Astrocytic expression of Parkinson's disease-related A53T alpha-synuclein causes neurodegeneration in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common movement disorder. While neuronal deposition of alpha-synuclein serves as a pathological hallmark of PD and Dementia with Lewy Bodies, alpha-synuclein-positive protein aggregates are also present in astrocytes. The pathological consequence of astrocytic accumulation of alpha-synuclein, however, is unclear.

Results

Here we show that PD-related A53T mutant alpha-synuclein, when selectively expressed in astrocytes, induced rapidly progressed paralysis in mice. Increasing accumulation of alpha-synuclein aggregates was found in presymptomatic and symptomatic mouse brains and correlated with the expansion of reactive astrogliosis. The normal function of astrocytes was compromised as evidenced by cerebral microhemorrhage and do

SUBMITTER: Gu XL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2873589 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature