title: α-Synuclein: the long distance runner.
abstract: Parkinson's disease is characterized by α-synuclein pathology in the form of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Braak et al described the spatial and temporal spread of α-synuclein pathology in Parkinson's disease. Recent experimental studies have demonstrated that α-synuclein can transfer from cell to cell. In this review, we highlight the involvement of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and in Braak's staging of Parkinson's disease pathology. We discuss whether a prion-like mechanism of α-synuclein spread might contribute to Parkinson's disease pathology. We describe recent studies investigating cell-to-cell transfer of α-synuclein and focus our review on the long-distance axonal transport of α-synuclein along neurons.
authors.affiliation: Neuronal Survival Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Nolwen L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reichenbach
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brundin
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism; D004064:Digestive System / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011328:Prions / Q000235:genetics; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011328:Prions; D051844:alpha-Synuclein