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Janarthanam C, Clabaugh G, Wang Z, Melvin BR, Scheibe I, Jin H, Anantharam V, Urbauer RJB, Urbauer JL, Ma J, Kanthasamy A, Huang X, Donadio V, Zou W, Kanthasamy AG. High-Yield α-Synuclein Purification and Ionic Strength Modification Pivotal to Seed Amplification Assay Performance and Reproducibility. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5988. [PMID: 38892177 PMCID: PMC11172462 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115988] [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: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein seed amplification assays (αSyn-SAAs) have emerged as promising diagnostic tools for Parkinson's disease (PD) by detecting misfolded αSyn and amplifying the signal through cyclic shaking and resting in vitro. Recently, our group and others have shown that multiple biospecimens, including CSF, skin, and submandibular glands (SMGs), can be used to seed the aggregation reaction and robustly distinguish between patients with PD and non-disease controls. The ultrasensitivity of the assay affords the ability to detect minute quantities of αSyn in peripheral tissues, but it also produces various technical challenges of variability. To address the problem of variability, we present a high-yield αSyn protein purification protocol for the efficient production of monomers with a low propensity for self-aggregation. We expressed wild-type αSyn in BL21 Escherichia coli, lysed the cells using osmotic shock, and isolated αSyn using acid precipitation and fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). Following purification, we optimized the ionic strength of the reaction buffer to distinguish the fluorescence maximum (Fmax) separation between disease and healthy control tissues for enhanced assay performance. Our protein purification protocol yielded high quantities of αSyn (average: 68.7 mg/mL per 1 L of culture) and showed highly precise and robust αSyn-SAA results using brain, skin, and SMGs with inter-lab validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelva Janarthanam
- Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.J.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (H.J.); (V.A.); (A.K.)
| | - Griffin Clabaugh
- Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.J.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (H.J.); (V.A.); (A.K.)
| | - Zerui Wang
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - Bradley R. Melvin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA;
| | - Ileia Scheibe
- Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.J.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (H.J.); (V.A.); (A.K.)
| | - Huajun Jin
- Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.J.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (H.J.); (V.A.); (A.K.)
| | - Vellareddy Anantharam
- Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.J.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (H.J.); (V.A.); (A.K.)
| | - Ramona J. B. Urbauer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (R.J.B.U.); (J.L.U.)
| | - Jeffrey L. Urbauer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (R.J.B.U.); (J.L.U.)
| | - Jiyan Ma
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China;
| | - Arthi Kanthasamy
- Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.J.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (H.J.); (V.A.); (A.K.)
| | - Xuemei Huang
- Department of Neurology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA;
| | - Vincenzo Donadio
- IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Complex Operational Unit Clinica Neurologica, 40138 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Wenquan Zou
- Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA;
| | - Anumantha G. Kanthasamy
- Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (C.J.); (G.C.); (I.S.); (H.J.); (V.A.); (A.K.)
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2
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Woerman AL, Bartz JC. Effect of host and strain factors on α-synuclein prion pathogenesis. Trends Neurosci 2024:S0166-2236(24)00084-5. [PMID: 38806297 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.05.004] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative disorders caused by misfolding of proteins into pathogenic conformations that self-template to spread disease. Although this mechanism is largely associated with the prion protein (PrP) in classical prion diseases, a growing literature indicates that other proteins, including α-synuclein, rely on a similar disease mechanism. Notably, α-synuclein misfolds into distinct conformations, or strains, that cause discrete clinical disorders including multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Because the recognized similarities between PrP and α-synuclein are increasing, this review article draws from research on PrP to identify the host and strain factors that impact disease pathogenesis, predominantly in rodent models, and focuses on key considerations for future research on α-synuclein prions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda L Woerman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
| | - Jason C Bartz
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA.
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3
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Hatano T, Okuzumi A, Matsumoto G, Tsunemi T, Hattori N. α-Synuclein: A Promising Biomarker for Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders. J Mov Disord 2024; 17:127-137. [PMID: 38589016 PMCID: PMC11082597 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.24075] [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: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the SNCA gene, which encodes α-synuclein (α-syn), play a key role in the development of genetic Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Syn is a major component of Lewy bodies in PD and glial cytoplasmic inclusions in multiple system atrophy (MSA). Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder patients often progress to PD, dementia with Lewy bodies, or MSA, which are collectively known as α-synucleinopathies. The loss of dopaminergic neurons with Lewy bodies precedes motor dysfunction in these diseases, but the mechanisms of neurodegeneration due to α-syn aggregation are poorly understood. Monitoring α-syn aggregation in vivo could serve as a diagnostic biomarker and help elucidate pathogenesis, necessitating a simple and accurate detection method. Seed amplification assays (SAAs), such as real-time quaking-induced conversion and protein misfolding cyclic amplification, are used to detect small amounts of abnormally structured α-syn protofibrils, which are central to aggregation. These methods are promising for the early diagnosis of α-synucleinopathy. Differences in α-syn filament structures between α-synucleinopathies, as observed through transmission electron microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy, suggest their role in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. SAAs may differentiate between subtypes of α-synucleinopathy and other diseases. Efforts are also being made to identify α-syn from blood using various methods. This review introduces body fluid α-syn biomarkers based on pathogenic α-syn seeds, which are expected to redefine α-synucleinopathy diagnosis and staging, improving clinical research accuracy and facilitating biomarker development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taku Hatano
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayami Okuzumi
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gen Matsumoto
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Taiji Tsunemi
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobutaka Hattori
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Neurodegenerative Disorders Collaboration Laboratory, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, Japan
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4
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Saramowicz K, Siwecka N, Galita G, Kucharska-Lusina A, Rozpędek-Kamińska W, Majsterek I. Alpha-Synuclein Contribution to Neuronal and Glial Damage in Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:360. [PMID: 38203531 PMCID: PMC10778752 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010360] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the widespread accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) protein aggregates. αSyn aggregation disrupts critical cellular processes, including synaptic function, mitochondrial integrity, and proteostasis, which culminate in neuronal cell death. Importantly, αSyn pathology extends beyond neurons-it also encompasses spreading throughout the neuronal environment and internalization by microglia and astrocytes. Once internalized, glia can act as neuroprotective scavengers, which limit the spread of αSyn. However, they can also become reactive, thereby contributing to neuroinflammation and the progression of PD. Recent advances in αSyn research have enabled the molecular diagnosis of PD and accelerated the development of targeted therapies. Nevertheless, despite more than two decades of research, the cellular function, aggregation mechanisms, and induction of cellular damage by αSyn remain incompletely understood. Unraveling the interplay between αSyn, neurons, and glia may provide insights into disease initiation and progression, which may bring us closer to exploring new effective therapeutic strategies. Herein, we provide an overview of recent studies emphasizing the multifaceted nature of αSyn and its impact on both neuron and glial cell damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ireneusz Majsterek
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland; (K.S.); (N.S.); (G.G.); (A.K.-L.); (W.R.-K.)
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5
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Candelise N, Caissutti D, Zenuni H, Nesci V, Scaricamazza S, Salvatori I, Spinello Z, Mattei V, Garofalo T, Ferri A, Valle C, Misasi R. Different Chronic Stress Paradigms Converge on Endogenous TDP43 Cleavage and Aggregation. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:6346-6361. [PMID: 37450246 PMCID: PMC10533643 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03455-z] [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: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The TAR-DNA binding protein (TDP43) is a nuclear protein whose cytoplasmic inclusions are hallmarks of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Acute stress in cells causes TDP43 mobilization to the cytoplasm and its aggregation through different routes. Although acute stress elicits a strong phenotype, is far from recapitulating the years-long aggregation process. We applied different chronic stress protocols and described TDP43 aggregation in a human neuroblastoma cell line by combining solubility assays, thioflavin-based microscopy and flow cytometry. This approach allowed us to detect, for the first time to our knowledge in vitro, the formation of 25 kDa C-terminal fragment of TDP43, a pathogenic hallmark of ALS. Our results indicate that chronic stress, compared to the more common acute stress paradigm, better recapitulates the cell biology of TDP43 proteinopathies. Moreover, we optimized a protocol for the detection of bona fide prions in living cells, suggesting that TDP43 may form amyloids as a stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Candelise
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Caissutti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Henri Zenuni
- Department of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata" University of Rome, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Nesci
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata" University of Rome, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Illari Salvatori
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179, Rome, Italy
| | - Zaira Spinello
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Mattei
- Biomedicine and Advanced Technologies Rieti Center, Sabina Universitas, 02100, Rieti, Italy
| | - Tina Garofalo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Ferri
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristiana Valle
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179, Rome, Italy.
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Roberta Misasi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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6
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Elnageeb ME, Elfaki I, Adam KM, Ahmed EM, Elkhalifa EM, Abuagla HA, Ahmed AAEM, Ali EW, Eltieb EI, Edris AM. In Silico Evaluation of the Potential Association of the Pathogenic Mutations of Alpha Synuclein Protein with Induction of Synucleinopathies. Diseases 2023; 11:115. [PMID: 37754311 PMCID: PMC10529770 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11030115] [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: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha synuclein (α-Syn) is a neuronal protein encoded by the SNCA gene and is involved in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). The objective of this study was to examine in silico the functional implications of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in the SNCA gene. We used a range of computational algorithms such as sequence conservation, structural analysis, physicochemical properties, and machine learning. The sequence of the SNCA gene was analyzed, resulting in the mapping of 42,272 SNPs that are classified into different functional categories. A total of 177 nsSNPs were identified within the coding region; there were 20 variants that may influence the α-Syn protein structure and function. This identification was made by employing different analytical tools including SIFT, PolyPhen2, Mut-pred, SNAP2, PANTHER, PhD-SNP, SNP&Go, MUpro, Cosurf, I-Mut, and HOPE. Three mutations, V82A, K80E, and E46K, were selected for further examinations due to their spatial positioning within the α-Syn as determined by PyMol. Results indicated that these mutations may affect the stability and function of α-Syn. Then, a molecular dynamics simulation was conducted for the SNCA wildtype and the four mutant variants (p.A18G, p.V82A, p.K80E, and p.E46K). The simulation examined temperature, pressure, density, root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF), solvent-accessible surface area (SASA), and radius of gyration (Rg). The data indicate that the mutations p.V82A, p.K80E, and p.E46K reduce the stability and functionality of α-Syn. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the impact of nsSNPs on α-syn structure and function. Our results required verifications in further protein functional and case-control studies. After being verified these findings can be used in genetic testing for the early diagnosis of PD, the evaluation of the risk factors, and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed E. Elnageeb
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imadeldin Elfaki
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, P.O. Box 741, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid M. Adam
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Elsadig Mohamed Ahmed
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of El Imam El Mahdi, Kosti 27711, Sudan
| | - Elkhalifa M. Elkhalifa
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Nile Valley University, Atbara 46611, Sudan
| | - Hytham A. Abuagla
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abubakr Ali Elamin Mohamed Ahmed
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Elshazali Widaa Ali
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Elmoiz Idris Eltieb
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali M. Edris
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, P.O. Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia
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7
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Flores-Leon M, Outeiro TF. More than meets the eye in Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies: from proteinopathy to lipidopathy. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:369-385. [PMID: 37421475 PMCID: PMC10412683 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02601-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The accumulation of proteinaceous inclusions in the brain is a common feature among neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease (PD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). The main neuropathological hallmark of PD and DLB are inclusions, known as Lewy bodies (LBs), enriched not only in α-synuclein (aSyn), but also in lipid species, organelles, membranes, and even nucleic acids. Furthermore, several genetic risk factors for PD are mutations in genes involved in lipid metabolism, such as GBA1, VSP35, or PINK1. Thus, it is not surprising that mechanisms that have been implicated in PD, such as inflammation, altered intracellular and vesicular trafficking, mitochondrial dysfunction, and alterations in the protein degradation systems, may be also directly or indirectly connected through lipid homeostasis. In this review, we highlight and discuss the recent evidence that suggests lipid biology as important drivers of PD, and which require renovated attention by neuropathologists. Particularly, we address the implication of lipids in aSyn accumulation and in the spreading of aSyn pathology, in mitochondrial dysfunction, and in ER stress. Together, this suggests we should broaden the view of PD not only as a proteinopathy but also as a lipidopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Flores-Leon
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Science, Göttingen, Germany.
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
- Scientific Employee with an Honorary Contract at Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Göttingen, Germany.
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8
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Vadukul D, Papp M, Thrush RJ, Wang J, Jin Y, Arosio P, Aprile FA. α-Synuclein Aggregation Is Triggered by Oligomeric Amyloid-β 42 via Heterogeneous Primary Nucleation. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:18276-18285. [PMID: 37556728 PMCID: PMC10450681 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c03212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
An increasing number of cases where amyloids of different proteins are found in the same patient are being reported. This observation complicates diagnosis and clinical intervention. Amyloids of the amyloid-β peptide or the protein α-synuclein are traditionally considered hallmarks of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, respectively. However, the co-occurrence of amyloids of these proteins has also been reported in patients diagnosed with either disease. Here, we show that soluble species containing amyloid-β can induce the aggregation of α-synuclein. Fibrils formed under these conditions are solely composed of α-synuclein to which amyloid-β can be found associated but not as part of the core of the fibrils. Importantly, by global kinetic analysis, we found that the aggregation of α-synuclein under these conditions occurs via heterogeneous primary nucleation, triggered by soluble aggregates containing amyloid-β.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devkee
M. Vadukul
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Marcell Papp
- Department
of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute
for Chemical and Bioengineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rebecca J. Thrush
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
- Institute
of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Jielei Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Yiyun Jin
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department
of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute
for Chemical and Bioengineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Francesco A. Aprile
- Department
of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
- Institute
of Chemical Biology, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
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9
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Peña-Bautista C, Kumar R, Baquero M, Johansson J, Cháfer-Pericás C, Abelein A, Ferreira D. Misfolded alpha-synuclein detection by RT-QuIC in dementia with lewy bodies: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1193458. [PMID: 37266333 PMCID: PMC10229818 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1193458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is the second most common cause of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the field is still lacking a specific biomarker for its core pathology: alpha synuclein (α-syn). Realtime quaking induced conversion (RT-QuIC) has recently emerged as a strong biomarker candidate to detect misfolded α-syn in DLB. However, the variability in the parameters of the technique and the heterogeneity of DLB patients make the reproducibility of the results difficult. Here, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art research of α-syn RT-QuIC in DLB focused on: (1) the capacity of α-syn RT-QuIC to discriminate DLB from controls, Parkinson's disease (PD) and AD; (2) the capacity of α-syn RT-QuIC to identify prodromal stages of DLB; and (3) the influence of co-pathologies on α-syn RT-QuIC's performance. We also assessed the influence of different factors, such as technical conditions (e.g., temperature, pH, shaking-rest cycles), sample type, and clinical diagnosis versus autopsy confirmation. Methods: We conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines in August 2022, without any limits in publication dates. Search terms were combinations of "RT-QuIC" and "Lewy Bodies," "DLB" or "LBD". Results: Our meta-analysis shows that α-syn RT-QuIC reaches very high diagnostic performance in discriminating DLB from both controls (pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.94 and 0.96, respectively) and AD (pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.95 and 0.88) and is promising for prodromal phases of DLB. However, the performance of α-syn RT-QuIC to discriminate DLB from PD is currently low due to low specificity (pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.94 and 0.11). Our analysis showed that α-syn RT-QuIC's performance is not substantially influenced by sample type or clinical diagnosis versus autopsy confirmation. Co-pathologies did not influence the performance of α-syn RT-QuIC, but the number of such studies is currently limited. We observed technical variability across published articles. However, we could not find a clear effect of technical variability on the reported results. Conclusion: There is currently enough evidence to test misfolded α-syn by RT-QuIC for clinical use. We anticipate that harmonization of protocols across centres and advances in standardization will facilitate the clinical establishment of misfolded α-syn detection by RT-QuIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Peña-Bautista
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, Avda de Fernando Abril Martorell, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Miguel Baquero
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, Avda de Fernando Abril Martorell, Valencia, Spain
- Neurology Unit, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jan Johansson
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Consuelo Cháfer-Pericás
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, Avda de Fernando Abril Martorell, Valencia, Spain
| | - Axel Abelein
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel Ferreira
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Schmitz M, Candelise N, Canaslan S, Altmeppen HC, Matschke J, Glatzel M, Younas N, Zafar S, Hermann P, Zerr I. α-Synuclein conformers reveal link to clinical heterogeneity of α-synucleinopathies. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:12. [PMID: 36915212 PMCID: PMC10012698 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00342-4] [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: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
α-Synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy, are a class of neurodegenerative diseases exhibiting intracellular inclusions of misfolded α-synuclein (αSyn), referred to as Lewy bodies or oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions (Papp-Lantos bodies). Even though the specific cellular distribution of aggregated αSyn differs in PD and DLB patients, both groups show a significant pathological overlap, raising the discussion of whether PD and DLB are the same or different diseases. Besides clinical investigation, we will focus in addition on methodologies, such as protein seeding assays (real-time quaking-induced conversion), to discriminate between different types of α-synucleinopathies. This approach relies on the seeding conversion properties of misfolded αSyn, supporting the hypothesis that different conformers of misfolded αSyn may occur in different types of α-synucleinopathies. Understanding the pathological processes influencing the disease progression and phenotype, provoked by different αSyn conformers, will be important for a personalized medical treatment in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Schmitz
- Department of Neurology, National Reference Center for TSE, The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Georg-August-University, University Medicine Gottingen, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Niccolò Candelise
- National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation, Institute Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Sezgi Canaslan
- Department of Neurology, National Reference Center for TSE, The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Georg-August-University, University Medicine Gottingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Hermann C Altmeppen
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jakob Matschke
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Glatzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Neelam Younas
- Department of Neurology, National Reference Center for TSE, The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Georg-August-University, University Medicine Gottingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Saima Zafar
- Department of Neurology, National Reference Center for TSE, The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Georg-August-University, University Medicine Gottingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Peter Hermann
- Department of Neurology, National Reference Center for TSE, The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Georg-August-University, University Medicine Gottingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Inga Zerr
- Department of Neurology, National Reference Center for TSE, The German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Georg-August-University, University Medicine Gottingen, Goettingen, Germany
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11
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Gu L, Dai S, Guo T, Si X, Lv D, Wang Z, Lu J, Fang Y, Guan X, Zhou C, Wu H, Xu X, Yan Y, Song Z, Zhang MM, Zhang B, Pu J. Noninvasive neuroimaging provides evidence for deterioration of the glymphatic system in Parkinson's disease relative to essential tremor. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2023; 107:105254. [PMID: 36584484 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2022.105254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Growing evidence has demonstrated dysfunction of the glymphatic system in α-synucleinopathy and related diseases. In this study, we aimed to use diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) and MRI-visible enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) to evaluate glymphatic system function quantitatively and qualitatively and its relationship to clinical scores of disease severity in Parkinson's disease (PD) and essential tremor (ET). METHODS Overall, 124 patients with PD, 74 with ET, and 106 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. Two trained neurologists performed quantitative calculations of ALPS on DTI and visual ratings of EPVS on T2-weighted images in the centrum semiovale (CSO), basal ganglia (BG), midbrain, and cerebellum. RESULTS The ALPS index was lower in patients with PD than in patients with ET (p < 0.001) and HC (p < 0.001). Similarly, patients with PD showed a more severe EPVS burden in the CSO, BG, and midbrain compared to ET and HC. Moreover, the ALPS index was negatively correlated with disease severity in the PD subgroups; however, it did not differ within the ET subgroup. No differences in ALPS or EPVS were observed between the ET and HC groups. CONCLUSION In conclusion, DTI-ALPS and EPVS both provide neuroimaging evidence of glymphatic system dysfunction in PD, which further supports that PD is an α-synucleinopathy disease, while ET is a cerebellar dysfunction-related disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyan Gu
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Shaobing Dai
- Department of Anesthesiology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Tao Guo
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Xiaoli Si
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Dayao Lv
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Zhiyun Wang
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Jinyu Lu
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Yi Fang
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Xiaojun Guan
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Cheng Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Haoting Wu
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Xiaojun Xu
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Yaping Yan
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Zhe Song
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Min-Min Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China
| | - Baorong Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China.
| | - Jiali Pu
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, China.
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12
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Cavaliere F, Gülöksüz S. Shedding light on the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases and dementia: the exposome paradigm. NPJ MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 1:20. [PMID: 38609523 PMCID: PMC10956007 DOI: 10.1038/s44184-022-00018-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Cavaliere
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), Leioa, Spain.
| | - Sinan Gülöksüz
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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13
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Baidya L, Reddy G. pH Induced Switch in the Conformational Ensemble of Intrinsically Disordered Protein Prothymosin-α and Its Implications for Amyloid Fibril Formation. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:9589-9598. [PMID: 36206480 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) can lead to neurodegenerative diseases. Although there is experimental evidence that acidic pH promotes IDP monomer compaction leading to aggregation, the general mechanism is unclear. We studied the pH effect on the conformational ensemble of prothymosin-α (proTα), which is involved in multiple essential functions, and probed its role in aggregation using computer simulations. We show that compaction in the proTα dimension at low pH is due to the protein's collapse in the intermediate region (E41-D80) rich in glutamic acid residues, enhancing its β-sheet content. We observed by performing dimer simulations that the conformations with high β-sheet content could act as aggregation-prone (N*) states and nucleate the aggregation process. The simulations initiated using N* states form dimers within a microsecond time scale, whereas the non-N* states do not form dimers within this time scale. This study contributes to understanding the general principles of pH-induced IDP aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lipika Baidya
- Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka560012, India
| | - Govardhan Reddy
- Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka560012, India
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14
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Saleh M, Markovic M, Olson KE, Gendelman HE, Mosley RL. Therapeutic Strategies for Immune Transformation in Parkinson’s Disease. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:S201-S222. [PMID: 35871362 PMCID: PMC9535567 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-223278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of innate and adaptive immunity can lead to alpha-synuclein (α-syn) misfolding, aggregation, and post-translational modifications in Parkinson’s disease (PD). This process is driven by neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, which can contribute to the release of neurotoxic oligomers that facilitate dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Strategies that promote vaccines and antibodies target the clearance of misfolded, modified α-syn, while gene therapy approaches propose to deliver intracellular single chain nanobodies to mitigate α-syn misfolding, or to deliver neurotrophic factors that support neuronal viability in an otherwise neurotoxic environment. Additionally, transformative immune responses provide potential targets for PD therapeutics. Anti-inflammatory drugs represent one strategy that principally affects innate immunity. Considerable research efforts have focused on transforming the balance of pro-inflammatory effector T cells (Teffs) to favor regulatory T cell (Treg) activity, which aims to attenuate neuroinflammation and support reparative and neurotrophic homeostasis. This approach serves to control innate microglial neurotoxic activities and may facilitate clearance of α-syn aggregates accordingly. More recently, changes in the intestinal microbiome have been shown to alter the gut-immune-brain axis leading to suppressed leakage of bacterial products that can promote peripheral inflammation and α-syn misfolding. Together, each of the approaches serves to interdict chronic inflammation associated with disordered immunity and neurodegeneration. Herein, we examine research strategies aimed at improving clinical outcomes in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maamoon Saleh
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Milica Markovic
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Katherine E. Olson
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Howard E. Gendelman
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - R. Lee Mosley
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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15
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Dasari AKR, Dillard L, Yi S, Viverette E, Hojjatian A, Sengupta U, Kayed R, Taylor KA, Borgnia MJ, Lim KH. Untwisted α-Synuclein Filaments Formed in the Presence of Lipid Vesicles. Biochemistry 2022; 61:1766-1773. [PMID: 36001818 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of filamentous aggregates of α-synuclein is a pathological hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). The interaction between α-synuclein and phospholipids has been shown to play a critical role in the aggregation of α-synuclein. Most structural studies have, however, been focused on α-synuclein filaments formed in the absence of lipids. Here, we report the structural investigation of α-synuclein filaments assembled under the quiescent condition in the presence of anionic lipid vesicles using electron microscopy (EM), including cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Our transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses reveal that α-synuclein forms curly protofilaments at an early stage of aggregation. The flexible protofilaments were then converted to long filaments after a longer incubation of 30 days. More detailed structural analyses using cryo-EM reveal that the long filaments adopt untwisted structures with different diameters, which have not been observed in previous α-synuclein fibrils formed in vitro. The untwisted filaments are rather similar to straight filaments with no observable twist that are extracted from patients with dementia with Lewy bodies. Our structural studies highlight the conformational diversity of α-synuclein filaments, requiring additional structural investigation of not only more ex vivo α-synuclein filaments but also in vitro α-synuclein filaments formed in the presence of diverse cofactors to better understand the molecular basis of diverse molecular conformations of α-synuclein filaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvesh K R Dasari
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Lucas Dillard
- Department of Health and Human Services, Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Sujung Yi
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
| | - Elizabeth Viverette
- Department of Health and Human Services, Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Alimohammad Hojjatian
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4380, United States
| | - Urmi Sengupta
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Kenneth A Taylor
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4380, United States
| | - Mario Juan Borgnia
- Department of Health and Human Services, Genome Integrity and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Kwang Hun Lim
- Department of Chemistry, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27858, United States
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16
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Molecular mechanism for the synchronized electrostatic coacervation and co-aggregation of alpha-synuclein and tau. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4586. [PMID: 35933508 PMCID: PMC9357037 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32350-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid aggregation of α-synuclein (αS) is the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies. Recently, Tau protein, generally associated with Alzheimer’s disease, has been linked to αS pathology and observed to co-localize in αS-rich disease inclusions, although the molecular mechanisms for the co-aggregation of both proteins remain elusive. We report here that αS phase-separates into liquid condensates by electrostatic complex coacervation with positively charged polypeptides such as Tau. Condensates undergo either fast gelation or coalescence followed by slow amyloid aggregation depending on the affinity of αS for the poly-cation and the rate of valence exhaustion of the condensate network. By combining a set of advanced biophysical techniques, we have been able to characterize αS/Tau liquid-liquid phase separation and identified key factors that lead to the formation of hetero-aggregates containing both proteins in the interior of the liquid protein condensates. Here, the authors report that α-synuclein phase-separates into liquid condensates with positively charged polypeptides such as Tau. The condensates undergo different maturation processes, including the formation of α-synuclein/Tau amyloid hetero-aggregates inside the condensates.
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17
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Tsirkou A, Kaczorowski F, Verdurand M, Raffoul R, Pansieri J, Quadrio I, Chauveau F, Antoine R. Charge detection mass spectrometry on human-amplified fibrils from different synucleinopathies. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:7192-7195. [PMID: 35670578 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc00200k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Amyloid fibrils are self-assembled mesoscopic protein aggregates, which can accumulate to form deposits or plaques in the brain. In vitro amplification of fibrils can be achieved with real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC). However, this emerging technique would benefit from a complementary method to assess structural properties of the amplification products. This work demonstrates the feasibility of nanospray-charge-detection-mass-spectrometry (CDMS) performed on α-synuclein (αSyn) fibrils amplified from human brains with Parkinson's disease (PD) or Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and its synergistic combination with RT-QuIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aikaterini Tsirkou
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Institut Lumière Matière, F-69622 Lyon, France.
| | - Flora Kaczorowski
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lyon University Hospital, 69677 BRON Cedex, France.,Center for Memory Resources and Research, Lyon University Hospital, Lyon 1 University, Villeurbanne, France.,Univ Lyon, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Equipe BIORAN, Inserm U1028 - CNRS UMR5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Groupement Hospitalier Est - CERMEP, 69677 BRON Cedex, France.
| | - Mathieu Verdurand
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lyon University Hospital, 69677 BRON Cedex, France.,Center for Memory Resources and Research, Lyon University Hospital, Lyon 1 University, Villeurbanne, France.,Univ Lyon, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Equipe BIORAN, Inserm U1028 - CNRS UMR5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Groupement Hospitalier Est - CERMEP, 69677 BRON Cedex, France.
| | - Rana Raffoul
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Institut Lumière Matière, F-69622 Lyon, France.
| | - Jonathan Pansieri
- Oxford University, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, UK
| | - Isabelle Quadrio
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lyon University Hospital, 69677 BRON Cedex, France.,Center for Memory Resources and Research, Lyon University Hospital, Lyon 1 University, Villeurbanne, France.,Univ Lyon, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Equipe BIORAN, Inserm U1028 - CNRS UMR5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Groupement Hospitalier Est - CERMEP, 69677 BRON Cedex, France.
| | - Fabien Chauveau
- Univ Lyon, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Equipe BIORAN, Inserm U1028 - CNRS UMR5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Groupement Hospitalier Est - CERMEP, 69677 BRON Cedex, France.
| | - Rodolphe Antoine
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Institut Lumière Matière, F-69622 Lyon, France.
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18
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Just MK, Gram H, Theologidis V, Jensen PH, Nilsson KPR, Lindgren M, Knudsen K, Borghammer P, Van Den Berge N. Alpha-Synuclein Strain Variability in Body-First and Brain-First Synucleinopathies. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:907293. [PMID: 35693346 PMCID: PMC9178288 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.907293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic alpha-synuclein (asyn) aggregates are a defining feature of neurodegenerative synucleinopathies, which include Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, pure autonomic failure and multiple system atrophy. Early accurate differentiation between these synucleinopathies is challenging due to the highly heterogeneous clinical profile at early prodromal disease stages. Therefore, diagnosis is often made in late disease stages when a patient presents with a broad range of motor and non-motor symptoms easing the differentiation. Increasing data suggest the clinical heterogeneity seen in patients is explained by the presence of distinct asyn strains, which exhibit variable morphologies and pathological functions. Recently, asyn seed amplification assays (PMCA and RT-QuIC) and conformation-specific ligand assays have made promising progress in differentiating between synucleinopathies in prodromal and advanced disease stages. Importantly, the cellular environment is known to impact strain morphology. And, asyn aggregate pathology can propagate trans-synaptically along the brain-body axis, affecting multiple organs and propagating through multiple cell types. Here, we present our hypothesis that the changing cellular environments, an asyn seed may encounter during its brain-to-body or body-to-brain propagation, may influence the structure and thereby the function of the aggregate strains developing within the different cells. Additionally, we aim to review strain characteristics of the different synucleinopathies in clinical and preclinical studies. Future preclinical animal models of synucleinopathies should investigate if asyn strain morphology is altered during brain-to-body and body-to-brain spreading using these seeding amplification and conformation-specific assays. Such findings would greatly deepen our understanding of synucleinopathies and the potential link between strain and phenotypic variability, which may enable specific diagnosis of different synucleinopathies in the prodromal phase, creating a large therapeutic window with potential future applications in clinical trials and personalized therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mie Kristine Just
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hjalte Gram
- Department of Biomedicine, DANDRITE-Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Vasileios Theologidis
- Department of Biomedicine, DANDRITE-Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Poul Henning Jensen
- Department of Biomedicine, DANDRITE-Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - K. Peter R. Nilsson
- Division of Chemistry, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mikael Lindgren
- Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Karoline Knudsen
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Per Borghammer
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Nathalie Van Den Berge
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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19
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Prieto Huarcaya S, Drobny A, Marques ARA, Di Spiezio A, Dobert JP, Balta D, Werner C, Rizo T, Gallwitz L, Bub S, Stojkovska I, Belur NR, Fogh J, Mazzulli JR, Xiang W, Fulzele A, Dejung M, Sauer M, Winner B, Rose-John S, Arnold P, Saftig P, Zunke F. Recombinant pro-CTSD (cathepsin D) enhances SNCA/α-Synuclein degradation in α-Synucleinopathy models. Autophagy 2022; 18:1127-1151. [PMID: 35287553 PMCID: PMC9196656 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2022.2045534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the abnormal intracellular accumulation of SNCA/α-synuclein. While the exact mechanisms underlying SNCA pathology are not fully understood, increasing evidence suggests the involvement of autophagy as well as lysosomal deficiencies. Because CTSD (cathepsin D) has been proposed to be the major lysosomal protease involved in SNCA degradation, its deficiency has been linked to the presence of insoluble SNCA conformers in the brain of mice and humans as well as to the transcellular transmission of SNCA aggregates. We here postulate that SNCA degradation can be enhanced by the application of the recombinant human proform of CTSD (rHsCTSD). Our results reveal that rHsCTSD is efficiently endocytosed by neuronal cells, correctly targeted to lysosomes and matured to an enzymatically active protease. In dopaminergic neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) of PD patients harboring the A53T mutation within the SNCA gene, we confirm the reduction of insoluble SNCA after treatment with rHsCTSD. Moreover, we demonstrate a decrease of pathological SNCA conformers in the brain and within primary neurons of a ctsd-deficient mouse model after dosing with rHsCTSD. Boosting lysosomal CTSD activity not only enhanced SNCA clearance in human and murine neurons as well as tissue, but also restored endo-lysosome and autophagy function. Our findings indicate that CTSD is critical for SNCA clearance and function. Thus, enzyme replacement strategies utilizing CTSD may also be of therapeutic interest for the treatment of PD and other synucleinopathies aiming to decrease the SNCA burden.Abbreviations: aa: amino acid; SNCA/α-synuclein: synuclein alpha; APP: amyloid beta precursor protein; BBB: blood brain barrier; BF: basal forebrain; CBB: Coomassie Brilliant Blue; CLN: neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis; CNL10: neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 10; Corr.: corrected; CTSD: cathepsin D; CTSB: cathepsin B; DA: dopaminergic; DA-iPSn: induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons; dox: doxycycline; ERT: enzyme replacement therapy; Fx: fornix, GBA/β-glucocerebrosidase: glucosylceramidase beta; h: hour; HC: hippocampus; HT: hypothalamus; i.c.: intracranially; IF: immunofluorescence; iPSC: induced pluripotent stem cell; KO: knockout; LAMP1: lysosomal associated membrane protein 1; LSDs: lysosomal storage disorders; MAPT: microtubule associated protein tau; M6P: mannose-6-phosphate; M6PR: mannose-6-phosphate receptor; MB: midbrain; mCTSD: mature form of CTSD; neurofil.: neurofilament; PD: Parkinson disease; proCTSD: proform of CTSD; PRNP: prion protein; RFU: relative fluorescence units; rHsCTSD: recombinant human proCTSD; SAPC: Saposin C; SIM: structured illumination microscopy; T-insol: Triton-insoluble; T-sol: Triton-soluble; TEM: transmission electron microscopy, TH: tyrosine hydroxylase; Thal: thalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alice Drobny
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Fau), Erlangen, Germany
| | - André R A Marques
- iNOVA4Health, Chronic Diseases Research Center (CEDOC), Nova Medical School, Nms, Nova University Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Jan Philipp Dobert
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Fau), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Denise Balta
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Fau), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christian Werner
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tania Rizo
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lisa Gallwitz
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Simon Bub
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Fau), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Iva Stojkovska
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois USA
| | - Nandkishore R Belur
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois USA
| | | | - Joseph R Mazzulli
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wei Xiang
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Fau), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Amitkumar Fulzele
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mario Dejung
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, Mainz, Germany
| | - Markus Sauer
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Beate Winner
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Rose-John
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Philipp Arnold
- Institute of Functional and Clinical Anatomy, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Paul Saftig
- Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Friederike Zunke
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Fau), Erlangen, Germany
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Lopes DM, Llewellyn SK, Harrison IF. Propagation of tau and α-synuclein in the brain: therapeutic potential of the glymphatic system. Transl Neurodegener 2022; 11:19. [PMID: 35314000 PMCID: PMC8935752 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00293-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, are characterised by the accumulation of misfolded protein deposits in the brain, leading to a progressive destabilisation of the neuronal network and neuronal death. Among the proteins that can abnormally accumulate are tau and α-synuclein, which can propagate in a prion-like manner and which upon aggregation, represent the most common intracellular proteinaceous lesions associated with neurodegeneration. For years it was thought that these intracellular proteins and their accumulation had no immediate relationship with extracellular homeostasis pathways such as the glymphatic clearance system; however, mounting evidence has now suggested that this is not the case. The involvement of the glymphatic system in neurodegenerative disease is yet to be fully defined; however, it is becoming increasingly clear that this pathway contributes to parenchymal solute clearance. Importantly, recent data show that proteins prone to intracellular accumulation are subject to glymphatic clearance, suggesting that this system plays a key role in many neurological disorders. In this review, we provide a background on the biology of tau and α-synuclein and discuss the latest findings on the cell-to-cell propagation mechanisms of these proteins. Importantly, we discuss recent data demonstrating that manipulation of the glymphatic system may have the potential to alleviate and reduce pathogenic accumulation of propagation-prone intracellular cytotoxic proteins. Furthermore, we will allude to the latest potential therapeutic opportunities targeting the glymphatic system that might have an impact as disease modifiers in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Alpha-synuclein seeding shows a wide heterogeneity in multiple system atrophy. Transl Neurodegener 2022; 11:7. [PMID: 35125105 PMCID: PMC8819887 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00283-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by variable combinations of parkinsonism, autonomic failure, cerebellar ataxia and pyramidal features. Although the distribution of synucleinopathy correlates with the predominant clinical features, the burden of pathology does not fully explain observed differences in clinical presentation and rate of disease progression. We hypothesized that the clinical heterogeneity in MSA is a consequence of variability in the seeding activity of α-synuclein both between different patients and between different brain regions. Methods The reliable detection of α-synuclein seeding activity derived from MSA using cell-free amplification assays remains challenging. Therefore, we conducted a systematic evaluation of 168 different reaction buffers, using an array of pH and salts, seeded with fully characterized brain homogenates from one MSA and one PD patient. We then validated the two conditions that conferred the optimal ability to discriminate between PD- and MSA-derived samples in a larger cohort of 40 neuropathologically confirmed cases, including 15 MSA. Finally, in a subset of brains, we conducted the first multi-region analysis of seeding behaviour in MSA. Results Using our novel buffer conditions, we show that the physicochemical factors that govern the in vitro amplification of α-synuclein can be tailored to generate strain-specific reaction buffers that can be used to reliably study the seeding capacity from MSA-derived α-synuclein. Using this novel approach, we were able to sub-categorize the 15 MSA brains into 3 groups: high, intermediate and low seeders. To further demonstrate heterogeneity in α-synuclein seeding in MSA, we conducted a comprehensive multi-regional evaluation of α-synuclein seeding in 13 different regions from 2 high seeders, 2 intermediate seeders and 2 low seeders. Conclusions We have identified unexpected differences in seed-competent α-synuclein across a cohort of neuropathologically comparable MSA brains. Furthermore, our work has revealed a substantial heterogeneity in seeding activity, driven by the PBS-soluble α-synuclein, between different brain regions of a given individual that goes beyond immunohistochemical observations. Our observations pave the way for future subclassification of MSA, which exceeds conventional clinical and neuropathological phenotyping and considers the structural and biochemical heterogeneity of α-synuclein present. Finally, our methods provide an experimental framework for the development of vitally needed, rapid and sensitive diagnostic assays for MSA. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40035-022-00283-4.
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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: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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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Sarchione A, Marchand A, Taymans JM, Chartier-Harlin MC. Alpha-Synuclein and Lipids: The Elephant in the Room? Cells 2021; 10:2452. [PMID: 34572099 PMCID: PMC8467310 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the initial identification of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) at the synapse, numerous studies demonstrated that α-syn is a key player in the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies. Recent advances underline interactions between α-syn and lipids that also participate in α-syn misfolding and aggregation. In addition, increasing evidence demonstrates that α-syn plays a major role in different steps of synaptic exocytosis. Thus, we reviewed literature showing (1) the interplay among α-syn, lipids, and lipid membranes; (2) advances of α-syn synaptic functions in exocytosis. These data underscore a fundamental role of α-syn/lipid interplay that also contributes to synaptic defects in PD. The importance of lipids in PD is further highlighted by data showing the impact of α-syn on lipid metabolism, modulation of α-syn levels by lipids, as well as the identification of genetic determinants involved in lipid homeostasis associated with α-syn pathologies. While questions still remain, these recent developments open the way to new therapeutic strategies for PD and related disorders including some based on modulating synaptic functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Marie-Christine Chartier-Harlin
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172—LilNCog—Lille Neuroscience and Cognition, F-59000 Lille, France; (A.S.); (A.M.); (J.-M.T.)
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Abstract
Synucleinopathies are neurodegenerative diseases that are associated with the misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein (αSyn). They include Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. In each disease, it has been proposed that aggregates of αSyn represent different conformational strains of αSyn, leading to self-propagation and spreading from cell to cell. It has been considered that αSyn aggregates grow by seeded polymerization mechanisms. Previously, the mechanism of seed conversion in prion protein aggregation has been exploited by real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay. It was further refined by incorporating the fluorescent dye thioflavin-T, which enabled the real-time monitoring of kinetic changes with a highly sensitive detection of seed aggregates present at an extremely low level. In an application for diagnostics, it has been reported that αSyn RT-QuIC exhibits specificity between 82% and 100%, while its sensitivity varies between 70% and 100%, on the basis of a study in which this assay was performed at multiple different laboratories. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the αSyn RT-QuIC method can be applied to study the biochemical characteristics of different αSyn strains among synucleinopathies. In this article, we describe the detailed protocols for αSyn RT-QuIC assays.
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RT-QuIC Using C-Terminally Truncated α-Synuclein Forms Detects Differences in Seeding Propensity of Different Brain Regions from Synucleinopathies. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11060820. [PMID: 34072869 PMCID: PMC8226794 DOI: 10.3390/biom11060820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregated α-synuclein (αSyn) protein is a core pathological feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Both PD and DLB demonstrate the presence of diverse intracellular α-synuclein (αSyn) species, including C-terminally truncated αSyn (C-αSyn), although it is unknown how C-αSyn species contribute to disease progression. Using recombinant C-αSyn and PD and DLB brain lysates as seeds in the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay, we explored how C-αSyn may be involved in disease stratification. Comparing the seeding activity of aqueous-soluble fractions to detergent-soluble fractions, and using αSyn 1-130 as substrate for the RT-QuIC assay, the temporal cortex seeds differentiated PD and DLB from healthy controls. In contrast to the temporal cortex, where PD and DLB could not be distinguished, αSyn 1-130 seeded by the detergent-soluble fractions from the PD frontal cortex demonstrated greater seeding efficiency compared to the DLB frontal cortex. Moreover, proteinase K-resistant (PKres) fragments from the RT-QuIC end products using C-αSyn 1-130 or C-αSyn 1-115 were more obvious in the frontal cortex compared to the temporal cortex. Morphological examinations of RT-QuIC end products showed differences in the size of the fibrils between C-αSyn 1-130 and C-αSyn 1-115, in agreement with the RT-QuIC results. These data show that C-αSyn species can distinguish PD from DLB and suggest diversity in αSyn species across these synucleinopathies, which could play a role in disease progression.
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Ray B, Mahalakshmi AM, Tuladhar S, Bhat A, Srinivasan A, Pellegrino C, Kannan A, Bolla SR, Chidambaram SB, Sakharkar MK. "Janus-Faced" α-Synuclein: Role in Parkinson's Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:673395. [PMID: 34124057 PMCID: PMC8194081 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.673395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a pathological condition characterized by the aggregation and the resultant presence of intraneuronal inclusions termed Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites which are mainly composed of fibrillar α-synuclein (α-syn) protein. Pathogenic aggregation of α-syn is identified as the major cause of LBs deposition. Several mutations in α-syn showing varied aggregation kinetics in comparison to the wild type (WT) α-syn are reported in PD (A30P, E46K, H 50Q, G51D, A53E, and A53T). Also, the cell-to-cell spread of pathological α-syn plays a significant role in PD development. Interestingly, it has also been suggested that the pathology of PD may begin in the gastrointestinal tract and spread via the vagus nerve (VN) to brain proposing the gut-brain axis of α-syn pathology in PD. Despite multiple efforts, the behavior and functions of this protein in normal and pathological states (specifically in PD) is far from understood. Furthermore, the etiological factors responsible for triggering aggregation of this protein remain elusive. This review is an attempt to collate and present latest information on α-syn in relation to its structure, biochemistry and biophysics of aggregation in PD. Current advances in therapeutic efforts toward clearing the pathogenic α-syn via autophagy/lysosomal flux are also reviewed and reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bipul Ray
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Arehally M. Mahalakshmi
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Sunanda Tuladhar
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Abid Bhat
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Asha Srinivasan
- Division of Nanoscience & Technology, Faculty of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
| | - Christophe Pellegrino
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Institute of Mediterranean Neurobiology, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Anbarasu Kannan
- Department of Protein Chemistry and Technology, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysuru, India
| | - Srinivasa Rao Bolla
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan City, Kazakhstan
| | - Saravana Babu Chidambaram
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
- Special Interest Group – Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Neurosciences Research, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, India
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Iranzo A, Fairfoul G, Ayudhaya ACN, Serradell M, Gelpi E, Vilaseca I, Sanchez-Valle R, Gaig C, Santamaria J, Tolosa E, Riha RL, Green AJE. Detection of α-synuclein in CSF by RT-QuIC in patients with isolated rapid-eye-movement sleep behaviour disorder: a longitudinal observational study. Lancet Neurol 2021; 20:203-212. [PMID: 33609478 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(20)30449-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Isolated rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder (IRBD) can be part of the prodromal stage of the α-synucleinopathies Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) analysis of CSF has high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of misfolded α-synuclein in patients with Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. We investigated whether RT-QuIC could detect α-synuclein in the CSF of patients with IRBD and be used as a biomarker of prodromal α-synucleinopathy. METHODS In this longitudinal observational study, CSF samples were obtained by lumbar puncture from patients with video polysomnography-confirmed IRBD recruited at a specialised sleep disorders centre in Barcelona, Spain, and from controls free of neurological disease. CSF samples were stored until analysed using RT-QuIC. After lumbar puncture, participants were assessed clinically for neurological status every 3-12 months. Rates of neurological disease-free survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Disease-free survival rates were assessed from the date of lumbar puncture to the date of diagnosis of any neurodegenerative disease, or to the last follow-up visit for censored observations. FINDINGS 52 patients with IRBD and 40 healthy controls matched for age (p=0·20), sex (p=0·15), and duration of follow-up (p=0·27) underwent lumbar puncture between March 23, 2008, and July 16, 2017. The CSF α-synuclein RT-QuIC assay was positive in 47 (90%) patients with IRBD and in four (10%) controls, resulting in a sensitivity of 90·4% (95% CI 79·4-95·8) and a specificity of 90·0% (95% CI 76·9-96·0). Mean follow-up from lumbar puncture until the end of the study (July 31, 2020) was 7·1 years (SD 2·8) in patients with IRBD and 7·7 years (2·9) in controls. During follow-up, 32 (62%) patients were diagnosed with Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies a mean 3·4 years (SD 2·6) after lumbar puncture, of whom 31 (97%) were α-synuclein positive at baseline. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with IRBD who were α-synuclein negative had lower risk for developing Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years of follow-up than patients with IRBD who were α-synuclein positive (log-rank test p=0·028; hazard ratio 0·143, 95% CI 0·019-1·063). During follow-up, none of the controls developed an α-synucleinopathy. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that participants who were α-synuclein negative (ie, five patients with IRBD plus 36 controls) had lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 years after lumbar puncture than participants who were α-synuclein positive (ie, 47 patients with IRBD plus four controls; log-rank test p<0·0001; hazard ratio 0·024, 95% CI 0·003-0·177). INTERPRETATION In patients with IRBD, RT-QuIC detects misfolded α-synuclein in the CSF with both sensitivity and specificity of 90%, and α-synuclein positivity was associated with increased risk of subsequent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies. Detection of α-synuclein in the CSF represents a potential prodromal marker of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. If these findings are replicated in additional cohorts, detection of CSF α-synuclein by RT-QuIC could be used to enrich IRBD cohorts in neuroprotective trials, particularly when assessing interventions that target α-synuclein. FUNDING Department of Health and Social Care Policy Research Programme, the Scottish Government, and the Weston Brain Institute.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Iranzo
- Sleep Disorders Center, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Graham Fairfoul
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anutra Chumbala Na Ayudhaya
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Monica Serradell
- Sleep Disorders Center, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ellen Gelpi
- Neurological Tissue Bank, Biobanc-Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain; Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Isabel Vilaseca
- Otorhinolaryngology Service, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR), IDIBAPS, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) Enfermedades Respiratorias, Bunyola, Spain
| | - Raquel Sanchez-Valle
- Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Gaig
- Sleep Disorders Center, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Santamaria
- Sleep Disorders Center, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduard Tolosa
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Renata L Riha
- Sleep Research Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alison J E Green
- National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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Lyu J, Long X, Xie T, Jiang G, Jiang J, Ye L, Li Q. Copper oxide nanoparticles promote α-synuclein oligomerization and underlying neurotoxicity as a model of Parkinson's disease. J Mol Liq 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2020.115051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Orrù CD, Ma TC, Hughson AG, Groveman BR, Srivastava A, Galasko D, Angers R, Downey P, Crawford K, Hutten SJ, Kang UJ, Caughey B. A rapid α-synuclein seed assay of Parkinson's disease CSF panel shows high diagnostic accuracy. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2021; 8:374-384. [PMID: 33373501 PMCID: PMC7886040 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assays that specifically measure α-synuclein seeding activity in biological fluids could revolutionize the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Recent improvements in α-synuclein real-time quaking-induced conversion assays of cerebrospinal fluid have dramatically reduced reaction times from 5-13 days down to 1-2 days. OBJECTIVE To test our improved assay against a panel of cerebrospinal fluid specimens from patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy controls from the MJ Fox Foundation/NINDS BioFIND collection. METHODS Specimens collected from healthy controls and patients with clinically typical moderate-to-advanced Parkinson's disease were tested without prior knowledge of disease status. Correlative analyses between assay parameters and clinical measures were performed by an independent investigator. RESULTS BioFIND samples gave positive signals in 105/108 (97%) Parkinson's disease cases versus 11/85 (13%) healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristic analyses of diagnosis of cases versus healthy controls gave areas under the curve of 95%. Beyond binary positive/negative determinations, only weak correlations were observed between various assay response parameters and Parkinson's disease clinical measures or other cerebrospinal fluid analytes. Of note, REM sleep behavioral disorder questionnaire scores correlated with the reaction times needed to reach 50% maximum fluorescence. Maximum fluorescence was inversely correlated with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor scores, which was driven by the patients without REM sleep behavioral disorder. CONCLUSIONS Our improved α-synuclein seed amplification assay dramatically reduces the time needed to diagnose Parkinson's disease while maintaining the high-performance standards associated with previous α-synuclein seed assays, supporting the clinical utility of this assay for Parkinson's disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina D. Orrù
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNIHHamiltonMontana
| | - Thong C. Ma
- Department of NeurologyNew York University Grossman School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
| | - Andrew G. Hughson
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNIHHamiltonMontana
| | - Bradley R. Groveman
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNIHHamiltonMontana
| | - Ankit Srivastava
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNIHHamiltonMontana
| | - Douglas Galasko
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of California‐San DiegoLa JollaCalifornia
| | | | | | - Karen Crawford
- Laboratory of Neuro ImagingMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics InstituteKeck School of Medicine of USCUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCalifornia
| | | | - Un Jung Kang
- Department of NeurologyNew York University Grossman School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral DiseasesRocky Mountain LaboratoriesNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNIHHamiltonMontana
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Dominguez-Meijide A, Parrales V, Vasili E, González-Lizárraga F, König A, Lázaro DF, Lannuzel A, Haik S, Del Bel E, Chehín R, Raisman-Vozari R, Michel PP, Bizat N, Outeiro TF. Doxycycline inhibits α-synuclein-associated pathologies in vitro and in vivo. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 151:105256. [PMID: 33429042 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the misfolding and aggregation of alpha-synuclein (aSyn). Doxycycline, a tetracyclic antibiotic shows neuroprotective effects, initially proposed to be due to its anti-inflammatory properties. More recently, an additional mechanism by which doxycycline may exert its neuroprotective effects has been proposed as it has been shown that it inhibits amyloid aggregation. Here, we studied the effects of doxycycline on aSyn aggregation in vivo, in vitro and in a cell free system using real-time quaking induced conversion (RT-QuiC). Using H4, SH-SY5Y and HEK293 cells, we found that doxycycline decreases the number and size of aSyn aggregates in cells. In addition, doxycycline inhibits the aggregation and seeding of recombinant aSyn, and attenuates the production of mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species. Finally, we found that doxycycline induces a cellular redistribution of aggregates in a C.elegans animal model of PD, an effect that is associated with a recovery of dopaminergic function. In summary, we provide strong evidence that doxycycline treatment may be an effective strategy against synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Dominguez-Meijide
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Experimental Neurology, Dept. of Morphological Sciences, CIMUS, IDIS, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Valeria Parrales
- Paris Brain Institute, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Eftychia Vasili
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | | | - Annekatrin König
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Diana F Lázaro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Annie Lannuzel
- Paris Brain Institute, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France; University Hospital of Pointe-à-Pitre, Neurology Department, route de Chauvel, 97139 Abymes, Guadeloupe
| | - Stéphane Haik
- Paris Brain Institute, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France; AP-HP, Cellule Nationale de Référence des Maladies de Creutzfeldt-Jakob, University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris F-75013, France
| | - Elaine Del Bel
- Department of Basic and Oral Biology, Faculty of Odontology of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Av do Café s/n, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rosana Chehín
- Instituto de Investigación en Medicina Molecular y Celular Aplicada (IMMCA) (CONICET-UNT-SIPROSA), Argentina
| | - Rita Raisman-Vozari
- Paris Brain Institute, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Patrick P Michel
- Paris Brain Institute, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Bizat
- Paris Brain Institute, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France; Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Paris University, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, Paris F-75006, France.
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Goettingen, Germany; Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK.
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31
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Grozdanov V, Danzer KM. Intracellular Alpha-Synuclein and Immune Cell Function. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:562692. [PMID: 33178682 PMCID: PMC7594520 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.562692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular alpha-synuclein has numerous effects on different functions of the cell. Although it is expressed in a wide spectrum of cell types from different lineages, most of our knowledge about it was generated by studying neuronal or glial cells. However, the role of immune cells in Parkinson’s disease and related synucleinopathies has recently emerged. Altered immune cell phenotypes and functions have been reported not only in animal models, but also in human disease. While the response of immune cells to extracellular alpha-synuclein has been thoroughly studied, insights into the effects of endogenously expressed or taken-up alpha-synuclein on the function of immune cells remain scarce. Such insights may prove to be important for understanding the complex cellular and molecular events resulting in neurodegeneration and aid the development of novel therapies. We review the current state of knowledge about how alpha-synuclein and its pathologic manifestations affect the phenotype and function of peripheral and central nervous system (CNS) immune cells, and discuss the potential of this topic for advancing our understanding of synucleinopathies.
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32
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Eymsh B, Drobny A, Heyn TR, Xiang W, Lucius R, Schwarz K, Keppler JK, Zunke F, Arnold P. Toxic Metamorphosis-How Changes from Lysosomal to Cytosolic pH Modify the Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation Pattern. Biomacromolecules 2020; 21:4673-4684. [PMID: 32986422 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (aSyn) is a cytosolic, aggregation-prone protein that is associated with neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease. Interestingly, the protein can appear in different conformations, including monomeric and oligomeric forms as well as amyloid fibrils. Its individual structural constituents seem to be dependent on various factors and the composition of the respective cellular surroundings. Although under physiological conditions, most aSyn is found in the cytosol and synapses of neurons, aSyn can also be found in lysosomal compartments, where it gets degraded. We here compare the assembly speed, morphology, folding state, and spreading of aSyn at cytosolic pH (pH 7.4) and lysosomal pH (pH 5) using Thioflavin T, transmission electron microscopy, circular dichroism, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Interestingly, we found substantial differences between aSyn aggregation under neutral and acidic pH conditions, like those present in cytosolic and lysosomal cellular compartments. Also, lysosomal aSyn enriched from an aSyn-overexpressing cell line was able to seed aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, we observed that aSyn aggregates formed under in vitro lysosomal pH (pH 5) conditions were not stable at neutral pH and collapsed into partly soluble aggregates with changed structural characteristics. Our findings have meaningful implications in intracellular toxicity events as well as in lysis procedures for molecular and structural characterization of intracellular aSyn conformers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bisher Eymsh
- Institute of Biochemistry, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany.,Institute of Anatomy, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Alice Drobny
- Institute of Biochemistry, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Timon R Heyn
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Division of Food Technology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Wei Xiang
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91045 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ralph Lucius
- Institute of Anatomy, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Karin Schwarz
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Division of Food Technology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Julia K Keppler
- Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science, Division of Food Technology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany.,Laboratory of Food Process Engineering, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Philipp Arnold
- Institute of Anatomy, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany.,MSH Medical School Hamburg, Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
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33
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Magrinelli F, Tinazzi M, Bhatia KP. Toward an Early Real‐Time Quaking‐Induced Conversion–Based Diagnostic Biomarker for Lewy Body–Related Synucleinopathies. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2020; 7:780-781. [DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.13050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Magrinelli
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London London UK
- Department of Neurosciences Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona Verona Italy
| | - Michele Tinazzi
- Department of Neurosciences Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona Verona Italy
| | - Kailash P. Bhatia
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London London UK
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34
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Heras-Garvin A, Stefanova N. From Synaptic Protein to Prion: The Long and Controversial Journey of α-Synuclein. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:584536. [PMID: 33071772 PMCID: PMC7536368 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.584536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its discovery 30 years ago, α-synuclein (α-syn) has been one of the most studied proteins in the field of neuroscience. Dozens of groups worldwide have tried to reveal not only its role in the CNS but also in other organs. α-syn has been linked to several processes essential in brain homeostasis such as neurotransmitter release, synaptic function, and plasticity. However, despite the efforts made in this direction, the main function of α-syn is still unknown. Moreover, α-syn became a protein of interest for neurologists and neuroscientists when mutations in its gene were found associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) and even more when α-syn protein deposits were observed in the brain of PD, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients. At present, the abnormal accumulation of α-syn constitutes one of the pathological hallmarks of these disorders, also referred to as α-synucleinopathies, and it is used for post-mortem diagnostic criteria. Whether α-syn aggregation is cause or consequence of the pathogenic events underlying α-synucleinopathies remains unclear and under discussion. Recently, different in vitro and in vivo studies have shown the ability of pathogenic α-syn to spread between cells, not only within the CNS but also from peripheral locations such as the gut, salivary glands, and through the olfactory network into the CNS, inducing abnormal misfolding of endogenous α-syn and leading to neurodegeneration and motor and cognitive impairment in animal models. Thus, it has been suggested that α-syn should be considered a prion protein. Here we present an update of what we know about α-syn function, aggregation and spreading, and its role in neurodegeneration. We also discuss the rationale and findings supporting the hypothetical prion nature of α-syn, its weaknesses, and future perspectives for research and the development of disease-modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Heras-Garvin
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Nadia Stefanova
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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35
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Schaeffer E, Kluge A, Böttner M, Zunke F, Cossais F, Berg D, Arnold P. Alpha Synuclein Connects the Gut-Brain Axis in Parkinson's Disease Patients - A View on Clinical Aspects, Cellular Pathology and Analytical Methodology. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:573696. [PMID: 33015066 PMCID: PMC7509446 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.573696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is marked by different kinds of pathological features, one hallmark is the aggregation of α-synuclein (aSyn). The development of aSyn pathology in the substantia nigra is associated to the manifestation of motor deficits at the time of diagnosis. However, most of the patients suffer additionally from non-motor symptoms, which may occur already in the prodromal phase of the disease years before PD is diagnosed. Many of these symptoms manifest in the gastrointestinal system (GIT) and some data suggest a potential link to the occurrence of pathological aSyn forms within the GIT. These clinical and pathological findings lead to the idea of a gut-brain route of aSyn pathology in PD. The identification of pathological aSyn in the intestinal system, e.g., by GIT biopsies, is therefore of highest interest for early diagnosis and early intervention in the phase of formation and propagation of aSyn. However, reliable methods to discriminate between physiological and pathological forms of enteral aSyn on the cellular and biochemical level are still missing. Moreover, a better understanding of the physiological function of aSyn within the GIT as well as its structure and pathological aggregation pathways are crucial to understand its role within the enteric nervous system and its spreading from the gut to the brain. In this review, we summarize clinical manifestations of PD in the GIT, and discuss biochemical findings from enteral biopsies. The relevance of pathological aSyn forms, their connection to the gut-brain axis and new developments to identify pathologic forms of aSyn by structural features are critically reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Schaeffer
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Annika Kluge
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Martina Böttner
- Institute of Anatomy, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Friederike Zunke
- Biochemical Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Francois Cossais
- Institute of Anatomy, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Daniela Berg
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.,Department of Neurodegeneration, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Arnold
- Institute of Anatomy, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany.,MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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