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Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the pathologic aggregation and prion-like propagation of α-synuclein (α-syn). Emerging evidence shows that fungal infections increase the incidence of PD. However, the molecular mechanisms by which fungi promote the onset of PD are poorly understood. Here, we show that nasal infection with Saccharomyces cerevisiae ( S. cerevisiae ) in α-syn A53T transgenic mice accelerates the aggregation of α-syn. Furthermore, we found that Sup35, a prion protein from S. cerevisiae , is the key factor initiating α-syn pathology induced by S. cerevisiae . Sup35 interacts with α-syn and accelerates its aggregation in vitro. Notably, injection of Sup35 fibrils into the striatum of wild-type mice led to α-syn pathology and PD-like motor impairment. The Sup35-seeded α-syn fibrils showed enhanced seeding activity and neurotoxicity compared with pure α-syn fibrils in vitro and in vivo. Together, these observations indicate that the yeast prion protein Sup35 initiates α-syn pathology in PD.

The aggregation of α-synuclein plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Epidemiological evidence indicates that high level of homocysteine (Hcy) is associated with an increased risk of PD. However, the molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that homocysteine thiolactone (HTL), a reactive thioester of Hcy, covalently modifies α-synuclein on the K80 residue. The levels of α-synuclein K80Hcy in the brain are increased in an age-dependent manner in the TgA53T mice, correlating with elevated levels of Hcy and HTL in the brain during aging. The N-homocysteinylation of α-synuclein stimulates its aggregation and forms fibrils with enhanced seeding activity and neurotoxicity. Intrastriatal injection of homocysteinylated α-synuclein fibrils induces more severe α-synuclein pathology and motor deficits when compared with unmodified α-synuclein fibrils. Increasing the levels of Hcy aggravates α-synuclein neuropathology in a mouse model of PD. In contrast, blocking the N-homocysteinylation of α-synuclein ameliorates α-synuclein pathology and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. These findings suggest that the covalent modification of α-synuclein by HTL promotes its aggregation. Targeting the N-homocysteinylation of α-synuclein could be a novel therapeutic strategy against PD., (© 2022 The Authors. Aging Cell published by Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The histopathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the presence of fibrillar aggregates referred to as Lewy bodies (LBs), in which α-synuclein is the major component. Converging evidence supports the prion-like transmission of α-synuclein aggregates in the onset and progression of PD. Intracellular α-synuclein aggregates into pathological fibrils, which can be transferred from aggregate-producing cells to aggregate-free cells, triggering neuronal injury and the progression of pathology. However, the specific mechanisms mediating the aggregation and transmission of pathological α-synuclein remain unknown. Here we show that cofilin 1 binds to α-synuclein and promotes its aggregation. The mixed fibrils consist of cofilin 1 and α-synuclein are more compact and more potent than pure α-synuclein fibrils in seeding α-synuclein aggregation. Cofilin 1 also facilitates the uptake of α-synuclein fibrils and finally induces neuronal dysfunction. Together, these observations indicate that cofilin 1 acts as a crucial mediator in the aggregation and propagation of pathological α-synuclein, contributing to the pathogenesis of PD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing financial interests., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Lewy pathology, composed of α-Synuclein (α-Syn) inclusions, a hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD), progressively spreads from the enteric nervous system (ENS) to the central nervous system (CNS). However, it remains unclear how this process is regulated at a molecular level. Here we show that δ-secretase (asparagine endopeptidase, AEP) cleaves both α-Syn at N103 and Tau at N368, and mediates their fibrillization and retrograde propagation from the gut to the brain, triggering nigra dopaminergic neuronal loss associated with Lewy bodies and motor dysfunction. α-Syn N103 and Tau N368 robustly interact with each other and are highly elevated in PD patients' gut and brain. Chronic oral administration of the neurotoxin rotenone induces AEP activation and α-Syn N103/Tau N368 complex formation in the gut, eliciting constipation and dopaminergic neuronal death in an AEP-dependent manner. Preformed fibrils (PFFs) of α-Syn N103/Tau N368 are more neurotoxic and compact, and aggregate more quickly along the vagus nerve than their FL/FL counterparts or the individual fragments' fibrils. Colonic injection of PFFs induces PD pathologies, motor dysfunctions, and cognitive impairments. Thus, δ-secretase plays a crucial role in initiating PD pathology progression from the ENS to the CNS.

Netrin‐1 is a chemotropic cue mediating axon growth and neural migration in neuronal development, and its receptors deletion in colorectal cancer and UNC5s act as dependence receptors regulating neuronal apoptosis. Asparagine endopeptidase (AEP) is an age‐dependent protease that cuts human alpha‐synuclein (α‐Syn) at N103 and triggers its aggregation and neurotoxicity. In the current study, it is reported that UNC5C receptor is cleaved by AEP in Parkinson's disease (PD) and facilitates dopaminergic neuronal loss. UNC5C is truncated by active AEP in human α‐SNCA transgenic mice in an age‐dependent manner or induced by neurotoxin rotenone. Moreover, UNC5C is fragmented by AEP in PD brains, inversely correlated with reduced netrin‐1 levels. Netrin‐1 deprivation in primary cultures induces AEP and caspase‐3 activation, triggering UNC5C proteolytic fragmentation and enhancing neuronal loss. Noticeably, blocking UNC5C cleavage by AEP attenuates netrin‐1 deprivation‐elicited neuronal death and motor disorders in netrin flox/flox mice. Overexpression of AEP‐truncated UNC5C intracellular fragment strongly elicits α‐Syn aggregation and dopaminergic loss, locomotor deficits in α‐SNCA transgenic mice. Hence, the findings demonstrate that netrin‐1 reduction and UNC5C truncation by AEP contribute to PD pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathologic aggregation and prion-like propagation of α-synuclein (α-syn) are the hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD). Emerging evidence shows that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a risk factor for PD. Interestingly, T2DM is characterized by the amyloid deposition of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) in the pancreas. Although T2DM and PD share pathological similarities, the underlying molecular mechanisms bridging these two diseases remain unknown. Here, we report that IAPP co-deposits with α-syn in the brains of PD patients. IAPP interacts with α-syn and accelerates its aggregation. In addition, the IAPP-seeded α-syn fibrils show enhanced seeding activity and neurotoxicity compared with pure α-syn fibrils in vitro and in vivo. Strikingly, intravenous injection of IAPP fibrils into α-syn A53T transgenic mice or human SNCA transgenic mice accelerated the aggregation of α-syn and PD-like motor deficits. Taken together, these findings support that IAPP acts as a trigger of α-syn pathology in PD, and provide a mechanistic explanation for the increased risk and faster progression of PD in patients with T2DM. • IAPP interacts with α-synuclein and accelerates its aggregation. • IAPP enhances the seeding activity and neurotoxicity of α-synuclein fibrils. • Administration of IAPP promotes α-synuclein pathology and PD-like phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]