The native form of alpha-synuclein is not found in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Parkinson's disease or normal controls.
Alpha-synuclein has recently been shown to be a major constituent of Lewy bodies in Parkinson's disease (PD). This observation led us to investigate the possibility that its detection in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) could be used as a marker for Lewy bodies in the central nervous system. In this study we determined the pattern of expression of alpha-synuclein in patients with sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) and normal controls, using western immunoblotting in conjunction with an antibody that recognizes the carboxyl terminal of alpha-synuclein protein. The native 19 kDa band normally seen in brain homogenates was not found in the CSF of either parkinsonian patients or control subjects. However, a novel band was observed, which migrated at a position in the range of 42 kDa in CSF from both patients and controls. We conclude that alpha-synuclein cannot be used as a biomarker for Lewy bodies during life. However, further characterization of the 42 kDa protein may be of interest.
Jakowec
M W
MW
The Parkinson's Institute, Sunnyvale, CA 94089, USA. mjakowec@parkinsonsinstitute.org
Petzinger
G M
GM
Sastry
S
S
Donaldson
D M
DM
McCormack
A
A
Langston
J W
JW
D015153:Blotting, Western; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000737:chemistry; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012016:Reference Values; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C497604:SNCA protein, human; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein