Alpha-synuclein, Abeta and Alzheimer's disease.
Alpha-synuclein is a presynaptic protein that is implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases. Missense mutations in the alpha-synuclein gene are linked to familial cases of Parkinson's disease (PD), and it has further been shown that alpha-synuclein is a major constituent of the Lewy bodies in sporadic PD and dementia with Lewy body (DLB). The contribution of alpha-synuclein to the pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been currently a matter of scientific debate. Some reports hypothesized that alpha-synuclein may play a role in amyloid beta/A4 protein (Abeta) aggregation in senile plaques, whereas recent reports challenged this finding by showing a lack of alpha-synuclein-immunoreactivity in Abeta plaques. In this review, we report on recent findings on the physiological and pathological role of alpha-synuclein and try to elucidate its possible contribution to AD pathology.
Wirths
Oliver
O
Department of Psychiatry, Section Neurobiology and European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), University of Saarland Medical Center, Building 90, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany. owirths@uni-bonn.de
Bayer
Thomas A
TA
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D016631:Lewy Bodies / Q000473:pathology; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000503:physiopathology; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000473:pathology*; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C497604:SNCA protein, human; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein