Cited by 272Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNuclear Receptors and Signaling

Toll-Like Receptor 4 Promotes α-Synuclein Clearance and Survival of Nigral Dopaminergic Neurons

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Stefanova, Nadia, Fellner, Lisa, Reindl, Markus, Masliah, Eliezer, Poewe, Werner, Wenning, Gregor K.·2011·The American Journal of Pathology

Abstract

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) mediate innate immunity, and their dysregulation may play a role in α-synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease or multiple system atrophy (MSA). The aim of this study was to define the role of TLR4 in α-synuclein-linked neurodegeneration. Ablation of TLR4 in a transgenic mouse model of MSA with oligodendroglial α-synuclein overexpression augmented motor disability and enhanced loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. These changes were associated with increased brain levels of α-synuclein linked to disturbed TLR4-mediated microglial phagocytosis of α-synuclein. Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor-α levels were increased in the midbrain and associated with a proinflammatory astroglial response. Our data suggest that TLR4 ablation impairs the phagocytic response of microglia to α-synuclein and enhances neurodegeneration in a transgenic MSA mouse model. The study supports TLR4 signaling as innate neuroprotective mechanism acting through clearance of α-synuclein.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.04.013

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  • TLR4 is required for increased inflammation in response to various forms of α-synuclein.

    “TLR4 was required for NF-κB activation, and increased inflammation and phagocytic activity in response to various forms of α-synuclein40,41,56.”

    From Microglia clear neuron-released α-synuclein via selective autophagy and prevent neurodegeneration (2020) · cites this paper as [56]

    The Results section reports the opposite for an inflammatory measure: α-synuclein-overexpressing mice lacking TLR4 had increased midbrain TNF-α and a proinflammatory astroglial response. The Discussion supports a role for TLR4 in α-synuclein phagocytosis, but not the attributed requirement for increased inflammation. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • TLR4 is required for increased phagocytic activity in response to various forms of α-synuclein.

    “TLR4 was required for NF-κB activation, and increased inflammation and phagocytic activity in response to various forms of α-synuclein40,41,56.”
  • TLR4 is required for NF-κB activation in response to various forms of α-synuclein.

    “TLR4 was required for NF-κB activation, and increased inflammation and phagocytic activity in response to various forms of α-synuclein40,41,56.”

    From Microglia clear neuron-released α-synuclein via selective autophagy and prevent neurodegeneration (2020) · cites this paper as [56]

    The Discussion reports that TLR4 mediates microglial phagocytosis of α-synuclein, but it does not address the cited claim about NF-κB activation. Searches for NF-κB, NF-kappaB, and responses to different α-synuclein forms found no passage establishing that TLR4 is required for that activation. (LLM, conf=0.72)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • TLR4 gene ablation in a transgenic mouse model of MSA with oligodendroglial α-syn overexpression impaired microglial phagocytic ability for α-syn, leading to enhanced motor impairment and augmented loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons.

    “TLR4 gene ablation in a transgenic mouse model of MSA with oligodendroglial α-syn overexpression impaired the phagocytic ability of microglia to α-syn, leading to enhanced motor impairment and augmented loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons.295”
  • In MSA brains, increased brain levels of α-syn were linked to disturbed TLR4-mediated microglial phagocytosis of α-syn.

    “In MSA brains, increased brain levels of α-syn were linked to disturbed TLR4-mediated microglial phagocytosis of α-syn.295”

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Authors
Stefanova, N., Fellner, L., Reindl, M., Masliah, E., Poewe, W., & Wenning, G. K.
Affiliations
  • Innsbruck Medical University (AT)
  • University of California San Diego (US)
Venue
The American Journal of Pathology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-08
Volume
179
Issue
2
Pages
954-963
ISSN
0002-9440 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2078504890
Cited by
272
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 13
FWCI
8.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal Of Pathology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (AG022074, AG18440, AG5131, NS057096, NS044233)
  • Austrian Science Fund (P19989-B05, SFB F44-B19)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nuclear Receptors and Signaling
Keywords
TLR4, alpha-synuclein, multiple system atrophy, Parkinson's disease, nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, microglial phagocytosis, neurodegeneration, TNF-α, astroglial response, innate immunity, neuroprotection
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Inflammation, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Transgenic, Models, Biological, Phenotype, Substantia Nigra, DNA Primers, Microscopy, Confocal, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Cell Line, Tumor, Toll-Like Receptor 4, Mice, alpha-Synuclein, Dopaminergic Neurons

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