Parkinson’s disease- which affects millions worldwide- poses significant challenges. The disease is characterized by the accumulation of misfolded proteins found in nerve cells in the brain.
Today, doctors often diagnose diseases by looking at symptoms when they are already severe. Early diagnosis usually requires costly and delicate equipment, which can be hard to access, especially in poorer or developing areas.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have created a new visual diagnostic technique to help with the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases. Their method, called Cap-QuIC (Capillary-enhanced Quaking-Induced Conversion), is built upon a previous groundbreaking diagnostic technique that allowed for faster and more accurate disease detection.
Researchers noted, “The technique can advance early detection for neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease and similar diseases that affect animals, including Chronic Wasting Disease in deer.”
The method uses simple action to detect misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins. Researchers can use glass capillaries to distinguish between normal and disease-associated proteins by observing differences in liquid movement within the tubes.
University of Minnesota Professor Hye Yoon Park, a senior co-author of the paper and professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Science and Engineering, said, “The simplicity and efficiency of Cap-QuIC could lower the barriers to routine screening for neurodegenerative diseases, ultimately leading to earlier intervention and better patient outcomes.”
Peter Christenson, an electrical and computer engineering postdoctoral researcher and the first author of this paper, discovered that the protein’s surface characteristics influence differential action. These characteristics vary significantly between healthy and diseased states.
Christenson said, “I remember I was in the lab using an expensive fluorescent reader to determine if my samples were positive or negative. As I continued the experiment, I could predict each sample’s status before putting it into the reader.”
“Then it hit me, ‘Why do I even bother using this expensive piece of equipment if I can tell the status of samples by eye?’ This breakthrough moment led us to develop our new misfolded protein detection assay.”
The team tested their technique on tissues from wild white-tailed deer infected with Chronic Wasting Disease. They found that the method could classify samples with high sensitivity and specificity.
Professor Sang-Hyun Oh, a McKnight Professor and Bordeau Chair in the College of Science and Engineering’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and senior co-author of the paper, said, “Our Cap-QuIC procedure represents a major advancement in point-of-care neurodegenerative disease diagnostics.”
“By simplifying the detection process, we can potentially diagnose Parkinson’s disease earlier, which is crucial for effective management and treatment.”
Journal Reference:
- Christenson, P.R., Jeong, H., Ahn, H., et al. Visual detection of misfolded alpha-synuclein and prions via capillary-based quaking-induced conversion assay (Cap-QuIC). npj Biosensing 1, 2 (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s44328-024-00003-0
