Alpha-synuclein: between synaptic function and dysfunction.
Alpha-synuclein belongs to a family of vertebrate proteins, encoded by three different genes: alpha, ss, and gamma. The protein has become of interest to the neuroscience community in the last few years after the discovery that a mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene is associated with familial autosomal-dominant early-onset forms of Parkinson Disease. However, it is not yet clear how the protein is involved in the disease. Several studies have suggested that alpha-synuclein plays a role in neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity. This hypothesis might help elucidate how alpha-synuclein malfunctioning contributes to the development of a series of disorders known as synucleinopathies.
Di Rosa
G
G
Department of Psychiatry, Physiology and Neuroscience, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Puzzo
D
D
Sant'Angelo
A
A
Trinchese
F
F
Arancio
O
O
D000818:Animals; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D051843:Synucleins; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000378:metabolism; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000378:metabolism; D051844:alpha-Synuclein
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C497604:SNCA protein, human; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D014451:Ubiquinone; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; C111567:parkin protein