α-Synuclein: Normal Function and Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Role of α- and β-Synucleins in the Axonal Pathology of Parkinson's Disease and Related Synucleinopathies

Axonal swellings are histological hallmarks of axonopathies in various types of disorders in the central nervous system, including neurodegenerative diseases. Given the pivotal role of axonopathies during the early phase of neurodegenerative process, axonal swellings may be good models which may provide some clues for early pathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). In this mini-review, such a possibility is discussed based on our recent studies as well as other accumulating studies. Consistent with the current view that dysfunction in the autophagy-lysosomal system may play a major role in the formation of axonal swellings, our studies showed globule, small axonal swellings, derived from transgenic mice expressing either human wild-type α-synuclein (αS-globule) or DLB-linked P123H β-synuclein (βS-globule), contained autophagosome-like membranes. However, other pathological features, such as abnormal mitochondria, enhanced oxidative stress and LRRK2 accumulation, were observed in the αS-globules, but not in the βS-globules. Collectively, it is predicted that αS and βS may be involved in axonopathies through similar but distinct mechanisms, and thus, contribute to diverse axonal pathologies. Further studies of the axonal swellings may lead to elucidating the pathogenic mechanism of early α-synucleinopathies and illuminating a strategy for a disease-modifying therapy against these devastating disorders.

Glia and alpha-synuclein in neurodegeneration: A complex interaction

α-Synucleinopathies (ASP) comprise adult-onset, progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) that are characterized by α-synuclein (AS) aggregates in neurons or glia. PD and DLB feature neuronal AS-positive inclusions termed Lewy bodies (LB) whereas glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs, Papp-Lantos bodies) are recognized as the defining hallmark of MSA. Furthermore, AS-positive cytoplasmic aggregates may also be seen in astroglial cells of PD/DLB and MSA brains. The glial AS-inclusions appear to trigger reduced trophic support resulting in neuronal loss. Moreover, microgliosis and astrogliosis can be found throughout the neurodegenerative brain and both are key players in the initiation and progression of ASP. In this review, we will highlight AS-dependent alterations of glial function and their impact on neuronal vulnerability thereby providing a detailed summary on the multifaceted role of glia in ASP.

Alpha-synuclein function and dysfunction on cellular membranes

Alpha-synuclein is a small neuronal protein that is closely associated with the etiology of Parkinson's disease. Mutations in and alterations in expression levels of alpha-synuclein cause autosomal dominant early onset heredity forms of Parkinson's disease, and sporadic Parkinson's disease is defined in part by the presence of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites that are composed primarily of alpha-synuclein deposited in an aggregated amyloid fibril state. The normal function of alpha-synuclein is poorly understood, and the precise mechanisms by which it leads to toxicity and cell death are also unclear. Although alpha-synuclein is a highly soluble, cytoplasmic protein, it binds to a variety of cellular membranes of different properties and compositions. These interactions are considered critical for at least some normal functions of alpha-synuclein, and may well play critical roles in both the aggregation of the protein and its mechanisms of toxicity. Here we review the known features of alpha-synuclein membrane interactions in the context of both the putative functions of the protein and of its pathological roles in disease.

Cyclosporine A and MnTMPyP Alleviate α-Synuclein Expression and Aggregation in Cypermethrin-Induced Parkinsonism

Cypermethrin induces the mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons leading to Parkinsonism in rats. Despite α-synuclein aggregation is reported to be critical in Parkinson's disease, its role and alliance with the mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage leading to cypermethrin-induced Parkinsonism have not yet been deciphered. The present study aimed to examine the effect of cypermethrin on the expression and aggregation of α-synuclein and its subsequent connection with oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the presence or absence of a mitochondrial membrane transition pore opening inhibitor, cyclosporine A and a superoxide dismutase/catalase mimetic, manganese (III) tetrakis (1-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin pentachloride (MnTMPyP). The expression of α-synuclein, 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)-modified proteins, mitochondrial dysfunction-dependent apoptotic proteins, nitrite content, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons were estimated in the substantia nigra and dopamine content in the striatum of control and treated rats employing standard procedures. Cypermethrin augmented the expression of α-synuclein, 3-NT, 4-HNE-modified proteins, caspase-3, mitochondrial Bax and cytosolic cytochrome-c along with nitrite and LPO and reduced the expression of cytosolic Bax, mitochondrial cytochrome-c, dopamine and number of TH-positive neurons. Cyclosporine A or MnTMPyP alleviated the expression and aggregation of α-synuclein along with indicators of the mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage and dopaminergic neurodegeneration. The results demonstrate that cypermethrin induces α-synuclein expression and aggregation while cyclosporine A or MnTMPyP rescues from α-synuclein over-expression and aggregation along with the mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage leading to Parkinsonism in rats.

Epigenetic upregulation of alpha-synuclein in the rats exposed to methamphetamine

Abuse of methamphetamine (METH) increases the risk of occurrence of Parkinson׳s disease (PD) in the individuals. Increased expression of synaptic protein α-synuclein (encoded by gene Snca) is remarkably associated with the neuronal loss and motor dysfunction in the patients with PD. The present study aimed to explore the epigenetic mechanism underlying the altered expression of α-synuclein in substantia nigra in the rats previously exposed to METH. Exposure to METH induced significant behavioral impairments in the rotarod test and open field test, as well as the upregulation of cytokine synthesis in the substantia nigra. Significantly increased expression of α-synuclein was also observed in the substantia nigra in the rats exposed to METH. Further chromatin immunoprecipitation and bisulfite sequencing studies revealed a significantly decreased cytosine methylation in the Snca promoter region in the rats exposed to METH. It was found that the occupancy of methyl CpG binding protein 2 and DNA methyltransferase 1 in Snca promoter region was also significantly decreased in the substantia nigra in the modeled rats. These results advanced our understanding on the mechanism of the increased incidence of PD in the individuals with history use of METH, and shed novel lights on the development of therapeutic approaches for the patients conflicted with this neurological disorder.

Residue histidine 50 plays a key role in protecting α-synuclein from aggregation at physiological pH

α-Synuclein (αSyn) aggregation is involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease (PD). Recently, substitution of histidine 50 in αSyn with a glutamine, H50Q, was identified as a new familial PD mutant. Here, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies revealed that the H50Q substitution causes an increase of the flexibility of the C-terminal region. This finding provides direct evidence that this PD-causing mutant can mediate long range effects on the sampling of αSyn conformations. In vitro aggregation assays showed that substitution of His-50 with Gln, Asp, or Ala promotes αSyn aggregation, whereas substitution with the positively charged Arg suppresses αSyn aggregation. Histidine carries a partial positive charge at neutral pH, and so our result suggests that positively charged His-50 plays a role in protecting αSyn from aggregation under physiological conditions.

Presynaptic alpha-synuclein aggregation in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies are associated with abnormal neuronal aggregation of α-synuclein. However, the mechanisms of aggregation and their relationship to disease are poorly understood. We developed an in vivo multiphoton imaging paradigm to study α-synuclein aggregation in mouse cortex with subcellular resolution. We used a green fluorescent protein-tagged human α-synuclein mouse line that has moderate overexpression levels mimicking human disease. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) of labeled protein demonstrated that somatic α-synuclein existed primarily in an unbound, soluble pool. In contrast, α-synuclein in presynaptic terminals was in at least three different pools: (1) as unbound, soluble protein; (2) bound to presynaptic vesicles; and (3) as microaggregates. Serial imaging of microaggregates over 1 week demonstrated a heterogeneous population with differing α-synuclein exchange rates. The microaggregate species were resistant to proteinase K, phosphorylated at serine-129, oxidized, and associated with a decrease in the presynaptic vesicle protein synapsin and glutamate immunogold labeling. Multiphoton FRAP provided the specific binding constants for α-synuclein's binding to synaptic vesicles and its effective diffusion coefficient in the soma and axon, setting the stage for future studies targeting synuclein modifications and their effects. Our in vivo results suggest that, under moderate overexpression conditions, α-synuclein aggregates are selectively found in presynaptic terminals.

Lysine acetyltransferases CBP and p300 as therapeutic targets in cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders

Neuropsychiatric pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental syndromes, are frequently associated with dysregulation of various essential cellular mechanisms, such as transcription, mitochondrial respiration and protein degradation. In these complex scenarios, it is difficult to pinpoint the specific molecular dysfunction that initiated the pathology or that led to the fatal cascade of events that ends with the death of the neuron. Among the possible original factors, epigenetic dysregulation has attracted special attention. This review focuses on two highly related epigenetic factors that are directly involved in a number of neurological disorders, the lysine acetyltransferases CREB-binding protein (CBP) and E1A-associated protein p300 (p300). We first comment on the role of chromatin acetylation and the enzymes that control it, particularly CBP and p300, in neuronal plasticity and cognition. Next, we describe the involvement of these proteins in intellectual disability and in different neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, we discuss the potential of ameliorative strategies targeting CBP/p300 for the treatment of these disorders.

Parkinson's disease and alpha synuclein: is Parkinson's disease a prion-like disorder?

Altered protein handling is thought to play a key role in the etiopathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), as the disorder is characterized neuropathologically by the accumulation of intraneuronal protein aggregates (Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites). Attention has particularly focused on the α-synuclein protein, as it is the principal component of Lewy pathology. Moreover, point mutations in the α-synuclein gene cause rare familial forms of PD. Importantly, duplication/triplication of the wild type α-synuclein gene also cause a form of PD, indicating that increased levels of the normal α-synuclein protein is sufficient to cause the disease. Further, single nucleotide polymorphisms in the α-synuclein gene are associated with an increased risk of developing sporadic PD. Recent evidence now suggests the possibility that α-synuclein is a prion-like protein and that PD is a prion-like disease. Within cells, α-synuclein normally adopts an α-helical conformation. However, under certain circumstances, the protein can undergo a profound conformational transition to a β-sheet-rich structure that polymerizes to form toxic oligomers and amyloid plaques. Recent autopsy studies of patients with advanced PD who received transplantation of fetal nigral mesencephalic cells more than a decade earlier demonstrated that typical Lewy pathology had developed within grafted neurons. This suggests that α-synuclein in an aberrantly folded, β-sheet-rich form had migrated from affected to unaffected neurons. Laboratory studies confirm that α-synuclein can transfer from affected to unaffected nerve cells, where it appears that the misfolded protein can act as a template to promote misfolding of host α-synuclein. This leads to the formation of larger aggregates, neuronal dysfunction, and neurodegeneration. Indeed, recent reports demonstrate that a single intracerebral inoculation of misfolded α-synuclein can induce Lewy-like pathology in cells that can spread from affected to unaffected regions and can induce neurodegeneration with motor disturbances in both transgenic and normal mice. Further, inoculates derived from the brains of elderly α-synuclein-overexpressing transgenic mice have now been shown to accelerate the disease process when injected into the brains of young transgenic animals. Collectively, these findings support the hypothesis that α-synuclein is a prion-like protein that can adopt a self-propagating conformation that causes neurodegeneration. We propose that this mechanism plays an important role in the development of PD and provides novel targets for candidate neuroprotective therapies.

α-Synuclein oligomers with broken helical conformation form lipoprotein nanoparticles

α-Synuclein (αS) is a membrane-binding protein with sequence similarity to apolipoproteins and other lipid-carrying proteins, which are capable of forming lipid-containing nanoparticles, sometimes referred to as "discs." Previously, it has been unclear whether αS also possesses this property. Using cryo-electron microscopy and light scattering, we found that αS can remodel phosphatidylglycerol vesicles into nanoparticles whose shape (ellipsoidal) and dimensions (in the 7-10-nm range) resemble those formed by apolipoproteins. The molar ratio of αS to lipid in nanoparticles is ∼1:20, and αS is oligomeric (including trimers and tetramers). Similar nanoparticles form when αS is added to vesicles of mitochondrial lipids. This observation suggests a mechanism for the previously reported disruption of mitochondrial membranes by αS. Circular dichroism and four-pulse double electron electron resonance experiments revealed that in nanoparticles αS assumes a broken helical conformation distinct from the extended helical conformation adopted when αS is bound to intact vesicles or membrane tubules. We also observed αS-dependent tubule and nanoparticle formation in the presence of oleic acid, implying that αS can interact with fatty acids and lipids in a similar manner. αS-related nanoparticles might play a role in lipid and fatty acid transport functions previously attributed to this protein.

Conformational templating of α-synuclein aggregates in neuronal-glial cultures

Background

Genetic studies have established a causative role for α-synuclein (αS) in Parkinson’s disease (PD), and the presence of αS aggregates in the form of Lewy body (LB) and Lewy neurite (LN) protein inclusions are defining pathological features of PD. Recent data has established that extracellular αS aggregates can induce intracellular αS pathologies supporting the hypothesis that αS pathology can spread via a “prion-like” self-templating mechanism.

Results

Here we investigated the potential for conformational templating of αS intracellular aggregates by seeding using recombinant wild-type and PD-linked mutant (A53T and E46K) αS in primary mixed neuronal-glial cultures. We find that wild-type and A53T αS fibrils predominantly seed flame-like inclusions in both neurons and astrocytes of mixed primary cultures; whereas the structurally distinct E46K fibrils seed punctate, rounded inclusions. Notably, these differences in seeded inclusion formation in these cultures reflect differences in inclusion pathology seen in transgenic mice expressing the A53T or E46K αS mutants. We further show that the inclusion morphology is dictated primarily by the seed applied rather than the form of αS expressed. We also provide initial evidence that αS inclusion pathology can be passaged in primary astrocyte cultures.

Conclusion

These studies establish for the first time that αS aggregation in cultured cells can occur by a morphological self-templating mechanism.

Neurofibrillary tangle-like tau pathology induced by synthetic tau fibrils in primary neurons over-expressing mutant tau

Increasing evidence demonstrates the transmissibility of fibrillar species of tau protein, but this has never been directly tested in neurons, the cell type most affected by formation of tau inclusions in neurodegenerative tauopathies. Here we show that synthetic tau fibrils made from recombinant protein not only time-dependently recruit normal tau into neurofibrillary tangle-like insoluble aggregates in primary hippocampal neurons over-expressing human tau, but also induce neuritic tau pathology in non-transgenic neurons. This study provides highly compelling support for the protein-only hypothesis of pathological tau transmission in primary neurons and describes a useful neuronal model for studying the pathogenesis of tauopathies.

Membrane-bound α-synuclein interacts with glucocerebrosidase and inhibits enzyme activity

Mutations in GBA, the gene encoding glucocerebrosidase, the lysosomal enzyme deficient in Gaucher disease increase the risk for developing Parkinson disease. Recent research suggests a relationship between glucocerebrosidase and the Parkinson disease-related amyloid-forming protein, α-synuclein; however, the specific molecular mechanisms responsible for association remain elusive. Previously, we showed that α-synuclein and glucocerebrosidase interact selectively under lysosomal conditions, and proposed that this newly identified interaction might influence cellular levels of α-synuclein by either promoting protein degradation and/or preventing aggregation. Here, we demonstrate that membrane-bound α-synuclein interacts with glucocerebrosidase, and that this complex formation inhibits enzyme function. Using site-specific fluorescence and Förster energy transfer probes, we mapped the protein-enzyme interacting regions on unilamellar vesicles. Our data suggest that on the membrane surface, the glucocerebrosidase-α-synuclein interaction involves a larger α-synuclein region compared to that found in solution. In addition, α-synuclein acts as a mixed inhibitor with an apparent IC(50) in the submicromolar range. Importantly, the membrane-bound, α-helical form of α-synuclein is necessary for inhibition. This glucocerebrosidase interaction and inhibition likely contribute to the mechanism underlying GBA-associated parkinsonism.

Spinal cord lesions in sporadic Parkinson's disease

In this autopsy-based study, α-synuclein immunohistochemistry and lipofuscin pigment-Nissl architectonics in serial sections of 100 μm thickness were used to investigate the spinal cords and brains of 46 individuals: 28 patients with clinically and neuropathologically confirmed Parkinson's disease, 6 cases with incidental Lewy body disease, and 12 age-matched controls. α-Synuclein inclusions (particulate aggregations, Lewy neurites/bodies) in the spinal cord were present between neuropathological stages 2-6 in all cases whose brains were staged for Parkinson's disease-related synucleinopathy. The only individuals who did not have Lewy pathology in the spinal cord were a single stage 1 case (incidental Lewy body disease) and all controls. Because the Parkinson's disease-related lesions were observable in the spinal cord only after Lewy pathology was seen in the brain, it could be concluded that, within the central nervous system, sporadic Parkinson's disease does not begin in the spinal cord. In addition: (1) α-Synuclein-immunoreactive axons clearly predominated over Lewy bodies throughout the spinal cord and were visible in medial and anterior portions of the anterolateral funiculus. Their terminal axons formed dense α-synuclein-immunoreactive networks in the gray matter and were most conspicuous in the lateral portions of layers 1, 7, and in the cellular islands of layer 9. (2) Notably, this axonopathy increased remarkably in density from cervicothoracic segments to lumbosacral segments of the cord. (3) Topographically, it is likely that the spinal cord α-synuclein immunoreactive axonal networks represent descending projections from the supraspinal level setting nuclei (locus coeruleus, lower raphe nuclei, magnocellular portions of the reticular formation). (4) Following the appearance of the spinal cord axonal networks, select types of projection neurons in the spinal cord gray matter displayed α-synuclein-immunoreactive inclusions: chiefly, nociceptive neurons of the dorsal horn in layer 1, sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons in layer 7, the cellular pools of α-motoneurons in layer 9, and the smaller motoneurons in Onuf's nucleus in layer 9 (ventral horn). The spinal cord lesions may contribute to clinical symptoms (e.g., pain, constipation, poor balance, lower urinary tract complaints, and sexual dysfunction) that occur during the premotor and motor phases of sporadic Parkinson's disease.

Investigation of the Polymeric Properties of α-Synuclein and Comparison with NMR Experiments: A Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics Study

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) have been shown to be involved in a number of cellular functions, in addition to their predominance in diseased states. α-synuclein may be described as one such IDP implicated in the pathology of Parkinson's disease. Understanding the conformational characteristics of the monomeric state of α-synuclein is necessary for understanding the role of the monomer conformation in aggregation. Polymer theories have been applied to investigate the statistical properties of homopolymeric IDPs. Here we use Replica Exchange Molecular Dynamics (REMD) simulations using temperature as a proxy for solvent quality to examine how well these theories developed for homopolymeric chains describe heteropolymeric α-synuclein. Our results indicate that α-synuclein behaves like a homopolymer at the extremes of solvent quality, while in the intermediate solvent regime, the uneven distribution of charged residues along the sequence strongly influences the conformations adopted by the chain. We refine the ensemble extracted from the REMD simulations of α-synuclein, which shows the best qualitative agreement with experiment, by fitting to the experimental NMR Residual Dipolar Couplings (RDCs) and Paramagnetic Relaxation Enhancements (PREs). Our results demonstrate that the detailed shape of the RDC patterns are sensitive to the angular correlations that are local in sequence while longer range anti-correlations which arise from packing constraints affect the RDC magnitudes.

Role of C-terminal negative charges and tyrosine residues in fibril formation of α-synuclein

α-Synuclein (140 amino acids), one of the causative proteins of Parkinson's disease, forms amyloid fibrils in brain neuronal cells. In order to further explore the contributions of the C-terminal region of α-synuclein in fibril formation and also to understand the overall mechanism of fibril formation, we reduced the number of negatively charged residues in the C-terminal region using mutagenesis. Mutants with negative charges deleted displayed accelerated fibril formation compared with wild-type α-synuclein, demonstrating that negative charges located in the C-terminal region of α-synuclein modulate fibril formation. Additionally, when tyrosine residues located at position 125, 133, and 136 in the C-terminal region were changed to alanine residue(s), we found that all mutants containing the Tyr136Ala mutation showed delays in fibril formation compared with wild type. Mutation of Tyr136 to various amino acids revealed that aromatic residues located at this position act favorably toward fibril formation. In mutants where charge neutralization and tyrosine substitution were combined, we found that these two factors influence fibril formation in complex fashion. These findings highlight the importance of negative charges and aromatic side chains in the C-terminal region of α-synuclein in fibril formation.

Proteolytic cleavage of extracellular α-synuclein by plasmin: implications for Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive dopaminergic neuronal loss in association with Lewy body inclusions. Gathering evidence indicates that α-synuclein (α-syn), a major component of the Lewy body, plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PD. Although α-syn is considered to be a cytoplasmic protein, it has been detected in extracellular biological fluids, including human cerebrospinal fluid and blood plasma of healthy and diseased individuals. In addition, a prion-like spread of α-syn aggregates has been recently proposed to contribute to the propagation of Lewy bodies throughout the nervous system during progression of PD, suggesting that the metabolism of extracellular α-syn might play a key role in the pathogenesis of PD. In the present study, we found that plasmin cleaved and degraded extracellular α-syn specifically in a dose- and time- dependent manner. Aggregated forms of α-syn as well as monomeric α-syn were also cleaved by plasmin. Plasmin cleaved mainly the N-terminal region of α-syn and also inhibited the translocation of extracellular α-syn into the neighboring cells in addition to the activation of microglia and astrocytes by extracellular α-syn. Further, extracellular α-syn regulated the plasmin system through up-regulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression. These findings help to understand the molecular mechanism of PD and develop new therapeutic targets for PD.

α-Synuclein knockout mice have cognitive impairments

α-Synuclein is a member of the synuclein family of cytoplasmic, predominantly neuron-specific proteins. Considerable amount of α-synuclein is found in axons and presynaptic terminals of neurons located in brain areas responsible for emotions and memory. In the present study we have carried out behavioral evaluation of spatial and working long-term memory of α-synuclein knockout mice. Our data shows that α-synuclein knockout mice have reduced learning ability in tests requiring both working and spatial memory. For the first time we have demonstrated that α-synuclein is necessary for these types of learning.

Influence of RNA interference on the mitochondrial subcellular localization of alpha-synuclein and on the formation of Lewy body-like inclusions in the cytoplasm of human embryonic kidney 293 cells induced by the overexpression of alpha-synuclein

The specific and effective α-synuclein RNA interference (RNAi) plasmids, and the α-synuclein-pEGFP recombinant plasmids were co-transfected into human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells using the lipofectamine method. Using an inverted fluorescence microscope, α-synuclein proteins were observed to aggregate in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Wild-type α-synuclein proteins co-localized with mitochondria. Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed round eosinophilic bodies (Lewy body-like inclusions) in the cytoplasm of some cells transfected with α-synuclein-pEGFP plasmid. However, the formation of Lewy body-like inclusions was not observed following transfection with the RNAi pSYN-1 plasmid. RNAi blocked Lewy body-like inclusions in the cytoplasm of HEK293 cells induced by wild-type α-synuclein overexpression, but RNAi did not affect the subcellular localization of wild-type α-synuclein in mitochondria.

The role of α-synuclein in neurodegeneration — An update

Genetic, neuropathological and biochemical evidence implicates α-synuclein, a 140 amino acid presynaptic neuronal protein, in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. The aggregated protein inclusions mainly containing aberrant α-synuclein are widely accepted as morphological hallmarks of α-synucleinopathies, but their composition and location vary between disorders along with neuronal networks affected. α-Synuclein exists physiologically in both soluble and membran-bound states, in unstructured and α-helical conformations, respectively, while posttranslational modifications due to proteostatic deficits are involved in β-pleated aggregation resulting in formation of typical inclusions. The physiological function of α-synuclein and its role linked to neurodegeneration, however, are incompletely understood. Soluble oligomeric, not fully fibrillar α-synuclein is thought to be neurotoxic, main targets might be the synapse, axons and glia. The effects of aberrant α-synuclein include alterations of calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative and nitric injuries, cytoskeletal effects, and neuroinflammation. Proteasomal dysfunction might be a common mechanism in the pathogenesis of neuronal degeneration in α-synucleinopathies. However, how α-synuclein induces neurodegeneration remains elusive as its physiological function. Genome wide association studies demonstrated the important role for genetic variants of the SNCA gene encoding α-synuclein in the etiology of Parkinson’s disease, possibly through effects on oxidation, mitochondria, autophagy, and lysosomal function. The neuropathology of synucleinopathies and the role of α-synuclein as a potential biomarker are briefly summarized. Although animal models provided new insights into the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease and multiple system atrophy, most of them do not adequately reproduce the cardinal features of these disorders. Emerging evidence, in addition to synergistic interactions of α-synuclein with various pathogenic proteins, suggests that prionlike induction and seeding of α-synuclein could lead to the spread of the pathology and disease progression. Intervention in the early aggregation pathway, aberrant cellular effects, or secretion of α-synuclein might be targets for neuroprotection and disease-modifying therapy.

α-Synuclein potentiates interleukin-1β-induced CXCL10 expression in human A172 astrocytoma cells

Neuroinflammation and neuronal degeneration observed in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been attributed in part to glial-mediated events. Increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines and abnormal accumulation of the neuronal protein, α-synuclein in the brain are also characteristic of PD. While increasing evidence suggests that astrocytes contribute to neuroinflammation and dopaminergic neuronal degeneration associated with PD, there remains much to learn about these astroglial-mediated events. Therefore, we investigated the in vitro effects of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and α-synuclein on astroglial expression of interferon-γ inducible protein-10 (CXCL10), a proinflammatory and neurotoxic chemokine. IL-1β-induced CXCL10 protein expression was potentiated by co-exposure to α-synuclein. α-Synuclein did not significantly affect IL-1β-induced CXCL10 mRNA expression, but did mediate increased CXCL10 mRNA stability, which may explain, in part, the increased levels of secreted CXCL10 protein. Future investigations are warranted to more fully define the mechanism by which α-synuclein enhances IL-1β-induced astroglial CXCL10 expression. These findings highlight the importance of α-synuclein in modulating inflammatory events in astroglia. These events may be particularly relevant to the pathology of CNS disorders involving α-synuclein accumulation, including PD and HIV-1 associated dementia.

Studies of protein aggregation in A53T α-synuclein transgenic, Tg2576 transgenic, and P246L presenilin-1 knock-in cross bred mice

Synucleinopathies are a group of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson disease, associated with neuronal amyloid inclusions comprised of the presynaptic protein α-synuclein (α-syn); however the biological events that initiate and lead to the formation of these inclusions are still poorly understood. There is mounting evidence that intracellular α-syn aggregation may proceed via a seeding mechanism and could spread between neurons through a prion-like mechanism that may involve other amyloidogenic proteins. Several lines of evidence suggest that Aβ peptides and/or extracellular Aβ deposits may directly or indirectly promote intracellular α-syn aggregation. To assess the effects of Aβ peptides and extracellular Aβ deposits on α-syn aggregate formation, transgenic mice (line M83) expressing A53T human α-syn that are sensitive to developing α-syn pathological inclusions were cross bred to Tg2576 transgenic mice that generated elevated levels of Aβ peptides and develop abundant Aβ plaques. In addition these mice were bred to mice with the P264L presenilin-1 knock-in mutation that further promotes Aβ plaque formation. These mice demonstrated the expected formation of Aβ plaques; however despite the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated α-syn dystrophic neurites within or surrounding Aβ plaques, no additional α-syn pathologies were observed. These studies show that Aβ amyloid deposits can cause the local aggregation of α-syn, but these did not lead to more extensive α-syn pathology.

[Role of genetics in the etiology of synucleinopathies]

The protein family known as synucleins is composed of α-, β- and γ-synuclein. The most widely studied is the α-synuclein protein due to its participation in essential processes of the central nervous system. Neurotoxicity of this protein is related to the presence of multiplications (duplications and triplications) and point mutations in the gene sequence of the α-synuclein gene (SNCA), differential expression of its isoforms and variations in post-transductional modifications. Neurotoxicity is also related to cytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs), which are also present in α-synucleinopathies. In general, the β-synuclein protein, codified by the SNCB gene, acts as a regulator of processes triggered by α-synuclein and its function is altered by variations in the gene sequence, while γ-synuclein, codified by the SNCG gene, seems to play a major role in certain tumoral processes.

Hsc70 protein interaction with soluble and fibrillar alpha-synuclein

The aggregation of α-synuclein (α-Syn), the primary component of Lewy bodies, into high molecular weight assemblies is strongly associated with Parkinson disease. This event is believed to result from a conformational change within native α-Syn. Molecular chaperones exert critical housekeeping functions in vivo including refolding, maintaining in a soluble state, and/or pacifying protein aggregates. The influence of the stress-induced heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) on α-Syn aggregation has been notably investigated. The constitutively expressed chaperone Hsc70 acts as an antiaggregation barrier before cells are overwhelmed with α-Syn aggregates and Hsp70 expression induced. Here, we investigate the interaction between Hsc70 and α-Syn, the consequences of this interaction, and the role of nucleotides and co-chaperones Hdj1 and Hdj2 as modulators. We show that Hsc70 sequesters soluble α-Syn in an assembly incompetent complex in the absence of ATP. The affinity of Hsc70 for soluble α-Syn diminishes upon addition of ATP alone or together with its co-chaperones Hdj1 or Hdj2 allowing faster binding and release of client proteins thus abolishing α-Syn assembly inhibition by Hsc70. We show that Hsc70 binds α-Syn fibrils with a 5-fold tighter affinity compared with soluble α-Syn. This suggests that Hsc70 preferentially interacts with high molecular weight α-Syn assemblies in vivo. Hsc70 binding certainly has an impact on the physicochemical properties of α-Syn assemblies. We show a reduced cellular toxicity of α-Syn fibrils coated with Hsc70 compared with "naked" fibrils. Hsc70 may therefore significantly affect the cellular propagation of α-Syn aggregates and their spread throughout the central nervous system in Parkinson disease.

Glial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies: emerging concepts

Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are adult onset neurodegenerative disorders characterised by prominent intracellular α-synuclein aggregates (α-synucleinopathies). The glial contribution to neurodegeneration in α-synucleinopathies was largely underestimated until recently. However, brains of PD and DLB patients exhibit not only neuronal inclusions such as Lewy bodies or Lewy neurites but also glial α-synuclein aggregates. Accumulating experimental evidence in PD models suggests that astrogliosis and microgliosis act as important mediators of neurodegeneration playing a pivotal role in both disease initiation and progression. In MSA, oligodendrocytes are intriguingly affected by aberrant cytoplasmic accumulation of α-synuclein (glial cytoplasmic inclusions, Papp-Lantos bodies). Converging evidence from human postmortem studies and transgenic MSA models suggests that oligodendroglial dysfunction both triggers and exacerbates neuronal degeneration. This review summarises the wide range of responsibilities of astroglia, microglia and oligodendroglia in the healthy brain and the changes in glial function associated with ageing. We then provide a critical analysis of the role of glia in α-synucleinopathies including putative mechanisms promoting a chronically diseased glial microenvironment which can lead to detrimental neuronal changes, including cell loss. Finally, major therapeutic strategies targeting glial pathology in α-synucleinopathies as well as current pitfalls for disease-modification in clinical trials are discussed.

Structures of segments of α-synuclein fused to maltose-binding protein suggest intermediate states during amyloid formation

Aggregates of the protein α-synuclein are the main component of Lewy bodies, the hallmark of Parkinson's disease. α-Synuclein aggregates are also found in many human neurodegenerative diseases known as synucleinopathies. In vivo, α-synuclein associates with membranes and adopts α-helical conformations. The details of how α-synuclein converts from the functional native state to amyloid aggregates remain unknown. In this study, we use maltose-binding protein (MBP) as a carrier to crystallize segments of α-synuclein. From crystal structures of fusions between MBP and four segments of α-synuclein, we have been able to trace a virtual model of the first 72 residues of α-synuclein. Instead of a mostly α-helical conformation observed in the lipid environment, our crystal structures show α-helices only at residues 1-13 and 20-34. The remaining segments are extended loops or coils. All of the predicted fiber-forming segments based on the 3D profile method are in extended conformations. We further show that the MBP fusion proteins with fiber-forming segments from α-synuclein can also form fiber-like nano-crystals or amyloid-like fibrils. Our structures suggest intermediate states during amyloid formation of α-synuclein.

α-Synuclein negatively regulates protein kinase Cδ expression to suppress apoptosis in dopaminergic neurons by reducing p300 histone acetyltransferase activity

We recently demonstrated that protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ), an important member of the novel PKC family, is a key oxidative stress-sensitive kinase that can be activated by caspase-3-dependent proteolytic cleavage to induce dopaminergic neuronal cell death. We now report a novel association between α-synuclein (αsyn), a protein associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, and PKCδ, in which αsyn negatively modulates the p300- and nuclear factor-κB (NFκB)-dependent transactivation to downregulate proapoptotic kinase PKCδ expression and thereby protects against apoptosis in dopaminergic neuronal cells. Stable expression of human wild-type αsyn at physiological levels in dopaminergic neuronal cells resulted in an isoform-dependent transcriptional suppression of PKCδ expression without changes in the stability of mRNA and protein or DNA methylation. The reduction in PKCδ transcription was mediated, in part, through the suppression of constitutive NFκB activity targeted at two proximal PKCδ promoter κB sites. This occurred independently of NFκB/IκBα (inhibitor of κBα) nuclear translocation but was associated with decreased NFκB-p65 acetylation. Also, αsyn reduced p300 levels and its HAT (histone acetyltransferase) activity, thereby contributing to diminished PKCδ transactivation. Importantly, reduced PKCδ and p300 expression also were observed within nigral dopaminergic neurons in αsyn-transgenic mice. These findings expand the role of αsyn in neuroprotection by modulating the expression of the key proapoptotic kinase PKCδ in dopaminergic neurons.

α-Synuclein propagates from mouse brain to grafted dopaminergic neurons and seeds aggregation in cultured human cells

Post-mortem analyses of brains from patients with Parkinson disease who received fetal mesencephalic transplants show that α-synuclein-containing (α-syn-containing) Lewy bodies gradually appear in grafted neurons. Here, we explored whether intercellular transfer of α-syn from host to graft, followed by seeding of α-syn aggregation in recipient neurons, can contribute to this phenomenon. We assessed α-syn cell-to-cell transfer using microscopy, flow cytometry, and high-content screening in several coculture model systems. Coculturing cells engineered to express either GFP- or DsRed-tagged α-syn resulted in a gradual increase in double-labeled cells. Importantly, α-syn-GFP derived from 1 neuroblastoma cell line localized to red fluorescent aggregates in other cells expressing DsRed-α-syn, suggesting a seeding effect of transmitted α-syn. Extracellular α-syn was taken up by cells through endocytosis and interacted with intracellular α-syn. Next, following intracortical injection of recombinant α-syn in rats, we found neuronal uptake was attenuated by coinjection of an endocytosis inhibitor. Finally, we demonstrated in vivo transfer of α-syn between host cells and grafted dopaminergic neurons in mice overexpressing human α-syn. In summary, intercellularly transferred α-syn interacts with cytoplasmic α-syn and can propagate α-syn pathology. These results suggest that α-syn propagation is a key element in the progression of Parkinson disease pathology.

Traumatic brain injury: a disease process, not an event

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is seen by the insurance industry and many health care providers as an "event." Once treated and provided with a brief period of rehabilitation, the perception exists that patients with a TBI require little further treatment and face no lasting effects on the central nervous system or other organ systems. In fact, TBI is a chronic disease process, one that fits the World Health Organization definition as having one or more of the following characteristics: it is permanent, caused by non-reversible pathological alterations, requires special training of the patient for rehabilitation, and/or may require a long period of observation, supervision, or care. TBI increases long-term mortality and reduces life expectancy. It is associated with increased incidences of seizures, sleep disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and psychiatric diseases, as well as non-neurological disorders such as sexual dysfunction, bladder and bowel incontinence, and systemic metabolic dysregulation that may arise and/or persist for months to years post-injury. The purpose of this article is to encourage the classification of TBI as the beginning of an ongoing, perhaps lifelong process, that impacts multiple organ systems and may be disease causative and accelerative. Our intent is not to discourage patients with TBI or their families and caregivers, but rather to emphasize that TBI should be managed as a chronic disease and defined as such by health care and insurance providers. Furthermore, if the chronic nature of TBI is recognized by government and private funding agencies, research can be directed at discovering therapies that may interrupt the disease processes months or even years after the initiating event.

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain unable to store neutral lipids is tolerant to oxidative stress induced by α-synuclein

Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative pathology that has been linked to several genetic mutations of the SNCA gene encoding the pro-oxidant α-synuclein protein. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a valuable model for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of α-synuclein toxicity. Indeed heterologous expression of α-synuclein is toxic to wild-type yeast and exhibits the main features of damage caused to mammalian neurons, including an increase in neutral lipid storage (triglycerides and steryl esters, embedded into lipid droplets). To address the significance of this accumulation, we forced α-synuclein production in a strain unable to synthesize triglycerides and steryl esters. Surprisingly, the inability to store neutral lipids rendered the cells more tolerant to α-synuclein. Our results indicate that the level of α-synuclein toxicity is correlated with fatty acid synthase activity and intracellular redox status.

Glucocerebrosidase is present in α-synuclein inclusions in Lewy body disorders

Mutations in the gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase, known to cause Gaucher disease (GD), are a risk factor for the development of Parkinson disease (PD) and related disorders. This association is based on the concurrence of parkinsonism and GD, the identification of glucocerebrosidase mutations in cohorts with PD from centers around the world, and neuropathologic findings. The contribution of glucocerebrosidase to the development of parkinsonian pathology was explored by studying seven brain samples from subjects carrying glucocerebrosidase mutations with pathologic diagnoses of PD and/or Lewy body dementia. Three individuals had GD and four were heterozygous for glucocerebrosidase mutations. All cases had no known family history of PD and the mean age of disease onset was 59 years (range 42-77). Immunofluorescence studies on brain tissue samples from patients with parkinsonism associated with glucocerebrosidase mutations showed that glucocerebrosidase was present in 32-90% of Lewy bodies (mean 75%), some ubiquitinated and others non-ubiquitinated. In samples from seven subjects without mutations, <10% of Lewy bodies were glucocerebrosidase positive (mean 4%). This data demonstrates that glucocerebrosidase can be an important component of α-synuclein-positive pathological inclusions. Unraveling the role of mutant glucocerebrosidase in the development of this pathology will further our understanding of the lysosomal pathways that likely contribute to the formation and/or clearance of these protein aggregates.

Membrane curvature induction and tubulation are common features of synucleins and apolipoproteins

Synucleins and apolipoproteins have been implicated in a number of membrane and lipid trafficking events. Lipid interaction for both types of proteins is mediated by 11 amino acid repeats that form amphipathic helices. This similarity suggests that synucleins and apolipoproteins might have comparable effects on lipid membranes, but this has not been shown directly. Here, we find that α-synuclein, β-synuclein, and apolipoprotein A-1 have the conserved functional ability to induce membrane curvature and to convert large vesicles into highly curved membrane tubules and vesicles. The resulting structures are morphologically similar to those generated by amphiphysin, a curvature-inducing protein involved in endocytosis. Unlike amphiphysin, however, synucleins and apolipoproteins do not require any scaffolding domains and curvature induction is mediated by the membrane insertion and wedging of amphipathic helices alone. Moreover, we frequently observed that α-synuclein caused membrane structures that had the appearance of nascent budding vesicles. The ability to function as a minimal machinery for vesicle budding agrees well with recent findings that α-synuclein plays a role in vesicle trafficking and enhances endocytosis. Induction of membrane curvature must be under strict regulation in vivo; however, as we find it can also cause disruption of membrane integrity. Because the degree of membrane curvature induction depends on the concerted action of multiple proteins, controlling the local protein density of tubulating proteins may be important. How cellular safeguarding mechanisms prevent such potentially toxic events and whether they go awry in disease remains to be determined.

Cognitive and neuropsychiatric profile of the synucleinopathies: Parkinson disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy

Parkinson disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) share alpha-synuclein immunoreactivity. These "synucleinopathies" have overlapping signs and symptoms, but less is known about similarities and differences in their cognitive and neuropsychiatric profiles. We compared the cognitive and neuropsychiatric profiles of individuals with PD, MSA, and DLB. Overall, the DLB group showed the most cognitive impairment, the MSA group demonstrated milder impairment, and the PD group was the least cognitively impaired. The DLB and MSA groups showed worse executive function and visuospatial skills than PD, whereas DLB showed impaired memory relative to both PD and MSA. On the neuropsychiatric screening, all groups endorsed depression and anxiety; the DLB group alone endorsed delusions and disinhibition. Consistent with their greater level of cognitive and neuropsychiatric impairment, the DLB group showed the greatest amount of functional impairment on a measure of instrumental activities of daily living (Functional Activities Questionnaire). We found that MSA subjects had cognitive difficulties that fell between the mild deficits of the PD group and the more severe deficits of the DLB group. PD, MSA, and DLB groups have similar neuropsychiatric profiles of increased depression and anxiety. Similar underlying alpha-synuclein pathology may contribute to these shared features.

Distinct region-specific alpha-synuclein oligomers in A53T transgenic mice: implications for neurodegeneration

Aggregation of alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn), a process that generates oligomeric intermediates, is a common pathological feature of several neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the potential importance of the oligomeric alpha-syn intermediates in neuron function, their biochemical properties and pathobiological functions in vivo remain vastly unknown. Here we used two-dimensional analytical separation and an array of biochemical and cell-based assays to characterize alpha-syn oligomers that are present in the nervous system of A53T alpha-syn transgenic mice. The most prominent species identified were 53 A detergent-soluble oligomers, which preceded neurological symptom onset, and were found at equivalent amounts in regions containing alpha-syn inclusions as well as histologically unaffected regions. These oligomers were resistant to SDS, heat, and urea but were sensitive to proteinase-K digestion. Although the oligomers shared similar basic biochemical properties, those obtained from inclusion-bearing regions were prominently reactive to antibodies that recognize oxidized alpha-syn oligomers, significantly accelerated aggregation of alpha-syn in vitro, and caused primary cortical neuron degeneration. In contrast, oligomers obtained from non-inclusion-bearing regions were not toxic and delayed the in vitro formation of alpha-syn fibrils. These data indicate that specific conformations of alpha-syn oligomers are present in distinct brain regions of A53T alpha-syn transgenic mice. The contribution of these oligomers to the development of neuron dysfunction appears to be independent of their absolute quantities and basic biochemical properties but is dictated by the composition and conformation of the intermediates as well as unrecognized brain-region-specific intrinsic factors.

Perivascular nerve fiber α-synuclein regulates contractility of mouse aorta: a link to autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders associated to changes in alpha-synuclein often result in autonomic dysfunction, most of the time accompanied by abundant expression of this synaptic protein in peripheral autonomic neurons. Given that expression of alpha-synuclein in vascular elements has been previously reported, the present study was undertaken to determine whether alpha-synuclein directly participates in the regulation of vascular responsiveness. We detected by immunohistochemistry perivascular nerve fibers containing alpha-synuclein in the aorta of mice while aortic endothelial cells and muscular fibers themselves did not exhibit detectable levels of this protein. To assess the effect of alpha-synuclein on vascular reactivity, aortic ring preparations obtained from alpha-synuclein-deficient knockout mice and from transgenic mice overexpressing human wild-type alpha-synuclein under the control of the tyrosine hydroxylase-promoter were mounted and equilibrated in organ baths for isometric tension recording. Lack of alpha-synuclein did not modify the relaxant responses to the endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine) and -independent (sodium nitroprusside) vasodilators, but resulted in a greater than normal norepinephrine-induced vasoconstriction along with a lowered response to dopamine, suggesting potential presynaptic changes in dopamine and norepinephrine releases in knockout mice. Overexpression of alpha-synuclein in TH-positive fibers resulted in complex abnormal responses, characterized by lowered acetylcholine-induced relaxation and lowered norepinephrin-induced contraction. Taken together, our data show for the first time that alpha-synuclein is present in sympathetic fibers supplying the murine aorta and provide evidence that changes in alpha-synuclein levels in perivascular fibers play a physiological role in the regulation of vascular function.

Effect of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists on alpha-synuclein-evoked neuronal nitric oxide synthase activation in the rat brain

alpha-Synuclein (ASN), a small presynaptic protein that is abundant in the brain, is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. The central domain of alpha-synuclein, the non-amyloid beta component of the Alzheimer's disease amyloid (NAC) is probably responsible for its toxicity. However, the molecular mechanism of alpha-synuclein action remains largely elusive. The present study examined the effect of alpha-synuclein and the NAC peptide on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in rat brain cortical and hippocampal slices using a radiochemical technique. Moreover, nitrite levels in brain slices incubated in the presence of alpha-synuclein were measured using the Griess reaction. ASN and the NAC stimulated NOS activity by about 70% and 40%, respectively. beta-Synuclein, a homologous protein of ASN that lacks the NAC domain, had no effect on NOS activity. Under the same experimental conditions, alpha-synuclein increased nitrite levels by 27%. alpha-Synuclein and the NAC affected the activity of constitutive neuronal isoform of NOS, but had no impact on the endothelial or inducible NOS isoforms. The effect of alpha-synuclein and the NAC peptide on NOS activity was inhibited by MK-801 and APV, antagonists of the NMDA receptor. These results indicate that the NMDA receptor plays an important role in alpha-synuclein-evoked nitric oxide synthesis. We suggest that nitric oxide liberated by the over-activated neuronal isoform of NOS could react with superoxide to form peroxynitrite, which modulates the function of a variety of biomolecules including proteins, lipids, and DNA.

Prosurvival effect of human wild-type alpha-synuclein on MPTP-induced toxicity to central but not peripheral catecholaminergic neurons isolated from transgenic mice

In the present work we report the generation of a new line of alpha-synuclein (alpha-SYN) transgenic mice in which the human wild-type alpha-SYN cDNA is expressed under the control of a tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) promoter. We provide evidence that the ectopic protein is found in TH expressing neurons of both central and peripheral nervous systems. The transgene is expressed very early in development coinciding with the activity of the TH promoter and in the adult brain the human protein distributes normally to the nerve endings and cell bodies of dopaminergic nigral neurons without any evidence of abnormal aggregation. Our results indicate that expression of human wild-type alpha-SYN does not affect normal development or maintenance of TH immunoreactive nigral neurons, striatal dopamine content, or locomotor activity. Systemic administration of the parkinsonian neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induces a loss of TH immunoreactive nigral neurons and terminals and of dopamine levels to the same degree in both transgenic and non-transgenic adult mice. Intoxication also results in a similar loss of cardiac noradrenaline in both genotypes. Surprisingly, cultured transgenic ventral mesencephalic fetal dopaminergic neurons exhibit complete resistance to cell death induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP(+)) intoxication, without changes in dopamine transporter (DAT) surface levels. Interestingly, this protection is not observed in other populations of catecholaminergic neurons such as peripheral sympathetic neurons, despite their high sensitivity to MPP(+)in vitro.

DJ-1 deficient mice demonstrate similar vulnerability to pathogenic Ala53Thr human alpha-syn toxicity

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder. A pathological hallmark of PD is the presence of intraneuronal inclusions composed of fibrillized alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) in affected brain regions. Mutations in the gene, PARK7, which encodes DJ-1, can cause autosomal recessive early-onset PD. Although DJ-1 has been shown to be involved in diverse biological processes, several in vitro studies suggest that it can inhibit the formation and protect against the effects of alpha-syn aggregation. We previously established and characterized transgenic mice expressing pathogenic Ala53Thr human alpha-syn (M83 mice) that develop extensive alpha-syn pathologies in the neuroaxis resulting in severe motor impairments and eventual fatality. In the current study, we have crossbred M83 mice on a DJ-1 null background (M83-DJnull mice) in efforts to determine the effects of the lack of DJ-1 in these mice. Animals were assessed and compared for survival rate, distribution of alpha-syn inclusions, biochemical properties of alpha-syn protein, demise and function of nigral dopaminergic neurons, and extent of gliosis in the neuroaxis. M83 and M83-DJnull mice displayed a similar onset of disease and pathological changes, and none of the analyses to assess for changes in pathogenesis revealed any significant differences between M83 and M83-DJnull mice. These findings suggest that DJ-1 may not function to directly modulate alpha-syn nor does DJ-1 appear to play a role in protecting against the deleterious effects of expressing pathogenic Ala53Thr alpha-syn in vivo. It is possible that alpha-syn and DJ-1 mutations may lead to PD via independent mechanisms.

Residue Glu83 plays a major role in negatively regulating alpha-synuclein amyloid formation

Alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) amyloid filaments are the major ultrastructural component of pathological inclusions that define several neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson disease and other disorders that are collectively termed synucleinopathies. Since the aggregation of alpha-syn is associated with the etiology of these diseases, defining the molecular elements that influence this process may have important therapeutics implication. The deletions of major portions of the hydrophobic region of alpha-syn (Delta74-79 and Delta71-82) impair the ability to form amyloid. However, mutating residue E83 to an A restored the ability of these proteins to form amyloid. Additionally supporting an inhibitory role of residue E83 on amyloid formation, mutating this residue to an A enhanced amyloid formation in the presence of small molecule inhibitors, such as dopamine and EGCG. Our data, therefore, suggest that the presence and placement of the highly charged E83 residue plays a significant inhibitory role in alpha-syn amyloid formation and these findings provide important insights in the planning of therapeutic agents that may be capable of preventing alpha-syn amyloid formation.

Characterization of hydrophobic residue requirements for alpha-synuclein fibrillization

alpha-Synuclein is the major component of pathological inclusions characteristic of diseases like Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple-system atrophy. A role for alpha-synuclein in neurodegenerative diseases is further supported by point mutations and duplication and triplication of the alpha-synuclein gene (SNCA) that are causative of these disorders. The middle hydrophobic region of the alpha-synuclein protein, also termed the "non-Abeta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid plaque (NAC)" domain, is required for alpha-synuclein to polymerize into amyloid filaments, which are the major components of alpha-synuclein pathological inclusions. In this study, we assessed the importance of specific stretches of hydrophobic residues in driving the intrinsic ability of alpha-synuclein to polymerize. Several small deletions, even one with as few as two amino acid residues (A76 and V77), dramatically impaired the ability of alpha-synuclein to polymerize into mature amyloidogenic fibrils, and instead, it preferentially formed oligomers. However, this inhibition of filament assembly was clearly dependent on the spatial context, since similar and larger hydrophobic deletions in other parts of the NAC domain reduced only the rate of fibril formation, without abrogating filament assembly. Further, mutation of residue E83 to an A rescued the ability of mutant Delta76-77 alpha-synuclein to polymerize. These findings support the notion that while both the location and hydrophobicity of protein segments are important elements that affect the propensity to form amyloid fibrils, the intrinsic ability of a polypeptide to fold structurally into amyloid is also critical.