title: Pathological α-synuclein exacerbates the progression of Parkinson's disease through microglial activation.
abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by α-synuclein accumulation, dopaminergic neuron loss and inflammation. α-Synuclein can be secreted by neurons and activate microglia to different degrees. Excessive microglial activation can increase the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1-β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-γ (INF-γ), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO), and can also enhance microglial phagocytosis and migration as well as lymphocyte infiltration. Pathological α-synuclein and microglial activation can potentiate each other, leading to the loss of dopaminergic neurons and accelerated PD degeneration. This review will mainly describe the profiles of α-synuclein-activated microglia, with particular emphasis on the signaling cascades involved in this process.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Shuang
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China. Electronic address: yuanyuhe@imm.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Yu-He
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China; Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, China. Electronic address: chennh@imm.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Nai-Hong
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000276:immunology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000276:immunology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051844:alpha-Synuclein
keywords: Inflammation; Microglia; Parkinson’s disease; α-synuclein