Does alpha-synuclein confer protection or damage to dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease?

Date: Mar-14-2014Alpha-synuclein is a principal component of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are pathologic hall-marks of Parkinson's disease.

Alpha-synuclein is generally considered to play a role in synaptic activity, although its function remains largely unknown.

Accumulative evidence has been shown that aggregated extracellular alpha-synuclein fibrils can be internalized in the cells and enhance the intracellular formation of protein inclusions, leading to cell death. Conversely, there is emerging evidence suggesting that alpha-synuclein has also neuroprotective effects.

In one study, extracellular alpha-synuclein treatment at nanomolar concentrations protected neurons against cellular stresses such as serum deprivation, oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity through the PI3/Akt signaling pathway.

In a transgenic mouse model, the increased expression of alpha-synuclein prevented paraquat-induced dopaminergic cell degeneration.

Thus far, it is uncertain as to whether alpha-synuclein plays a favorable role for neurons at nanomolar concentrations.

Beom S. Jeon and team from Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital in South Korea for the first time provide evidence that extracellular alpha-synuclein enhances neuronal survival at a nanomolar concentration (50 and 100 nmol/L) and this effect is most likely mediated by the Akt pathway. Their study published in Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 35, 2013) can update the role of alpha-synuclein in neuronal cells and its involvement in Parkinson's disease and related diseases.

Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.