Discovery of Reduced α-Synuclein in Red Blood Cells of Patients with Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Potential as an Early Diagnostic Biomarker

A research team led by Associate Professor Ayako Okado-Matsumoto from the Toho University’s Department of Biology, has made an important breakthrough in understanding Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), in collaboration with Professor Ryuji Sakakibara from the Department of Neurology, Sakura Medical Center, and Professors Hitoshi Nukada and Soroku Yagihashi from the Department of Exploratory Medicine on Nature, Life and Man, Toho University The team discovered something remarkable about a specific protein in patient’s blood. The researchers found that people with DLB have significantly lower amount of a protein called α-synuclein (alpha synuclein) in their red blood cells compared to healthy people and those with other brain diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. α-synuclein is a protein that becomes problematic when it builds up abnormally in brain cells, contributing to various neurological conditions.
This finding could be a game-changer for diagnosing DLB, a condition that has traditionally been very challenging for doctors to identify in its early stages. The possibility of developing a simple blood test biomarker capable of early detection of DLB could make a significant difference for patients and their families.
The research findings were published online in The Journal of Biochemistry on April 16, 2025.

Key Research Findings

Lower protein levels in DLB patients: The study revealed that people with DLB have notably less α-synuclein in their red blood cells than healthy individuals or patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
The researchers also found that α-synuclein levels are elevated in tiny cellular packages called extracellular vesicles (small membrane-bound particles that cells release) found in the liquid portion of blood (plasma) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and DLB compared to healthy people.
These findings could lead to the development of a blood-based test that would allow doctors to diagnose DLB much earlier than the current methods permit, potentially improving treatment outcomes and patient care.

Journal:
The Journal of Biochemistry (Online publication: April 16, 2025)

Title:
The potential of erythrocyte α-synuclein to differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases

Authors:
Ryosuke Amagai, Ryunosuke Hosoi, Sakura Yoshioka, Taiki Maruyama, Takayuki Kawai, Soroku Yagihashi, Hitoshi Nukada, Ryuji Sakakibara, Ayako Okado-Matsumoto*

DOI:
10.1093/jb/mvaf017

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