Objective: To examine SNCA mRNA levels in CD45+ peripheral blood cells in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and individuals without neurological disorders.

Background: Clinical and neuropathological similarities between DLB and PD suggest that these disorders may share etiology. Last data of biochemical and genetic evidence showed the formation of alpha-synuclein (SNCA) protein deposits is an important step in the development of these diseases. Existed criteria cannot reliably differentiate between the two clinical entities.

Methods: 16 DLB patients (9 females, 7 males, mean age 64.1±10.7), 43 PD patients (25 females, 18 males, mean age 60.7±8.4) and 39 individuals without neurological disorders (controls) (25 females, 14 males, mean age 62.1±9.5) were included in this study. SNCA mRNA levels in CD45+ were estimated by quantitative RT-PCR PCR with iTaq Universal SYBR Green Supermix (Bio-Rad, USA). GNB2L1 mRNA levels were used as internal control. CD45+ were selected by MACS system (magnetic cell sorting system) (Miltenyi Biotec, USA).

Results: In comparison with controls, SNCA mRNA levels in DLB patients were significantly higher (p=0,006). However, SNCA mRNA levels did not differ among PD patients and controls (p = 0.952). Interestingly, SNCA mRNA level in DLB patients were elevated compared to PD patients (p = 0.006). Median values relative SNCA expression were 1.59 (0.36-9.87) in DLB patients, 0.38 (0.01-7.33), in PD patients and 0.41 (0.01-6.67) in controls.

Conclusions: This is the first report about higher SNCA expression in CD45+ in DLB patients compared to PD patients and controls. Our results suggest that SNCA mRNA levels might help in the differentiation of DLB from PD.

« Back to 2016 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/elevated-snca-expression-in-cd45-peripheral-blood-cells-in-patients-with-dementia-with-lewy-bodies/