Sleep-controlling neurons are sensitive and vulnerable to multiple forms of α-synuclein: implications for the early appearance of sleeping disorders in α-synucleinopathies
Parkinson’s disease, Multiple System Atrophy, and Lewy Body Dementia are incurable diseases called α-synucleinopathies as they are mechanistically linked to the protein, α-synuclein (α-syn). α-syn exists in different structural forms which have been linked to clinical disease distinctions. However,...
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Published in | Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS Vol. 79; no. 8; p. 450 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Cham
Springer International Publishing
01.08.2022
Springer Nature B.V |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Parkinson’s disease, Multiple System Atrophy, and Lewy Body Dementia are incurable diseases called α-synucleinopathies as they are mechanistically linked to the protein, α-synuclein (α-syn). α-syn exists in different structural forms which have been linked to clinical disease distinctions. However, sleeping disorders (SDs) are common in the prodromal phase of all three α-synucleinopathies, which suggests that sleep-controlling neurons are affected by multiple forms of α-syn. To determine whether a structure-independent neuronal impact of α-syn exists, we compared and contrasted the cellular effect of three different α-syn forms on neurotransmitter-defined cells of two sleep-controlling nuclei located in the brainstem: the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. We utilized size exclusion chromatography, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy to precisely characterize timepoints in the α-syn aggregation process with three different dominating forms of this protein (monomeric, oligomeric and fibril) and we conducted an in-depth investigation of the underlying neuronal mechanism behind cellular effects of the different forms of the protein using electrophysiology, multiple-cell calcium imaging, single-cell calcium imaging and live-location tracking with fluorescently-tagged α-syn. Interestingly, α-syn altered membrane currents, enhanced firing, increased intracellular calcium and facilitated cell death in a structure-independent manner in sleep-controlling nuclei, and postsynaptic actions involved a G-protein-mediated mechanism. These data are novel as the sleep-controlling nuclei are the first brain regions reported to be affected by α-syn in this structure-independent manner. These regions may represent highly important targets for future neuroprotective therapy to modify or delay disease progression in α-synucleinopathies. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 1420-682X 1420-9071 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00018-022-04467-z |