α-Synuclein (α-syn)

Authors

Affiliations

Nathaniel Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

α-synuclein refers to highly soluble unfolded protein that accumulates in Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies.

Causes

• Several studies have given different reasons for abnormal aggregation of α-syn¹.
• For example, researchers have found mutations of the A30P, E46K, and A53T proteins, as well as duplications of the SNCA gene, which encodes α-syn¹
• Oxidative stress is an important factor for the aggregation of α-syn to form Lewy’s bodies¹.
• Defects in ubiquitination have also been described as a cause for abnormal degradation of the protein by neuronal proteasomes¹.

References

1.

Montalbán-Rodríguez A, Abalo R, López-Gómez L. From the Gut to the Brain: The Role of Enteric Glial Cells and Their Involvement in the Pathogenesis of Parkinson’s Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024;25(2):1294. doi:10.3390/ijms25021294