#AI reads Urine# Is early parkinson’s clue in urine? Elevated α-Synuclein Aggregate Levels in the Urine of Patients with Isolated REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and Parkinson's Disease
Published 30 April, 2025
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by α - synuclein aggregation in neurons. Currently, there is no quantitative biomarker for its diagnosis. Aggregated α - synuclein in biological samples is emerging as a potential biomarker, and patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD), a prodrome of PD, also have pathological α - synuclein aggregates.
This study specifically aimed to detect and quantify α - synuclein aggregates in urine and explore their diagnostic potential. The researchers recruited PD patients, iRBD patients, and healthy controls from the Neurology Department of the University Hospital Cologne. Urine samples were collected, thawed at 4°C for 30 minutes, transferred to specific tubes, and adjusted with relevant substances. After centrifugation, the supernatants were concentrated 10 - fold and stored at - 80°C. Then, surface - based fluorescence intensity distribution analysis (sFIDA) was used to measure the aggregates in the urine samples. sFIDA utilizes the Syn211 antibody to capture α - synuclein species and achieve near single - particle sensitivity through fluorescence labeling and confocal microscopy imaging.
The results showed that 93 PD patients, 72 iRBD patients, and 52 healthy controls were included in the study. There were differences in gender and age among the groups, but no significant difference in education duration. The calibration standard was established using α - synuclein - coated silica nanoparticles. Significantly, the median concentration of α - synuclein aggregates in the urine of PD and iRBD patients was much higher than that of healthy controls. The receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing PD and iRBD based on urine samples were 83%, 65% and 89%, 62% respectively. This study indicates that detecting α - synuclein aggregates in urine via sFIDA has potential in diagnosing synucleinopathies.
Ann Neurol. 2025 Apr 26. doi: 10.1002/ana.27250.
Youhe Gao
Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used Doubao / AI reading for summarizing the content. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.
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