Cited by 270Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

Alpha-synuclein cell-to-cell transfer and seeding in grafted dopaminergic neurons in vivo

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Angot, Elodie, Steiner, Jennifer A., Lema Tomé, Carla M., Ekström, Peter, Mattsson, Bengt, Björklund, Anders, Brundin, Patrik·2012·PLoS ONE

Abstract

Several people with Parkinson's disease have been treated with intrastriatal grafts of fetal dopaminergic neurons. Following autopsy, 10-22 years after surgery, some of the grafted neurons contained Lewy bodies similar to those observed in the host brain. Numerous studies have attempted to explain these findings in cell and animal models. In cell culture, α-synuclein has been found to transfer from one cell to another, via mechanisms that include exosomal transport and endocytosis, and in certain cases seed aggregation in the recipient cell. In animal models, transfer of α-synuclein from host brain cells to grafted neurons has been shown, but the reported frequency of the event has been relatively low and little is known about the underlying mechanisms as well as the fate of the transferred α-synuclein. We now demonstrate frequent transfer of α-synuclein from a rat brain engineered to overexpress human α-synuclein to grafted dopaminergic neurons. Further, we show that this model can be used to explore mechanisms underlying cell-to-cell transfer of α-synuclein. Thus, we present evidence both for the involvement of endocytosis in α-synuclein uptake in vivo, and for seeding of aggregation of endogenous α-synuclein in the recipient neuron by the transferred α-synuclein. Finally, we show that, at least in a subset of the studied cells, the transmitted α-synuclein is sensitive to proteinase K. Our new model system could be used to test compounds that inhibit cell-to-cell transfer of α-synuclein and therefore might retard progression of Parkinson neuropathology.

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Authors
Angot, E., Steiner, J. A., Lema Tomé, C. M., Ekström, P., Mattsson, B., Björklund, A., & Brundin, P.
Affiliations
  • Van Andel Institute (US)
  • Lund University (SE)
Venue
PLoS ONE
Published
2012-06-21
Volume
7
Issue
6
Pages
e39465
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1973113152
Cited by
270
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 3
FWCI
15.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
  • Rosenberg Foundation
  • Strong
  • Lunds Universitet
  • Vetenskapsrådet
  • Parkinsonfonden
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
alpha-synuclein, cell-to-cell transmission, seeding, Parkinson's disease, intrastriatal transplantation, Lewy bodies, endocytosis, exosomes, proteinase K sensitivity, alpha-synuclein overexpression, alpha-synuclein aggregation, rat model
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Cell Communication, Cell Survival, Disease Models, Animal, Dopamine, Female, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Parkinson Disease, Phosphorylation, Lewy Bodies, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Endopeptidase K, Rats, alpha-Synuclein, Dopaminergic Neurons

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