Could the blood hold answers to brain disease? A new study suggests it might—and that a previously underexplored molecule, DNM3OS, may pave the way for earlier, more precise diagnostics in Parkinson’s and other synucleinopathies.
Neurodegenerative diseases, particularly synucleinopathies like Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple system atrophy (MSA), are notoriously difficult to detect in their early stages. The symptoms can overlap, progression is variable, and current diagnostic tools often rely on clinical observation or costly imaging techniques.
A new study, published by scientists at the National Institutes of Health, offers a promising molecular insight: a blood-based biomarker that correlates strongly with these diseases. The molecule in question is DNM3OS, a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) whose levels were found to be elevated in the plasma of individuals with synucleinopathies. The research evaluated plasma samples from over 200 individuals, uncovering statistically significant associations between DNM3OS levels and disease presence.
Why DNM3OS? A Molecular Signal with Diagnostic Potential
While most biomarker studies focus on proteins, this one turns attention to a lncRNA—a type of RNA that doesn’t code for proteins but may play regulatory roles in gene expression. Researchers believe DNM3OS may be involved in cellular responses to alpha-synuclein aggregation, the hallmark of synucleinopathies.
Unlike alpha-synuclein itself, which has proven difficult to detect reliably in blood due to its instability and low abundance, DNM3OS appears more stable and easier to measure in plasma samples. This gives it strong potential as a surrogate marker.
Importantly, the study found that elevated levels of DNM3OS did not appear in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or healthy controls, underscoring its potential specificity for synuclein-driven disorders.
“The ability to detect this marker in blood opens new avenues for non-invasive diagnosis, disease stratification, and even clinical trial recruitment,” says Dr. Mark Cookson, senior investigator at NIH and co-author of the study.
Implications for Labs, Diagnostics, and Molecular Workflows
For molecular diagnostics teams, clinical researchers, and biotechnology developers, this discovery emphasizes a few key trends:
- Rise of RNA-Based Biomarkers
With the growing reliability of RNA stabilization and extraction kits, non-coding RNA markers are gaining ground in diagnostics, especially where proteins are elusive or unstable. - Shift Toward Liquid Biopsy for Neurological Disorders
Traditionally used in oncology, liquid biopsy concepts are expanding into neurology, enabling detection of brain-related changes via peripheral blood. - New Opportunities in Test Development
The specificity of DNM3OS opens the door for molecular diagnostic assays that could differentiate between Parkinson’s, MSA, and other neurodegenerative diseases. - Tool and Workflow Readiness
For laboratory managers and quality control professionals, this shift means ensuring access to: - High-purity RNA extraction kits suitable for plasma
- Nuclease-free consumables
- qPCR or RNA-seq platforms with high sensitivity
- Reagents optimized for low-abundance RNA quantification
Research Applications and Next Steps
While the study provides compelling evidence, the authors note that larger, longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm DNM3OS as a validated clinical biomarker. Nevertheless, this finding contributes to a growing field of biomarker discovery in neurology, and could serve as a foundation for early intervention research, disease-modifying trials, and population-level screening strategies in the future.
For forensic labs, this also raises a question of how molecular aging or neurodegenerative signatures in blood could one day support investigations or postmortem diagnostics.
“This kind of molecular signal may not only tell us who has the disease—it could help us understand why, and how it progresses,” said Dr. Cookson.
Source:
Science News. “A Protein in the Blood May Be a Marker for Parkinson’s and Related Brain Diseases.” Published July 18, 2024. Read the original article