Enteric alpha-synuclein expression is increased in Parkinson's disease but not Alzheimer's disease

• Published in: Movement disorders Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 237 - 241
• Main Authors: Gold, Andrea, Turkalp, Zorbey T., Munoz, David G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; alpha-synuclein; alpha-Synuclein - biosynthesis; Alzheimer Disease - metabolism; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Alzheimer's disease; Autopsy; Brain - pathology; enteric nervous system; Enteric Nervous System - metabolism; Enteric Nervous System - pathology; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Lewy bodies; Lewy Bodies - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Movement disorders; Myenteric Plexus - pathology; Parkinson Disease - metabolism; Parkinson Disease - pathology; Parkinson's disease; Submucous Plexus - pathology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0885-3185; 1531-8257; 1531-8257
• DOI: 10.1002/mds.25298

ABSTRACT Background and Objective Alpha‐synuclein (α‐Syn) is immunohistochemically detectable in enteric neurons in some subjects. We determined its age distribution in the general autopsy population and in an age‐matched subset investigated differences with Parkinson's (PD) and Alzheimer's diseases (AD). Methods Archival autopsy samples of colon from 95 cases (77 general population, 10 PD, and 8 AD) were immunostained with monoclonal antibody KM51. α‐Syn detectability was semiquantitatively graded 1 to 3. Results α‐Syn was detectable in 52% of the general population, and its level of expression did not change between ages 40 and 91. All PD subjects were α‐Syn positive, with higher prevalence (P = 0.001) and grade (P = 0.003) than age‐matched controls. AD subjects were no more likely to be α‐Syn positive or have a higher grade than controls. Conclusions Either PD develops selectively in the enterically α‐Syn‐positive population subset or PD induces this expression. Absence of increased α‐Syn expression in AD points to differences in pathogenesis. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society