrocytes showed α-synuclein inclusions and severe degenerative changes increasing with disease severity. While few von Economo neurons (VENs) in the fronto-insular region revealed inclusions, particularly in PDD patients. Our study reports novel findings on the differential involvement of the insular sub-regions in PD and particular involvement of the agranular sub-region, VENs and astrocytes. Thus, the differential cellular architecture of the insular sub-regions portrays the topographic variation and vulnerability to α-synuclein pathology in Lewy body diseases.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Bibl ◽  
Hermann Esselmann ◽  
Piotr Lewczuk ◽  
Claudia Trenkwalder ◽  
Markus Otto ◽  
...  

We studied the diagnostic value of CSF Aβ42/tau versus low Aβ1–42% and high Aβ1–40ox% levels for differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), respectively. CSF of 45 patients with AD, 15 with DLB, 21 with Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), and 40 nondemented disease controls (NDC) was analyzed by Aβ-SDS-PAGE/immunoblot and ELISAs (Aβ42 and tau). Aβ42/tau lacked specificity in discriminating AD from DLB and PDD. Best discriminating biomarkers were Aβ1–42% and Aβ1–40ox% for AD and DLB, respectively. AD and DLB could be differentiated by both Aβ1–42% and Aβ1–40ox% with an accuracy of 80% at minimum. Thus, we consider Aβ1–42% and Aβ1–40ox% to be useful biomarkers for AD and DLB, respectively. We propose further studies on the integration of Aβ1–42% and Aβ1–40ox% into conventional assay formats. Moreover, future studies should investigate the combination of Aβ1–40ox% and CSF alpha-synuclein for the diagnosis of DLB.


Author(s):  
Richard Camicioli ◽  
Nancy Fisher

Dementia occurs in up to 30% of people with Parkinson's disease and is a major cause of disability. Pathologically, Parkinson's dementia, where dementia follows the onset of parkinsonism by at least one year, overlaps with dementia with Lewy bodies. We review the functional impact, definitions, neuropsychology, epidemiology and pathophysiology of Parkinson's dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and their overlap. Associated psychiatric and imaging findings are also considered. Lastly, current and emerging approaches to assessment and treatment in patients with these Lewy body associated dementias are presented.


BMC Neurology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisayoshi Oka ◽  
Tadashi Umehara ◽  
Atsuo Nakahara ◽  
Hiromasa Matsuno

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment may be correlated with cardiovascular dysautonomia, including blood pressure (BP) dysregulation, in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but the association between these factors in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is uncertain. This study aimed to clarify whether cardiovascular dysautonomia had an influence on cognitive function in Lewy body disease or not. Methods Ninty-nine patients with de novo PD (n = 75) and DLB (n = 24) were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Cardiac 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy, orthostatic hypotension (OH), supine hypertension (SH), postprandial hypotension (PPH), nocturnal BP fall in 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and constipation were estimated. Associations of these factors with cognitive and executive dysfunction were examined. Results In DLB, MIBG uptake was reduced and OH, PPH and SH were severely disturbed, compared to PD. The nocturnal BP fall in ABPM was lower in DLB, and the failure of nocturnal BP fall in PD was associated with MMSE, after adjustment for other clinical features. FAB was significantly associated nocturnal BP fall, age and SH in PD, but no significant correlations among factors were found for DLB. Conclusion The significant association between nocturnal BP dysregulation and cognitive or executive decline in PD might be due to impaired microvascular circulation or invasion of α-synuclein in the CNS. The lack of a correlation of BP insufficiency with cognitive impairment in DLB suggests initial involvement of Lewy body pathology in the neocortex, regardless of Lewy body invasion of the autonomic nervous system.


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