Lymphocyte SVCT2 Levels and Hoehn-Yahr Staging in Parkinson’s Disease: A Potential Prognostic Biomarker for Disease Progression

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Background: Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and is also known as a neuromodulator of dopaminergic neurons. This study investigated the association between SVCT2 expression levels in peripheral lymphocytes and the stage of Parkinson's disease. Methods: From November 1, 2023, to November 30, 2025, a total of 144 patients with Parkinson's disease (mean age: 67 ± 8.1 years) who were treated at YCH Hospital were enrolled in the study. The Hoehn-Yahr scale was used to classify the severity of Parkinson's disease. SVCT2 levels in lymphocytes were also measured through blood tests. The association between the SVCT2 levels and Parkinson's disease severity was analyzed using ordinal logistic regression analysis, including confounding variables. Results: Patients were divided into two groups based on the Hoehn-Yahr scale: early-stage (scale 1, 48 patients) and advanced-stage (scales 2–4, 96 patients). SVCT2 expression in lymphocytes of patients with severe Parkinson's disease was significantly lower than in patients with mild disease (p < 0.01). Linear regression analysis revealed that SVCT2 expression decreased significantly with each one-point increase in the H-Y scale (β = -1.25, p < 0.01). Additionally, ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that a one-point increase in SVCT2 expression was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of being in a lower H-Y stage. Conclusions: These results suggest that SVCT2 levels in peripheral blood lymphocytes may serve as a useful biomarker for predicting the progression of Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, enhancing SVCT2 levels may not only attenuate disease progression but also potentially alleviate Parkinsonian symptoms.

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