The role of exosomes in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

Qingqing Shi; Wei Kang; Zhijun Liu; Xiaodong Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20595

The role of exosomes in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

Heliyon. 2023 Oct 16;9(10):e20595. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20595. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Authors

Qingqing Shi¹, Wei Kang², Zhijun Liu², Xiaodong Zhu³

Affiliations

¹ Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, 300000, Tianjin, China.
² Beijing Conga Technology Co., LTD., Tianjin Branch, 300000, Tianjin, China.
³ Department of Neurology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin Medical University, General Hospital, 300000, Tianjin, China.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by intracellular aggregation of misfolded α-synuclein as a major pathological hallmark. Exosomes are cell-derived lipid bilayer membrane vesicles with various components, including proteins, RNA, and lipids, that mediate intercellular communication. Currently, exosomes are found to be responsible for transporting misfolded proteins from unhealthy neurons to nearby cells, spreading the disease from cell to cell. Such exosomes can also be found in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Thus, exosomes may serve as a potential tool to detect the pathology of Parkinson's disease for clinical diagnosis. In this article, the role and challenges of exosomes in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease are outlined.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Diagnosis; Exosomes; Parkinson's disease.

Publication types

Review