Analysis of the methylation pattern of the alpha-synuclein gene from DNA of peripheral blood monocytes for diagnosing Parkinson's disease

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This patent describes a method for diagnosing or assessing the risk of developing Parkinson's disease by analyzing the DNA methylation pattern of the alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene in peripheral blood monocytes. By determining specific methylation changes at defined sites within the SNCA gene, which are known to be associated with Parkinson's disease, the method enables detection of disease or elevated risk even at early stages or before clinical symptoms appear. The technique relies on blood samples, which are easy to collect, and uses established molecular biology methods (e.g., methylation-specific PCR, bisulfite sequencing, COBRA assay) to measure methylation status at key CpG dinucleotides in the SNCA gene.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Screening individuals for early signs or risk of developing Parkinson's disease, even before symptoms occur.
• Monitoring changes in epigenetic markers related to Parkinson's disease progression.
• Assisting neurologists and healthcare providers in confirming a Parkinson's disease diagnosis, particularly in unclear clinical cases.
• Facilitating population-based studies on Parkinson's disease risk and prevalence using non-invasive blood sampling.
• Identifying candidates for early intervention or preventive therapy targeting Parkinson's disease.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Enables early and non-invasive detection of Parkinson's disease risk via a simple blood test.
• Provides a cost-effective and easy-to-perform diagnostic tool compared to expensive imaging techniques like PET or SPECT.
• Allows for risk assessment and disease monitoring longitudinally using easily stored blood samples.
• Potential for broad implementation in routine clinical screening or at-risk population studies.
• Does not require the presence of neurological symptoms, supporting proactive healthcare and earlier intervention.
• Uses well-established molecular assays, increasing adaptability in different laboratory settings.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention pertains to the use of DNA from peripheral blood monocytes for determining the methylation pattern of the SNCA gene in diagnosing and/or assessing a patient's risk of developing Parkinson's disease, and further provides a method of determining the methylation pattern of the human SNCA gene for diagnosing and/or assessing a patient's risk of developing Parkinson's disease, wherein the SNCA gene is obtained from DNA of peripheral blood monocytes of said patient.