Alpha-Synuclein and the Endolysosomal System in Parkinson’s Disease: Guilty by Association (original) (raw)
Related papers
2013
Cytoplasmic alpha-synuclein (a-syn) aggregates, including Lewy bodies (LBs), are pathological hallmarks of a number of neurodegenerative diseases, most notably Parkinson's disease (PD). Activation of intracellular protein degradation pathways (Pdps) to eliminate these aggregates has been proposed as a therapeutic approach for PD and other synucleinopathies, but the interplay between LB-like a-syn aggregates and Pdps is not completely understood. Here, we investigate this interplay by utilizing a recently developed cellular model in which intracellular LB-like a-syn inclusions accumulate after delivery of pre-formed a-syn fibrils (Pffs) into a-syn-expressing HEK293 cells or cultured primary neurons. This thesis describes the interplay between LB-like aggregates and Pdps, as well as the examination and optimization of the cellular model for this study. We demonstrate that the efficiency of the model can be greatly improved by use of mutant a-syn expressing cells and truncated Pffs. We also show that only a minute amount of Pffs that gain access to cells, and the LB-like aggregates are primarily composed of endogenous a-syn, thereby rendering levels of insoluble endogenous a-syn an excellent read-out for our study. Utilizing the optimized model, we show that a-syn inclusions cannot be effectively degraded by Pdps, even though they colocalize with essential components of these pathways. Furthermore, once formed, a-syn aggregates persist even after reduction of soluble a-syn levels, suggesting that pathological a-syn inclusions are refractory to clearance. Importantly, while proteasome function appears unaltered, we find that a-syn aggregates impair macroautophagy by reducing autophagosome clearance, which may play a role in the increased cell death observed in aggregate-bearing cells. Our results indicate that, after accumulation LB-like of a-syn aggregates, activation of Pdps may not effectively clear pathology or enhance cell survival. However, treatments that could prevent the inhibitory effect of a-syn aggregates on autophagy may be beneficial. We believe this work improves our understanding of the role of a-syn aggregates in synucleinopathies, and it may contribute to the efforts to develop potential therapies for these devastating diseases.
Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 2022
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is caused by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons due to an accumulation of intraneuronal abnormal alpha-synuclein (α-syn) protein aggregates. It has been reported that the levels of exosomal α-syn of neuronal origin in plasma correlate significantly with motor dysfunction, highlighting the exosomes containing α-syn as a potential biomarker of PD. In addition, it has been found that the selective autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP) contributes to the secretion of misfolded proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we describe the evidence that supports the relationship between the ALP and α-syn exosomal secretion on the PD progression and its implications in the diagnosis and progression of this pathology.
The Emerging Role of the Lysosome in Parkinson’s Disease
Cells
Lysosomal function has a central role in maintaining neuronal homeostasis, and, accordingly, lysosomal dysfunction has been linked to neurodegeneration and particularly to Parkinson’s disease (PD). Lysosomes are the converging step where the substrates delivered by autophagy and endocytosis are degraded in order to recycle their primary components to rebuild new macromolecules. Genetic studies have revealed the important link between the lysosomal function and PD; several of the autosomal dominant and recessive genes associated with PD as well as several genetic risk factors encode for lysosomal, autophagic, and endosomal proteins. Mutations in these PD-associated genes can cause lysosomal dysfunction, and since α-synuclein degradation is mostly lysosomal-dependent, among other consequences, lysosomal impairment can affect α-synuclein turnover, contributing to increase its intracellular levels and therefore promoting its accumulation and aggregation. Recent studies have also highlig...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2019
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, mainly affecting the elderly. The disease progresses gradually, with core motor presentations and a multitude of non-motor manifestations. There are two neuropathological hallmarks of PD, the dopaminergic neuronal loss and the alpha-synuclein-containing Lewy body inclusions in the substantia nigra. While the exact pathomechanisms of PD remain unclear, genetic investigations have revealed evidence of the involvement of mitochondrial function, alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation, and the endo-lysosomal system, in disease pathogenesis. Due to the high energy demand of dopaminergic neurons, mitochondria are of special importance acting as the cellular powerhouse. Mitochondrial dynamic fusion and fission, and autophagy quality control keep the mitochondrial network in a healthy state. Should defects of the organelle occur, a variety of reactions would ensue at the cellular level, including disrupted ...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2016
Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of protein aggregates comprised of α-synuclein (α-syn). A major barrier in treatment discovery for PD is the lack of identifiable therapeutic pathways capable of reducing aggregates in human neuronal model systems. Mutations in key components of protein trafficking and cellular degradation machinery represent important risk factors for PD; however, their precise role in disease progression and interaction with α-syn remains unclear. Here, we find that α-syn accumulation reduced lysosomal degradation capacity in human midbrain dopamine models of synucleinopathies through disrupting hydrolase trafficking. Accumulation of α-syn at the cell body resulted in aberrant association with cis-Golgi-tethering factor GM130 and disrupted the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi localization of rab1a, a key mediator of vesicular transport. Overexpression of rab1a restored Golgi structure, improved h...
Lysosomes and α-synuclein form a dangerous duet leading to neuronal cell death
Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, 2014
Neurodegenerative diseases are (i) characterized by a selective neuronal vulnerability to degeneration in specific brain regions; and (ii) likely to be caused by disease-specific protein misfolding. Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the presence of intraneuronal proteinacious cytoplasmic inclusions, called Lewy Bodies (LB). α-Synuclein, an aggregation prone protein, has been identified as a major protein component of LB and the causative for autosomal dominant PD. Lysosomes are responsible for the clearance of long-lived proteins, such as α-synuclein, and for the removal of old or damaged organelles, such as mitochondria. Interestingly, PD-linked α-synuclein mutants and dopamine-modified wildtype α-synuclein block its own degradation, which result in insufficient clearance, leading to its aggregation and cell toxicity. Moreover, both lysosomes and lysosomal proteases have been found to be involved in the activation of certain cell death pathways. Interestingly, lysosomal alterations are observed in the brains of patients suffering from sporadic PD and also in toxic and genetic rodent models of PD-related neurodegeneration. All these events have unraveled a causal link between lysosomal impairment, α-synuclein accumulation, and neurotoxicity. In this review, we emphasize the pathophysiological mechanisms connecting α-synuclein and lysosomal dysfunction in neuronal cell death.
Biomolecules, 2015
Axonal swellings are histological hallmarks of axonopathies in various types of disorders in the central nervous system, including neurodegenerative diseases. Given the pivotal role of axonopathies during the early phase of neurodegenerative process, axonal swellings may be good models which may provide some clues for early pathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). In this mini-review, such a possibility is discussed based on our recent studies as well as other accumulating studies. Consistent with the current view that dysfunction in the autophagy-lysosomal system may play a major role in the formation of axonal swellings, our studies showed globule, small axonal swellings, derived from transgenic mice expressing either human wild-type α-synuclein (αS-globule) or DLB-linked P123H β-synuclein (βS-globule), contained autophagosome-like membranes. However, other pathological features, such as abnormal mitochondria, enha...
Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2015
Alpha-synuclein is a presynaptic protein expressed throughout the central nervous system, and it is the main component of Lewy bodies, one of the histopathological features of Parkinson's disease (PD) which is a progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder. The conformational flexibility of α-synuclein allows it to adopt different conformations, i.e., bound to membranes or form aggregates, the oligomers are believed to be the more toxic species. In this review, we will focus on two major features of α-synuclein, transmission and toxicity, that could help to understand the pathological characteristics of PD. One important feature of α-synuclein is its ability to be transmitted from neuron to neuron using mechanisms such as endocytosis, plasma membrane penetration or through exosomes, thus propagating the Lewy body pathology to different brain regions thereby contributing to the progressiveness of PD. The second feature of α-synuclein is that it confers cytotoxicity to recipient cells, principally when it is in an oligomeric state. This form causes mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidative stress, proteasome impairment, disruption of plasma membrane and pore formation that lead to apoptosis pathway activation and consequent cell death. The complexity of α-synuclein oligomerization and formation of toxic species could be a major factor for the irreversibility of PD and could also explain the lack of successful therapies to halt the disease.
α-Synuclein misfolding and Parkinson's disease
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, 2012
Substantial evidence links α-synuclein, a small highly conserved presynaptic protein with unknown function, to both familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Synuclein has been identified as the major component of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, the characteristic proteinaceous deposits that are the hallmarks of PD. α-Synuclein is a typical intrinsically disordered protein, but can adopt a number of different conformational states depending on conditions and cofactors. These include the helical membrane-bound form, a partially-folded state that is a key intermediate in aggregation and fibrillation, various oligomeric species, and fibrillar and amorphous aggregates. The molecular basis of PD appears to be tightly coupled to the aggregation of α-synuclein and the factors that affect its conformation. This review examines the different aggregation states of α-synuclein, the molecular mechanism of its aggregation, and the influence of environmental and genetic factors on this process.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2005
Abnormal biology of ␣-synuclein (␣-Syn) is directly implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and other ␣-synucleinopathies. Herein, we demonstrate that C-terminally truncated ␣-Syn (␣-Syn⌬C), enriched in the pathological ␣-Syn aggregates, is normally generated from full-length ␣-Syn independent of ␣-Syn aggregation in brains and in cultured cells. The accumulation of ␣-Syn⌬C is enhanced in neuronal cells as compared with nonneuronal cells. Significantly, the expression of familial Parkinson's disease-linked mutant ␣-Syn is associated with the enhanced cellular accumulation of ␣-Syn⌬C. Moreover, substoichiometric amounts of ␣-Syn⌬C enhance the in vitro aggregation of the more abundant full-length ␣-Syn. Finally, cases of ␣-synucleinopathy exhibit increases in the total soluble ␣-Syn and a higher proportion of soluble ␣-Syn⌬C, a condition favoring the aggregation of ␣-Syn.