title: Alpha-synuclein aggregation is involved in the toxicity induced by ferric iron to SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: Increased nigral iron levels and intracytoplasmic Lewy bodies (LBs) in the degenerating neurons are found in Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether LBs formation is involved in the toxicity of iron is largely unknown. In the present study, we observed that the toxicity of ferric iron was enhanced when SK-N-SH cells were overexpressed with wild-type alpha-synuclein. The mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψ(m)) and cell viability were decreased in these cells, while the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were increased, compared with that of control. More aggregated alpha-synuclein was observed in these cells. However, while silencing the expression of alpha-synuclein in SK-N-SH cells with siRNA, iron-induced toxicity could be partially alleviated, indicated by the returned Δψ(m) and cell viability and reduced ROS formation compared with that of control. No alpha-synuclein aggregation could be observed in these cells. The results suggest that alpha-synuclein aggregation was involved in the toxicity of iron to SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells. Targeting the aggregation of alpha-synuclein might provide a therapeutic strategy for PD in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis and Prevention of Neurological Disorders and State Key Disciplines: Physiology, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Huamin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Junxia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016923:Cell Death; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D016631:Lewy Bodies / Q000378:metabolism; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D007501:Iron