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Woerman AL, Bartz JC. Effect of host and strain factors on α-synuclein prion pathogenesis. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:538-550. [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] [MESH Headings] [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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Khedmatgozar CR, Holec SAM, Woerman AL. The role of α-synuclein prion strains in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011920. [PMID: 38271292 PMCID: PMC10810466 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chase R. Khedmatgozar
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Sara A. M. Holec
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Amanda L. Woerman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Prion Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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Zhang H, D'Agostino C, Tulisiak C, Thorwald MA, Bergkvist L, Lindquist A, Meyerdirk L, Schulz E, Becker K, Steiner JA, Cacciottolo M, Kwatra M, Rey NL, Escobar Galvis ML, Ma J, Sioutas C, Morgan TE, Finch CE, Brundin P. Air pollution nanoparticle and alpha-synuclein fibrils synergistically decrease glutamate receptor A1, depending upon nPM batch activity. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15622. [PMID: 37128335 PMCID: PMC10148131 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Epidemiological studies have variably linked air pollution to increased risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there is little experimental evidence for this association. Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) propagation plays central roles in PD and glutamate receptor A1 (GluA1) is involved in memory and olfaction function. Methods Each mouse was exposed to one of three different batches of nano-particulate matter (nPM) (300 μg/m3, 5 h/d, 3 d/week), collected at different dates, 2017-2019, in the same urban site. After these experiments, these nPM batches were found to vary in activity. C57BL/6 female mice (3 mo) were injected with pre-formed murine α-synuclein fibrils (PFFs) (0.4 μg), which act as seeds for α-syn aggregation. Two exposure paradigms were used: in Paradigm 1, PFFs were injected into olfactory bulb (OB) prior to 4-week nPM (Batch 5b) exposure and in Paradigm 2, PFFs were injected at 4th week during 10-week nPM exposure (Batches 7 and 9). α-syn pSer129, microglia Iba1, inflammatory cytokines, and Gria1 expression were measured by immunohistochemistry or qPCR assays. Results As expected, α-syn pSer129 was detected in ipsilateral OB, anterior olfactory nucleus, amygdala and piriform cortex. One of the three batches of nPM caused a trend for elevated α-syn pSer129 in Paradigm 1, but two other batches showed no effect in Paradigm 2. However, the combination of nPM and PFF significantly decreased Gria1 mRNA in both the ipsi- and contra-lateral OB and frontal cortex for the most active two nPM batches. Neither nPM nor PFFs alone induced responses of microglia Iba1 and expression of Gria1 in the OB and cortex. Conclusion Exposures to ambient nPM had weak effect on α-syn propagation in the brain in current experimental paradigms; however, nPM and α-syn synergistically downregulated the expression of Gria1 in both OB and cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqiao Zhang
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Carla D'Agostino
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA
| | | | - Max A. Thorwald
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Emily Schulz
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | | | | | | | - Mohit Kwatra
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | | | | | - Jiyan Ma
- Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Constantinos Sioutas
- Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Todd E. Morgan
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA
| | - Caleb E. Finch
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA
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So RWL, Watts JC. α-Synuclein Conformational Strains as Drivers of Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Neurodegenerative Diseases. J Mol Biol 2023:168011. [PMID: 36792008 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
The synucleinopathies, which include Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy, are a class of human neurodegenerative disorders unified by the presence of α-synuclein aggregates in the brain. Considerable clinical and pathological heterogeneity exists within and among the individual synucleinopathies. A potential explanation for this variability is the existence of distinct conformational strains of α-synuclein aggregates that cause different disease manifestations. Like prion strains, α-synuclein strains can be delineated based on their structural architecture, with structural differences among α-synuclein aggregates leading to unique biochemical attributes and neuropathological properties in humans and animal models. Bolstered by recent high-resolution structural data from patient brain-derived material, it has now been firmly established that there are conformational differences among α-synuclein aggregates from different human synucleinopathies. Moreover, recombinant α-synuclein can be polymerized into several structurally distinct aggregates that exhibit unique pathological properties. In this review, we outline the evidence supporting the existence of α-synuclein strains and highlight how they can act as drivers of phenotypic heterogeneity in the human synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaella W L So
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. https://twitter.com/xsakuraphie
| | - Joel C Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. https://twitter.com/JoelWattsLab
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