Alpha-synuclein overexpression promotes aggregation of mutant huntingtin.

ABSTRACT: Protein aggregates are a neuropathological feature of Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease. Mutant huntingtin exon 1 with 72 CAG repeats fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) forms hyperfluorescent inclusions in PC12 cells. Inclusion formation is enhanced in cells co-transfected with EGFP-huntingtin-(CAG)(72) and alpha-synuclein, a major component of Parkinson's disease aggregates. However, alpha-synuclein does not form aggregates by itself, nor does it appear in huntingtin inclusions in vitro.

SUBMITTER: Furlong RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1220887 | biostudies-other | 2000 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other