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da Silva ANR, Pereira GRC, Bonet LFS, Outeiro TF, De Mesquita JF. In silico analysis of alpha-synuclein protein variants and posttranslational modifications related to Parkinson's disease. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30523. [PMID: 38239037 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is among the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, affecting over 10 million people worldwide. The protein encoded by the SNCA gene, alpha-synuclein (ASYN), is the major component of Lewy body (LB) aggregates, a histopathological hallmark of PD. Mutations and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) in ASYN are known to influence protein aggregation and LB formation, possibly playing a crucial role in PD pathogenesis. In this work, we applied computational methods to characterize the effects of missense mutations and PTMs on the structure and function of ASYN. Missense mutations in ASYN were compiled from the literature/databases and underwent a comprehensive predictive analysis. Phosphorylation and SUMOylation sites of ASYN were retrieved from databases and predicted by algorithms. ConSurf was used to estimate the evolutionary conservation of ASYN amino acids. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of ASYN wild-type and variants A30G, A30P, A53T, and G51D were performed using the GROMACS package. Seventy-seven missense mutations in ASYN were compiled. Although most mutations were not predicted to affect ASYN stability, aggregation propensity, amyloid formation, and chaperone binding, the analyzed mutations received relatively high rates of deleterious predictions and predominantly occurred at evolutionarily conserved sites within the protein. Moreover, our predictive analyses suggested that the following mutations may be possibly harmful to ASYN and, consequently, potential targets for future investigation: K6N, T22I, K34E, G36R, G36S, V37F, L38P, G41D, and K102E. The MD analyses pointed to remarkable flexibility and essential dynamics alterations at nearly all domains of the studied variants, which could lead to impaired contact between NAC and the C-terminal domain triggering protein aggregation. These alterations may have functional implications for ASYN and provide important insight into the molecular mechanism of PD, supporting the design of future biomedical research and improvements in existing therapies for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aloma N R da Silva
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriel R C Pereira
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luiz Felippe Sarmento Bonet
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joelma F De Mesquita
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Laboratory, Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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2
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Ding XS, Gao L, Han Z, Eleuteri S, Shi W, Shen Y, Song ZY, Su M, Yang Q, Qu Y, Simon DK, Wang XL, Wang B. Ferroptosis in Parkinson's disease: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 91:102077. [PMID: 37742785 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), leading to motor and non-motor symptoms. While the exact mechanisms remain complex and multifaceted, several molecular pathways have been implicated in PD pathology, including accumulation of misfolded proteins, impaired mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, inflammation, elevated iron levels, etc. Overall, PD's molecular mechanisms involve a complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and cellular factors that disrupt cellular homeostasis, and ultimately lead to the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Recently, emerging evidence highlights ferroptosis, an iron-dependent non-apoptotic cell death process, as a pivotal player in the advancement of PD. Notably, oligomeric α-synuclein (α-syn) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxides within cellular membranes, potentially triggering ferroptosis. The loss of dopamine, a hallmark of PD, could predispose neurons to ferroptotic vulnerability. This unique form of cell demise unveils fresh insights into PD pathogenesis, necessitating an exploration of the molecular intricacies connecting ferroptosis and PD progression. In this review, the molecular and regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis and their connection with the pathological processes of PD have been systematically summarized. Furthermore, the features of ferroptosis in PD animal models and clinical trials targeting ferroptosis as a therapeutic approach in PD patients' management are scrutinized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xv-Shen Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China; Basic Medicine School, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China
| | - Li Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China
| | - Zheng Han
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China
| | - Simona Eleuteri
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 3 Blackfan Circle 628H, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Wei Shi
- Department of Neurosurgery, PLA 960th hospital, JiNan, Shandong Province, 250031, China
| | - Yun Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China
| | - Zi-Yao Song
- Basic Medicine School, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China
| | - Mingming Su
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Experimental Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China
| | - Yan Qu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China.
| | - David K Simon
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 3 Blackfan Circle 628H, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Xue-Lian Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China.
| | - Bao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710038, China.
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McClain SM, Milchberg MH, Rienstra CM, Murphy CJ. Biologically Representative Lipid-Coated Gold Nanoparticles and Phospholipid Vesicles for the Study of Alpha-Synuclein/Membrane Interactions. ACS Nano 2023; 17:20387-20401. [PMID: 37782491 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein is an intrinsically disordered protein whose formation of beta-sheet-rich protein aggregates in the brain is implicated in the development of Parkinson's disease. Due to its believed role in synaptic vesicle trafficking and neurotransmission, many studies have employed simple, synthetic model systems to investigate alpha-synuclein/membrane interactions in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the protein's native and pathogenic functions. Interestingly, these studies seem to suggest that alpha-synuclein interacts differently with rigid vesicle mimics in comparison to malleable vesicle mimics. However, the use of different mimic sizes and surface chemistries across existing studies makes it challenging to directly compare the effects of membrane mechanical properties on protein behavior observed thus far. In this work, we developed a synaptic vesicle mimic library comprising a range of both malleable and rigid synaptic vesicle mimics possessing the same size and biologically representative lipid surface chemistry. Limited proteolysis mass spectrometry experiments revealed distinct fragmentation patterns between rigid and malleable synaptic vesicle mimics. The N-terminal and C-terminal regions of alpha-synuclein were found to become less solvent-accessible upon binding to all synaptic vesicle mimics. Nevertheless, minor variations in digestion pattern were observed in the central region of the protein dependent upon mimic size, rigidity, and lipid composition. Higher binding affinities were observed for alpha-synuclein binding to rigid synaptic vesicle mimics compared to malleable synaptic vesicle mimics. Additionally, the binding affinity of alpha-synuclein toward small lipid vesicles and small lipid-coated gold nanoparticles without cholesterol was found to be lower than that of their respective malleable and rigid counterparts. Interestingly, the binding curves for the rigid synaptic vesicle mimics demonstrated a nontraditional peak and dip shape believed to arise from differences in alpha-synuclein orientation on the particle surface at different protein-to-particle incubation ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia M McClain
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Moses H Milchberg
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Chad M Rienstra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- National Magnetic Resonance Facility at Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 433 Babcock Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Catherine J Murphy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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Ramirez J, Pancoe SX, Rhoades E, Petersson EJ. The Effects of Lipids on α-Synuclein Aggregation In Vitro. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1476. [PMID: 37892158 PMCID: PMC10604467 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The small neuronal protein α-synuclein (αS) is found in pre-synaptic terminals and plays a role in vesicle recycling and neurotransmission. Fibrillar aggregates of αS are the hallmark of Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. In both health and disease, interactions with lipids influence αS's structure and function, prompting much study of the effects of lipids on αS aggregation. A comprehensive collection (126 examples) of aggregation rate data for various αS/lipid combinations was presented, including combinations of lipid variations and mutations or post-translational modifications of αS. These data were interpreted in terms of lipid structure to identify general trends. These tabulated data serve as a resource for the community to help in the interpretation of aggregation experiments with lipids and to be potentially used as inputs for computational models of lipid effects on aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Ramirez
- Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;
| | - Samantha X. Pancoe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth Rhoades
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - E. James Petersson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Battis K, Xiang W, Winkler J. The Bidirectional Interplay of α-Synuclein with Lipids in the Central Nervous System and Its Implications for the Pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13270. [PMID: 37686080 PMCID: PMC10487772 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The alteration and aggregation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) play a crucial role in neurodegenerative diseases collectively termed as synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease (PD). The bidirectional interaction of α-syn with lipids and biomembranes impacts not only α-syn aggregation but also lipid homeostasis. Indeed, lipid composition and metabolism are severely perturbed in PD. One explanation for lipid-associated alterations may involve structural changes in α-syn, caused, for example, by missense mutations in the lipid-binding region of α-syn as well as post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation, acetylation, nitration, ubiquitination, truncation, glycosylation, and glycation. Notably, different strategies targeting the α-syn-lipid interaction have been identified and are able to reduce α-syn pathology. These approaches include the modulation of post-translational modifications aiming to reduce the aggregation of α-syn and modify its binding properties to lipid membranes. Furthermore, targeting enzymes involved in various steps of lipid metabolism and exploring the neuroprotective potential of lipids themselves have emerged as novel therapeutic approaches. Taken together, this review focuses on the bidirectional crosstalk of α-syn and lipids and how alterations of this interaction affect PD and thereby open a window for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jürgen Winkler
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (K.B.); (W.X.)
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Qiu J, Wei L, Su Y, Tang Y, Peng G, Wu Y, He Y, Liu H, Guo W, Wu Z, Xu P, Mo M. Lipid Metabolism Disorder in Cerebrospinal Fluid Related to Parkinson's Disease. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1166. [PMID: 37626522 PMCID: PMC10452343 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13081166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal accumulation of lipids is found in dopamine neurons and resident microglia in the substantia nigra of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The accumulation of lipids is an important risk factor for PD. Previous studies have mainly focussed on lipid metabolism in peripheral blood, but little attention has been given to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We drew the lipidomic signature in CSF from PD patients and evaluated the role of lipids in CSF as biomarkers for PD diagnosis. METHODS Based on lipidomic approaches, we investigated and compared lipid metabolism in CSF from PD patients and healthy controls without dyslipidaemia in peripheral blood and explored the relationship of lipids between CSF and serum by Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS A total of 231 lipid species were detected and classified into 13 families in the CSF. The lipid families, including phosphatidylcholine (PC), sphingomyelin (SM) and cholesterol ester (CE), had significantly increased expression compared with the control. Hierarchical clustering was performed to distinguish PD patients based on the significantly changed expression of 34 lipid species. Unsupervised and supervised methods were used to refine this classification. A total of 12 lipid species, including 3-hydroxy-dodecanoyl-carnitine, Cer(d18:1/24:1), CE(20:4), CE(22:6), PC(14:0/18:2), PC(O-18:3/20:2), PC(O-20:2/24:3), SM(d18:0/16:0), SM(d18:2/14:0), SM(d18:2/24:1), SM(d18:1/20:1) and SM(d18:1/12:0), were selected to draw the lipidomic signature of PD. Correlation analysis was performed and showed that the CE family and CE (22:6) in CSF had a positive association with total cholesterol in the peripheral blood from PD patients but not from healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS Our results revealed that the lipidomic signature in CSF may be considered a potential biomarker for PD diagnosis, and increased CE, PC and SM in CSF may reveal pathological changes in PD patients, such as blood-brain barrier leakage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiewen Qiu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Lijian Wei
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Yilin Su
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Yuting Tang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Guoyou Peng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Yimin Wu
- Department of General Medicine, Fengxian Community Health Service Center, Shanghai 210499, China;
| | - Yan He
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Hanqun Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Wenyuan Guo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Zhuohu Wu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Pingyi Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
| | - Mingshu Mo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China; (J.Q.); (L.W.); (Y.S.); (Y.T.); (G.P.); (Y.H.); (H.L.); (W.G.); (Z.W.)
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7
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Lau HHC, Martinez-Valbuena I, So RWL, Mehra S, Silver NRG, Mao A, Stuart E, Schmitt-Ulms C, Hyman BT, Ingelsson M, Kovacs GG, Watts JC. The G51D SNCA mutation generates a slowly progressive α-synuclein strain in early-onset Parkinson's disease. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:72. [PMID: 37138318 PMCID: PMC10155462 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01570-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Unique strains of α-synuclein aggregates have been postulated to underlie the spectrum of clinical and pathological presentations seen across the synucleinopathies. Whereas multiple system atrophy (MSA) is associated with a predominance of oligodendroglial α-synuclein inclusions, α-synuclein aggregates in Parkinson's disease (PD) preferentially accumulate in neurons. The G51D mutation in the SNCA gene encoding α-synuclein causes an aggressive, early-onset form of PD that exhibits clinical and neuropathological traits reminiscent of both PD and MSA. To assess the strain characteristics of G51D PD α-synuclein aggregates, we performed propagation studies in M83 transgenic mice by intracerebrally inoculating patient brain extracts. The properties of the induced α-synuclein aggregates in the brains of injected mice were examined using immunohistochemistry, a conformational stability assay, and by performing α-synuclein seed amplification assays. Unlike MSA-injected mice, which developed a progressive motor phenotype, G51D PD-inoculated animals remained free of overt neurological illness for up to 18 months post-inoculation. However, a subclinical synucleinopathy was present in G51D PD-inoculated mice, characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates in restricted regions of the brain. The induced α-synuclein aggregates in G51D PD-injected mice exhibited distinct properties in a seed amplification assay and were much more stable than those present in mice injected with MSA extract, which mirrored the differences observed between human MSA and G51D PD brain samples. These results suggest that the G51D SNCA mutation specifies the formation of a slowly propagating α-synuclein strain that more closely resembles α-synuclein aggregates associated with PD than MSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather H C Lau
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ivan Martinez-Valbuena
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Raphaella W L So
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Surabhi Mehra
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Nicholas R G Silver
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alison Mao
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Erica Stuart
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Cian Schmitt-Ulms
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Martin Ingelsson
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences/Geriatrics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gabor G Kovacs
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada
- Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joel C Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, Rm. 4KD481, 60 Leonard Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Jeacock K, Chappard A, Gallagher KJ, Mackay CL, Kilgour DPA, Horrocks MH, Kunath T, Clarke DJ. Determining the Location of the α-Synuclein Dimer Interface Using Native Top-Down Fragmentation and Isotope Depletion-Mass Spectrometry. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 2023; 34:847-856. [PMID: 36976861 PMCID: PMC10161212 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.2c00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
α-Synuclein (αSyn), a 140-residue intrinsically disordered protein, comprises the primary proteinaceous component of pathology-associated Lewy body inclusions in Parkinson's disease (PD). Due to its association with PD, αSyn is studied extensively; however, the endogenous structure and physiological roles of this protein are yet to be fully understood. Here, ion mobility-mass spectrometry and native top-down electron capture dissociation fragmentation have been used to elucidate the structural properties associated with a stable, naturally occurring dimeric species of αSyn. This stable dimer appears in both wild-type (WT) αSyn and the PD-associated variant A53E. Furthermore, we integrated a novel method for generating isotopically depleted protein into our native top-down workflow. Isotope depletion increases signal-to-noise ratio and reduces the spectral complexity of fragmentation data, enabling the monoisotopic peak of low abundant fragment ions to be observed. This enables the accurate and confident assignment of fragments unique to the αSyn dimer to be assigned and structural information about this species to be inferred. Using this approach, we were able to identify fragments unique to the dimer, which demonstrates a C-terminal to C-terminal interaction between the monomer subunits. The approach in this study holds promise for further investigation into the structural properties of endogenous multimeric species of αSyn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiani Jeacock
- The EastCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K
| | - Alexandre Chappard
- The EastCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K
| | - Kelly J Gallagher
- The EastCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K
| | - C Logan Mackay
- The EastCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K
| | - David P A Kilgour
- Chemistry and Forensics, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, U.K
| | - Mathew H Horrocks
- The EastCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K
| | - Tilo Kunath
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, U.K
| | - David J Clarke
- The EastCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, U.K
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9
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Riederer P, Nagatsu T, Youdim MBH, Wulf M, Dijkstra JM, Sian-Huelsmann J. Lewy bodies, iron, inflammation and neuromelanin: pathological aspects underlying Parkinson's disease. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023; 130:627-646. [PMID: 37062012 PMCID: PMC10121516 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02630-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Since the description of some peculiar symptoms by James Parkinson in 1817, attempts have been made to define its cause or at least to enlighten the pathology of "Parkinson's disease (PD)." The vast majority of PD subtypes and most cases of sporadic PD share Lewy bodies (LBs) as a characteristic pathological hallmark. However, the processes underlying LBs generation and its causal triggers are still unknown. ɑ-Synuclein (ɑ-syn, encoded by the SNCA gene) is a major component of LBs, and SNCA missense mutations or duplications/triplications are causal for rare hereditary forms of PD. Thus, it is imperative to study ɑ-syn protein and its pathology, including oligomerization, fibril formation, aggregation, and spreading mechanisms. Furthermore, there are synergistic effects in the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of PD, and multiple factors-contributing with different ratios-appear to be causal pathological triggers and progression factors. For example, oxidative stress, reduced antioxidative capacity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and proteasomal disturbances have each been suggested to be causal for ɑ-syn fibril formation and aggregation and to contribute to neuroinflammation and neural cell death. Aging is also a major risk factor for PD. Iron, as well as neuromelanin (NM), show age-dependent increases, and iron is significantly increased in the Parkinsonian substantia nigra (SN). Iron-induced pathological mechanisms include changes of the molecular structure of ɑ-syn. However, more recent PD research demonstrates that (i) LBs are detected not only in dopaminergic neurons and glia but in various neurotransmitter systems, (ii) sympathetic nerve fibres degenerate first, and (iii) at least in "brain-first" cases dopaminergic deficiency is evident before pathology induced by iron and NM. These recent findings support that the ɑ-syn/LBs pathology as well as iron- and NM-induced pathology in "brain-first" cases are important facts of PD pathology and via their interaction potentiate the disease process in the SN. As such, multifactorial toxic processes posted on a personal genetic risk are assumed to be causal for the neurodegenerative processes underlying PD. Differences in ratios of multiple factors and their spatiotemporal development, and the fact that common triggers of PD are hard to identify, imply the existence of several phenotypical subtypes, which is supported by arguments from both the "bottom-up/dual-hit" and "brain-first" models. Therapeutic strategies are necessary to avoid single initiation triggers leading to PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Riederer
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Southern Denmark Odense, J.B. Winslows Vey 18, 5000, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Toshiharu Nagatsu
- Center for Research Promotion and Support, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | | | - Max Wulf
- Medizinisches Proteom-Center, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
- Medical Proteome Analysis, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany
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10
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Dening Y, Straßl T, Ruf V, Dirscherl P, Chovsepian A, Stievenard A, Khairnar A, Schmidt F, Giesert F, Herms J, Levin J, Dieterich M, Falkai P, Weisenhorn DV, Wurst W, Giese A, Pan-Montojo F. Toxicity of extracellular alpha-synuclein is independent of intracellular alpha-synuclein. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21951. [PMID: 36535974 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25790-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson´s disease (PD) pathology progresses throughout the nervous system. Whereas motor symptoms are always present, there is a high variability in the prevalence of non-motor symptoms. It has been postulated that the progression of the pathology is based on a prion-like disease mechanism partly due to the seeding effect of endocytosed-alpha-synuclein (ASYN) on the endogenous ASYN. Here, we analyzed the role of endogenous ASYN in the progression of PD-like pathology in vivo and in vitro and compared the effect of endocytosed-ASYN as well as paraquat and rotenone on primary enteric, dopaminergic and cortical neurons from wild-type and ASYN-KO mice. Our results show that, in vivo, pathology progression did not occur in the absence of endogenous ASYN. Remarkably, the damage caused by endocytosed-ASYN, rotenone or paraquat was independent from endogenous ASYN and related to the alteration of the host´s mitochondrial membrane potential. Dopaminergic neurons were very sensitive to these noxae compared to other neuronal subtypes. These results suggest that ASYN-mitochondrial interactions play a major role in initiating the pathological process in the host neuron and endogenous ASYN is essential for the transsynaptical transmission of the pathology. Our results also suggest that protecting mitochondrial function is a valid primary therapeutic target.
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11
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Pancoe SX, Wang YJ, Shimogawa M, Perez RM, Giannakoulias S, Petersson EJ. Effects of Mutations and Post-Translational Modifications on α-Synuclein In Vitro Aggregation. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167859. [PMID: 36270580 PMCID: PMC9922159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Fibrillar aggregates of the α-synuclein (αS) protein are the hallmark of Parkinson's Disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Characterization of the effects of mutations and post-translational modifications (PTMs) on the αS aggregation rate can provide insight into the mechanism of fibril formation, which remains elusive in spite of intense study. A comprehensive collection (375 examples) of mutant and PTM aggregation rate data measured using the fluorescent probe thioflavin T is presented, as well as a summary of the effects of fluorescent labeling on αS aggregation (20 examples). A curated set of 131 single mutant de novo aggregation experiments are normalized to wild type controls and analyzed in terms of structural data for the monomer and fibrillar forms of αS. These tabulated data serve as a resource to the community to help in interpretation of aggregation experiments and to potentially be used as inputs for computational models of aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha X Pancoe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yanxin J Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marie Shimogawa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ryann M Perez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sam Giannakoulias
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - E James Petersson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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12
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Watt KJC, Meade RM, Williams RJ, Mason JM. Anionic lipid vesicles have differential effects on the aggregation of early onset-associated α-synuclein missense mutants. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102565. [PMID: 36208776 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (αS) is the key component of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. αS was first linked to PD through the identification of point mutations in the SNCA gene, causing single amino acid substitutions within αS and familial autosomal dominant forms of PD that profoundly accelerated disease onset by up to several decades. At least eight single-point mutations linked to familial PD (A30G/P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, and A53T/E/V) are located in proximity of the region preceding the non-β amyloid component (preNAC) region, strongly implicating its pathogenic role in αS-mediated cytotoxicity. Furthermore, lipids are known to be important for native αS function, where they play a key role in the regulation of synaptic vesicle docking to presynaptic membranes and dopamine transmission. However, the role of lipids in the function of mutant αS is unclear. Here, we studied αS aggregation properties of WT αS and five of the most predominant single-point missense mutants associated with early onset PD in the presence of anionic 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine lipid vesicles. Our results highlight significant differences between aggregation rates, the number of aggregates produced, and overall fibril morphologies of WT αS and the A30P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, and A53T missense mutants in the presence of lipid vesicles. These findings have important implications regarding the interplay between the lipids required for αS function and the individual point mutations known to accelerate PD and related diseases.
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13
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Fernández-Calle R, Konings SC, Frontiñán-Rubio J, García-Revilla J, Camprubí-Ferrer L, Svensson M, Martinson I, Boza-Serrano A, Venero JL, Nielsen HM, Gouras GK, Deierborg T. APOE in the bullseye of neurodegenerative diseases: impact of the APOE genotype in Alzheimer’s disease pathology and brain diseases. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:62. [PMID: 36153580 PMCID: PMC9509584 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00566-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
ApoE is the major lipid and cholesterol carrier in the CNS. There are three major human polymorphisms, apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4, and the genetic expression of APOE4 is one of the most influential risk factors for the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neuroinflammation has become the third hallmark of AD, together with Amyloid-β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated aggregated tau protein. This review aims to broadly and extensively describe the differential aspects concerning apoE. Starting from the evolution of apoE to how APOE's single-nucleotide polymorphisms affect its structure, function, and involvement during health and disease. This review reflects on how APOE's polymorphisms impact critical aspects of AD pathology, such as the neuroinflammatory response, particularly the effect of APOE on astrocytic and microglial function and microglial dynamics, synaptic function, amyloid-β load, tau pathology, autophagy, and cell–cell communication. We discuss influential factors affecting AD pathology combined with the APOE genotype, such as sex, age, diet, physical exercise, current therapies and clinical trials in the AD field. The impact of the APOE genotype in other neurodegenerative diseases characterized by overt inflammation, e.g., alpha- synucleinopathies and Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, is also addressed. Therefore, this review gathers the most relevant findings related to the APOE genotype up to date and its implications on AD and CNS pathologies to provide a deeper understanding of the knowledge in the APOE field.
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14
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Abstract
Fibrillar protein aggregation is a hallmark of a variety of human diseases. Examples include the deposition of amyloid-β and tau in Alzheimer's disease, and that of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease. The molecular mechanisms by which soluble proteins form amyloid fibrils have been extensively studied in the test tube. These investigations have revealed the microscopic steps underlying amyloid formation, and the role of factors such as chaperones that modulate these processes. This perspective explores the question to what extent the mechanisms of amyloid formation elucidated in vitro apply to human disease. The answer is not yet clear, and may differ depending on the protein and the associated disease. Nevertheless, there are striking qualitative similarities between the aggregation behaviour of proteins in vitro and the development of the related diseases. Limited quantitative data obtained in model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans support the notion that aggregation mechanisms in vivo can be interpreted using the same biophysical principles established in vitro. These results may however be biased by the high overexpression levels typically used in animal models of protein aggregation diseases. Molecular chaperones have been found to suppress protein aggregation in animal models, but their mechanisms of action have not yet been quantitatively analysed. Several mechanisms are proposed by which the decline of protein quality control with organismal age, but also the intrinsic nature of the aggregation process may contribute to the kinetics of protein aggregation observed in human disease. The molecular mechanisms of amyloid formation have been studied extensively in test tube reactions. This perspective article addresses the question to what extent these mechanisms apply to the complex situation in living cells and organisms.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Sinnige
- Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University Padualaan 8 3584 CH Utrecht The Netherlands
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15
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Abstract
Lipid membranes have recently been implicated in protein misfolding and disease etiology, including for α-synuclein and Parkinson's disease. However, studying the intersection of protein complex formation, membrane interactions, and bilayer disruption simultaneously is challenging. In particular, the efficacies of small molecule inhibitors for toxic protein aggregation are not well understood. Here, we used native mass spectrometry in combination with lipid nanodiscs to study α-synuclein-membrane interactions. α-Synuclein did not interact with zwitterionic 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine lipids but interacted strongly with anionic 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho(1'-rac-glycerol) lipids, eventually leading to membrane disruption. Unsaturated 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho(1'-rac-glycerol) (POPG) lipid nanodiscs were also prone to bilayer disruption, releasing α-synuclein:POPG complexes. Interestingly, the fibril inhibitor, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), prevented membrane disruption but did not prevent the incorporation of α-synuclein into nanodisc complexes. Thus, although EGCG inhibits fibrillization, it does not inhibit α-synuclein from associating with the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry M Sanders
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, 1306 East University Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Marius M Kostelic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, 1306 East University Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Ciara K Zak
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, 1306 East University Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Michael T Marty
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, 1306 East University Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
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16
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Rajeshkumar RR, Kumar BK, Parasuraman P, Panneerselvam T, Sundar K, Ammunje DN, Ram Kumar Pandian S, Murugesan S, Kabilan SJ, Kunjiappan S. Graph theoretical network analysis, in silico exploration, and validation of bioactive compounds from Cynodon dactylon as potential neuroprotective agents against α-synuclein. Bioimpacts 2022; 12:487-499. [PMID: 36644543 PMCID: PMC9809135 DOI: 10.34172/bi.2022.24113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, devastating neurodegenerative disorder marked by the death of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain's substantia nigra pars compacta (Snpc). In alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) self-aggregation, the existence of intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies called Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs) causes PD, which is a cause of neuronal death. Methods: The present study is aimed at finding potential bioactive compounds from Cynodon dectylon that can degrade α-Syn aggregation in the brain, through in silico molecular docking investigations. Graph theoretical network analysis was used to identify the bioactive compounds that target α-Syn and decipher their network as a graph. From the data repository, twenty-nine bioactive chemicals from C. dactylon were chosen and their structures were retrieved from Pubchem. On the basis of their docking scores and binding energies, significant compounds were chosen for future investigation. The in silico prediction of chosen compounds, and their pharmacokinetic and physicochemical parameters were utilized to confirm their drug-likeness profile. Results: During molecular docking investigation the bioactive compounds vitexin (-7.3 kcal.mol-1) and homoorientin (-7.1 kcal.mol-1) showed significant binding energy against the α-Syn target protein. A computer investigation of molecular dynamics simulation study verifies the stability of the α-Syn-ligand complex. The intermolecular interactions assessed by the dynamic conditions indicate that the bioactive compound vitexin has the potency to prevent α-Syn aggregation. Conclusion: Interestingly, the observed results indicate that vitexin is a potential lead compound against α-Syn aggregation, and in vitro and in vivo studies are warranted to confirm the promising therapeutic capability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raja Rajeswari Rajeshkumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil-626126, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Banoth Karan Kumar
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology & Science Pilani, Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar, Pilani-333031, Rajasthan, India
| | - Pavadai Parasuraman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, M S R Nagar, Bengaluru-560054, Karnataka, India
| | - Theivendren Panneerselvam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Swamy Vivekanandha College of Pharmacy, Elayampalayam, Tiruchengodu-637205, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Krishnan Sundar
- Department of Biotechnology, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil-626126, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Damodar Nayak Ammunje
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, M S R Nagar, Bengaluru-560054, Karnataka, India
| | - Sureshbabu Ram Kumar Pandian
- Department of Biotechnology, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil-626126, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sankaranarayanan Murugesan
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology & Science Pilani, Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar, Pilani-333031, Rajasthan, India
| | | | - Selvaraj Kunjiappan
- Department of Biotechnology, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil-626126, Tamil Nadu, India
,Corresponding author: Selvaraj Kunjiappan,
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17
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Yang X, Zhao X, Zhao H, Liu F, Zhang S, Zhang CX, Yang Z. Combination of liquid crystal and deep learning reveals distinct signatures of Parkinson's disease-related wild-type α-synuclein and six pathogenic mutants. Chem Asian J 2021; 17:e202101251. [PMID: 34877798 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202101251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a central player in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology. Various point mutations in α-synuclein have been identified to alter the protein-phospholipid binding behavior and cause PD. Therefore, exploration of α-synuclein-phospholipid interaction is important for understanding the PD pathogenesis and helping the early diagnosis of PD. Herein, a phospholipid-decorated liquid crystal (LC)-aqueous interface is constructed to investigate the binding between α-synucleins (wild-type and six familial mutant A30P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, A53E and A53T) and phospholipid. The application of deep learning analyzes and reveals distinct LC signatures generated by the binding of α-synuclein and phospholipid. This system allows for the identification of single point mutant α-synucleins with an average accuracy of 98.3±1.3% in a fast and efficient manner. We propose that this analytical methodology provides a new platform to understand α-synuclein-lipid interactions, and can be potentially developed for easy identification of α-synuclein mutations in common clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuxiu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofang Zhao
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, P. R. China
| | - Hansen Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Fengwei Liu
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, P. R. China
| | - Sichun Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Microanalytical Methods and Instrumentation, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Claire Xi Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, P. R. China
| | - Zhongqiang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
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18
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Galkin M, Priss A, Topcheva O, Yushchenko DA, Shvadchak VV. FRET-based assay for intracellular evaluation of α-synuclein aggregation inhibitors. J Neurochem 2021; 159:901-912. [PMID: 34687236 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Aggregation of small neuronal protein α-synuclein (αSyn) in amyloid fibrils is considered to be one of the main causes of Parkinson's disease. Inhibition of this aggregation is a promising approach for disease treatment. Dozens of compounds able to inhibit αSyn fibrillization in solution were developed during the last decade. However, the applicability of most of them in the cellular environment was not established because of the absence of a suitable cell-based assay. In this work, we developed an assay for testing αSyn aggregation inhibitors in cells that is based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between labeled αSyn molecules in fibrils. The assay directly reports the amount of fibrillized αSyn and is more reliable than the assays based on cell viability. Moreover, we showed that cell viability decline does not always correlate with the amount of misfolded αSyn. The developed FRET-based assay does not interfere with the aggregation process and is suitable for high-throughput testing of αSyn aggregation inhibitors. Its application can sort out non-specific inhibitors and thus significantly facilitate the development of drugs for Parkinson`s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksym Galkin
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anastasiia Priss
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Oleksandra Topcheva
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dmytro A Yushchenko
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Volodymyr V Shvadchak
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
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19
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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: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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20
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Scheibe C, Karreman C, Schildknecht S, Leist M, Hauser K. Synuclein Family Members Prevent Membrane Damage by Counteracting α-Synuclein Aggregation. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11081067. [PMID: 34439733 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The 140 amino acid protein α-synuclein (αS) is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) with various roles and locations in healthy neurons that plays a key role in Parkinson's disease (PD). Contact with biomembranes can lead to α-helical conformations, but can also act as s seeding event for aggregation and a predominant β-sheet conformation. In PD patients, αS is found to aggregate in various fibrillary structures, and the shift in aggregation and localization is associated with disease progression. Besides full-length αS, several related polypeptides are present in neurons. The role of many αS-related proteins in the aggregation of αS itself is not fully understood Two of these potential aggregation modifiers are the αS splicing variant αS Δexon3 (Δ3) and the paralog β-synuclein (βS). Here, polarized ATR-FTIR spectroscopy was used to study the membrane interaction of these proteins individually and in various combinations. The method allowed a continuous monitoring of both the lipid structure of biomimetic membranes and the aggregation state of αS and related proteins. The use of polarized light also revealed the orientation of secondary structure elements. While αS led to a destruction of the lipid membrane upon membrane-catalyzed aggregation, βS and Δ3 aggregated significantly less, and they did not harm the membrane. Moreover, the latter proteins reduced the membrane damage triggered by αS. There were no major differences in the membrane interaction for the different synuclein variants. In combination, these observations suggest that the formation of particular protein aggregates is the major driving force for αS-driven membrane damage. The misbalance of αS, βS, and Δ3 might therefore play a crucial role in neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Scheibe
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Schildknecht
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Life Sciences, Albstadt-Sigmaringen University of Applied Sciences, 72488 Sigmaringen, Germany
| | - Marcel Leist
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Karin Hauser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
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21
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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22
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Bhumkar A, Magnan C, Lau D, Jun ESW, Dzamko N, Gambin Y, Sierecki E. Single-Molecule Counting Coupled to Rapid Amplification Enables Detection of α-Synuclein Aggregates in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Parkinson's Disease Patients. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:11874-11883. [PMID: 33511725 PMCID: PMC8251908 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202014898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein aggregation is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease and a promising biomarker for early detection and assessment of disease progression. The prospect of a molecular test for Parkinson's disease is materializing with the recent developments of detection methods based on amplification of synuclein seeds (e.g. RT-QuIC or PMCA). Here we adapted single-molecule counting methods for the detection of α-synuclein aggregates in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), using a simple 3D printed microscope. Single-molecule methods enable to probe the early events in the amplification process used in RT-QuIC and a precise counting of ThT-positive aggregates. Importantly, the use of single-molecule counting also allows a refined characterization of the samples and fingerprinting of the protein aggregates present in CSF of patients. The fingerprinting of size and reactivity of individual aggregate shows a unique signature for each PD patients compared to controls and may provide new insights on synucleinopathies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Bhumkar
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical SciencesThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Chloe Magnan
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical SciencesThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Derrick Lau
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical SciencesThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Eugene Soh Wei Jun
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical SciencesThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Nicolas Dzamko
- Brain and Mind Centre and the School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneySydneyNSW2006Australia
| | - Yann Gambin
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical SciencesThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Emma Sierecki
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical SciencesThe University of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
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23
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Bhumkar A, Magnan C, Lau D, Jun ESW, Dzamko N, Gambin Y, Sierecki E. Single‐Molecule Counting Coupled to Rapid Amplification Enables Detection of α‐Synuclein Aggregates in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Parkinson's Disease Patients. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202014898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Bhumkar
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical Sciences The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Chloe Magnan
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical Sciences The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Derrick Lau
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical Sciences The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Eugene Soh Wei Jun
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical Sciences The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Nicolas Dzamko
- Brain and Mind Centre and the School of Medical Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Yann Gambin
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical Sciences The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Emma Sierecki
- EMBL-Australia node in Single Molecule Science and School of Medical Sciences The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
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24
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Priss A, Afitska K, Galkin M, Yushchenko DA, Shvadchak VV. Rationally Designed Protein-Based Inhibitor of α-Synuclein Fibrillization in Cells. J Med Chem 2021; 64:6827-6837. [PMID: 33970620 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Misfolding of the neuronal protein α-synuclein (αSyn) into amyloid fibrils is involved in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD), and inhibition of this process is considered to be a promising therapeutic approach. In this work, we engineered protein inhibitors that bind to fibrils with higher affinity than the monomeric αSyn. They were developed based on the recent structural data of the αSyn fibrils and were shown to prevent fibril elongation upon binding to fibril ends. These inhibitors are highly selective to the misfolded αSyn, nontoxic, and active in cytosol in small concentrations. The best-performing inhibitor shows IC50 ∼10 nM in a cell-based assay, which corresponds to the ∼1:60 molar ratio to αSyn. It can suppress the formation of αSyn aggregates in cells that can be potentially used to slow down the spreading of the pathological aggregates from cell to cell during the course of the PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiia Priss
- Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Flemingovo nam. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, Prague 12843, Czech Republic
| | - Kseniia Afitska
- Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Flemingovo nam. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic
| | - Maksym Galkin
- Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Flemingovo nam. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic.,Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, Prague 12843, Czech Republic
| | - Dmytro A Yushchenko
- Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Flemingovo nam. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic.,Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 68, Bergisch Gladbach D-51429, Germany
| | - Volodymyr V Shvadchak
- Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Flemingovo nam. 2, Prague 16610, Czech Republic
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25
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Mavroeidi P, Xilouri M. Neurons and Glia Interplay in α-Synucleinopathies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4994. [PMID: 34066733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of the neuronal presynaptic protein alpha-synuclein within proteinaceous inclusions represents the key histophathological hallmark of a spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders, referred to by the umbrella term a-synucleinopathies. Even though alpha-synuclein is expressed predominantly in neurons, pathological aggregates of the protein are also found in the glial cells of the brain. In Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, alpha-synuclein accumulates mainly in neurons forming the Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, whereas in multiple system atrophy, the protein aggregates mostly in the glial cytoplasmic inclusions within oligodendrocytes. In addition, astrogliosis and microgliosis are found in the synucleinopathy brains, whereas both astrocytes and microglia internalize alpha-synuclein and contribute to the spread of pathology. The mechanisms underlying the pathological accumulation of alpha-synuclein in glial cells that under physiological conditions express low to non-detectable levels of the protein are an area of intense research. Undoubtedly, the presence of aggregated alpha-synuclein can disrupt glial function in general and can contribute to neurodegeneration through numerous pathways. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge on the role of alpha-synuclein in both neurons and glia, highlighting the contribution of the neuron-glia connectome in the disease initiation and progression, which may represent potential therapeutic target for a-synucleinopathies.
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26
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Sian-Hulsmann J, Riederer P. The Nigral Coup in Parkinson's Disease by α-Synuclein and Its Associated Rebels. Cells 2021; 10:598. [PMID: 33803185 PMCID: PMC8000327 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The risk of Parkinson's disease increases with age. However, the etiology of the illness remains obscure. It appears highly likely that the neurodegenerative processes involve an array of elements that influence each other. In addition, genetic, endogenous, or exogenous toxins need to be considered as viable partners to the cellular degeneration. There is compelling evidence that indicate the key involvement of modified α-synuclein (Lewy bodies) at the very core of the pathogenesis of the disease. The accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein may be a consequence of some genetic defect or/and a failure of the protein clearance system. Importantly, α-synuclein pathology appears to be a common denominator for many cellular deleterious events such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, dopamine synaptic dysregulation, iron dyshomeostasis, and neuroinflammation. These factors probably employ a common apoptotic/or autophagic route in the final stages to execute cell death. The misfolded α-synuclein inclusions skillfully trigger or navigate these processes and thus amplify the dopamine neuron fatalities. Although the process of neuroinflammation may represent a secondary event, nevertheless, it executes a fundamental role in neurodegeneration. Some viral infections produce parkinsonism and exhibit similar characteristic neuropathological changes such as a modest brain dopamine deficit and α-synuclein pathology. Thus, viral infections may heighten the risk of developing PD. Alternatively, α-synuclein pathology may induce a dysfunctional immune system. Thus, sporadic Parkinson's disease is caused by multifactorial trigger factors and metabolic disturbances, which need to be considered for the development of potential drugs in the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeswinder Sian-Hulsmann
- Department of Medical Physiology, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Peter Riederer
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy Margarete-Hoeppel-Platz 1, University Hospital Wuerzburg, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany;
- Department Psychiatry, University of Southern Denmark Odense, J.B. Winslows Vey 18, 5000 Odense, Denmark
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27
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Abstract
α-Synuclein is a neuronal protein involved in synaptic vesicle trafficking. During the course of Parkinson's disease, it aggregates, forming amyloid fibrils that accumulate in the midbrain. This pathological fibrillization process is strongly modulated by physiological interactions of α-synuclein with lipid membranes. However, the detailed mechanism of this effect remains unclear. In this work, we used environment-sensitive fluorescent dyes to study the influence of model lipid membranes on the kinetics of α-synuclein fibrillization. We observed that formation of the fibrils from α-synuclein monomers is strongly delayed even by small amounts of lipids. Furthermore, we found that membrane-bound α-synuclein monomers are not involved in fibril elongation. Hence, presence of lipids slows down fibril growth proportionally to the fraction of membrane-bound protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrii S. Kurochka
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Dmytro A. Yushchenko
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch Gladbach 51429, Germany
| | - Petr Bouř
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Volodymyr V. Shvadchak
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
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28
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Ramis R, Ortega-Castro J, Vilanova B, Adrover M, Frau J. Unraveling the NaCl Concentration Effect on the First Stages of α-Synuclein Aggregation. Biomacromolecules 2020; 21:5200-5212. [PMID: 33140640 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Intraneuronal aggregation of the intrinsically disordered protein α-synuclein is at the core of Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Several reports show that the concentration of salts in the medium heavily affects its aggregation rate and fibril morphology, but a characterization of the individual monomeric conformations underlying these effects is still lacking. In this work, we have applied our α-synuclein-optimized coarse-grained molecular dynamics approach to decipher the structural features of the protein monomer under a range of NaCl concentrations (0.0-1.0 M). The results show that key intramolecular contacts between the terminal domains are lost at intermediate concentrations (leading to extended conformations likely to fibrillate), but recovered at high concentrations (leading to compact conformations likely to evolve toward amorphous aggregates). The pattern of direct interactions of the terminal α-synuclein domains with Na+ and Cl- ions plays a key role in explaining this effect. Our results are consistent with a recent study reporting a fibrillation enhancement at moderate NaCl concentrations but an inhibition at higher concentrations. The present work will contribute to improving our understanding of the structural features of monomeric α-synuclein, determining its NaCl-induced fibrillation propensity and the molecular basis of synucleinopathies, necessary for the future development of disease-halting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Ramis
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.,Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Joaquín Ortega-Castro
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.,Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Bartolomé Vilanova
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.,Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Miquel Adrover
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.,Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Juan Frau
- Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS), Departament de Química, Universitat de les Illes Balears, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain.,Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Illes Balears (IdISBa), 07020 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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29
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Blauwendraat C, Makarious MB, Leonard HL, Bandres-Ciga S, Iwaki H, Nalls MA, Noyce AJ, Singleton AB. A population scale analysis of rare SNCA variation in the UK Biobank. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 148:105182. [PMID: 33307186 PMCID: PMC7880248 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease with a variety of genetic and environmental factors contributing to disease. The SNCA gene encodes for the alpha-synuclein protein which plays a central role in PD, where aggregates of this protein are one of the pathological hallmarks of disease. Rare point mutations and copy number gains of the SNCA gene have been shown to cause autosomal dominant PD, and common DNA variants identified using Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) are a moderate risk factor for PD. The UK Biobank is a large-scale population prospective study including ~500,000 individuals that has revolutionized human genetics. Here we assessed the frequency of SNCA variation in this cohort and identified 30 subjects carrying variants of interest including duplications (n = 6), deletions (n = 6) and large complex likely mosaic events (n = 18). No known pathogenic missense variants were identified. None of these subjects were reported to be a PD case, although it is possible that these individuals may develop PD at a later age, and whilst three had known prodromal features, these did not meet defined clinical criteria for being considered 'prodromal' cases. Seven of the 18 large complex carriers showed a history of blood based cancer. Overall, we identified copy number variants in the SNCA region in a large population based cohort without reported PD phenotype and symptoms. Putative mosaicism of the SNCA gene was identified, however, it is unclear whether it is associated with PD. These individuals are potential candidates for further investigation by performing SNCA RNA and protein expression studies, as well as promising clinical trial candidates to understand how duplication carriers potentially escape PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelis Blauwendraat
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Mary B Makarious
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK; UCL Movement Disorders Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hampton L Leonard
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Data Tecnica International, Glen Echo, MD, USA
| | - Sara Bandres-Ciga
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hirotaka Iwaki
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Data Tecnica International, Glen Echo, MD, USA
| | - Mike A Nalls
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Data Tecnica International, Glen Echo, MD, USA
| | - Alastair J Noyce
- Preventive Neurology Unit, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University, London, UK; Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Andrew B Singleton
- Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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30
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Frey B, AlOkda A, Jackson MP, Riguet N, Duce JA, Lashuel HA. Monitoring alpha-synuclein oligomerization and aggregation using bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays: What you see is not always what you get. J Neurochem 2020; 157:872-888. [PMID: 32772367 PMCID: PMC8246987 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) was introduced a decade ago as a method to monitor alpha‐synuclein (α‐syn) oligomerization in intact cells. Since then, several α‐syn BiFC cellular assays and animal models have been developed based on the assumption that an increase in the fluorescent signal correlates with increased α‐syn oligomerization or aggregation. Despite the increasing use of these assays and models in mechanistic studies, target validation and drug screening, there have been no reports that (1) validate the extent to which the BiFC fluorescent signal correlates with α‐syn oligomerization at the biochemical level; (2) provide a structural characterization of the oligomers and aggregates formed by the BiFC. To address this knowledge gap, we first analysed the expression level and oligomerization properties of the individual constituents of α‐syn‐Venus, one of the most commonly used BiFC systems, in HEK‐293 & SH‐SY5Y cells from three different laboratories using multiple biochemical approaches and techniques. Next, we investigated the biochemical and aggregation properties of α‐syn upon co‐expression of both BiFC fragments. Our results show that (1) the C‐terminal‐Venus fused to α‐syn (α‐syn‐Vc) is present in much lower abundance than its counterpart with N‐terminal‐Venus fused to α‐syn (Vn‐α‐syn); (2) Vn‐α‐syn exhibits a high propensity to form oligomers and higher‐order aggregates; and (3) the expression of either or both fragments does not result in the formation of α‐syn fibrils or cellular inclusions. Furthermore, our results suggest that only a small fraction of Vn‐α‐syn is involved in the formation of the fluorescent BiFC complex and that some of the fluorescent signal may arise from the association or entrapment of α‐syn‐Vc in Vn‐α‐syn aggregates. The fact that the N‐terminal fragment exists predominantly in an aggregated state also indicates that one must exercise caution when using this system to investigate α‐syn oligomerization in cells or in vivo. Altogether, our results suggest that cellular and animal models of oligomerization, aggregation and cell‐to‐cell transmission based on the α‐syn BiFC systems should be thoroughly characterized at the biochemical level to ensure that they reproduce the process of interest and measure what they are intended to measure. ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Frey
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Abdelrahman AlOkda
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Matthew P Jackson
- The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nathan Riguet
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - James A Duce
- The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Faculty of Life Sciences, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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31
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Moretti P, Mariani P, Ortore MG, Plotegher N, Bubacco L, Beltramini M, Spinozzi F. Comprehensive Structural and Thermodynamic Analysis of Prefibrillar WT α-Synuclein and Its G51D, E46K, and A53T Mutants by a Combination of Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and Variational Bayesian Weighting. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:5265-5281. [PMID: 32866007 PMCID: PMC8154249 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The in solution synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering SAXS technique has been used to investigate an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) related to Parkinson's disease, the α-synuclein (α-syn), in prefibrillar diluted conditions. SAXS experiments have been performed as a function of temperature and concentration on the wild type (WT) and on the three pathogenic mutants G51D, E46K, and A53T. To identify the conformers that populate WT α-syn and the pathogenic mutants in prefibrillar conditions, scattering data have been analyzed by a new variational bayesian weighting method (VBWSAS) based on an ensemble of conformers, which includes unfolded monomers, trimers, and tetramers, both in helical-rich and strand-rich forms. The developed VBWSAS method uses a thermodynamic scheme to account for temperature and concentration effects and considers long-range protein-protein interactions in the framework of the random phase approximation. The global analysis of the whole set of data indicates that WT α-syn is mostly present as unfolded monomers and trimers (helical-rich trimers at low T and strand-rich trimers at high T), but not tetramers, as previously derived by several studies. On the contrary, different conformer combinations characterize mutants. In the α-syn G51D mutant, the most abundant aggregates at all the temperatures are strand-rich tetramers. Strand-rich tetramers are also the predominant forms in the A53T mutant, but their weight decreases with temperature. Only monomeric conformers, with a preference for the ones with the smallest sizes, are present in the E46K mutant. The derived conformational behavior then suggests a different availability of species prone to aggregate, depending on mutation, temperature, and concentration and accounting for the different neurotoxicity of α-syn variants. Indeed, this approach may be of pivotal importance to describe conformational and aggregational properties of other IDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Moretti
- Department
of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic
University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - Paolo Mariani
- Department
of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic
University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Ortore
- Department
of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic
University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | | | - Luigi Bubacco
- Department
of Biology, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Veneto, Italy
| | - Mariano Beltramini
- Department
of Biology, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Veneto, Italy
| | - Francesco Spinozzi
- Department
of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic
University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Marche, Italy
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Moons R, van der Wekken-de Bruijne R, Maudsley S, Lemière F, Lambeir AM, Sobott F. Effects of Detergent on α-Synuclein Structure. A Native MS-Ion Mobility Study. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7884. [PMID: 33114222 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21217884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The intrinsically disordered protein α-synuclein plays a major role in Parkinson’s disease. The protein can oligomerize resulting in the formation of various aggregated species in neuronal cells, leading to neurodegeneration. The interaction of α-synuclein with biological cell membranes plays an important role for specific functions of α-synuclein monomers, e.g., in neurotransmitter release. Using different types of detergents to mimic lipid molecules present in biological membranes, including the presence of Ca2+ ions as an important structural factor, we aimed to gain an understanding of how α-synuclein interacts with membrane models and how this affects the protein conformation and potential oligomerization. We investigated detergent binding stoichiometry, affinity and conformational changes of α-synuclein taking detergent concentration, different detergent structures and charges into account. With native nano-electrospray ionization ion mobility-mass spectrometry, we were able to detect unique conformational patterns resulting from binding of specific detergents to α-synuclein. Our data demonstrate that α-synuclein monomers can interact with detergent molecules irrespective of their charge, that protein-micelle interactions occur and that micelle properties are an important factor.
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Abstract
The aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) is inseparably connected to Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is now well-established that certain forms of α-syn aggregates, oligomers and fibrils, can exert neurotoxicity in synucleinopathies. With the exception of rare familial forms, the vast majority of PD cases are idiopathic. Understanding the earliest molecular mechanisms that cause initial α-syn misfolding could help to explain why PD affects only some individuals and others not. Factors that chaperone the transition of α-syn’s physiological to pathological function are of particular interest, since they offer opportunities for intervention. The relationship between α-syn and lipids represents one of those factors. Membrane interaction is crucial for normal cellular function, but lipids also induce the aggregation of α-syn, causing cell toxicity. Also, disease-causing or risk-factor mutations in genes related to lipid metabolism like PLA2G6, SCARB2 or GBA1 highlight the close connection between PD and lipids. Despite the clear link, the ambivalent interaction has not been studied sufficiently so far. In this review, we address how α-syn interacts with lipids and how they can act as key factor for orchestrating toxic conversion of α-syn. Furthermore, we will discuss a scenario in which initial α-syn aggregation is determined by shifts in lipid/α-syn ratio as well as by dyshomeostasis of membrane bound/unbound state of α-syn.
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McClain SM, Ojoawo AM, Lin W, Rienstra CM, Murphy CJ. Interaction of Alpha-Synuclein and Its Mutants with Rigid Lipid Vesicle Mimics of Varying Surface Curvature. ACS Nano 2020; 14:10153-10167. [PMID: 32672441 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c03420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal aggregation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn), an intrinsically disordered neuronal protein, is strongly implicated in the development of Parkinson's disease. Efforts to better understand α-syn's native function and its pathogenic role in neurodegeneration have revealed that the protein interacts with anionic lipid vesicles via adoption of an amphipathic α-helical structure; however, the ability of α-syn to remodel lipid membranes has made it difficult to decipher the role of vesicle surface curvature in protein binding behavior. In this study, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which mimic bilayer vesicle architecture, were synthesized in order to conduct a systematic investigation into the binding interaction of α-syn and two of its mutants (A30P and E46K) with rigid lipid vesicle mimics of defined surface curvature. By incorporating a rigid AuNP core (∼10-100 nm), the ability of α-syn to remodel the vesicle mimics was removed and their surface curvature could be fixed. Proteomics studies showed that, upon binding of free α-syn to the surface of SDS-AuNPs, the N-terminus of α-syn became less solvent accessible, whereas its C-terminus became more accessible. Interestingly, α-syn's non-amyloid-β component (NAC) region also exhibited increased solvent accessibility, suggesting that α-syn bound to rigid vesicle-like structures could possess heightened aggregation propensity and therefore pathogenicity. Additionally, both the A30P and E46K mutations were found to adopt distinct binding modes on the mimics' surface. In contrast with previous reports, similar binding affinities were observed for WT, A30P, and E46K α-syn toward SDS-AuNPs of all sizes, indicating the potential importance of vesicle deformability in determining α-syn binding behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia M McClain
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Adedolapo M Ojoawo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Wayne Lin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Chad M Rienstra
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois 61820, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Catherine J Murphy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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Ruf VC, Shi S, Schmidt F, Weckbecker D, Nübling GS, Ködel U, Mollenhauer B, Giese A. Potential sources of interference with the highly sensitive detection and quantification of alpha-synuclein seeds by qRT-QuIC. FEBS Open Bio 2020; 10:883-893. [PMID: 32190992 PMCID: PMC7193167 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which is histologically characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and deposition of aggregated alpha‐synuclein (aSyn) in the brain. The detection of aSyn in well accessible fluids has been one of the central approaches in the development of biomarkers for PD. Recently, real‐time quaking‐induced conversion (RT‐QuIC) has been successfully adapted for use with aSyn seeds. Here, we systematically analysed parameters potentially impacting the reliability of this assay by using quantitative real‐time quaking‐induced conversion (qRT‐QuIC) with in vitro‐formed aSyn seeds. Seeds diluted in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accelerated the seeding reaction and slightly increased the sensitivity without affecting specificity. Repeated freeze–thaw cycles decreased the apparent lag times of seeds diluted in ddH2O but did not alter the seeding activity of seeds diluted in CSF. High levels of artificial contamination with blood resulted in prolonged apparent lag times, while sensitivity and specificity were unaffected. Altogether, qRT‐QuIC with aSyn seems to be robust concerning sensitivity and specificity in our model system, but quantitative interpretation might be limited under certain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktoria C Ruf
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Song Shi
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Georg S Nübling
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Uwe Ködel
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Brit Mollenhauer
- Paracelsus-Elena-Klinik, Kassel, Germany.,University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Armin Giese
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.,MODAG GmbH, Wendelsheim, Germany
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Nuebling GS, Plesch E, Ruf VC, Högen T, Lorenzl S, Kamp F, Giese A, Levin J. Binding of Metal-Ion-Induced Tau Oligomers to Lipid Surfaces Is Enhanced by GSK-3β-Mediated Phosphorylation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:880-887. [PMID: 32069020 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
While fibrillar deposits of hyperphosphorylated protein tau are a key hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, small oligomers have been speculated to be the key toxic aggregate species. Trivalent metal ions were shown to promote tau oligomer formation in vitro. However, little is known about potential intercellular spreading mechanisms or toxic modes of action of such oligomers. We investigated interactions of tau monomers and Fe3+/Al3+-induced oligomers with small unilamellar vesicles derived from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (neutral, liquid-crystalline phase) and dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (neutral, gel-phase). We further evaluated the influence of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β)-mediated tau phosphorylation applying the single-particle fluorescence spectroscopy techniques fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, fluorescence intensity distribution analysis, and scanning for intensely fluorescent targets. In these experiments, no binding to neutral lipid surfaces was observed for tau monomers. In contrast, metal-ion-induced tau oligomers showed a gain of function in binding to neutral lipid surfaces. Of note, tau phosphorylation by GSK-3β increased both oligomer formation and membrane affinity of the resulting oligomers. In conclusion, our data imply a pathological gain of function of metal-ion-induced oligomers of hyperphosphorylated tau, enabling membrane binding irrespective of surface charge even at nanomolar protein concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg S. Nuebling
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center of Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Department for Palliative Medicine, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Eva Plesch
- Center of Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Viktoria C. Ruf
- Center of Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Högen
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Lorenzl
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Department for Palliative Medicine, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Endowed Professorship for Interdisciplinary Research in Palliative Care, Institute of Nursing Science and Practice, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Frits Kamp
- Center of Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Biomedical Research Center, Metabolic Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Armin Giese
- Center of Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Johannes Levin
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen DZNE, 81377 Munich, Germany
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Ghio S, Camilleri A, Caruana M, Ruf VC, Schmidt F, Leonov A, Ryazanov S, Griesinger C, Cauchi RJ, Kamp F, Giese A, Vassallo N. Cardiolipin Promotes Pore-Forming Activity of Alpha-Synuclein Oligomers in Mitochondrial Membranes. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:3815-3829. [PMID: 31356747 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation of the amyloid-forming α-synuclein (αS) protein is closely associated with the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD), the most common motor neurodegenerative disorder. Many studies have shown that soluble aggregation intermediates of αS, termed oligomers, permeabilize a variety of phospholipid membranes; thus, membrane disruption may represent a key pathogenic mechanism of αS toxicity. Given the centrality of mitochondrial dysfunction in PD, we therefore probed the formation of ion-permeable pores by αS oligomers in planar lipid bilayers reflecting the complex phospholipid composition of mitochondrial membranes. Using single-channel electrophysiology, we recorded distinct multilevel conductances (100-400 pS) with stepwise current transitions, typical of protein-bound nanopores, in mitochondrial-like membranes. Crucially, we observed that the presence of cardiolipin (CL), the signature phospholipid of mitochondrial membranes, enhanced αS-lipid interaction and the membrane pore-forming activity of αS oligomers. Further, preincubation of isolated mitochondria with a CL-specific dye protected against αS oligomer-induced mitochondrial swelling and release of cytochrome c. Hence, we favor a scenario in which αS oligomers directly porate a local lipid environment rich in CL, for instance outer mitochondrial contact sites or the inner mitochondrial membrane, to induce mitochondrial dysfunction. Pharmacological modulation of αS pore complex formation might thus preserve mitochondrial membrane integrity and alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Ghio
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Angelique Camilleri
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Mario Caruana
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Viktoria C. Ruf
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Felix Schmidt
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Andrei Leonov
- Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sergey Ryazanov
- Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
- MODAG GmbH, Wendelsheim, Germany
| | - Christian Griesinger
- Department of NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ruben J. Cauchi
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Frits Kamp
- Biomedical Center, Metabolic Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Armin Giese
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Neville Vassallo
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry and Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
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Sakai R, Suzuki M, Ueyama M, Takeuchi T, Minakawa EN, Hayakawa H, Baba K, Mochizuki H, Nagai Y. E46K mutant α-synuclein is more degradation resistant and exhibits greater toxic effects than wild-type α-synuclein in Drosophila models of Parkinson's disease. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218261. [PMID: 31242217 PMCID: PMC6594597 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, which is characterized by progressive motor dysfunction as well as non-motor symptoms. Pathological and genetic studies have demonstrated that α-synuclein (αSyn) plays key roles in the pathogenesis of PD. Although several missense mutations in the αSyn gene have been identified as causes of familial PD, the mechanisms underlying the variance in the clinical phenotypes of familial PD caused by different mutations remain elusive. Here, we established novel Drosophila models expressing either wild-type (WT) αSyn or one of five αSyn mutants (A30P, E46K, H50Q, G51D, and A53T) using site-specific transgenesis, which express transgenes at equivalent levels. Expression of either WT or mutant αSyn in the compound eyes by the GMR-GAL4 driver caused mild rough eye phenotypes with no obvious difference among the mutants. Upon pan-neuronal expression by the nSyb-GAL4 driver, these αSyn-expressing flies showed a progressive decline in locomotor function. Notably, we found that E46K, H50Q, G51D, and A53T αSyn-expressing flies showed earlier onset of locomotor dysfunction than WT αSyn-expressing flies, suggesting their enhanced toxic effects. Whereas mRNA levels of WT and mutant αSyn were almost equivalent, we found that protein expression levels of E46K αSyn were higher than those of WT αSyn. In vivo chase experiments using the drug-inducible GMR-GeneSwitch driver demonstrated that degradation of E46K αSyn protein was significantly slower than WT αSyn protein, indicating that the E46K αSyn mutant gains resistance to degradation in vivo. We therefore conclude that our novel site-specific transgenic fly models expressing either WT or mutant αSyn are useful to explore the mechanisms by which different αSyn mutants gain toxic functions in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryusuke Sakai
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mari Suzuki
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Diabetic Neuropathy Project, Department of Sensory and Motor Systems, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Morio Ueyama
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshihide Takeuchi
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Eiko N. Minakawa
- Department of Degenerative Neurological Diseases, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideki Hayakawa
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kousuke Baba
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hideki Mochizuki
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Nagai
- Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Jellinger KA. Neuropathology and pathogenesis of extrapyramidal movement disorders: a critical update-I. Hypokinetic-rigid movement disorders. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2019; 126:933-995. [PMID: 31214855 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-019-02028-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Extrapyramidal movement disorders include hypokinetic rigid and hyperkinetic or mixed forms, most of them originating from dysfunction of the basal ganglia (BG) and their information circuits. The functional anatomy of the BG, the cortico-BG-thalamocortical, and BG-cerebellar circuit connections are briefly reviewed. Pathophysiologic classification of extrapyramidal movement disorder mechanisms distinguish (1) parkinsonian syndromes, (2) chorea and related syndromes, (3) dystonias, (4) myoclonic syndromes, (5) ballism, (6) tics, and (7) tremor syndromes. Recent genetic and molecular-biologic classifications distinguish (1) synucleinopathies (Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson's disease-dementia, and multiple system atrophy); (2) tauopathies (progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, FTLD-17; Guamian Parkinson-dementia; Pick's disease, and others); (3) polyglutamine disorders (Huntington's disease and related disorders); (4) pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration; (5) Wilson's disease; and (6) other hereditary neurodegenerations without hitherto detected genetic or specific markers. The diversity of phenotypes is related to the deposition of pathologic proteins in distinct cell populations, causing neurodegeneration due to genetic and environmental factors, but there is frequent overlap between various disorders. Their etiopathogenesis is still poorly understood, but is suggested to result from an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Multiple etiologies and noxious factors (protein mishandling, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, energy failure, and chronic neuroinflammation) are more likely than a single factor. Current clinical consensus criteria have increased the diagnostic accuracy of most neurodegenerative movement disorders, but for their definite diagnosis, histopathological confirmation is required. We present a timely overview of the neuropathology and pathogenesis of the major extrapyramidal movement disorders in two parts, the first one dedicated to hypokinetic-rigid forms and the second to hyperkinetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt A Jellinger
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Alberichgasse 5/13, 1150, Vienna, Austria.
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