The role of α-synuclein prion strains in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.

This article discusses the role of α-synuclein prion strains in Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). It explains the historical background of these disorders and how they were initially thought to be unrelated until the discovery of α-synuclein as the main neuropathological component in both diseases. The article highlights recent advances in cryogenic-electron microscopy that have revealed structural differences in α-synuclein fibrils between PD and MSA patients. It also discusses the ability of α-synuclein prions to spread from cell to cell and the use of animal and cell culture models to study strain biology. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of incorporating strain biology into the development of biomarkers, diagnostics, and therapeutics for synucleinopathies. [Extracted from the article]