Elevated Serum α-Synuclein Levels in Huntington's Disease Patients.

Authors :: Breza M
Emmanouilidou E
Leandrou E
Kartanou C
Bougea A
Panas M
Stefanis L
Karadima G
Vekrellis K
Koutsis G
Source :: Neuroscience [Neuroscience] 2020 Apr 01; Vol. 431, pp. 34-39. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Feb 08.
Publication Year :: 2020
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.<br /> (Copyright © 2020 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)