Differential expression of alpha-synuclein isoforms in dementia with Lewy bodies.
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is characterized by the widespread presence of Lewy bodies (LBs) in the brain. alpha-Synuclein, the main component of LBs, is expressed as two main isoforms (112 and 140), but little is known about their differential expression in the brain. We compared alpha-synuclein 112 and alpha-synuclein 140 expression levels in the prefrontal cortices of six DLB patients, eight Alzheimer disease (AD) patients, and six control subjects. Relative alpha-synuclein 112 and alpha-synuclein 140 expression levels were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction with competimer technology using a LightCycler System. Whereas total alpha-synuclein levels were just marginally elevated in DLB in comparison with the other groups, alpha-synuclein 112 was seen to be markedly increased in DLB compared with AD cases and controls. In contrast, alpha-synuclein 140 levels were significantly diminished in both neurodegenerative disorders in comparison with controls. These results show differential overexpression of alpha-synuclein 112 in DLB, a finding that could be of importance in DLB pathogenesis.
Beyer
K
K
Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Lao
J I
JI
Carrato
C
C
Mate
J L
JL
López
D
D
Ferrer
I
I
Ariza
A
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein
D017931:DNA Primers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C497604:SNCA protein, human; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein