Activated microglia facilitate the transmission of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease.
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and abnormal aggregates of α-synuclein protein called Lewy bodies. To date, there is no drug that can definitely slow down or stop the progression of this disease. The discovery of the cell-to-cell transmission of pathologic α-synuclein seeds offers the possibility to explore novel treatment strategies to prevent the spread of α-synuclein, with the purpose of slowing down the progression of PD in its tracks. Although recent studies have made tremendous progress in understanding how α-synuclein spreads throughout the brain, neuroinflammation seems to play a crucial role in the development of α-synuclein pathology in PD. The activation of microglia, one of the hallmarks of the neuroinflammatory process, is suggested to influence the neuron-to-neuron transmission of α-synuclein. This review summarizes how activated microglia facilitate this process, and focuses on the following mechanisms including the activation of microglia in PD, the reduced ability of activated microglia to clear α-synuclein and increased migratory capacity of microglia in PD, as well as the cooperation between microglia and exosomes in mediating...Continue Reading
References
In vivo imaging of microglial activation with [11C](R)-PK11195 PET in idiopathic Parkinson's disease
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Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation (MDS)
Alpha-synucleins are small proteins that are believed to restrict the mobility of synpatic vesicles and inhibit neurotransmitter release. Aggregation of these proteins have been linked to several types of neurodegenerative diseases including dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease. Here is the latest research on α-synuclein aggregation.