Background: Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 kinase inhibitors are being vigorously pursued as potential therapeutic options; however, there is a critical need for sensitive and quantitative assays of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 function and target engagement.
Objectives: Our objective was to compare collection and storage protocols for peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and to determine the optimal conditions for downstream analyses of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 in PD cohorts.
Methods: Here, we describe enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based assays capable of detecting multiple aspects of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 function at endogenous levels in human tissues.
Results: In peripheral blood mononuclear cells from both healthy and affected carriers of the G2019S mutation in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2, we report, for the first time, significantly elevated in vitro kinase activity, while detecting a significant increase in pS935/leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 in idiopathic PD patients.
Conclusions: Quantitative assays such as these described here could potentially uncover specific markers of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 function that are predictive of disease progression, aid in patient stratification, and be a critical component of upcoming clinical trials. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.