Cited by 587Inflammasome and immune disordersParkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms

Triggering of inflammasome by aggregated α-synuclein, an inflammatory response in synucleinopathies

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Codolo, Gaia, Plotegher, Nicoletta, Pozzobon, Tommaso, Brucale, Marco, Tessari, Isabella, Bubacco, Luigi, de Bernard, Marina·2013·PLoS ONE

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. It is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the brain. Another feature is represented by the formation in these cells of inclusions called Lewy bodies (LB), principally constituted by fibrillar α-synuclein (αSyn). This protein is considered a key element in the aetiology of a group of neurodegenerative disorders termed synucleinopathies, which include PD, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved are not completely clear. It is established that the inflammatory process plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and/or progression of PD; moreover, it is known that aggregated αSyn, released by neurons, activates microglia cells to produce pro-inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1β. IL-1β is one of the strongest pro-inflammatory cytokines; it is produced as an inactive mediator, and its maturation and activation requires inflammasome activation. In particular, the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated by a wide variety of stimuli, among which are crystallized and particulate material. In this work, we investigated the possibility that IL-1β production, induced by fibrillar αSyn, is involved the inflammasome activation. We demonstrated the competence of monomeric and fibrillar αSyn to induce synthesis of IL-1β, through TLR2 interaction; we found that the secretion of the mature cytokine was a peculiarity of the fibrillated protein. Moreover, we observed that the secretion of IL-1β involves NLRP3 inflammasome activation. The latter relies on the phagocytosis of fibrillar αSyn, followed by increased ROS production and cathepsin B release into the cytosol. Taken together, our data support the notion that fibrillar αSyn, likely released by neuronal degeneration, acts as an endogenous trigger inducing a strong inflammatory response in PD.

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Crossref · 10.1371/journal.pone.0055375

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  • In an in vitro experiment, both monomeric and fibrillary α-synuclein can stimulate TLR2 and induce expression of pro-IL-1β, but only fibrillary α-synuclein can activate NLRP3 inflammasome, resulting in secretion of active IL-1β.

    “In an in vitro experiment, both monomeric and fibrillary α-synuclein can stimulate TLR2 and induce the expression of pro-IL-1β, but only fibrillary α-synuclein can activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, resulting in the secretion of active IL-1β.358”

    From Role of neuroinflammation in neurodegeneration development (2023) · cites this paper as [358]

    The Introduction and Discussion report that both monomeric and fibrillar α-synuclein induce pro-IL-1β through TLR2, while only fibrils induce inflammasome-dependent secretion of mature IL-1β. The Results section on IL-1β maturation says the data *suggest* that NLRP3 is the inflammasome mainly involved; it does not establish the claim’s more definite statement that fibrils activate NLRP3. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Targeting caspase-1 decreases secretion of IL-1β and attenuates susceptibility of dopaminergic neurons.

    “Targeting caspase-1, a downstream molecule of NLRP3, is another promising method, which was found to decrease the secretion of IL-1β and attenuate the susceptibility of dopaminergic neurons.358”

    From Role of neuroinflammation in neurodegeneration development (2023) · cites this paper as [358]

    The Results section reports that a caspase-1 inhibitor impaired IL-1β secretion from human monocytes exposed to fibrillar α-synuclein. The Discussion describes how inflammation may harm dopaminergic neurons, but the paper does not show that inhibiting caspase-1 attenuates their susceptibility. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Fibrillar, but not monomeric, α-synuclein induced NLRP3- and caspase-1-mediated IL-1β secretion in human monocytes and BV2 microglial cell line, or via TLR-2 signaling in rodent microglial cells.

    “The fibrillar, but not monomeric, form of α-synuclein induced NLRP3- and caspase-1–mediated IL-1β secretion in human monocytes and BV2 microglial cell line (238), or via TLR-2 signaling pathway in rodents microglial cells (250).”

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Authors
Codolo, G., Plotegher, N., Pozzobon, T., Brucale, M., Tessari, I., Bubacco, L., & de Bernard, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Padua (IT)
  • Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (IT)
  • Institute of Nanostructured Materials (IT)
Corresponding author
Bubacco, Luigi
Venue
PLoS ONE
Published
2013-01-31
Volume
8
Issue
1
Pages
e55375
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2015283405
Cited by
585
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 23 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 56 · 2023: 59 · 2022: 68 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 58 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 48 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 5
FWCI
12.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Fondazione Cariplo (2011-0485)
  • Università degli Studi di Padova
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Inflammasome and immune disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
Keywords
alpha-synuclein aggregation, NLRP3 inflammasome, IL-1β, Parkinson's disease, synucleinopathies, TLR2, microglial activation, phagocytosis, reactive oxygen species, cathepsin B, Lewy bodies, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration
MeSH terms
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein, Analysis of Variance, Carrier Proteins, Humans, Inflammation, Neurons, Parkinson Disease, Phagocytosis, Spectrometry, Fluorescence, Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet, Thiazoles, Blotting, Western, Lewy Bodies, DNA Primers, Microscopy, Confocal, Microscopy, Atomic Force, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Toll-Like Receptor 2, alpha-Synuclein, Benzothiazoles, Interleukin-1beta, Chromatography, Reverse-Phase, Inflammasomes, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

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