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Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) interferes with multiple steps of synaptic activity at pre-and post-synaptic terminals, however the mechanism/s by which αSyn alters neurotransmitter release and synaptic potentiation is unclear. By atomic force microscopy we show that human αSyn, when incubated with reconstituted membrane bilayer, induces lipid rafts' fragmentation. As a consequence, ion channels and receptors are displaced from lipid rafts with consequent changes in their activity. The enhanced calcium entry leads to acute mobilization of synaptic vesicles, and exhaustion of neurotransmission at later stages. At the post-synaptic terminal, an acute increase in glutamatergic transmission, with increased density of PSD-95 puncta, is followed by disruption of the interaction between N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and PSD-95 with ensuing decrease of long term potentiation. While cholesterol loading prevents the acute effect of αSyn at the presynapse; inhibition of casein kinase 2, which appears activated by reduction of cholesterol, restores the correct localization and clustering of NMDARs., Highlights • Extracellular αSyn disrupts lipid raft platforms with consequent mislocalization of several pre- and post-synaptic proteins. • αSyn-driven changes in raft-partitioning of proteins blunt neurotransmission and LTP. • Cholesterol loading and inhibition of CK2 restore αSyn-induced alterations of the post-synaptic density assembly. Alpha-synuclein (αSyn), a cytosolic protein that can be released from neurons, becomes pathogenic when expressed at high levels, as in Parkinson's disease, due to multiplication of αSyn gene. We show that the mechanism responsible for the defects in synaptic vesicles mobilization and post-synaptic activity induced by extracellular αSyn is the fragmentation of lipid rafts, cholesterol-rich microdomains of the plasma membrane. Moreover restoration of lipid raft platforms and raft-partitioning of surface proteins prevents the alteration of synaptic transmission caused by exposure of neurons to αSyn.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, which arises from a yet elusive concurrence between genetic and environmental factors. The protein α-synuclein (αSyn), the principle toxic effector in PD, has been shown to interfere with neuronal Ca(2+) fluxes, arguing for an involvement of deregulated Ca(2+) homeostasis in this neuronal demise. Here, we identify the Golgi-resident Ca(2+)/Mn(2+) ATPase PMR1 (plasma membrane-related Ca(2+)-ATPase 1) as a phylogenetically conserved mediator of αSyn-driven changes in Ca(2+) homeostasis and cytotoxicity. Expression of αSyn in yeast resulted in elevated cytosolic Ca(2+) levels and increased cell death, both of which could be inhibited by deletion of PMR1. Accordingly, absence of PMR1 prevented αSyn-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons in nematodes and flies. In addition, αSyn failed to compromise locomotion and survival of flies when PMR1 was absent. In conclusion, the αSyn-driven rise of cytosolic Ca(2+) levels is pivotal for its cytotoxicity and requires PMR1.

Synucleinopathies like Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are characterized by α-synuclein aggregates within neurons (Lewy bodies) and their processes (Lewy neurites). Whereas α-synuclein has been genetically linked to the disease process, the pathological relevance of α-synuclein aggregates is still debated. Impaired degradation is considered to result in aggregation of α-synuclein. In addition to the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation, the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP) is involved in intracellular degradation processes for α-synuclein. Here, we asked if modulation of ALP affects α-synuclein aggregation and toxicity. We have identified an induction of the ALP markers LAMP-2A and LC3-II in human brain tissue from DLB patients, in a transgenic mouse model of synucleinopathy, and in a cell culture model for α-synuclein aggregation. ALP inhibition using bafilomycin A 1 (BafA1) significantly potentiates toxicity of aggregated α-synuclein species in transgenic mice and in cell culture. Surprisingly, increased toxicity is paralleled by reduced aggregation in both in vivo and in vitro models. The dichotomy of effects on aggregating and nonaggregating species of α-synuclein was specifically sensitive to BafA1 and could not be reproduced by other ALP inhibitors. The present study expands on the accumulating evidence regarding the function of ALP for α-synuclein degradation by isolating an aggregation specific, BafA1-sensitive, ALP-related pathway. Our data also suggest that protein aggregation may represent a detoxifying event rather than being causal for cellular toxicity.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive late onset neurodegenerative α-synucleinopathy with unclear pathogenesis. Recent genetic and pathological studies support a central role of α-synuclein (αSYN) in MSA pathogenesis. Oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions of fibrillar αSYN and dysfunction of the ubiquitin–proteasome system are suggestive of proteolytic stress in this disorder. To address the possible pathogenic role of oligodendroglial αSYN accumulation and proteolytic failure in MSA we applied systemic proteasome inhibition (PSI) in transgenic mice with oligodendroglial human αSYN expression and determined the presence of MSA-like neurodegeneration in this model as compared to wild-type mice. PSI induced open field motor disability in transgenic αSYN mice but not in wild-type mice. The motor phenotype corresponded to progressive and selective neuronal loss in the striatonigral and olivopontocerebellar systems of PSI-treated transgenic αSYN mice. In contrast no neurodegeneration was detected in PSI-treated wild-type controls. PSI treatment of transgenic αSYN mice was associated with significant ultrastructural alterations including accumulation of fibrillar human αSYN in the cytoplasm of oligodendroglia, which resulted in myelin disruption and demyelination characterized by increased g-ratio. The oligodendroglial and myelin pathology was accompanied by axonal degeneration evidenced by signs of mitochondrial stress and dysfunctional axonal transport in the affected neurites. In summary, we provide new evidence supporting a primary role of proteolytic failure and suggesting a neurodegenerative pathomechanism related to disturbed oligodendroglial/myelin trophic support in the pathogenesis of MSA. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00401-012-0977-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Several neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by protein misfolding, a phenomenon that results in perturbation of cellular homeostasis. We recently identified the protective activity of the ER stress response factor XBP1 (X-box binding protein 1) against Amyloid-s1-42 (As42) neurotoxicity in cellular and Drosophila models of Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, subtoxic concentrations of As42 soluble aggregates (oligomers) induced accumulation of spliced (active) XBP1 transcripts, supporting the involvement of the ER stress response in As42 neurotoxicity. Here, we tested the ability of three additional disease-related amyloidogenic proteins to induce ER stress by analyzing XBP1 activation at the RNA level. Treatment of human SY5Y neuroblastoma cells with homogeneous preparations of α-Synuclein (α-Syn), Prion protein (PrP106-126), and British dementia amyloid peptide (ABri1-34) confirmed the high toxicity of oligomers compared to monomers and fibers. Additionally, α-Syn oligomers, but not monomers or fibers, demonstrated potent induction of XBP1 splicing. On the other hand, PrP106-126 and ABri1-34 did not activate XBP1. These results illustrate the biological complexity of these structurally related assemblies and argue that oligomer toxicity depends on the activation of amyloid-specific cellular responses.

The 2 major types of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) are the pantothenate kinase type 2 (PANK2)-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) and NBIA2 or infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD) due to mutations in the phospholipase A2, group VI (PLA2G6) gene. We have recently demonstrated clinical heterogeneity in patients with mutations in the PLA2G6 gene by identifying a poorly defined subgroup of patients who present late with dystonia and parkinsonism. We report the clinical and genetic features of 7 cases with PLA2G6 mutations. Brain was available in 5 cases with an age of death ranging from 8 to 36 years and showed widespread alpha-synuclein-positive Lewy pathology, which was particularly severe in the neocortex, indicating that the Lewy pathology spread corresponded to Braak stage 6 and was that of the “diffuse neocortical type”. In 3 cases there was hyperphosphorylated tau accumulation in both cellular processes as threads and neuronal perikarya as pretangles and neurofibrillary tangles. Later onset cases tended to have less tau involvement but still severe alpha-synuclein pathology. The clinical and neuropathological features clearly represent a link between PLA2G6 and parkinsonian disorders.

Background: Major progress in genetic studies of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and parkinsonism has been achieved in the last two decades. Objective: We provide a brief review of the current status of PARK and non-PARK loci/genes, and discuss two new genes: eIF4G1 and VPS35. Methods: The literature on PARK and non-PARK loci/genes was reviewed and some novel information on two new genes is provided. Results: There are 18 PARK loci. The symptomatic carriers of these genes usually present with parkinsonism, although additional clinical features can be seen during the course of the disease. Carriers of non-PARK loci/genes frequently present with a mixed phenotype that includes parkinsonism and additional clinical features. Carriers of the eIF4G1 and VPS35 genes present with a parkinsonian phenotype. The pathology of eIF4G1 is of the α-synuclein type; the pathology of VPS35 is unknown. Conclusion: The current genetic classification of PD/parkinsonism genes is not ideal. The pathological classification based on the accumulation of particular proteins/inclusions is also misleading since there are kindred with a single mutation but pleomorphic pathology. A better classification of neurodegenerative conditions is needed. It is hoped that the genetic studies will lead to better therapies.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The aggregation of α-synuclein is connected to the pathology of Parkinson's disease and prolyl oligopeptidase (PREP) accelerates the aggregation of α-synuclein in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a PREP inhibitor, KYP-2047, on α-synuclein aggregation in cell lines overexpressing wild-type or A30P/A53T mutant human α-syn and in the brains of two A30P α-synuclein transgenic mouse strains. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Cells were exposed to oxidative stress and then incubated with the PREP inhibitor during or after the stress. Wild-type or transgenic mice were treated for 5 days with KYP-2047 (2 × 3 mg·kg−1 a day). Besides immunohistochemistry and thioflavin S staining, soluble and insoluble α-synuclein protein levels were measured by Western blot. α-synuclein mRNA levels were quantified by PCR. The colocalization of PREP and α-synuclein,and the effect of KYP-2047 on cell viability were also investigated. KEY RESULTS In cell lines, oxidative stress induced a robust aggregation of α-synuclein,and low concentrations of KYP-2047 significantly reduced the number of cells with α-synuclein inclusions while abolishing the colocalization of α-synuclein and PREP. KYP-2047 significantly reduced the amount of aggregated α-synuclein,and it had beneficial effects on cell viability. In the transgenic mice, a 5-day treatment with the PREP inhibitor reduced the amount of α-synuclein immunoreactivity and soluble α-synuclein protein in the brain. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The results suggest that the PREP may play a role in brain accumulation and aggregation of α-synuclein, while KYP-2047 seems to effectively prevent these processes.

Many data suggest that alpha synuclein (α-syn) aggregation is involved in Parkinson's disease (PD) neurotoxicity and is accelerated by the pathogenetic point mutation A30P. The triplication of α-syn gene has been linked to early-onset familial PD, suggesting that the cellular dosage of α-syn is an important modulator of its toxicity. To verify this point, we developed an inducible model of α-syn expression (both wild type [WT] and mutated A30P) in rat PC12/TetOn cells. At low expression level, both α-syn(WT) and (A30P) did not aggregate, were not toxic, and displayed a protective action against oxidative stress triggered by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). By increasing α-syn expression, its antioxidant function was no longer detectable as for the A30P form, but again no aggregation and cell death were present both for the WT and the mutated protein. To clarify why α-syn did not accumulate at high expression level, we inhibited macroautophagy by 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and the proteasome by MG132. In presence of 3-MA, α-syn(WT) accumulated, A11 anti-oligomer antibody-positive aggregates were detectable, and cell toxicity was evident, while proteasome inhibition did not increase α-syn(WT) accumulation. Macroautophagy or proteasome inhibition slightly increased α-syn(A30P) toxicity, with no detectable aggregation. This model can provide useful details about α-syn function, aggregation, and degradation pathways., Graphical abstract Graphical abstract summarizing the main findings of the article. The red flow chart describes the system when α-syn expression was induced at low level, while the green part splits the different scenario for α-syn(WT) and α-syn(A30P) at high expression level. The slot blot shows the appearance of A11 immunoreactivity. 3-MA, 3-methyladenine; doxy, doxycycline. For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article. Highlights ▶We developed a model of alpha-synuclein (wild type or A30P) expression in PC12 cells. ▶At low alpha-synuclein expression, we found no aggregation but neuroprotection. ▶At high alpha-synuclein expression macroautophagy was activated without aggregation. ▶Macroautophagy inhibition lead to alpha-synuclein wild type aggregation and toxicity. ▶The A30P form was not toxic and its removal involved also the proteasome.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent late-onset neurodegenerative disorder that affects nearly 1% of the global population aged 65 and older. Whereas palliative treatments are in use, the goal of blocking progression of motor and cognitive disability remains unfulfilled. A better understanding of the basic pathophysiological mechanisms underlying PD would help to advance that goal. The present study provides evidence that brain ganglioside abnormality, in particular GM1, may be involved. This is based on use of the genetically altered mice with disrupted gene Galgt1 for GM2/GD2 synthase which depletes GM2/GD2 and all the gangliotetraose gangliosides that constitute the major molecular species of brain. These knockout mice show overt motor disability on aging and clear indications of motor impairment with appropriate testing at an earlier age. This disability was rectified by L-dopa administration. These mice show other characteristic symptoms of PD, including depletion of striatal dopamine (DA), loss of DA neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta, and aggregation of alpha synuclein. These manifestations of parkinsonism were largely attenuated by administration of LIGA-20, a membrane permeable analog of GM1 that penetrates the blood brain barrier and enters living neurons. These results suggest that perturbation of intracellular mechanisms mediated by intracellular GM1 may be a contributing factor to PD.

Background: Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that dimebon, a drug originally designed and used as a non-selective antihistamine, ameliorates symptoms and delays progress of mild to moderate forms of Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases. Although the mechanism of dimebon action on pathological processes in degenerating brain is elusive, results of studies carried out in cell cultures and animal models suggested that this drug might affect the process of pathological accumulation and aggregation of various proteins involved in the pathogenesis of proteinopathies. However, the effect of this drug on the pathology caused by overexpression and aggregation of alpha-synuclein, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), has not been assessed. Objective:To test if dimebon affected alpha-synuclein-induced pathology using a transgenic animal model. Methods: We studied the effects of chronic dimebon treatment on transgenic mice expressing the C-terminally truncated (1–120) form of human alpha-synuclein in dopaminergic neurons, a mouse model that recapitulates several biochemical, histopathological and behavioral characteristics of the early stage of PD. Results: Dimebon did not improve balance and coordination of aging transgenic animals or increase the level of striatal dopamine, nor did it prevent accumulation of alpha-synuclein in cell bodies of dopaminergic neurons. Conclusion: Our observations suggest that in the studied model of alpha-synucleinopathy dimebon has very limited effect on certain pathological alterations typical of PD and related diseases.

TDP-43 and α-synuclein are two disease proteins involved in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. While TDP-43 proteinopathy is considered a pathologic hallmark of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobe degeneration, α-synuclein is a major component of Lewy body characteristic of Parkinson's disease. Intriguingly, TDP-43 proteinopathy also coexists with Lewy body and with synucleinopathy in certain disease conditions. Here we reported the effects of TDP-43 on α-synuclein neurotoxicity in transgenic mice. Overexpression of mutant TDP-43 (M337V substitution) in mice caused early death in transgenic founders, but overexpression of normal TDP-43 only induced a moderate loss of cortical neurons in the transgenic mice at advanced ages. Interestingly, concomitant overexpression of normal TDP-43 and mutant α-synuclein caused a more severe loss of dopaminergic neurons in the double transgenic mice as compared to single-gene transgenic mice. TDP-43 potentiated α-synuclein toxicity to dopaminergic neurons in living animals. Our finding provides in vivo evidence suggesting that disease proteins such as TDP-43 and α-synuclein may play a synergistic role in disease induction in neurodegenerative diseases.

Background: Transactivation response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) proteinopathies are classified based upon the extent of modified TDP-43 and include a growing number of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-immunoreactive, tau-negative inclusions and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with motor neuron disease. Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine whether proteolytic modifications of TDP-43 are a relevant finding in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Methods: A novel site-directed caspase cleavage antibody, termed TDP caspase cleavage product antibody (TDPccp), was utilized based upon a known caspase 3 cleavage consensus site within TDP-43 at position 219. Results: Application of this antibody to postmortem brain sections from PD and DLB patients revealed the presence of caspase-cleaved TDP-43 in Lewy bodies and Hirano bodies in all cases examined. Colocalization of TDPccp with an antibody to α-synuclein (α-Syn), which served as a general marker for Lewy bodies, was evident within the substantia nigra in both α-synucleinopathies. Interestingly, the TDPccp antibody detected a greater number of Lewy bodies in PD and DLB compared to the α-Syn antibody. In addition, a semiquantitative analysis in both diseases confirmed this finding by indicating that the percentage of caspase-cleaved TDP-43 single-labeled Lewy bodies was approximately twice that of α-Syn labeling (in DLB 13.4 vs. 5.5%, while in PD 34.6 vs. 17.6%). Conclusion: Collectively, these data have identified caspase-cleaved TDP-43 as a primary component of Lewy and Hirano bodies in PD and DLB, and suggest that the TDPccp antibody is an effective marker for the detection of Lewy bodies in these neurodegenerative diseases.

alpha-Synuclein (alpha Syn) is the main component of Lewy bodies formed in midbrain dopaminergic neurons which is a pathological characteristic of Parkinson's disease. It has been recently showed to induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and impair ER functions. However, the mechanism of how ER responds to alpha Syn toxicity is poorly understood. In the present study, we found that protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), a stress protein abundant in ER, effectively inhibits alpha Syn fibril formation in vitro. In PDI molecule with a structure of abb'xa'c, domain a' was found to be essential and sufficient for PDI to inhibit alpha Syn fibril formation. PDI was further found to be more avid for binding with intermediate species formed during alpha Syn fibril formation, and the binding was more intensive in the later lag phase. Our results provide new insight into the role of PDI in protecting ER from the deleterious effects of misfolded protein accumulation in many neurodegenerative diseases.

alpha-Synuclein has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous studies have shown that alpha-synuclein is involved in the regulation of dopamine (DA) metabolism, possibly by down-regulating the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in DA biosynthesis. In this study, we constructed alpha-synuclein stably silenced MN9D/alpha-SYN(-) cells by vector mediated RNA interference and examined its effects on DA metabolism. We found that there were no significant differences in TH protein and mRNA levels between MN9D, MN9D/alpha-SYN(-) and MN9D/CON cells, suggesting that silencing alpha-synuclein expression does not affect TH gene expression. However, significant increases in phosphorylated TH, cytosolic 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and DA levels were observed in MN9D/alpha-SYN(-) cells. Our data show that TH activity and DA biosynthesis were enhanced by down-regulation of alpha-synuclein, suggesting that alpha-synuclein may act as a negative regulator of cytosolic DA. With respect to PD pathology, a loss of functional alpha-synuclein may result in increased DA levels in neurons that may lead to cell injury or even death.

The aggregation and fibrillation of alpha-synuclein has been implicated as a causative factor in the Parkinson's disease. The hexamer motif KTKEGV is found in each of the seven imperfect repeat sequences in the N-terminal half of alpha-synuclein. The motif is not fully conserved in the sixth and seventh repeats. We created mutants in which the motif was repaired to be fully conserved in either (Rep6 and Rep7) or both (Rep67) of these two repeats. The Rep6 and Rep67 mutants showed a greatly reduced propensity to aggregate and fibrillate while all three mutants showed greater resistance to HFIP-induced formation of the alpha-helix intermediate. Resistance to formation in the partially folded intermediate may repress the folding of alpha-synuclein, consequently interfering with the aggregation and fibril formation. These results demonstrated that KTKEGV repeats may have a significant role in keeping native unfolded status of alpha-synuclein.

Accruing evidence suggests that prion-like behavior of fibrillar forms of α-synuclein, β-amyloid peptide and mutant huntingtin are responsible for the spread of the lesions that characterize Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease and Huntington disease, respectively. It is unknown whether these distinct protein assemblies are transported within and between neurons by similar or distinct mechanisms. It is also unclear if neuronal death or injury is required for neuron-to-neuron transfer. To address these questions, we used mouse primary cortical neurons grown in microfluidic devices to measure the amounts of α-synuclein, Aβ42 and HTTExon1 fibrils transported by axons in both directions (anterograde and retrograde), as well as to examine the mechanism of their release from axons after anterograde transport. We observed that the three fibrils were transported in both anterograde and retrograde directions but with strikingly different efficiencies. The amount of Aβ42 fibrils transported was ten times higher than that of the other two fibrils. HTTExon1 was efficiently transported in the retrograde direction but only marginally in the anterograde direction. Finally, using neurons from two distinct mutant mouse strains whose axons are highly resistant to neurodegeneration (WldS and Sarm1−/−), we found that the three different fibrils were secreted by axons after anterograde transport, in the absence of axonal lysis, indicating that trans-neuronal spread can occur in intact healthy neurons. In summary, fibrils of α-synuclein, Aβ42 and HTTExon1 are all transported in axons but in directions and amounts that are specific of each fibril. After anterograde transport, the three fibrils were secreted in the medium in the absence of axon lysis. Continuous secretion could play an important role in the spread of pathology between neurons but may be amenable to pharmacological intervention. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00401-016-1538-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Histone hypoacetylation is associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), due possibly to an imbalance in the activities of enzymes responsible for histone (de)acetylation; correction of which may be neuroprotective/neurorestorative. This hypothesis was tested using the anti-epileptic drug sodium valproate, a known histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI), utilizing a delayed-start study design in the lactacystin rat model of PD.The irreversible proteasome inhibitor lactacystin was unilaterally injected into the substantia nigra of Sprague-Dawley rats that subsequently received valproate for 28 days starting 7 days after lactacystin lesioning. Longitudinal motor behavioural testing, structural MRI and post-mortem assessment of nigrostriatal integrity were used to track changes in this model of PD and quantify neuroprotection/restoration. Subsequent cellular and molecular analyses were performed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying valproate's effects.Despite producing a distinct pattern of structural re-modelling in the healthy and lactacystin-lesioned brain, delayed-start valproate administration induced dose-dependent neuroprotection/restoration against lactacystin neurotoxicity, characterized by motor deficit alleviation, attenuation of morphological brain changes and restoration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Molecular analyses revealed that valproate alleviated lactacystin-induced histone hypoacetylation and induced up-regulation of brain neurotrophic/neuroprotective factors.The histone acetylation and up-regulation of neurotrophic/neuroprotective factors associated with valproate treatment culminate in a neuroprotective and neurorestorative phenotype in this animal model of PD. As valproate induced structural re-modelling of the brain, further research is required to determine whether valproate represents a viable candidate for disease treatment; however, the results suggest that HDACIs could hold potential as disease-modifying agents in PD.

In order to develop a cell-based vaccine against the Parkinson disease (PD) associated protein α-synuclein (α-Syn) 3 peptides were synthesized based upon predicted B cell epitopes within the full length α-Syn protein sequence. These peptide fragments as well as the full length recombinant human α-Syn (rh- α-Syn) protein were used to sensitize mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DC) ex vivo, followed by intravenous delivery of these sensitized DCs into transgenic (Tg) mice expressing the human A53T variant of α-Syn. ELISA analysis and testing of behavioral locomotor function by rotometry were performed on all mice after the 5th vaccination as well as just prior to euthanasia. The results indicated that vaccination with peptide sensitized DCs (PSDC) as well as DCs sensitized by rh-α-Syn induced specific anti-α-Syn antibodies in all immunized mice. In terms of rotometry performance, a measure of locomotor activity correlated to brain dopamine levels, mice vaccinated with PSDC or rh- α-Syn sensitized DCs performed significantly better than non-vaccinated Tg control mice during the final assessment (i.e. at 17 months of age) before euthanasia. As well, measurement of levels of brain IL-1α, a cytokine hypothesized to be associated with neuroinflammation, demonstrated that this proinflammatory molecule was significantly reduced in the PSDC and rh- α-Syn sensitized DC vaccinated mice compared to the non-vaccinated Tg control group. Overall, α-Syn antigen-sensitized DC vaccination was effective in generating specific anti- α-Syn antibodies and improved locomotor function without eliciting an apparent general inflammatory response, indicating that this strategy may be a safe and effective treatment for PD.

Autophagy is involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson disease (PD). However, little is known about the regulation of autophagy in neurodegenerative process. In this study, we characterized aberrant activation of autophagy induced by neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and demonstrated that melatonin has a protective effect on neurotoxicity. We found an excessive activation of autophagy in monkey brain tissues and C6 cells, induced by MPTP, which is mediated by CDK5 (cyclin-dependent kinase 5). MPTP treatment significantly reduced total dendritic length and dendritic complexity of cultured primary cortical neurons and melatonin could reverse this effect. Decreased TH (tyrosine hydroxylase)-positive cells and dendrites of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) were observed in MPTP-treated monkeys and mice. Along with decreased TH protein level, we observed an upregulation of CDK5 and enhanced autophagic activity in the striatum of mice with MPTP injection. These changes could be salvaged by melatonin treatment or knockdown of CDK5. Importantly, melatonin or knockdown of CDK5 reduced MPTP-induced SNCA/α-synuclein aggregation in mice, which is widely thought to trigger the pathogenesis of PD. Finally, melatonin or knockdown of CDK5 counteracted the PD phenotype in mice induced by MPTP. Our findings uncover a potent role of CDK5-mediated autophagy in the pathogenesis of PD, and suggest that control of autophagic pathways may provide an important clue for exploring potential target for novel therapeutics of PD.

Loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding GBA (glucocerebrosidase, beta, acid), the enzyme deficient in the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease, elevate the risk of Parkinson disease (PD), which is characterized by the misprocessing of SNCA/α-synuclein. However, the mechanistic link between GBA deficiency and SNCA accumulation remains poorly understood. In this study, we found that loss of GBA function resulted in increased levels of SNCA via inhibition of the autophagic pathway in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells, primary rat cortical neurons, or the rat striatum. Furthermore, expression of the autophagy pathway component BECN1 was downregulated as a result of the GBA knockdown-induced decrease in glucocerebrosidase activity. Most importantly, inhibition of autophagy by loss of GBA function was associated with PPP2A (protein phosphatase 2A) inactivation via Tyr307 phosphorylation. C2-ceramide (C2), a PPP2A agonist, activated autophagy in GBA-silenced cells, while GBA knockdown-induced SNCA accumulation was reversed by C2 or rapamycin (an autophagy inducer), suggesting that PPP2A plays an important role in the GBA knockdown-mediated inhibition of autophagy. These findings demonstrate that loss of GBA function may contribute to SNCA accumulation through inhibition of autophagy via PPP2A inactivation, thereby providing a mechanistic basis for the increased PD risk associated with GBA deficiency.

SummaryEpilepsy is now recognized as the second most common neurological disease in China. To determine the genetic cause of epileptic encephalopathy, we performed a multiomics study using mouse models of controls, anticonvulsant mice treated with five drugs and epileptic mice. Based on genome-wide profiling analysis, we discovered four genes in the epileptic mouse group with differentially-expressed mRNA. After isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) validation, only one gene, SNCA, remained, which was associated with apoptotic response of neuronal cells, and regulation of dopamine release and transport. We also identified three miRNAs targeting SNCA, out of which mmu-miR-21a-3p demonstrated a seven-fold change in expression between control and epileptic mice.

Heat shock proteins (Hsps) facilitate refolding of denatured polypeptides, but there is limited understanding about their roles in neurodegenerative diseases characterized by misfolded proteins. Because Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy are alpha-synucleinopathies characterized by filamentous alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) inclusions, we assessed which Hsps might be implicated in these disorders by examining human brain samples, transgenic mouse models, and cell culture systems. Light and electron microscopic multiple-label immunohistochemistry showed Hsp90 was the predominant Hsp examined that co-localized with alpha-syn in Lewy bodies, Lewy neurites, and glial cell inclusions and that Hsp90 co-localized with alpha-syn filaments of Lewy bodies in PD. Hsp90 levels were most predominantly increased in PD brains, which correlated with increased levels of insoluble alpha-syn. These alterations in Hsp90 were recapitulated in a transgenic mouse model of PD-like alpha-syn pathologies. Cell culture studies also revealed that alpha-syn co-immunoprecipitated preferentially with Hsp90 and Hsc70 relative to other Hsps, and exposure of cells to proteasome inhibitors resulted in increased levels of Hsp90. These data implicate predominantly Hsp90 in the formation of alpha-syn inclusions in PD and related alpha-synucleinopathies.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by parkinsonism unresponsive to dopaminergic therapy, cerebellar ataxia, and dysautonomia. Neuropathology shows a characteristic neuronal multisystem degeneration that is associated with widespread oligodendroglial alpha-synuclein (alpha-SYN) inclusions. Presently no animal model completely replicates the specific neuropathology of MSA. Here we investigated the behavioral and pathological features resulting from oligodendroglial alpha-SYN overexpression in transgenic mice exposed to mitochondrial inhibition by 3-nitropropionic acid. In transgenic mice 3-nitropropionic acid induced or augmented motor deficits that were associated with MSA-like pathology including striatonigral degeneration and olivopontocerebellar atrophy. Widespread astrogliosis and microglial activation were also observed in the presence of alpha-SYN in oligodendrocytes. Our results indicate that combined mitochondrial inhibition and overexpression of oligodendroglial alpha-SYN generates a novel model of MSA that may be useful for evaluating both pathogenesis and treatment strategies.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is usually diagnosed clinically from classical motor symptoms, while definitive diagnosis is made postmortem, based on the presence of Lewy bodies and nigral neuron cell loss. α-Synuclein (ASYN), the main protein component of Lewy bodies, clearly plays a role in the neurodegeneration that characterizes PD. Additionally, mutation in the SNCA gene or copy number variations are associated with some forms of familial PD. Here, the objective of the study was to evaluate whether olesoxime, a promising neuroprotective drug can prevent ASYN-mediated neurotoxicity.We used here a novel, mechanistically approachable and attractive cellular model based on the inducible overexpression of human wild-type ASYN in neuronally differentiated human neuroblastoma (SHSY-5Y) cells. This model demonstrates gradual cellular degeneration, coinciding temporally with the appearance of soluble and membrane-bound ASYN oligomers and cell death combining both apoptotic and non-apoptotic pathways.Olesoxime fully protected differentiated SHSY-5Y cells from cell death, neurite retraction and cytoplasmic shrinkage induced by moderate ASYN overexpression. This protection was associated with a reduction in cytochrome c release from mitochondria and caspase-9 activation suggesting that olesoxime prevented ASYN toxicity by preserving mitochondrial integrity and function. In addition, olesoxime displayed neurotrophic effects on neuronally differentiated SHSY-5Y cells, independent of ASYN expression, by promoting their differentiation.Because ASYN is a common underlying factor in many cases of PD, olesoxime could be a promising therapy to slow neurodegeneration in PD.

Extracellular α-Synuclein has been implicated in interneuronal propagation of disease pathology in Parkinson’s Disease. How α-Synuclein is released into the extracellular space is still unclear. Here, we show that α-Synuclein is present in extracellular vesicles in the central nervous system. We find that sorting of α-Synuclein in extracellular vesicles is regulated by sumoylation and that sumoylation acts as a sorting factor for targeting of both, cytosolic and transmembrane proteins, to extracellular vesicles. We provide evidence that the SUMO-dependent sorting utilizes the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) by interaction with phosphoinositols. Ubiquitination of cargo proteins is so far the only known determinant for ESCRT-dependent sorting into the extracellular vesicle pathway. Our study reveals a function of SUMO protein modification as a Ubiquitin-independent ESCRT sorting signal, regulating the extracellular vesicle release of α-Synuclein. We deciphered in detail the molecular mechanism which directs α-Synuclein into extracellular vesicles which is of highest relevance for the understanding of Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis and progression at the molecular level. We furthermore propose that sumo-dependent sorting constitutes a mechanism with more general implications for cell biology., Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata

The deposition of alpha-synuclein in the brain, the neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD), follows a distinct anatomical and temporal sequence. This study aimed to characterize alpha-synuclein deposition in cutaneous nerves from patients with PD. We further strived to explore whether peripheral nerve involvement is intrinsic to PD and reflective of known features of brain pathology, which could render it a useful tool for pathogenetic studies and pre-mortem histological diagnosis of PD. We obtained skin biopsies from the distal and proximal leg, back and finger of 31 PD patients and 35 controls and quantified the colocalization of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein in somatosensory and autonomic nerve fibers and the pattern of loss of different subtypes of dermal fibers. Deposits of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein were identified in 16/31 PD patients but in 0/35 controls (p

SNCA/α-synuclein aggregation plays a crucial role in synucleinopathies such as Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Aggregating and nonaggregating SNCA species are degraded by the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP). Previously, we have shown that the ALP is not only responsible for SNCA degradation but is also involved in the intracellular aggregation process of SNCA. An additional role of extracellular SNCA in the pathology of synucleinopathies substantiating a prion-like propagation hypothesis has been suggested since released SNCA species and spreading of SNCA pathology throughout neural cells have been observed. However, the molecular interplay between intracellular pathways, SNCA aggregation, release, and response of the local microenvironment remains unknown. Here, we attributed SNCA-induced toxicity mainly to secreted species in a cell culture model of SNCA aggregation and in SNCA transgenic mice: We showed that ALP inhibition by bafilomycinA1 reduced intracellular SNCA aggregation but increased secretion of smaller oligomers that exacerbated microenvironmental response including uptake, inflammation, and cellular damage. Low-aggregated SNCA was predominantly released by exosomes and RAB11A-associated pathways whereas high-aggregated SNCA was secreted by membrane shedding. In summary, our study revealed a novel role of the ALP by linking protein degradation to nonclassical secretion for toxic SNCA species. Thus, impaired ALP in the diseased brain not only limits intracellular degradation of misfolded proteins, but also leads to a detrimental microenvironmental response due to enhanced SNCA secretion. These findings suggest that the major toxic role of SNCA is related to its extracellular species and further supports a protective role of intracellular SNCA aggregation.

OBJECTIVES NACP/α-synuclein is an aetiological gene product in familial Parkinson9s disease. To clarify the pathological role of NACP/α-synuclein in sporadic Parkinson9s disease and other related disorders including diffuse Lewy body disease (DLBD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), paraffin sections were examined immunocytochemically using anti-NACP/α-synuclein antibodies. METHODS A total of 58 necropsied brains, from seven patients with Parkinson9s disease, five with DLBD, six with MSA, 12 with Alzheimer9s disease, one with Down9s syndrome, one with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), three with ALS and dementia, one with Huntington9s disease, two with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), one with Pick9s disease, one with myotonic dystrophy, and three with late cerebellar cortical atrophy (LCCA), and 15 elderly normal controls were examined. RESULTS In addition to immunoreactive Lewy bodies, widespread accumulation of NACP/α-synuclein was found in neurons and astrocytes from the brainstem and basal ganglia to the cerebral cortices in Parkinson9s disease/DLBD. NACP/α-synuclein accumulates in oligodendrocytes from the spinal cord, the brain stem to the cerebellar white matter, and inferior olivary neurons in MSA. These widespread accumulations were not seen in other types of dementia or spinocerebellar ataxia. CONCLUSION Completely different types of NACP/α-synuclein accumulation in Parkinson9s disease/DLBD and MSA suggest that accumulation is a major step in the pathological cascade of both diseases and provides novel strategies for the development of therapies.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) refer to those proteins without fixed three-dimensional structures under physiological conditions. Although experiments suggest that the conformations of IDPs can vary from random coils, semi-compact globules, to compact globules with different contents of secondary structures, computational efforts to separate IDPs into different states are not yet successful. Recently, we developed a neural-network-based disorder prediction technique SPINE-D that was ranked as one of the top performing techniques for disorder prediction in the biannual meeting of critical assessment of structure prediction techniques (CASP 9, 2010). Here, we further analyze the results from SPINE-D prediction by defining a semi-disordered state that has about 50 % predicted probability to be disordered or ordered. This semi-disordered state is partially collapsed with intermediate levels of predicted solvent accessibility and secondary structure content. The relative difference in compositions between semi-disordered and fully disordered regions is highly correlated with amyloid aggregation propensity (a correlation coefficient of 0.86 if excluding four charged residues and proline, 0.73 if not). In addition, we observed that some semi-disordered regions participate in induced folding, and others play key roles in protein aggregation. More specifically, a semi-disordered region is amyloidogenic in fully unstructured proteins (such as alpha-synuclein and Sup35) but prone to local unfolding that exposes the hydrophobic core to aggregation in structured globular proteins (such as SOD1 and lysozyme). A transition from full disorder to semi-disorder at about 30–40 Qs is observed in the poly-Q (poly-glutamine) tract of huntingtin. The accuracy of using semi-disorder to predict binding-induced folding and aggregation is compared with several methods trained for the purpose. These results indicate the usefulness of three-state classification (order, semi-disorder, and full-disorder) in distinguishing nonfolding from induced-folding and aggregation-resistant from aggregation-prone IDPs and in locating weakly stable, locally unfolding, and potentially aggregation regions in structured proteins. A comparison with five representative disorder-prediction methods showed that SPINE-D is the only method with a clear separation of semi-disorder from ordered and fully disordered states.

SNCA/α-synuclein and its rare mutations are considered as the culprit proteins in Parkinson disease (PD). Wild-type (WT) SNCA has been shown to impair macroautophagy in mammalian cells and in transgenic mice. In this study, we monitored the dynamic changes in autophagy process and confirmed that overexpression of both WT and SNCA(A53T) inhibits autophagy in PC12 cells in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, we showed that SNCA binds to both cytosolic and nuclear high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), impairs the cytosolic translocation of HMGB1, blocks HMGB1-BECN1 binding, and strengthens BECN1-BCL2 binding. Deregulation of these molecular events by SNCA overexpression leads to autophagy inhibition. Overexpression of BECN1 restores autophagy and promotes the clearance of SNCA. siRNA knockdown of Hmgb1 inhibits basal autophagy and abolishes the inhibitory effect of SNCA on autophagy while overexpression of HMGB1 restores autophagy. Corynoxine B, a natural autophagy inducer, restores the deficient cytosolic translocation of HMGB1 and autophagy in cells overexpressing SNCA, which may be attributed to its ability to block SNCA-HMGB1 interaction. Based on these findings, we propose that SNCA-induced impairment of autophagy occurs, in part, through HMGB1, which may provide a potential therapeutic target for PD.