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Abioye A, Akintade D, Mitchell J, Olorode S, Adejare A. Nonintuitive Immunogenicity and Plasticity of Alpha-Synuclein Conformers: A Paradigm for Smart Delivery of Neuro-Immunotherapeutics. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:609. [PMID: 38794271 PMCID: PMC11124533 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16050609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the extensive research successes and continuous developments in modern medicine in terms of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, the lack of clinically useful disease-modifying drugs or immunotherapeutic agents that can successfully treat or prevent neurodegenerative diseases is an ongoing challenge. To date, only one of the 244 drugs in clinical trials for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases has been approved in the past decade, indicating a failure rate of 99.6%. In corollary, the approved monoclonal antibody did not demonstrate significant cognitive benefits. Thus, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing rapidly. Therefore, there is an urgent need for creative approaches to identifying and testing biomarkers for better diagnosis, prevention, and disease-modifying strategies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Overexpression of the endogenous α-synuclein has been identified as the driving force for the formation of the pathogenic α-synuclein (α-Syn) conformers, resulting in neuroinflammation, hypersensitivity, endogenous homeostatic responses, oxidative dysfunction, and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the conformational plasticity of α-Syn proffers that a certain level of α-Syn is essential for the survival of neurons. Thus, it exerts both neuroprotective and neurotoxic (regulatory) functions on neighboring neuronal cells. Furthermore, the aberrant metastable α-Syn conformers may be subtle and difficult to detect but may trigger cellular and molecular events including immune responses. It is well documented in literature that the misfolded α-Syn and its conformers that are released into the extracellular space from damaged or dead neurons trigger the innate and adaptive immune responses in PD. Thus, in this review, we discuss the nonintuitive plasticity and immunogenicity of the α-Syn conformers in the brain immune cells and their physiological and pathological consequences on the neuroimmune responses including neuroinflammation, homeostatic remodeling, and cell-specific interactions that promote neuroprotection in PD. We also critically reviewed the novel strategies for immunotherapeutic delivery interventions in PD pathogenesis including immunotherapeutic targets and potential nanoparticle-based smart drug delivery systems. It is envisioned that a greater understanding of the nonintuitive immunogenicity of aberrant α-Syn conformers in the brain's microenvironment would provide a platform for identifying valid therapeutic targets and developing smart brain delivery systems for clinically effective disease-modifying immunotherapeutics that can aid in the prevention and treatment of PD in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amos Abioye
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Belmont University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Damilare Akintade
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - James Mitchell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - Simisade Olorode
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; (D.A.); (J.M.); (S.O.)
| | - Adeboye Adejare
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA;
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Kumar R, Chowdhury S, Ledeen R. Alpha-Synuclein and GM1 Ganglioside Co-Localize in Neuronal Cytosol Leading to Inverse Interaction-Relevance to Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3323. [PMID: 38542297 PMCID: PMC10970170 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25063323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Research on GM1 ganglioside and its neuroprotective role in Parkinson's disease (PD), particularly in mitigating the aggregation of α-Synuclein (aSyn), is well established across various model organisms. This essential molecule, GM1, is intimately linked to preventing aSyn aggregation, and its deficiency is believed to play a key role in the initiation of PD. In our current study, we attempted to shed light on the cytosolic interactions between GM1 and aSyn based on previous reports demonstrating gangliosides and monomeric aSyn to be present in neuronal cytosol. Native-PAGE and Western blot analysis of neuronal cytosol from mouse brains demonstrated the presence of both GM1 and monomeric aSyn in the neuronal cytosol of normal mouse brain. To demonstrate that an adequate level of GM1 prevents the aggregation of aSyn, we used NG108-15 and SH-SY5Y cells with and without treatment of 1-phenyl-2-palmitoyl-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PPMP), which inhibits the synthesis/expression of GM1. Cells treated with PPMP to reduce GM1 expression showed a significant increase in the formation of aggregated aSyn compared to untreated cells. We thus demonstrated that sufficient GM1 prevents the aggregation of aSyn. For this to occur, aSyn and GM1 must show proximity within the neuron. The present study provides evidence for such co-localization in neuronal cytosol, which also facilitates the inverse interaction revealed in studies with the two cell types above. This adds to the explanation of how GM1 prevents the aggregation of aSyn and onset of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Robert Ledeen
- Department of Pharmacology Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (R.K.); (S.C.)
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Thakkar H, Chatterjee S, Saxena P, Eerla R, Wagh S, Khairnar A, Shah RP. Cell-Engineered Recombinant α-Synuclein: A Gage R&R Validated Protocol. J Proteome Res 2024; 23:16-24. [PMID: 37985371 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) misfolding and its presence in Lewy bodies are observed in almost all Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Basic biomedical research would benefit from a quick, low-cost approach to purifying α-Syn and developing in vitro and in vivo models for PD. Several research groups utilize PFF-based models, yet the production of α-Syn PFFs is inconsistent, resulting in nonconclusive findings. Some research laboratories prepare recombinant α-Syn (r α-Syn) by molecular cloning to overexpress α-Syn with various purifying techniques. Laboratory-to-laboratory protocols cause considerable variability and sometimes contradictory findings. PD researchers spend more on protein than solving α-Syn's riddles. This article uncovered a novel method for expressing and purifying r α-Syn validated through gage reproducibility and repeatability (Gage R&R). For the production of r α-Syn, we have employed the ability of a high-cell-density-based expression system to overexpress protein in BL21(DE3). A simple, high-throughput, nonchromatographical purification protocol has been devised to facilitate research with higher reproducibility, which was validated through Gage R&R. A crossover experimental design was utilized, and the purified protein was characterized using orthogonal high-end analytical methods, which displayed higher similarity between the isolated r α-Syn. Batch-to-batch variability was the least for produced protein and hence can be utilized for exploring the iceberg of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsh Thakkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research─Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Opposite Air force Station Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat India
| | - Sayan Chatterjee
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research─Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Opposite Air force Station Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat India
| | - Purvi Saxena
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research─Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Opposite Air force Station Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat India
| | - Rameswari Eerla
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research─Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Opposite Air force Station Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat India
| | - Sachin Wagh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research─Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Opposite Air force Station Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat India
| | - Amit Khairnar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research─Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Opposite Air force Station Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat India
| | - Ravi P Shah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research─Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Opposite Air force Station Palaj, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat India
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Walker L, Attems J. Prevalence of Concomitant Pathologies in Parkinson's Disease: Implications for Prognosis, Diagnosis, and Insights into Common Pathogenic Mechanisms. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2024; 14:35-52. [PMID: 38143370 PMCID: PMC10836576 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Pathologies characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (i.e., hyperphosphorylated tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques), cardiovascular disease, and limbic predominant TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE) often co-exist in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), in addition to Lewy body pathology (α-synuclein). Numerous studies point to a putative synergistic relationship between hyperphosphorylation tau, Aβ, cardiovascular lesions, and TDP-43 with α-synuclein, which may alter the stereotypical pattern of pathological progression and accelerate cognitive decline. Here we discuss the prevalence and relationships between common concomitant pathologies observed in PD. In addition, we highlight shared genetic risk factors and developing biomarkers that may provide better diagnostic accuracy for patients with PD that have co-existing pathologies. The tremendous heterogeneity observed across the PD spectrum is most likely caused by the complex interplay between pathogenic, genetic, and environmental factors, and increasing our understanding of how these relate to idiopathic PD will drive research into finding accurate diagnostic tools and disease modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Walker
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Johannes Attems
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
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Bayandina SV, Mukha DV. Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Model for Studying Human Neurodegenerative Disorders: Viral Capsid Protein Expression. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17213. [PMID: 38139041 PMCID: PMC10743263 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, we briefly describe human neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and the experimental models used to study them. The main focus is the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an experimental model used to study neurodegenerative processes. We review recent experimental data on the aggregation of human neurodegenerative disease-related proteins in yeast cells. In addition, we describe the results of studies that were designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms that underlie the aggregation of reporter proteins. The advantages and disadvantages of the experimental approaches that are currently used to study the formation of protein aggregates are described. Special attention is given to the similarity between aggregates that form as a result of protein misfolding and viral factories-special structural formations in which viral particles are formed inside virus-infected cells. A separate part of the review is devoted to our previously published study on the formation of aggregates upon expression of the insect densovirus capsid protein in yeast cells. Based on the reviewed results of studies on NDs and related protein aggregation, as well as viral protein aggregation, a new experimental model system for the study of human NDs is proposed. The core of the proposed system is a comparative transcriptomic analysis of changes in signaling pathways during the expression of viral capsid proteins in yeast cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dmitry V. Mukha
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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Kulichikhin KY, Malikova OA, Zobnina AE, Zalutskaya NM, Rubel AA. Interaction of Proteins Involved in Neuronal Proteinopathies. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1954. [PMID: 37895336 PMCID: PMC10608209 DOI: 10.3390/life13101954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteinopathy is characterized by the accumulation of aggregates of a specific protein in a target organ, tissue, or cell. The aggregation of the same protein can cause different pathologies as single protein can adopt various amyloidogenic, disease-specific conformations. The conformation governs the interaction of amyloid aggregates with other proteins that are prone to misfolding and, thus, determines disease-specific spectrum of concomitant pathologies. In this regard, a detailed description of amyloid protein conformation as well as spectrum of its interaction with other proteins become a key point for drafting of precise description of the disease. The majority of clinical cases of neuronal proteinopathies is caused by the aggregation of rather limited range of amyloidogenic proteins. Here, we provided the characterization of pathologies, related to the aggregation of amyloid β peptide, tau protein, α-synuclein, TDP-43, and amylin, giving a short description of pathologies themselves, recent advances in elucidation of misfolded protein conformation, with emphasis on those protein aggregates extracted from biological samples, what is known about the interaction of this proteins, and the influence of this interaction on the progression of underlying disease and comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin Y. Kulichikhin
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (O.A.M.); (A.E.Z.)
| | - Oksana A. Malikova
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (O.A.M.); (A.E.Z.)
| | - Anastasia E. Zobnina
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (O.A.M.); (A.E.Z.)
| | - Natalia M. Zalutskaya
- V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, 192019 St. Petersburg, Russia;
| | - Aleksandr A. Rubel
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; (O.A.M.); (A.E.Z.)
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Wang J, Chen P, Hu B, Cai F, Xu Q, Pan S, Wu Y, Song W. Distinct effects of SDC3 and FGFRL1 on selective neurodegeneration in AD and PD. FASEB J 2023; 37:e22773. [PMID: 36629784 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201359r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are age-dependent neurodegenerative disorders. There is a profound neuronal loss in the basal forebrain cholinergic system in AD and severe dopaminergic deficiency within the nigrostriatal pathway in PD. Swedish APP (APPSWE ) and SNCAA53T mutations promote Aβ generation and α-synuclein aggregation, respectively, and have been linked to the pathogenesis of AD and PD. However, the mechanisms underlying selective cholinergic and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in AD and PD are still unknown. We demonstrated that APPSWE mutation enhanced Aβ generation and increased cell susceptibility to Aβ oligomer in cholinergic SN56 cells, whereas SNCAA53T mutations promoted aggregates formation and potentiated mutant α-synuclein oligomer-induced cytotoxicity in MN9D cells. Furthermore, syndecan-3 (SDC3) and fibroblast growth factor receptor-like 1 (FGFRL1) genes were differentially expressed in SN56 and MN9D cells carrying APPSWE or SNCAA53T mutation. SDC3 and FGFRL1 proteins were preferentially expressed in the cholinergic nucleus and dopaminergic neurons of APPSWE and SNCAA53T mouse models, respectively. Finally, the knockdown of SDC3 and FGFRL1 attenuated oxidative stress-induced cell death in SN56-APPSWE and MN9D-SNCAA53T cells. The results demonstrate that SDC3 and FGFRL1 mediated the specific effects of APPSWE and SNCAA53T on cholinergic and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in AD and PD, respectively. Our study suggests that SDC3 and FGFRL1 could be potential targets to alleviate the selective neurodegeneration in AD and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juelu Wang
- Townsend Family Laboratories, Department of Psychiatry, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Peiye Chen
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and the Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, China
| | - Bolang Hu
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and the Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, China
| | - Fang Cai
- Townsend Family Laboratories, Department of Psychiatry, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Qin Xu
- Townsend Family Laboratories, Department of Psychiatry, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sipei Pan
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and the Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, China
| | - Yili Wu
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and the Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, China
| | - Weihong Song
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, School of Mental Health and the Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, China
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8
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Hassanzadeh K, Morrone C, Akhtari K, Gerhardt E, Zaccagnini L, Outeiro TF, Feligioni M. Non-SUMOylated alternative spliced isoforms of alpha-synuclein are more aggregation-prone and toxic. Mech Ageing Dev 2023; 209:111759. [PMID: 36464085 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2022.111759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The exon skipping of α-Synuclein (α-Syn), the main constituent of the abnormal protein aggregation in Lewy bodies of Parkinson's disease (PD), forms four isoforms. In contrast to the full length α-Syn (α-Syn 140), little is known about the splice isoforms' properties and functions. SUMOylation, a post-translational modification, regulates α-Syn function, aggregation, and degradation, but information about α-Syn isoforms and the effect of SUMOylation on them is unknown. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the SUMOylation of α-Syn isoforms and its impact on cell death and α-Syn aggregation. In a cellular model of PD induced by rotenone, cell toxicity, SUMOylation, and α-Syn aggregation with or without isoforms overexpression were evaluated. First, rotenone induced cell toxicity and α-Syn aggregation, with a significant reduction of SUMOylation and autophagy. Boosting SUMOylation prevented α-Syn aggregation, phosphorylation and recovery of autophagy. Moreover, α-Syn 140 and α-Syn 126 were SUMOylated while the other two isoforms, α-Syn 112 and 98 were not and their overexpression showed that were more toxic and induced more α-Syn aggregation. Rotenone increased their toxicity that was not affected by boosting SUMOylation. These results may indicate a role of SUMOylation in modulating α-Syn aggregation, inducing to understanding more about the behavior of α-Syn isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Keivan Akhtari
- Department of Physics, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Ellen Gerhardt
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Natural Sciences, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, NE2 4HH, United Kingdom; Scientific employee with an honorary contract at German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marco Feligioni
- EBRI Rita Levi-Montalcini Foundation, Rome 00161, Italy; Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa di Cura del Policlinico, Milan 20144, Italy.
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Pancoe SX, Wang YJ, Shimogawa M, Perez RM, Giannakoulias S, Petersson EJ. Effects of Mutations and Post-Translational Modifications on α-Synuclein In Vitro Aggregation. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167859. [PMID: 36270580 PMCID: PMC9922159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Fibrillar aggregates of the α-synuclein (αS) protein are the hallmark of Parkinson's Disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Characterization of the effects of mutations and post-translational modifications (PTMs) on the αS aggregation rate can provide insight into the mechanism of fibril formation, which remains elusive in spite of intense study. A comprehensive collection (375 examples) of mutant and PTM aggregation rate data measured using the fluorescent probe thioflavin T is presented, as well as a summary of the effects of fluorescent labeling on αS aggregation (20 examples). A curated set of 131 single mutant de novo aggregation experiments are normalized to wild type controls and analyzed in terms of structural data for the monomer and fibrillar forms of αS. These tabulated data serve as a resource to the community to help in interpretation of aggregation experiments and to potentially be used as inputs for computational models of aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha X Pancoe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yanxin J Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marie Shimogawa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ryann M Perez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sam Giannakoulias
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - E James Petersson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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10
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Phase separation and other forms of α-Synuclein self-assemblies. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:987-1000. [DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a natively unstructured protein, which self-assembles into higher-order aggregates possessing serious pathophysiological implications. α-Syn aberrantly self-assembles into protein aggregates, which have been widely implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathogenesis and other synucleinopathies. The self-assembly of α-Syn involves the structural conversion of soluble monomeric protein into oligomeric intermediates and eventually fibrillar aggregates of amyloids with cross-β-sheet rich conformation. These aggregated α-Syn species majorly constitute the intraneuronal inclusions, which is a hallmark of PD neuropathology. Self-assembly/aggregation of α-Syn is not a single-state conversion process as unfolded protein can access multiple conformational states through the formation of metastable, transient pre-fibrillar intermediate species. Recent studies have indicated that soluble oligomers are the potential neurotoxic species responsible for cell death in PD pathogenesis. The heterogeneous and transient nature of oligomers formed during the early stage of aggregation pathway limit their detailed study in understanding the structure–toxicity relationship. Moreover, the precise molecular events occurring in the early stage of α-Syn aggregation process majorly remain unsolved. Recently, liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) of α-Syn has been designated as an alternate nucleation mechanism, which occurs in the early lag phase of the aggregation pathway leading to the formation of dynamic supramolecular assemblies. The stronger self-association among the protein molecules triggers the irreversible liquid-to-solid transition of these supramolecular assemblies into the amyloid-like hydrogel, which may serve as a reservoir entrapping toxic oligomeric intermediates and fibrils. This review strives to provide insights into different modes of α-Syn self-assemblies including LLPS-mediated self-assembly and its recent advancements.
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11
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Fox CA, Ryan RO. Studies of the cardiolipin interactome. Prog Lipid Res 2022; 88:101195. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2022.101195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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12
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Chiu PY, Yang FC, Chiu MJ, Lin WC, Lu CH, Yang SY. Relevance of plasma biomarkers to pathologies in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17919. [PMID: 36289355 PMCID: PMC9605966 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22647-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid plaques and tau tangles are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Parkinson's disease (PD) results from the accumulation of α-synuclein. TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) and total tau protein (T-Tau) play roles in FTD pathology. All of the pathological evidence was found in the biopsy. However, it is impossible to perform stein examinations in clinical practice. Assays of biomarkers in plasma would be convenient. It would be better to investigate the combinations of various biomarkers in AD, PD and FTD. Ninety-one subjects without neurodegenerative diseases, 76 patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) or AD dementia, combined as AD family, were enrolled. One hundred and nine PD patients with normal cognition (PD-NC) or dementia (PDD), combined as PD family, were enrolled. Twenty-five FTD patients were enrolled for assays of plasma amyloid β 1-40 (Aβ1-40), Aβ1-42, T-Tau, α-synuclein and TDP-43 using immunomagnetic reduction (IMR). The results show that Aβs and T-Tau are major domains in AD family. α-synuclein is highly dominant in PD family. FTD is closely associated with TDP-43 and T-Tau. The dominant plasma biomarkers in AD family, PD family and FTD are consistent with pathology. This implies that plasma biomarkers are promising for precise and differential assessments of AD, PD and FTD in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pai-Yi Chiu
- grid.452796.b0000 0004 0634 3637Department of Neurology, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Chunghwa, 500 Taiwan ,MR-Guided Focus Ultrasound Center, Chang Bin Shaw Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhwa, 505 Taiwan
| | - Fu-Chi Yang
- grid.278244.f0000 0004 0638 9360Department of Neurology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 114 Taiwan
| | - Ming-Jang Chiu
- grid.19188.390000 0004 0546 0241Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100 Taiwan ,grid.19188.390000 0004 0546 0241Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100 Taiwan ,grid.19188.390000 0004 0546 0241Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106 Taiwan ,grid.19188.390000 0004 0546 0241Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106 Taiwan
| | - Wei-Che Lin
- grid.145695.a0000 0004 1798 0922Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung, 833 Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsien Lu
- grid.145695.a0000 0004 1798 0922Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung, 833 Taiwan
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Anionic lipid vesicles have differential effects on the aggregation of early onset-associated α-synuclein missense mutants. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102565. [PMID: 36208776 PMCID: PMC9694135 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (αS) is the key component of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. αS was first linked to PD through the identification of point mutations in the SNCA gene, causing single amino acid substitutions within αS and familial autosomal dominant forms of PD that profoundly accelerated disease onset by up to several decades. At least eight single-point mutations linked to familial PD (A30G/P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, and A53T/E/V) are located in proximity of the region preceding the non-β amyloid component (preNAC) region, strongly implicating its pathogenic role in αS-mediated cytotoxicity. Furthermore, lipids are known to be important for native αS function, where they play a key role in the regulation of synaptic vesicle docking to presynaptic membranes and dopamine transmission. However, the role of lipids in the function of mutant αS is unclear. Here, we studied αS aggregation properties of WT αS and five of the most predominant single-point missense mutants associated with early onset PD in the presence of anionic 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine lipid vesicles. Our results highlight significant differences between aggregation rates, the number of aggregates produced, and overall fibril morphologies of WT αS and the A30P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, and A53T missense mutants in the presence of lipid vesicles. These findings have important implications regarding the interplay between the lipids required for αS function and the individual point mutations known to accelerate PD and related diseases.
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14
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Holec SAM, Lee J, Oehler A, Ooi FK, Mordes DA, Olson SH, Prusiner SB, Woerman AL. Multiple system atrophy prions transmit neurological disease to mice expressing wild-type human α-synuclein. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 144:677-690. [PMID: 36018376 PMCID: PMC9636591 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02476-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In multiple system atrophy (MSA), the protein α-synuclein misfolds into a prion conformation that self-templates and causes progressive neurodegeneration. While many point mutations in the α-synuclein gene, SNCA, have been identified as the cause of heritable Parkinson's disease (PD), none have been identified as causing MSA. To examine whether MSA prions can transmit disease to mice expressing wild-type (WT) human α-synuclein, we inoculated transgenic (Tg) mice denoted TgM20+/- with brain homogenates prepared from six different deceased MSA patients. All six samples transmitted CNS disease to the mice, with an average incubation period of ~ 280 days. Interestingly, TgM20+/- female mice developed disease > 60 days earlier than their male counterparts. Brains from terminal mice contained phosphorylated α-synuclein throughout the hindbrain, consistent with the distribution of α-synuclein inclusions in MSA patients. In addition, using our α-syn-YFP cell lines, we detected α-synuclein prions in brain homogenates prepared from terminal mice that retained MSA strain properties. To our knowledge, the studies described here are the first to show that MSA prions transmit neurological disease to mice expressing WT SNCA and that the rate of transmission is sex dependent. By comparison, TgM20+/- mice inoculated with WT preformed fibrils (PFFs) developed severe neurological disease in ~ 210 days and exhibited robust α-synuclein neuropathology in both limbic regions and the hindbrain. Brain homogenates from these animals exhibited biological activities that are distinct from those found in MSA-inoculated mice when tested in the α-syn-YFP cell lines. Differences between brains from MSA-inoculated and WT PFF-inoculated mice potentially argue that α-synuclein prions from MSA patients are distinct from the PFF inocula and that PFFs do not replicate MSA strain biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A M Holec
- Department of Biology and Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 240 Thatcher Road, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Jisoo Lee
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94153, USA
| | - Abby Oehler
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94153, USA
| | - Felicia K Ooi
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94153, USA
| | - Daniel A Mordes
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94153, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Steven H Olson
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94153, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Stanley B Prusiner
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94153, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Amanda L Woerman
- Department of Biology and Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 240 Thatcher Road, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94153, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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15
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Henderson MX, Henrich MT, Geibl FF, Oertel WH, Brundin P, Surmeier DJ. The roles of connectivity and neuronal phenotype in determining the pattern of α-synuclein pathology in Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 168:105687. [PMID: 35283326 PMCID: PMC9610381 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, and motor dysfunction has been attributed to loss of dopaminergic neurons. However, motor dysfunction is only one of many symptoms experienced by patients. A neuropathological hallmark of PD is intraneuronal protein aggregates called Lewy pathology (LP). Neuropathological staging studies have shown that dopaminergic neurons are only one of the many cell types prone to manifest LP. Progressive appearance of LP in multiple brain regions, as well as peripheral nerves, has led to the popular hypothesis that LP and misfolded forms of one of its major components - α-synuclein (aSYN) - can spread through synaptically connected circuits. However, not all brain regions or neurons within connected circuits develop LP, suggesting that cell autonomous factors modulate the development of pathology. Here, we review studies about how LP develops and progressively engages additional brain regions. We focus on how connectivity constrains progression and discuss cell autonomous factors that drive pathology development. We propose a mixed model of cell autonomous factors and trans-synaptic spread as mediators of pathology progression and put forward this model as a framework for future experiments exploring PD pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael X Henderson
- Parkinson's Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, United States of America.
| | - Martin T Henrich
- Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany; Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, United States of America
| | - Fanni F Geibl
- Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany; Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, United States of America
| | - Wolfgang H Oertel
- Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg 35043, Germany
| | - Patrik Brundin
- Parkinson's Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, United States of America
| | - D James Surmeier
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, United States of America
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Tarutani A, Adachi T, Akatsu H, Hashizume Y, Hasegawa K, Saito Y, Robinson AC, Mann DMA, Yoshida M, Murayama S, Hasegawa M. Ultrastructural and biochemical classification of pathogenic tau, α-synuclein and TDP-43. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:613-640. [PMID: 35513543 PMCID: PMC9107452 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02426-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular accumulation of abnormal proteins with conformational changes is the defining neuropathological feature of neurodegenerative diseases. The pathogenic proteins that accumulate in patients' brains adopt an amyloid-like fibrous structure and exhibit various ultrastructural features. The biochemical analysis of pathogenic proteins in sarkosyl-insoluble fractions extracted from patients' brains also shows disease-specific features. Intriguingly, these ultrastructural and biochemical features are common within the same disease group. These differences among the pathogenic proteins extracted from patients' brains have important implications for definitive diagnosis of the disease, and also suggest the existence of pathogenic protein strains that contribute to the heterogeneity of pathogenesis in neurodegenerative diseases. Recent experimental evidence has shown that prion-like propagation of these pathogenic proteins from host cells to recipient cells underlies the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. The reproduction of the pathological features that characterize each disease in cellular and animal models of prion-like propagation also implies that the structural differences in the pathogenic proteins are inherited in a prion-like manner. In this review, we summarize the ultrastructural and biochemical features of pathogenic proteins extracted from the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases that accumulate abnormal forms of tau, α-synuclein, and TDP-43, and we discuss how these disease-specific properties are maintained in the brain, based on recent experimental insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Airi Tarutani
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan
| | - Tadashi Adachi
- Division of Neuropathology, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Tottori, 683-8503, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Akatsu
- Department of Neuropathology, Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Aichi, 441-8124, Japan
- Department of Community-Based Medical Education, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Aichi, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Yoshio Hashizume
- Department of Neuropathology, Choju Medical Institute, Fukushimura Hospital, Aichi, 441-8124, Japan
| | - Kazuko Hasegawa
- Division of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara National Hospital, Kanagawa, 252-0392, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan
| | - Andrew C Robinson
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Salford Royal Hospital, The University of Manchester, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - David M A Mann
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Salford Royal Hospital, The University of Manchester, Salford, M6 8HD, UK
| | - Mari Yoshida
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan
| | - Shigeo Murayama
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
- Brain Bank for Neurodevelopmental, Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masato Hasegawa
- Department of Brain and Neuroscience, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 156-8506, Japan.
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17
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Unique seeding profiles and prion-like propagation of synucleinopathies are highly dependent on the host in human α-synuclein transgenic mice. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:663-685. [PMID: 35488930 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02425-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
α-synuclein (αSyn) is an intrinsically disordered protein which can undergo structural transformations, resulting in the formation of stable, insoluble fibrils. αSyn amyloid-type nucleation can be induced by misfolded 'seeds' serving as a conformational template, tantamount to the prion-like mechanism. Accumulation of αSyn inclusions is a key feature of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), and are found as additional pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) such as AD with amygdala predominant Lewy bodies (AD/ALB). While these disorders accumulate the same pathological protein, they exhibit heterogeneity in clinical and histological features; however, the mechanism(s) underlying this variability remains elusive. Accruing data from human autopsy studies, animal inoculation modeling, and in vitro characterization experiments, have lent credence to the hypothesis that conformational polymorphism of the αSyn amyloid-type fibril structure results in distinct "strains" with categorical infectivity traits. Herein, we directly compare the seeding abilities and outcome of human brain lysates from these diseases, as well as recombinant preformed human αSyn fibrils by the intracerebral inoculation of transgenic mice overexpressing either human wild-type αSyn or human αSyn with the familial A53T mutation. Our study has revealed that the initiating inoculum heavily dictates the phenotypic and pathological course of disease. Interestingly, we have also established relevant host-dependent distinctions between propagation profiles, including burden and spread of inclusion pathology throughout the neuroaxis, as well as severity of neurological symptoms. These findings provide compelling evidence supporting the hypothesis that diverse prion-type conformers may explain the variability seen in synucleinopathies.
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18
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Bonaccorsi di Patti MC, Angiulli E, Casini A, Vaccaro R, Cioni C, Toni M. Synuclein Analysis in Adult Xenopus laevis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116058. [PMID: 35682736 PMCID: PMC9181771 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The α-, β- and γ-synucleins are small soluble proteins expressed in the nervous system of mammals and evolutionary conserved in vertebrates. After being discovered in the cartilaginous fish Torpedo californica, synucleins have been sequenced in all vertebrates, showing differences in the number of genes and splicing isoforms in different taxa. Although α-, β- and γ-synucleins share high homology in the N-terminal sequence, suggesting their evolution from a common ancestor, the three isoforms also differ in molecular characteristics, expression levels and tissue distribution. Moreover, their functions have yet to be fully understood. Great scientific interest on synucleins mainly derives from the involvement of α-synuclein in human neurodegenerative diseases, collectively named synucleinopathies, which involve the accumulation of amyloidogenic α-synuclein inclusions in neurons and glia cells. Studies on synucleinopathies can take advantage of the development of new vertebrate models other than mammals. Moreover, synuclein expression in non-mammalian vertebrates contribute to clarify the physiological role of these proteins in the evolutionary perspective. In this paper, gene expression levels of α-, β- and γ-synucleins have been analysed in the main organs of adult Xenopus laevis by qRT-PCR. Moreover, recombinant α-, β- and γ-synucleins were produced to test the specificity of commercial antibodies against α-synuclein used in Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Finally, the secondary structure of Xenopus synucleins was evaluated by circular dichroism analysis. Results indicate Xenopus as a good model for studying synucleinopathies, and provide a useful background for future studies on synuclein functions and their evolution in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisa Angiulli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.); (C.C.)
| | - Arianna Casini
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (R.V.)
| | - Rosa Vaccaro
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (A.C.); (R.V.)
| | - Carla Cioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.); (C.C.)
| | - Mattia Toni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, Italy; (E.A.); (C.C.)
- Correspondence: (M.C.B.d.P.); (M.T.)
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19
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Li YY, Zhou TT, Zhang Y, Chen NH, Yuan YH. Distribution of α-Synuclein Aggregation in the Peripheral Tissues. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:3627-3634. [PMID: 35348944 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03586-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease mainly characterized by movement disorders and other non-motor symptoms, including the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra parts. Abnormal α-synuclein aggregation in the brain is closely associated with the loss of dopaminergic neurons. α-synuclein can propagate in the central nervous system (CNS) and periphery under pathological conditions. Many researches have focused on its aggregation and distribution in the CNS and explored its relationship with PD. But in recent years, the distribution of α-synuclein in peripheral tissues have been paid much attention. This review summarized the distribution of α-synuclein in the choroid plexus, blood, saliva, gastrointestine and other tissues, and discussed the potential mechanism of α-synuclein aggregation, providing a basis for the early diagnosis and intervention of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Tian-Tian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, School of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China
| | - Nai-Hong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China. .,Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, I Xiannongtan Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Yu-He Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China. .,Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, I Xiannongtan Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100050, China.
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20
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Xu CK, Castellana-Cruz M, Chen SW, Du Z, Meisl G, Levin A, Mannini B, Itzhaki LS, Knowles TPJ, Dobson CM, Cremades N, Kumita JR. The Pathological G51D Mutation in Alpha-Synuclein Oligomers Confers Distinct Structural Attributes and Cellular Toxicity. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27041293. [PMID: 35209093 PMCID: PMC8879557 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27041293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
A wide variety of oligomeric structures are formed during the aggregation of proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Such soluble oligomers are believed to be key toxic species in the related disorders; therefore, identification of the structural determinants of toxicity is of upmost importance. Here, we analysed toxic oligomers of α-synuclein and its pathological variants in order to identify structural features that could be related to toxicity and found a novel structural polymorphism within G51D oligomers. These G51D oligomers can adopt a variety of β-sheet-rich structures with differing degrees of α-helical content, and the helical structural content of these oligomers correlates with the level of induced cellular dysfunction in SH-SY5Y cells. This structure–function relationship observed in α-synuclein oligomers thus presents the α-helical structure as another potential structural determinant that may be linked with cellular toxicity in amyloid-related proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine K. Xu
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Marta Castellana-Cruz
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Serene W. Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK;
| | - Zhen Du
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK; (Z.D.); (L.S.I.)
| | - Georg Meisl
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Aviad Levin
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Benedetta Mannini
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Laura S. Itzhaki
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK; (Z.D.); (L.S.I.)
| | - Tuomas P. J. Knowles
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK
| | - Christopher M. Dobson
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; (C.K.X.); (M.C.-C.); (G.M.); (A.L.); (B.M.); (T.P.J.K.)
| | - Nunilo Cremades
- Institute for Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor, Edificio I+D+I, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
- Correspondence: (N.C.); (J.R.K.)
| | - Janet R. Kumita
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK; (Z.D.); (L.S.I.)
- Correspondence: (N.C.); (J.R.K.)
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21
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Modeling the cellular fate of alpha-synuclein aggregates: A pathway to pathology. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 72:171-177. [PMID: 35131527 PMCID: PMC9235864 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by pathological protein inclusions that form in the brains of patients, leading to neuron loss and the observed clinical symptoms. These inclusions, containing aggregates of the protein α-Synuclein, spread throughout the brain as the disease progresses. This spreading follows patterns that inform our understanding of the disease. One way to further our understanding of disease progression is to model the discrete steps from when a cell first encounters an aggregate to when those aggregates propagate to new cells. This review will serve to highlight the recent progress made in the effort to better understand the mechanistic steps that determine how this propagation happens at the cellular level.
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22
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Lai TT, Kim YJ, Ma HI, Kim YE. Evidence of Inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease and Its Contribution to Synucleinopathy. J Mov Disord 2022; 15:1-14. [PMID: 35124957 PMCID: PMC8820875 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.21078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) protein in neurons is a renowned pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In addition, accumulating evidence indicates that activated inflammatory responses are involved in the pathogenesis of PD. Thus, achieving a better understanding of the interaction between inflammation and synucleinopathy in relation to the PD process will facilitate the development of promising disease-modifying therapies. In this review, the evidence of inflammation in PD is discussed, and human, animal, and laboratory studies relevant to the relationship between inflammation and αSyn are explored as well as new therapeutic targets associated with this relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuy Thi Lai
- Department of Neurology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea
- Hallym Neurological Institute, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea
| | - Yun Joong Kim
- Department of Neurology, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yongin, Korea
| | - Hyeo-il Ma
- Department of Neurology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea
- Hallym Neurological Institute, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea
| | - Young Eun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea
- Hallym Neurological Institute, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea
- Corresponding author: Young Eun Kim, MD Department of Neurology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 22 Gwanpyeong-ro 170beon-gil, Dongangu, Anyang 14068, Korea / Tel: +82-31-380-3740 / E-mail:
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Fredriksen K, Aivazidis S, Sharma K, Burbidge KJ, Pitcairn C, Zunke F, Gelyana E, Mazzulli JR. Pathological α-syn aggregation is mediated by glycosphingolipid chain length and the physiological state of α-syn in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2108489118. [PMID: 34893541 PMCID: PMC8685670 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2108489118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
GBA1 mutations that encode lysosomal β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase) cause the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease (GD) and are strong risk factors for synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia. Only a subset of subjects with GBA1 mutations exhibit neurodegeneration, and the factors that influence neurological phenotypes are unknown. We find that α-synuclein (α-syn) neuropathology induced by GCase depletion depends on neuronal maturity, the physiological state of α-syn, and specific accumulation of long-chain glycosphingolipid (GSL) GCase substrates. Reduced GCase activity does not initiate α-syn aggregation in neonatal mice or immature human midbrain cultures; however, adult mice or mature midbrain cultures that express physiological α-syn oligomers are aggregation prone. Accumulation of long-chain GSLs (≥C22), but not short-chain species, induced α-syn pathology and neurological dysfunction. Selective reduction of long-chain GSLs ameliorated α-syn pathology through lysosomal cathepsins. We identify specific requirements that dictate synuclein pathology in GD models, providing possible explanations for the phenotypic variability in subjects with GCase deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Fredriksen
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Stefanos Aivazidis
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Karan Sharma
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Kevin J Burbidge
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Caleb Pitcairn
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Friederike Zunke
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Eilrayna Gelyana
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Joseph R Mazzulli
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611;
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24
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Gadhe L, Sakunthala A, Mukherjee S, Gahlot N, Bera R, Sawner AS, Kadu P, Maji SK. Intermediates of α-synuclein aggregation: Implications in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. Biophys Chem 2021; 281:106736. [PMID: 34923391 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cytoplasmic deposition of aberrantly misfolded α-synuclein (α-Syn) is a common feature of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the precise pathogenic mechanism of α-Syn in synucleinopathies remains elusive. Emerging evidence has suggested that α-Syn may contribute to PD pathogenesis in several ways; wherein the contribution of fibrillar species, for exerting toxicity and disease transmission, cannot be neglected. Further, the oligomeric species could be the most plausible neurotoxic species causing neuronal cell death. However, understanding the structural and molecular insights of these oligomers are very challenging due to the heterogeneity and transient nature of the species. In this review, we discuss the recent advancements in understanding the formation and role of α-Syn oligomers in PD pathogenesis. We also summarize the different types of α-Syn oligomeric species and potential mechanisms to exert neurotoxicity. Finally, we address the possible ways to target α-Syn as a promising approach against PD and the possible future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laxmikant Gadhe
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Arunima Sakunthala
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Semanti Mukherjee
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Nitisha Gahlot
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Riya Bera
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Ajay Singh Sawner
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Pradeep Kadu
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Samir K Maji
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India.
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25
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Simon C, Soga T, Okano HJ, Parhar I. α-Synuclein-mediated neurodegeneration in Dementia with Lewy bodies: the pathobiology of a paradox. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:196. [PMID: 34798911 PMCID: PMC8605528 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00709-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is epitomized by the pathognomonic manifestation of α-synuclein-laden Lewy bodies within selectively vulnerable neurons in the brain. By virtue of prion-like inheritance, the α-synuclein protein inexorably undergoes extensive conformational metamorphoses and culminate in the form of fibrillar polymorphs, instigating calamitous damage to the brain's neuropsychological networks. This epiphenomenon is nebulous, however, by lingering uncertainty over the quasi "pathogenic" behavior of α-synuclein conformers in DLB pathobiology. Despite numerous attempts, a monolithic "α-synuclein" paradigm that is able to untangle the enigma enshrouding the clinicopathological spectrum of DLB has failed to emanate. In this article, we review conceptual frameworks of α-synuclein dependent cell-autonomous and non-autonomous mechanisms that are likely to facilitate the transneuronal spread of degeneration through the neuraxis. In particular, we describe how the progressive demise of susceptible neurons may evolve from cellular derangements perpetrated by α-synuclein misfolding and aggregation. Where pertinent, we show how these bona fide mechanisms may mutually accentuate α-synuclein-mediated neurodegeneration in the DLB brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Simon
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Tomoko Soga
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Hirotaka James Okano
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ishwar Parhar
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
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26
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The role of amyloids in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 190:44-55. [PMID: 34480905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.08.197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
With varying clinical symptoms, most neurodegenerative diseases are associated with abnormal loss of neurons. They share the same common pathogenic mechanisms involving misfolding and aggregation, and these visible aggregates of proteins are deposited in the central nervous system. Amyloid formation is thought to arise from partial unfolding of misfolded proteins leading to the exposure of hydrophobic surfaces, which interact with other similar structures and give rise to form dimers, oligomers, protofibrils, and eventually mature fibril aggregates. Accumulating evidence indicates that amyloid oligomers, not amyloid fibrils, are the most toxic species that causes Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). AD has recently been recognized as the 'twenty-first century plague', with an incident rate of 1% at 60 years of age, which then doubles every fifth year. Currently, 5.3 million people in the US are afflicted with this disease, and the number of cases is expected to rise to 13.5 million by 2050. PD, a disorder of the brain, is the second most common form of dementia, characterized by difficulty in walking and movement. Keeping the above views in mind, in this review we have focused on the roles of amyloid in neurodegenerative diseases including AD and PD, the involvement of amyloid in mitochondrial dysfunction leading to neurodegeneration, are also considered in the review.
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27
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Mehra S, Gadhe L, Bera R, Sawner AS, Maji SK. Structural and Functional Insights into α-Synuclein Fibril Polymorphism. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1419. [PMID: 34680054 PMCID: PMC8533119 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein (α-Syn) is seen in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), dementia with Lewy body (DLB), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), and even subsets of Alzheimer's disease (AD) showing Lewy-body-like pathology. These synucleinopathies exhibit differences in their clinical and pathological representations, reminiscent of prion disorders. Emerging evidence suggests that α-Syn self-assembles and polymerizes into conformationally diverse polymorphs in vitro and in vivo, similar to prions. These α-Syn polymorphs arising from the same precursor protein may exhibit strain-specific biochemical properties and the ability to induce distinct pathological phenotypes upon their inoculation in animal models. In this review, we discuss clinical and pathological variability in synucleinopathies and several aspects of α-Syn fibril polymorphism, including the existence of high-resolution molecular structures and brain-derived strains. The current review sheds light on the recent advances in delineating the structure-pathogenic relationship of α-Syn and how diverse α-Syn molecular polymorphs contribute to the existing clinical heterogeneity in synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surabhi Mehra
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India; (L.G.); (R.B.); (A.S.S.)
| | | | | | | | - Samir K. Maji
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India; (L.G.); (R.B.); (A.S.S.)
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28
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Mechanistic roles for altered O-GlcNAcylation in neurodegenerative disorders. Biochem J 2021; 478:2733-2758. [PMID: 34297044 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's remain highly prevalent and incurable disorders. A major challenge in fully understanding and combating the progression of these diseases is the complexity of the network of processes that lead to progressive neuronal dysfunction and death. An ideal therapeutic avenue is conceivably one that could address many if not all of these multiple misregulated mechanisms. Over the years, chemical intervention for the up-regulation of the endogenous posttranslational modification (PTM) O-GlcNAc has been proposed as a potential strategy to slow down the progression of neurodegeneration. Through the development and application of tools that allow dissection of the mechanistic roles of this PTM, there is now a growing body of evidence that O-GlcNAc influences a variety of important neurodegeneration-pertinent mechanisms, with an overall protective effect. As a PTM that is appended onto numerous proteins that participate in protein quality control and homeostasis, metabolism, bioenergetics, neuronal communication, inflammation, and programmed death, O-GlcNAc has demonstrated beneficence in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, and its up-regulation is now being pursued in multiple clinical studies.
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29
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Title of the manuscript: Mechanistic insights into chalcone butein-induced inhibition of α-synuclein fibrillation: Biophysical and insilico studies. J Mol Liq 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2021.116105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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30
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Bokor M, Tantos Á. Protein-Protein Connections-Oligomer, Amyloid and Protein Complex-By Wide Line 1H NMR. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050757. [PMID: 34070204 PMCID: PMC8158481 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The amount of bonds between constituting parts of a protein aggregate were determined in wild type (WT) and A53T α-synuclein (αS) oligomers, amyloids and in the complex of thymosin-β4–cytoplasmic domain of stabilin-2 (Tβ4-stabilin CTD). A53T αS aggregates have more extensive βsheet contents reflected by constant regions at low potential barriers in difference (to monomers) melting diagrams (MDs). Energies of the intermolecular interactions and of secondary structures bonds, formed during polymerization, fall into the 5.41 kJ mol−1 ≤ Ea ≤ 5.77 kJ mol−1 range for αS aggregates. Monomers lose more mobile hydration water while forming amyloids than oligomers. Part of the strong mobile hydration water–protein bonds break off and these bonding sites of the protein form intermolecular bonds in the aggregates. The new bonds connect the constituting proteins into aggregates. Amyloid–oligomer difference MD showed an overall more homogeneous solvent accessible surface of A53T αS amyloids. From the comparison of the nominal sum of the MDs of the constituting proteins to the measured MD of the Tβ4-stabilin CTD complex, the number of intermolecular bonds connecting constituent proteins into complex is 20(1) H2O/complex. The energies of these bonds are in the 5.40(3) kJ mol−1 ≤ Ea ≤ 5.70(5) kJ mol−1 range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónika Bokor
- Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +36-209939420
| | - Ágnes Tantos
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology, 1117 Budapest, Hungary;
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31
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Abstract
The molecular architecture of α-Synuclein (α-Syn) inclusions, pathognomonic of various neurodegenerative disorders, remains unclear. α-Syn inclusions were long thought to consist mainly of α-Syn fibrils, but recent reports pointed to intracellular membranes as the major inclusion component. Here, we use cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to image neuronal α-Syn inclusions in situ at molecular resolution. We show that inclusions seeded by α-Syn aggregates produced recombinantly or purified from patient brain consist of α-Syn fibrils crisscrossing a variety of cellular organelles. Using gold-labeled seeds, we find that aggregate seeding is predominantly mediated by small α-Syn fibrils, from which cytoplasmic fibrils grow unidirectionally. Detailed analysis of membrane interactions revealed that α-Syn fibrils do not contact membranes directly, and that α-Syn does not drive membrane clustering. Altogether, we conclusively demonstrate that neuronal α-Syn inclusions consist of α-Syn fibrils intermixed with membranous organelles, and illuminate the mechanism of aggregate seeding and cellular interaction.
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32
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Stojkovska I, Mazzulli JR. Detection of pathological alpha-synuclein aggregates in human iPSC-derived neurons and tissue. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100372. [PMID: 33733241 PMCID: PMC7941090 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of proteins into insoluble aggregates is a common feature of several neurodegenerative diseases. Aggregated α-synuclein is a major component of Lewy bodies that pathologically define Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we present methods for the detection of pathogenic conformations of α-synuclein in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) patient-derived neuron models and brain tissue. These methods can be applied to studies of PD pathogenesis and the discovery of novel therapeutics that restore physiological α-synuclein. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Cuddy et al. (2019) and Zunke et al. (2018). α-Synuclein aggregates can be characterized by sequential protein extraction Protocol is optimized for detecting α-synuclein in iPSC-derived neurons or brain tissue Gel filtration is a useful method for the detection of oligomeric intermediates Inclusions can be further analyzed by immunofluorescence and Thioflavin S staining
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Stojkovska
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Joseph R Mazzulli
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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33
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Liang Z, Chan HYE, Lee MM, Chan MK. A SUMO1-Derived Peptide Targeting SUMO-Interacting Motif Inhibits α-Synuclein Aggregation. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:180-190.e6. [PMID: 33444530 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation of α-synuclein amyloid fibrils in the brain is linked to Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. The intermediate species in the early aggregation phase of α-synuclein are involved in the emergence of amyloid toxicity and considered to be the most neurotoxic. The N-terminal region flanking the non-amyloid-β component domain of α-synuclein has been implicated in modulating its aggregation. Herein, we report the development of a SUMO1-derived peptide inhibitor (SUMO1(15-55)), which targets two SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs) within this aggregation-regulating region and suppresses α-synuclein aggregation. Molecular modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, and binding studies are used to elucidate the mode of interaction, namely, via the binding of either of the two SIM sequences on α-synuclein to a putative hydrophobic binding groove on SUMO1(15-55). Subsequent studies show that SUMO1(15-55) also reduces α-synuclein-induced cytotoxicity in cell-based and Drosophila disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaohui Liang
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China; Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ho Yin Edwin Chan
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China; Laboratory of Drosophila Research, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Marianne M Lee
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China; Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Michael K Chan
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China; Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Reverse engineering Lewy bodies: how far have we come and how far can we go? Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:111-131. [PMID: 33432241 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-00416-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Lewy bodies (LBs) are α-synuclein (α-syn)-rich intracellular inclusions that are an important pathological hallmark of Parkinson disease and several other neurodegenerative diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that the aggregation of α-syn has a central role in LB formation and is one of the key processes that drive neurodegeneration and pathology progression in Parkinson disease. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the formation of LBs, their biochemical composition and ultrastructural properties, how they evolve and spread with disease progression, and their role in neurodegeneration. In this Review, we discuss current knowledge of α-syn pathology, including the biochemical, structural and morphological features of LBs observed in different brain regions. We also review the most used cellular and animal models of α-syn aggregation and pathology spreading in relation to the extent to which they reproduce key features of authentic LBs. Finally, we provide important insights into molecular and cellular determinants of LB formation and spreading, and highlight the critical need for more detailed and systematic characterization of α-syn pathology, at both the biochemical and structural levels. This would advance our understanding of Parkinson disease and other neurodegenerative diseases and allow the development of more-reliable disease models and novel effective therapeutic strategies.
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35
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Kamboj S, Harms C, Kumar L, Creamer D, West C, Klein-Seetharaman J, Sarkar SK. A method of purifying alpha-synuclein in E. coli without chromatography. Heliyon 2021; 7:e05874. [PMID: 33490665 PMCID: PMC7810624 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Research has implicated alpha-synuclein (aSyn) in pathological protein aggregation observed in almost all patients with Parkinson's disease and more than 50% of patients with Alzheimer's disease. An easy and inexpensive method of purifying aSyn and developing an in vitro model system of Lewy body formation would enhance basic biomedical research. We report aSyn purification technique that leverages the amyloidogenic property of aSyn suitable for purifying monomeric aSyn without chromatography and denaturing agents. We expressed full-length and untagged aSyn in Rosetta(DE3) pLysS and purified ~60 μg of aSyn from 500 mL culture within 24 h. After IPTG-induced expression of aSyn in E. coli, we disrupted the cells with a sonicator. We centrifuged the cell lysate in a 15 mL tube, which leads to aSyn-induced aggregation of native E. coli proteins. After removing aggregates, centrifugation in a 30 kDa cut-off filter followed by a 10 kDa cut-off filter led to purified water-soluble aSyn. The identity of aSyn was confirmed by Western blot using anti-aSyn antibody and Edman sequencing. Its mass was determined to be 14.6 kDa using a MALDI TOF-MS mass spectrometer. The majority of aSyn led to water-suspended (as opposed to precipitated) aggregation of E. coli proteins with visible fibrous structures. The broad-spectrum binding and amyloidogenic property of aSyn is thus not only useful for inexpensive aSyn production for diverse applications, but it also expands studying its possible roles in human physiology. The aggregate of E. coli proteins induced by aSyn during the purification process may serve as a Lewy body model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumaer Kamboj
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Chase Harms
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Lokender Kumar
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Daniel Creamer
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Colista West
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | | | - Susanta K. Sarkar
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
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Stephens AD, Matak-Vinkovic D, Fernandez-Villegas A, Kaminski Schierle GS. Purification of Recombinant α-synuclein: A Comparison of Commonly Used Protocols. Biochemistry 2020; 59:4563-4572. [PMID: 33237763 PMCID: PMC7818547 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The initial state of the intrinsically disordered protein α-synuclein (aSyn), e.g., the presence of oligomers and degradation products, or the presence of contaminants and adducts can greatly influence the aggregation kinetics and toxicity of the protein. Here, we compare four commonly used protocols for the isolation of recombinant aSyn from Escherichia coli: boiling, acid precipitation, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and periplasmic lysis followed by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. We identified, using nondenaturing electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, that aSyn isolated by acid precipitation and periplasmic lysis was the purest and yielded the highest percentage of monomeric protein, 100% and 96.5%, respectively. We then show that aSyn purified by the different protocols exerts different metabolic stresses in cells, with the more multimeric/degraded and least pure samples leading to a larger increase in cell vitality. However, the percentage of monomeric protein and the purity of the samples did not correlate with aSyn aggregation propensity. This study highlights the importance of characterizing monomeric aSyn after purification, as the choice of purification method can significantly influence the outcome of a subsequent study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amberley D. Stephens
- Chemical
Engineering and Biotechnology, University
of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K.,
| | - Dijana Matak-Vinkovic
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Ana Fernandez-Villegas
- Chemical
Engineering and Biotechnology, University
of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, U.K.
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37
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Sánchez K, Maguire-Zeiss K. MMP13 Expression Is Increased Following Mutant α-Synuclein Exposure and Promotes Inflammatory Responses in Microglia. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:585544. [PMID: 33343280 PMCID: PMC7738560 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.585544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a 140-amino acid protein that readily misfolds and is associated with the Lewy body pathology found in sporadic and genetic forms of Parkinson's disease. We and others have shown that wild-type α-synuclein is a damage-associated molecular pattern that directly elicits a proinflammatory response in microglia through toll-like receptor activation. Here we investigated the direct effect of oligomeric mutant α-synuclein (A53T) on microglia morphology and activation. We found that misfolded A53T increased quantitative measures of amoeboid cell morphology, NFκB nuclear translocation and the expression of prototypical proinflammatory molecules. We also demonstrated that A53T increased expression of MMP13, a matrix metalloproteinase that remodels the extracellular matrix. To better understand the role of MMP13 in synucleinopathies, we further characterized the role of MMP13 in microglial signaling. We showed exposure of microglia to MMP13 induced a change in morphology and promoted the release of TNFα and MMP9. Notably, IL1β was not released indicating that the pathway involved in MMP13 activation of microglia may be different than the A53T pathway. Lastly, MMP13 increased the expression of CD68 suggesting that the lysosomal pathway might be altered by this MMP. Taken together this study shows that mutant α-synuclein directly induces a proinflammatory phenotype in microglia, which includes the expression of MMP13. In turn, MMP13 directly alters microglia supporting the need for multi-target therapies to treat Parkinson's disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Sánchez
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Kathleen Maguire-Zeiss
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
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38
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Hrushanyk NV, Stasyk OV, Stasyk OG. Oxidative stress regulation in the yeast Ogataea polymorpha producer of human ?-synuclein. UKRAINIAN BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.15407/ubj92.05.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Knop JM, Mukherjee SK, Oliva R, Möbitz S, Winter R. Remodeling of the Conformational Dynamics of Noncanonical DNA Structures by Monomeric and Aggregated α-Synuclein. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:18299-18303. [PMID: 33075229 PMCID: PMC11134602 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c07192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Research on Parkinson's disease most often focuses on the ability of the protein α-synuclein (α-syn) to form oligomers and amyloid fibrils, and how such species promote brain death. However, there are indications that α-syn also plays a gene-regulatory role in the cell nucleus. Noncanonical tetrahelical nucleic acids, G-quadruplexes (G4Q), and i-motifs have been shown to play an important role in the control of genomic events. Using the conformation-sensitive single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer technique we show that monomeric and oligomeric α-syn affect G4Qs and i-motifs in a different way and lead to remodeling of their conformational substates. Aggregated α-syn destabilizes the G4Q leading to unfolding. In contrast, both monomeric and aggregated α-syn enhance folding of the i-motif sequence of telomeric DNA. Importantly, macromolecular crowding is able to partially rescue G4Q from unfolding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rosario Oliva
- Physical Chemistry I - Biophysical
Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Street 4a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Simone Möbitz
- Physical Chemistry I - Biophysical
Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Street 4a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Roland Winter
- Physical Chemistry I - Biophysical
Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Street 4a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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40
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Nasrollahi-Shirazi S, Szöllösi D, Yang Q, Muratspahic E, El-Kasaby A, Sucic S, Stockner T, Nanoff C, Freissmuth M. Functional Impact of the G279S Substitution in the Adenosine A 1-Receptor (A 1R-G279S 7.44), a Mutation Associated with Parkinson's Disease. Mol Pharmacol 2020; 98:250-266. [PMID: 32817461 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.120.000003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In medium-size, spiny striatal neurons of the direct pathway, dopamine D1- and adenosine A1-receptors are coexpressed and are mutually antagonistic. Recently, a mutation in the gene encoding the A1-receptor (A1R), A1R-G279S7.44, was identified in an Iranian family: two affected offspring suffered from early-onset l-DOPA-responsive Parkinson's disease. The link between the mutation and the phenotype is unclear. Here, we explored the functional consequence of the G279S substitution on the activity of the A1-receptor after heterologous expression in HEK293 cells. The mutation did not affect surface expression and ligand binding but changed the susceptibility to heat denaturation: the thermodynamic stability of A1R-G279S7.44 was enhanced by about 2 and 8 K when compared with wild-type A1-receptor and A1R-Y288A7.53 (a folding-deficient variant used as a reference), respectively. In contrast, the kinetic stability was reduced, indicating a lower energy barrier for conformational transitions in A1R-G279S7.44 (73 ± 23 kJ/mol) than in wild-type A1R (135 ± 4 kJ/mol) or in A1R-Y288A7.53 (184 ± 24 kJ/mol). Consistent with this lower energy barrier, A1R-G279S7.44 was more effective in promoting guanine nucleotide exchange than wild-type A1R. We detected similar levels of complexes formed between D1-receptors and wild-type A1R or A1R-G279S7.44 by coimmunoprecipitation and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer. However, lower concentrations of agonist were required for half-maximum inhibition of dopamine-induced cAMP accumulation in cells coexpressing D1-receptor and A1R-G279S7.44 than in those coexpressing wild-type A1R. These observations predict enhanced inhibition of dopaminergic signaling by A1R-G279S7.44 in vivo, consistent with a pathogenic role in Parkinson's disease. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Parkinson's disease is caused by a loss of dopaminergic input from the substantia nigra to the caudate nucleus and the putamen. Activation of the adenosine A1-receptor antagonizes responses elicited by dopamine D1-receptor. We show that this activity is more pronounced in a mutant version of the A1-receptor (A1R-G279S7.44), which was identified in individuals suffering from early-onset Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrooz Nasrollahi-Shirazi
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Szöllösi
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Qiong Yang
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Edin Muratspahic
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ali El-Kasaby
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonja Sucic
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Stockner
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Nanoff
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Freissmuth
- Institute of Pharmacology and the Gaston H. Glock Research Laboratories for Exploratory Drug Development, Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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41
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Agerschou ED, Borgmann V, Wördehoff MM, Hoyer W. Inhibitor and substrate cooperate to inhibit amyloid fibril elongation of α-synuclein. Chem Sci 2020; 11:11331-11337. [PMID: 34094375 PMCID: PMC8162328 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc04051g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In amyloid fibril elongation, soluble growth substrate binds to the fibril-end and converts into the fibril conformation. This process is targeted by inhibitors that block fibril-ends. Here, we investigated how the elongation of α-synuclein (αS) fibrils, which are associated with Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies, is inhibited by αS variants with a preformed hairpin in the critical N-terminal region comprising residues 36-57. The inhibitory efficiency is strongly dependent on the specific position of the hairpin. We find that the inhibitor and substrate concentration dependencies can be analyzed with models of competitive enzyme inhibition. Remarkably, the growth substrate, i.e., wild-type αS, supports inhibition by stabilizing the elongation-incompetent blocked state. This observation allowed us to create inhibitor-substrate fusions that achieved inhibition at low nanomolar concentration. We conclude that inhibitor-substrate cooperativity can be exploited for the design of fibril growth inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Dandanell Agerschou
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf Germany
| | - Vera Borgmann
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf Germany
| | - Michael M Wördehoff
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hoyer
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf Germany
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Structural Biochemistry (IBI-7), JuStruct: Jülich Center for Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich 52425 Jülich Germany
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42
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Tanriöver G, Bacioglu M, Schweighauser M, Mahler J, Wegenast-Braun BM, Skodras A, Obermüller U, Barth M, Kronenberg-Versteeg D, Nilsson KPR, Shimshek DR, Kahle PJ, Eisele YS, Jucker M. Prominent microglial inclusions in transgenic mouse models of α-synucleinopathy that are distinct from neuronal lesions. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:133. [PMID: 32787922 PMCID: PMC7425556 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-00993-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synucleinopathies are a group of progressive neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by intracellular deposits of aggregated α-synuclein (αS). The clinical heterogeneity of these diseases is thought to be attributed to conformers (or strains) of αS but the contribution of inclusions in various cell types is unclear. The aim of the present work was to study αS conformers among different transgenic (TG) mouse models of α-synucleinopathies. To this end, four different TG mouse models were studied (Prnp-h[A53T]αS; Thy1-h[A53T]αS; Thy1-h[A30P]αS; Thy1-mαS) that overexpress human or murine αS and differed in their age-of-symptom onset and subsequent disease progression. Postmortem analysis of end-stage brains revealed robust neuronal αS pathology as evidenced by accumulation of αS serine 129 (p-αS) phosphorylation in the brainstem of all four TG mouse lines. Overall appearance of the pathology was similar and only modest differences were observed among additionally affected brain regions. To study αS conformers in these mice, we used pentameric formyl thiophene acetic acid (pFTAA), a fluorescent dye with amyloid conformation-dependent spectral properties. Unexpectedly, besides the neuronal αS pathology, we also found abundant pFTAA-positive inclusions in microglia of all four TG mouse lines. These microglial inclusions were also positive for Thioflavin S and showed immunoreactivity with antibodies recognizing the N-terminus of αS, but were largely p-αS-negative. In all four lines, spectral pFTAA analysis revealed conformational differences between microglia and neuronal inclusions but not among the different mouse models. Concomitant with neuronal lesions, microglial inclusions were already present at presymptomatic stages and could also be induced by seeded αS aggregation. Although nature and significance of microglial inclusions for human α-synucleinopathies remain to be clarified, the previously overlooked abundance of microglial inclusions in TG mouse models of α-synucleinopathy bears importance for mechanistic and preclinical-translational studies.
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Li CY, Gupta A, Gáborik Z, Kis E, Prasad B. Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide–Mediated Hepatic Uptake of Glucuronide Metabolites of Androgens. Mol Pharmacol 2020; 98:234-242. [DOI: 10.1124/mol.120.119891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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Perrino G, Wilson C, Santorelli M, di Bernardo D. Quantitative Characterization of α-Synuclein Aggregation in Living Cells through Automated Microfluidics Feedback Control. Cell Rep 2020; 27:916-927.e5. [PMID: 30995486 PMCID: PMC6484782 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.03.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of α-synuclein and formation of inclusions are hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Aggregate formation is affected by cellular environment, but it has been studied almost exclusively in cell-free systems. We quantitatively analyzed α-synuclein inclusion formation and clearance in a yeast cell model of PD expressing either wild-type (WT) α-synuclein or the disease-associated A53T mutant from the galactose (Gal)-inducible promoter. A computer-controlled microfluidics device regulated α-synuclein in cells by means of closed-loop feedback control. We demonstrated that inclusion formation is strictly concentration dependent and that the aggregation threshold of the A53T mutant is about half of the WT α-synuclein (56%). We chemically modulated the proteasomal and autophagic pathways and demonstrated that autophagy is the main determinant of A53T α-synuclein inclusions’ clearance. In addition to proposing a technology to overcome current limitations in dynamically regulating protein expression levels, our results contribute to the biology of PD and have relevance for therapeutic applications. In silico feedback control enables regulation of α-synuclein expression in yeast α-Synuclein inclusion formation is strictly concentration, but not time, dependent The aggregation threshold of the α-synuclein A53T mutant is 56% of the wild-type Autophagy induction speeds up inclusion clearance in the A53T α-synuclein strain
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Affiliation(s)
- Giansimone Perrino
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
| | - Cathal Wilson
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
| | - Marco Santorelli
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
| | - Diego di Bernardo
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli (NA), Italy; Department of Chemical, Materials and Industrial Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy.
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45
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Bokor M, Tantos Á, Tompa P, Han KH, Tompa K. WT and A53T α-Synuclein Systems: Melting Diagram and Its New Interpretation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3997. [PMID: 32503167 PMCID: PMC7312601 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential barriers governing the motions of α-synuclein (αS) variants' hydration water, especially energetics of them, is in the focus of the work. The thermodynamical approach yielded essential information about distributions and heights of the potential barriers. The proteins' structural disorder was measured by ratios of heterogeneous water-binding interfaces. They showed the αS monomers, oligomers and amyloids to possess secondary structural elements, although monomers are intrinsically disordered. Despite their disordered nature, monomers have 33% secondary structure, and therefore they are more compact than a random coil. At the lowest potential barriers with mobile hydration water, monomers are already functional, a monolayer of mobile hydration water is surrounding them. Monomers realize all possible hydrogen bonds with the solvent water. αS oligomers and amyloids have half of the mobile hydration water amount than monomers because aggregation involves less mobile hydration. The solvent-accessible surface of the oligomers is ordered or homogenous in its interactions with water to 66%. As a contrast, αS amyloids are disordered or heterogeneous to 75% of their solvent accessible surface and both wild type and A53T amyloids show identical, low-level hydration. Mobile water molecules in the first hydration shell of amyloids are the weakest bound compared to other forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónika Bokor
- Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, 1121 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Ágnes Tantos
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary; (Á.T.); (P.T.)
| | - Péter Tompa
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Hungary; (Á.T.); (P.T.)
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kyou-Hoon Han
- BioMedical Translational Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Rucheng District, Dade District 305 333, Korea;
| | - Kálmán Tompa
- Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, 1121 Budapest, Hungary;
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Transglutaminase 2 Depletion Attenuates α-Synuclein Mediated Toxicity in Mice. Neuroscience 2020; 441:58-64. [PMID: 32502569 PMCID: PMC8024061 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a key pathogenic protein in α-synucleinopathies including Parkinson disease (PD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. The aggregation of α-Syn is believed to be deleterious and a critical step leading to neuronal dysfunction and death. One of the factors that may contribute to the initial steps of this aggregation is crosslinking through transglutaminase 2 (TG2). We previously demonstrated that overexpression of TG2 exacerbates α-Syn toxicity in mice and yeast by increasing the higher-order species of α-Syn. Herein, we investigated whether deletion of the TG2 encoding gene could mitigate the toxicity of α-Syn in vivo. Compared with α-Syn transgenic (SynTg) mice, TG2 null /α-Syn transgenic mice (TG2KO/SynTg) exhibited a reduced amount of phosphorylated α-Syn aggregates and fewer proteinase K-resistant α-Syn aggregates in sections of brain tissue. Neuritic processes that are depleted in SynTg mice compared to wild-type mice were preserved in double TG2KO/SynTg mice. Additionally, the neuroinflammatory reaction to α-Syn was attenuated in TG2KO/SynTg animals. These neuropathological markers of diminished α-Syn toxicity in the absence of TG2 were associated with better motor performance on the rotarod and balance beam. These results suggest that deleting TG2 reduces the toxicity of α-Syn in vivo and improves the behavioral performance of SynTg mice. Accordingly, these findings collectively support pharmacological inhibition of TG2 as a potential disease modifying therapeutic strategy for α-synucleinopathies.
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47
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Anti-aggregation Effects of Phenolic Compounds on α-synuclein. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25102444. [PMID: 32456274 PMCID: PMC7288075 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25102444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggregation and deposition of α-synuclein (αS) are major pathologic features of Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and other α-synucleinopathies. The propagation of αS pathology in the brain plays a key role in the onset and progression of clinical phenotypes. Thus, there is increasing interest in developing strategies that attenuate αS aggregation and propagation. Based on cumulative evidence that αS oligomers are neurotoxic and critical species in the pathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies, we and other groups reported that phenolic compounds inhibit αS aggregation including oligomerization, thereby ameliorating αS oligomer-induced cellular and synaptic toxicities. Heterogeneity in gut microbiota may influence the efficacy of dietary polyphenol metabolism. Our recent studies on the brain-penetrating polyphenolic acids 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (3-HBA), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-diHBA), and 3-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (3-HPPA), which are derived from gut microbiota-based metabolism of dietary polyphenols, demonstrated an in vitro ability to inhibit αS oligomerization and mediate aggregated αS-induced neurotoxicity. Additionally, 3-HPPA, 3,4-diHBA, 3-HBA, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid significantly attenuated intracellular αS seeding aggregation in a cell-based system. This review focuses on recent research developments regarding neuroprotective properties, especially anti-αS aggregation effects, of phenolic compounds and their metabolites by the gut microbiome, including our findings in the pathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies.
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48
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Saffari B, Amininasab M, Sheikhi S, Davoodi J. An efficient method for recombinant production of human alpha synuclein in Escherichia coli using thioredoxin as a fusion partner. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2020; 50:723-734. [PMID: 32129160 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2020.1734938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we describe a simple and efficient approach to produce recombinant human α-synuclein (hAS) with high purity from Escherichia coli (E. coli). The cDNA for hAS was inserted into plasmid pET32a and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) with an N-terminal tag containing E. coli thioredoxin (trx), followed by a histidine hexapeptide, and a tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease cleavage site (trx-6His-TEV). The fusion protein, trx-hAS, was initially released by osmotic shock treatment from the host cells and subsequently purified using a nickel affinity chromatography. A TEV protease cleavage step was performed to liberate the target protein, hAS, from the fusion partner, trx. Finally, an additional nickel affinity chromatography was performed to further purify the digested product. The yield of this method is ∼25 mg of tag-less protein (with ∼99% purity) per liter of culture volume. Reverse phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry confirmed the purity and authenticity of the purified protein. Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy demonstrated that the purified proteins form fibrils. Our protocol not only provides a convenient procedure for preparing highly pure hAS, but also requires very little specialized laboratory techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Saffari
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehriar Amininasab
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Sheikhi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamshid Davoodi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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49
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Perissinotto F, Stani C, De Cecco E, Vaccari L, Rondelli V, Posocco P, Parisse P, Scaini D, Legname G, Casalis L. Iron-mediated interaction of alpha synuclein with lipid raft model membranes. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:7631-7640. [PMID: 32104855 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr00287a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The aberrant misfolding and aggregation of alpha synuclein (αS) into toxic oligomeric species is one of the key features associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). It involves different biochemical and biophysical factors as plasma membrane binding and interaction with heavy metal ions. In the present work, atomic force microscopy (AFM) is combined with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements to investigate the interaction of wild-type (WT) and A53T mutated alpha synuclein with artificial lipid bilayers mimicking lipid raft (LR) domains, before and after ferrous cations (Fe2+) treatment. In the absence of iron, protein monomers produce a thinning of the membrane, targeting the non-raft phase of the bilayer preferentially. On the contrary, iron actively promotes the formation of globular protein aggregates, resembling oligomers, targeted to LR domains. In both aggregation states, monomer and oligomer, the mutated A53T protein exhibits a greater and faster membrane-interaction. These results underlie a new mechanism of membrane-protein interaction in PD. The targeting of Fe2+-promoted αS oligomers to LRs might be functional for the disease and be helpful for the development of new therapeutic strategies.
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50
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Sarkar S, Dammer EB, Malovic E, Olsen AL, Raza SA, Gao T, Xiao H, Oliver DL, Duong D, Joers V, Seyfried N, Huang M, Kukar T, Tansey MG, Kanthasamy AG, Rangaraju S. Molecular Signatures of Neuroinflammation Induced by αSynuclein Aggregates in Microglial Cells. Front Immunol 2020; 11:33. [PMID: 32082315 PMCID: PMC7006296 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (αSynAgg) are pathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies that induce microglial activation and immune-mediated neurotoxicity, but the molecular mechanisms of αSynAgg-induced immune activation are poorly defined. We performed quantitative proteomics by mass spectrometry coupled with PCR, immunohistochemical and functional validations studies to define the molecular characteristics of alpha synuclein mediated microglial activation. In mouse microglia, αSynAgg induced robust pro-inflammatory activation (increased expression of 864 genes including Irg1, Ifit1, and Pyhin) and increased nuclear proteins involved in RNA synthesis, splicing, and anti-viral defense mechanisms. Conversely, αSynAgg decreased expression several proteins (including Cdc123, Sod1, and Grn), which were predominantly cytosolic and involved in metabolic, proteasomal and lysosomal mechanisms. Pathway analyses and confirmatory in vitro studies suggested that αSynAgg partly mediates its effects via Stat3 activation. As predicted by our proteomic findings, we verified that αSynAgg induces mitochondrial dysfunction in microglia. Twenty-six proteins differentially expressed by αSynAgg were also identified as PD risk genes in genome-wide association studies (upregulated: Brd2, Clk1, Siglec1; down-regulated: Memo1, Arhgap18, Fyn, and Pgrn/Grn). We validated progranulin (PGRN) as a lysosomal PD-associated protein that is downregulated by αSynAgg in microglia in-vivo and is expressed by microglia in post-mortem PD brain, congruent with our in vitro findings. Conclusion: Together, proteomics approach both reveals novel molecular insights into αSyn-mediated neuroinflammation in PD and other synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvarish Sarkar
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Eric B Dammer
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Emir Malovic
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Abby L Olsen
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Syed Ali Raza
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Tianwen Gao
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Hailian Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Danielle L Oliver
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Duc Duong
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Valerie Joers
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Nicholas Seyfried
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Meixiang Huang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Thomas Kukar
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Malú G Tansey
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | | | - Srikant Rangaraju
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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