alpha-Synuclein antibodies recognize a protein present at lower levels in the CSF of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies.
BACKGROUND
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) accounts for 15-20% of the millions of people worldwide with dementia. Accurate diagnosis is essential to avoid harm and optimize clinical management. There is therefore an urgent need to identify reliable biomarkers.


METHODS
Mass spectrometry was used to determine the specificity of antibody alpha-synuclein (211) for alpha-synuclein. Using gel electrophoresis we measured protein levels detected by alpha-synuclein specific antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of DLB patients and compared them to age matched controls.


RESULTS
A 24 kDa band was detected using alpha-synuclein specific antibodies which was significantly reduced in the CSF of DLB patients compared to age matched controls (p < 0.05). Further analysis confirmed that even DLB patients with mild dementia showed significant reductions in this protein in comparison to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study emphasizes the necessity for further studies of CSF alpha-synuclein as a biomarker of DLB and extends our previous knowledge by establishing a potential relationship between alpha-synuclein and the severity of cognitive impairment. The identification of this 24 kDa protein is the next important step in these studies.
Ballard
Clive
C
Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Disease, King's College London, U.K. clive.ballard@kcl.ac.uk
Jones
Emma L
EL
Londos
Elisabet
E
Minthon
Lennart
L
Francis
Paul
P
Aarsland
Dag
D
D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D051844:alpha-Synuclein