α-Synuclein Real Time Quaking-Induced Conversion Assays for Parkinson's Disease Diagnostics

Abstract

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases in the world. Underlying the condition is the pathological aggregation of α-synuclein proteins in neurons throughout the body causing motor and non-motor symptoms. α-synuclein Real Time Quaking-Induced Conversion Assays, originally developed for prion proteins, leverages the self-aggregating and propagating prion-like behavior of α-synuclein to detect trace amounts of the protein in body fluid and tissue samples, serving as a potential diagnostic test for the PD. Further development of the assays has enabled the distinction of the PD α-synuclein strain from strains implicated in other conditions. Furthermore, research using the assay has deepened understanding of the underlying mechanism of the condition, leading to proposals for redefining the PD on a biological basis to advance the therapeutic adoption and clinical potential of the assay. RT-QuIC assays continue to be optimized and advanced with potential for accessible and efficient PD diagnosis in the future.