Open AccessParkinson disease and progressive supranuclear palsy: protein expression in skin
Author(s) -
RodríguezLeyva Ildefonso,
ChiAhumada Erika G.,
Carrizales Juan,
RodríguezViolante Mayela,
VelázquezOsuna Salvador,
MedinaMier Verónica,
MartelGallegos María G.,
Zarazúa Sergio,
EnríquezMacías Lourdes,
Castro Adriana,
Calderón–Garcidueñas Ana Laura,
JiménezCapdeville María E.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
annals of clinical and translational neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.824
H-Index - 42
ISSN - 2328-9503
DOI - 10.1002/acn3.285
Subject(s) - progressive supranuclear palsy , immunohistochemistry , pathological , medicine , pathology , tau protein , biomarker , parkinson's disease , corticobasal degeneration , disease , alzheimer's disease , biology , biochemistry
Abstract Objective This study characterizes the expression of tau (p‐tau) and α ‐synuclein ( α ‐syn) by immunohistochemistry in the skin of three different populations: healthy control ( HC ), Parkinson disease ( PD ), and progressive supranuclear paralysis ( PSP ) subjects, with the purpose of finding a biomarker that could differentiate between subjects with PD and PSP . Material and Methods We evaluated the presence of p‐tau and α ‐syn in a pilot study in the skin of three distinct groups of patients: 17 healthy subjects, 17 patients with PD , and 10 patients with PSP . Four millimeters punch biopsies were obtained from the occipital area and analyzed by immunohistochemistry using antibodies against α ‐syn and phosphorylated species of tau. PHF (paired helical filaments) antibody identifies p‐tau in both normal and pathological conditions and AT 8 recognizes p‐tau characteristic of pathological conditions. Differences between the three groups were assessed by quantification of immunopositive areas in the epidermis. Results The immunopositivity pattern of p‐tau and α ‐syn was significantly different among the three groups. Healthy subjects showed minimal staining using AT 8 and α ‐syn. The PD group showed significantly higher α ‐syn and AT 8 immunopositivity, while the PSP group only expressed higher AT 8 immunopositivity than HCs. Conclusion These data suggest that the skin reflects brain pathology. Therefore, immunohistochemical analysis of p‐tau and α ‐syn in the skin can be useful for further characterization of PD and PSP .