Cited by 227Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsNuclear Receptors and SignalingAlzheimer's disease research and treatments

α-synuclein Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction through Spectrin and the Actin Cytoskeleton

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Ordonez, Dalila G., Lee, Michael K., Feany, Mel B.·2018·Neuron

Abstract

Genetics and neuropathology strongly link α-synuclein aggregation and neurotoxicity to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and related α-synucleinopathies. Here we describe a new Drosophila model of α-synucleinopathy based on widespread expression of wild-type human α-synuclein, which shows robust neurodegeneration, early-onset locomotor deficits, and abundant α-synuclein aggregation. We use results of forward genetic screening and genetic analysis in our new model to demonstrate that α-synuclein expression promotes reorganization of the actin filament network and consequent mitochondrial dysfunction through altered Drp1 localization. Similar changes are present in a mouse α-synucleinopathy model and in postmortem brain tissue from patients with α-synucleinopathy. Importantly, we provide evidence that the interaction of α-synuclein with spectrin initiates pathological alteration of the actin cytoskeleton and downstream neurotoxicity. These findings suggest new therapeutic approaches for α-synuclein induced neurodegeneration.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.11.036

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  • Mitochondrial degeneration has been implicated in a-synucleinopathy and a-syn transgenic flies show abnormal mitochondrial morphology.

    “Mitochondrial degeneration has been implicated in a-synucleinopathy (13,25) and a-syn transgenic flies show abnormal mitochondrial morphology (16).”
  • The Drosophila Syb-QF2> a-syn model exhibits robust pathologic a-syn induced degeneration.

    “The Drosophila Syb-QF2> a-syn model, which exhibits robust pathologic a-syn induced degeneration (16), showed a significant increase in P-S129 a-syn and d4EBP phosphorylation that was reduced by feeding the flies, the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin (Figures 3C and3D).”
  • Familial Parkinson's disease-linked genes such as LRRK2, Parkin, SNCA, and DJ-1, as well as Parkinson's-like phenotypes resulting from genetic deletion of a catalytic ETC complex I subunit, reinforce the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.

    “and reinforced by recent studies on familial PD-linked genes such as,leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), Parkin, synuclein alpha (SNCA), and DJ-1, as well as PD-like phenotypes resulting from genetic deletion of a catalytic ETC complex I subunit.184–187”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. He J Zhou R Wu Z Carrasco MA Kurshan PT Farley JE Simon DJ Wang G Han B Hao J 2010 Prevalent presence of periodic actin–spectrin-based membrane skeleton in a broad range of neuronal cell types and animal species PNAS 113 6029 6034 PMC4889411 27162329

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Authors
Ordonez, D. G., Lee, M. K., & Feany, M. B.
Affiliations
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • University of Minnesota (US)
Venue
Neuron
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-01
Volume
97
Issue
1
Pages
108-124.e6
ISSN
0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2771082365
Cited by
227
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 13
FWCI
13.33
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuron (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (DGE1745303, DGE1144152)
  • National Institutes of Health (R01-NS086074, R01-NS092093, R01-AG044113, R01-NS083391)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nuclear Receptors and Signaling
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
Keywords
alpha-synuclein, Parkinson's disease, synucleinopathies, spectrin, actin cytoskeleton, mitochondrial dysfunction, Drp1, mitochondrial fission, Drosophila model, neurodegeneration, alpha-synuclein aggregation, locomotor deficits, forward genetic screen
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Animals, Cytoskeletal Proteins, Disease Models, Animal, Drosophila melanogaster, Female, Humans, Male, Actin Cytoskeleton, Middle Aged, Mitochondria, Nerve Degeneration, Spectrin, GTP-Binding Proteins, Lewy Body Disease, alpha-Synuclein

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