Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Is Impaired in De Novo Parkinson's Disease

Samantha Varada; Amber L Prasad; Brenna M Lobb; Lee E Neilson; Jonathan E Elliott; Miranda M Lim; Barbara H Brumbach; Joseph F Quinn; Nora E Gray

doi:10.1007/s12035-025-05224-6

Back

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Is Impaired in De Novo Parkinson's Disease

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Is Impaired in De Novo Parkinson's Disease

Samantha Varada, Amber L Prasad, Brenna M Lobb, Lee E Neilson, Jonathan E Elliott, Miranda M Lim, Barbara H Brumbach, Joseph F Quinn and Nora E Gray

Molecular neurobiology, Vol.62(11), pp.14221-14226

11/01/2025

DOI: 10.1007/s12035-025-05224-6

PMID: 40681825

View Online

Abstract

Mitochondrial dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a key driver of pathology in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) have emerged as an accessible way to characterize mitochondrial function in PD. The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the clinical relevance of PBMC mitochondrial function as a biomarker in early PD. PBMC mitochondrial bioenergetics were measured using the Seahorse XF platform in individuals with de novo, untreated PD (n = 13) and compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 15). Correlations between mitochondrial endpoints and clinical outcomes were assessed in the PD group. Basal and ATP-linked respiration were elevated in the PD group (p = 0.002, p = 0.004), while spare capacity, or the cell's ability to handle an unexpected energetic stress, was decreased (p = 0.045), relative to controls. Notably, the variability within basal respiratory measurements was markedly increased in the PD group compared to controls (p = 0.002). Further analyses revealed significant correlations between spare capacity and clinical motor function scores within the PD group. These findings support the potential of PBMC bioenergetics as a biomarker for early-stage PD as well as disease progression.

Aged

Case-Control Studies

Energy Metabolism - physiology

Female

Humans

Leukocytes, Mononuclear - metabolism

Leukocytes, Mononuclear - pathology

Male

Middle Aged

Mitochondria - metabolism

Parkinson Disease - blood

Parkinson Disease - metabolism

Parkinson Disease - pathology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Mitochondrial Bioenergetics Is Impaired in De Novo Parkinson's Disease
Creators: Samantha Varada - Oregon Health & Science University
Amber L Prasad - Oregon Health & Science University
Brenna M Lobb - Oregon Health & Science University
Lee E Neilson - Oregon Health & Science University
Jonathan E Elliott - VA Portland Health Care System
Miranda M Lim - Oregon Health & Science University
Barbara H Brumbach - Oregon Health & Science University
Joseph F Quinn - Oregon Health & Science University
Nora E Gray - Oregon Health & Science University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Molecular neurobiology, Vol.62(11), pp.14221-14226
DOI: 10.1007/s12035-025-05224-6
PMID: 40681825
NLM abbreviation: Mol Neurobiol
ISSN: 0893-7648
eISSN: 1559-1182
Language: English
Date published: 11/01/2025
Academic Unit: Neurology
Record Identifier: 9985089435202771

Metrics

3 Record Views