Alpha-Synuclein (Total)
A Fluid Biomarker for Parkinson’s Disease and Synucleinopathies
Alpha-synuclein is a presynaptic neuronal protein involved in vesicle trafficking and neurotransmitter release. In Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related synucleinopathies, misfolded and aggregated forms of alpha-synuclein accumulate in Lewy bodies, contributing to neurodegeneration and disease progression. Measuring total alpha-synuclein in plasma, serum, or CSF provides important insight into central nervous system pathology and may enable early detection, staging, and treatment response monitoring.
Due to its low abundance in blood and CSF and interference from peripheral alpha-synuclein, ultra-sensitive methods are required to measure total alpha-synuclein accurately. The Simoa® Alpha-Synuclein (Total) Advantage PLUS Assay (105737) leverages digital immunoassay technology to enable femtogram-level detection, supporting research into PD and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Certificates of Analysis
Key Benefits of the Simoa Alpha-Synuclein Assay
- Femtogram-Level Detection in Biofluids: Accurately measures low-abundance alpha-synuclein in serum, EDTA plasma, and CSF, critical for detecting early disease signals and differentiating disease stages.
- Automated High-Throughput Workflow on HD-X: Enables reproducible results across large cohorts with minimal operator variability and full automation.
Biological and Clinical Relevance
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research: Alpha-synuclein is central to Parkinson’s disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). This assay supports biomarker studies focused on diagnosis, progression, and therapeutic impact.
- Clinical Trial Utility: Facilitates longitudinal tracking of synuclein-targeting interventions, providing a quantifiable readout of treatment response.
- Complementary to Tau and Amyloid Biomarkers: Enables multi-pathway biomarker panels for disease differentiation and staging in atypical parkinsonian syndromes and mixed pathology dementias.
Powering Synuclein Research with Simoa®
Quanterix’s Simoa® platform offers the precision and scalability needed to quantify biomarkers like alpha-synuclein in complex matrices with exceptional accuracy. This assay supports:
- Parkinson’s disease biomarker research
- Synucleinopathy staging and stratification
- Monitoring drug response in clinical trials
- Fluid-based alternatives to invasive diagnostics
Applications and Intended Use
The Simoa Alpha-Synuclein (Total) Advantage PLUS Assay is a digital immunoassay intended for the quantification of total alpha-synuclein in human serum, EDTA plasma, and CSF samples, enabling research in Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies. This assay is for research use only and not for diagnostic applications.
Assay Specifications
- Compatible Instruments: HD-X
- Lower Limit of Detection (LOD): 2.4736 pg/mL
- Analytical Lower Limit of Quantification (LLOQ): 8.7040 pg/mL
- Sample Types: Serum, EDTA plasma, CSF
- Sample Volume Required:
- Serum/Plasma: 3,125 µL/test
- CSF: 12.5 µL/test
Kit Contents
The Alpha-Synuclein (Total) Advantage PLUS Assay Kit includes all reagents and controls necessary to perform 96 tests, ensuring consistency and reliability in every run.
Related Resources
Simoa® Technology Enables Early Detection and Monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease – Publication Brief
Advancing Parkinson’s Disease Research: The Role of Blood-Based Biomarkers – App Note