Alpha-synuclein is present in dental calculus but not altered in Parkinson's disease patients in comparison to controls.

Introduction: In autopsy cases staged for sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD), the neuropathology is characterized by a preclinical phase that targets the enteric nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Therefore, the ENS might be a source of potential (presymptomatic) PD biomarkers.

Methods: In this clinically based study, we examined the alpha-synuclein (αSyn) concentration in an easily accessible protein storage medium of the GIT, dental calculus, in 21/50 patients with PD and 28/50 age- and gender-matched controls using ELISA.

IL-17 production by CSF lymphocytes as a biomarker for cerebral vasculitis.

Objective: To explore the possibility of using interleukin-17 (IL-17) production by CD4+ T cells in the CSF as a potential biomarker for cerebral vasculitis in stroke patients.

Methods: In this consecutive case study, we performed prospective analysis of CSF and blood in patients admitted to a university medical center with symptoms of stroke and suspected cerebral vasculitis. Flow cytometry was performed for intracellular detection of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood lymphocytes and expanded T cells from CSF.