Brief Communication abstract
Nature Medicine 14, 501 - 503 (2008)
Published online: 6 April 2008 | doi:10.1038/nm1746
Lewy bodies in grafted neurons in subjects with Parkinson's disease suggest host-to-graft disease propagation
Jia-Yi Li1, Elisabet Englund2, Janice L Holton3, Denis Soulet1, Peter Hagell4, Andrew J Lees3, Tammaryn Lashley3, Niall P Quinn5, Stig Rehncrona6, Anders Björklund7, Håkan Widner4, Tamas Revesz3,9, Olle Lindvall4,8,9 & Patrik Brundin1,9
Two subjects with Parkinson's disease who had long-term survival of transplanted fetal mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons (11–16 years) developed 
-synuclein–positive Lewy bodies in grafted neurons. Our observation has key implications for understanding Parkinson's pathogenesis by providing the first evidence, to our knowledge, that the disease can propagate from host to graft cells. However, available data suggest that the majority of grafted cells are functionally unimpaired after a decade, and recipients can still experience long-term symptomatic relief.
- Neuronal Survival Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
- Division of Neuropathology, Lund University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.
- Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Division of Neurology, Lund University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- Division of Neurosurgery, Lund University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden.
- Neurobiology Unit, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
- Section of Restorative Neurology, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
- These authors are senior authors.
Correspondence to: Patrik Brundin1,9 e-mail: patrik.brundin@med.lu.se