# MRI molecular imaging of alpha-synuclein aggregates in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease

> **NIH NIH R21** · BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $440,438

## Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the leading disease affecting brain cells which results in movement
disorders. It is characterized by the deposition of misfolded aggregates of a protein called alpha-
synuclein within brain cells. These aggregates form clusters referred to as Lewy bodies and
Lewy neurites within the affected cells. Autopsy results from patients with PD suggest that these
protein aggregates start forming from the back of the brain and then spread to the center and
other parts of the central nervous system. This process may last several years (can be
decades), before patients start experiencing any movement disorders. Therefore, any
technology which can detect the presence of these protein aggregates in living persons can be
useful as an early detection tool for PD. To date, there is no such technology but there are
several research efforts focused on developing a technique known as positron emission
tomography (PET). This technology has been shown to work in imaging a similar type of
misfolded protein aggregates called amyloid-beta plaques found in the brains of patients with
Alzheimer's disease. However, PET agents are often limited to specialized medical centers and
research labs, are cost prohibitive, and expose patients to hazardous radiation. There is a need
for low cost and readily accessible imaging technologies for both clinical use and research
purposes. We propose to develop a highly innovative approach to detect the presence of
aggregates of alpha-synuclein in the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is
less expensive and more accessible to both researchers and clinicians. The technology is
based on a nanoparticle (bearing MRI-sensitive molecules), with the ability to selectively bind to
alpha-synuclein aggregates. We hypothesize that when administered intravenously, these
particles will cross from circulation into cerebrospinal fluid and bind to alpha-synuclein
aggregates in the brain of a mouse model of Parkinson's disease, forming a complex. The
resulting complex will then be taken up by brain and resident immune cells, allowing for
accumulation of detectable levels of the MRI agent in affected regions of the brain. We intend to
build on experience on developing a similar particle for imaging amyloid-beta plaques in mouse
models of Alzheimer's disease (set to debut in clinical trials in early 2020), to carry this project to
a successful completion.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9955603
- **Project number:** 1R21AG067131-01
- **Recipient organization:** BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Eric Tanifum
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $440,438
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-05-15 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9955603

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9955603, MRI molecular imaging of alpha-synuclein aggregates in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease (1R21AG067131-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9955603. Licensed CC0.

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