Parkinson’s Disease

Biomarkers for examining Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affecting the brain’s control over movement, thought, memory, and emotions. The disease often presents with early symptoms such as tremors, which result from impaired motor control. At the molecular level, Parkinson’s Disease is driven by a series of changes in specific proteins, particularly α-synuclein, which plays a central role in the progression of the disease.

Biomarkers are essential in understanding the complexity of Parkinson’s Disease, as they help characterize the disease’s heterogeneity, allowing for better prediction and management of individual patients. The identification and tracking of biomarkers aid in diagnosing PD, predicting prognosis, assessing treatment responses, and identifying new therapeutic targets. This comprehensive approach helps address the unmet needs of Parkinson’s Disease, providing crucial insights into disease progression and potentially improving treatment strategies for patients.

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Nordic ProteinFingerPrint Technology™ biomarkers in understanding Parkinson’s disease Progression

In Parkinson’s Disease, immune cell activity and the remodeling of the extracellular matrix play a critical role in disease progression. Quantifying biomarkers related to disease activity provides valuable insights into neuronal damage, neuroinflammation, and structural changes in the brain associated with PD.

Additionally, biomarkers are essential for monitoring disease activity, tracking the emergence of new neurological symptoms, and assessing the rate of disease progression. These biomarkers can also help evaluate the effectiveness of treatments, providing a non-invasive method to monitor changes over time.

Browse our Parkinson's disease biomarkers

Biomarkers of Disease Activity and Progression in Parkinson’s Disease

The aggregation of α-synuclein plays a crucial role in disrupting motor neuron function and driving disease progression. At Nordic Bioscience, our Nordic ProteinFingerPrint Biomarker Technology™ enables precise detection of Calpain-1-cleaved α-synuclein fragments in blood serum, providing a valuable biomarker for monitoring disease activity.

Figure 1 illustrates the pathological changes associated with PD, including A) α-synuclein aggregates impairing motor neurons, B) neuron loss and degeneration, and C) blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage, leading to neuroinflammation driven by activated microglia, reactive astrocytes, and extracellular matrix breakdown.

In a healthy brain, α-synuclein supports proper neuronal function. However, in PD, the protein undergoes abnormal processing due to the enzyme Calpain-1, which cleaves α-synuclein into smaller, fragmented pieces. These fragments disrupt cellular function, promote toxic aggregate formation, and accelerate disease progression. Remarkably, these fragments can cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the bloodstream, offering a non-invasive way to track disease activity through a simple blood test.

Figure 1. Patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease is affected by A) α-Synuclein aggregates affecting the motor neurons, B) Neuron loss and degeneration, and C) Blod-Brain-Barrier (BBB) leackage and neuroinflammation, by activated microglia, reactive astrocytes and extracellular matrix destruction.

Blood-Based biomarker for tracking Parkinson’s Disease progression and treatment response.

Using our α-SYN-C assay, we measure these cleaved α-synuclein fragments with high precision. Figure 2 demonstrates how PD patients exhibit significantly higher levels of these fragments in serum compared to healthy individuals, making them a reliable biomarker for tracking disease progression and evaluating treatment efficacy.

Figure 2: Elevated levels of α-SYN-C in the serum of PD patients compared to healthy donors. The assay is validated for accurate detection of Calpain-1-cleaved α-synuclein fragments in human blood samples.

This non-invasive biomarker provides a valuable tool for monitoring Parkinson’s Disease progression, identifying early disease activity, and assessing treatment response. Our technology not only offers insights into the underlying mechanisms of PD but also supports the development of targeted therapies aimed at addressing the root causes of neurodegeneration, ultimately enabling more effective, personalized treatments for patients.

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About Parkinson’s Disease

  • Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement control. It is characterized by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, which leads to a wide range of motor and non-motor symptoms.

     

    In addition to motor symptoms, PD is associated with a variety of non-motor symptoms, such as depression, cognitive decline, sleep disturbances, and autonomic dysfunction. These non-motor symptoms can significantly impact the quality of life and contribute to the overall disability burden of PD patients.

  • The exact cause of PD remains unclear, but both genetic and environmental factors are believed to play a role in its development. While there is no cure for PD, current treatment strategies focus on managing symptoms. Levodopa, the most common medication used to replace lost dopamine, helps control motor symptoms but does not halt disease progression. Other treatments aim to alleviate non-motor symptoms and slow the rate of neurodegeneration.

  • As research continues, there is growing interest in biomarkers to help diagnose PD earlier, track disease progression, and evaluate treatment response. Understanding these biomarkers, including those related to α-synuclein, holds promise for improving early detection and offering more targeted therapies to slow or prevent the disease’s progression.

  • Traditional diagnosis relies on clinical symptoms and imaging, but blood-based biomarkers like cleaved α-synuclein fragments (α-SYN-C) are emerging as promising tools for non-invasive disease monitoring and early detection.

  • Biomarkers offer non-invasive tools to detect disease activity, monitor progression, and evaluate treatment effects. They provide insight into molecular and cellular changes, enabling earlier diagnosis and more personalized therapeutic strategies.

  • At the core of PD is the abnormal accumulation of α-synuclein, a protein that forms toxic aggregates in neurons. These protein clumps disrupt cellular function, impair communication between neurons, and contribute to neuron loss. As the disease progresses, the destruction of dopaminergic neurons in the brain’s basal ganglia results in motor symptoms, including tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), and postural instability.

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