title: Oligomeric alpha-synuclein and its role in neuronal death.
abstract: Alpha-synuclein is a natively unfolded protein associated with a number of neurodegenerative disorders that include Parkinson's disease. In the past, research has focused on the fibrillar form of the protein. Current research now indicates that oligomeric alpha-synuclein is the form of the protein most likely to causes neuronal death. Recent research has suggested that a unique oligomer associated with the copper binding capacity of the protein is the neurotoxic form of the protein. This review looks at the evidence for this possibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK. bssdrb@bath.ac.uk
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron