In Parkinson's patient-derived dopamine neurons, the triplication of α-synuclein locus induces distinctive firing pattern by impeding D2 receptor autoinhibition.
Abstract
Pathophysiological changes in dopamine neurons precede their demise and contribute to the early phases of Parkinson's disease (PD). Intracellular pathological inclusions of the protein α-synuclein within dopaminergic neurons are a cardinal feature of PD, but the mechanisms by which α-synuclein contributes to dopaminergic neuron vulnerability remain unknown. The inaccessibility to diseased tissue has been a limitation in studying progression of pathophysiology prior to degeneration of dopamine neurons. To address these issues, we differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a PD patient carrying the α-synuclein triplication mutation (AST) and an unaffected first-degree relative (NAS) into dopaminergic neurons. In human-like dopamine neurons α-synuclein overexpression reduced the functional availability of D2 receptors, resulting in a stark dysregulation in firing activity, dopamine release, and neuronal morphology. We back-translated these findings into primary mouse neurons overexpressing α-synuclein and found a similar phenotype, supporting the causal role for α-synuclein. Importantly, application of D2 receptor agonist, quinpirole, restored the altered firing activity of AST-derived dopaminergic neurons to norma...Continue Reading
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Hyperlocomotion and indifference to cocaine and amphetamine in mice lacking the dopamine transporter
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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.