Differential Level of Transcripts of Alpha-Synuclein in Blood of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple System Atrophy

Parkinson’s disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the alpha-synuclein protein pathology, which may be associated with a changed expression of the SNCA gene encoding this protein. We studied the expression of four SNCA transcript variants, encoding the protein isoforms SNCA-140, SNCA-126, SNCA-112, and SNCA-98, in blood leukocytes of 86 PD and 52 MSA patients compared to 50 control subjects without neurological pathology. All SNCA transcript variants were increased in leukocytes in MSA patients (predominantly alternatively spliced short transcripts), especially with parkinsonian type of disease. No significant SNCA expression changes were found in the group of PD patients. The results obtained emphasize the differences in the pathogenesis of these two synucleinopathies—PD and MSA.