RESUMO
Lewy bodies formed by abnormal deposition of α-synuclein (α-syn) in neurons and glial cells are diagnostic markers of α-synucleinopathies. However, the early diagnosis of α-synucleinopathies is delayed due to the difficulty of brain biopsy at present. Because that α-syn can produce prion-like replication and spread to the periphery under pathological conditions, the ultramicro detection of pathologic α-syn in extracranial tissues by real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) technique can provide a basis for early diagnosis of α-synucleinopathies. In this paper, we review RT-QuIC technique in detecting α-syn seeding activity in different tissues of patients with α-synucleinopathies to summarize the potential value of RT-QuIC technique in early diagnosis or differential diagnosis of α-synucleinopathies.