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Journal Article

Beta-synuclein aggregates and induces neurodegeneration in dopaminergic neurons.

MPS-Authors
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Becker,  S.
Department of NMR Based Structural Biology, MPI for biophysical chemistry, Max Planck Society;

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Zweckstetter,  M.
Research Group of Protein Structure Determination using NMR, MPI for biophysical chemistry, Max Planck Society;

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1921781.pdf
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1921781_Suppl_1.doc
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Citation

Taschenberger, G., Toloe, J., Tereshchenko, J., Akerboom, J., Wales, P., Benz, R., et al. (2013). Beta-synuclein aggregates and induces neurodegeneration in dopaminergic neurons. Annals of Neurology, 74(1), 109-118. doi:10.1002/ana.23905.


Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0015-36E3-B
Abstract
Objective: Whereas the contribution of α-synuclein to neurodegeneration in Parkinson disease is well accepted, the putative impact of its close homologue, β-synuclein, is enigmatic. β-Synuclein is widely expressed throughout the central nervous system, as is α-synuclein, but the physiological functions of both proteins remain unknown. Recent findings have supported the view that β-synuclein can act as an ameliorating regulator of α-synuclein–induced neurotoxicity, having neuroprotective rather than neurodegenerative capabilities, and being nonaggregating due to the absence of most of the aggregation-promoting NAC domain. However, a mutation of β-synuclein linked to dementia with Lewy bodies rendered the protein neurotoxic in transgenic mice, and fibrillation of β-synuclein has been demonstrated in vitro. Methods: Neurotoxicity and aggregation properties of α-, β-, and γ-synuclein were comparatively elucidated in the rat nigro-striatal projection and in cultured neurons. Results: Supporting the hypothesis that β-synuclein can act as a neurodegeneration-inducing factor, we demonstrated that wild-type β-synuclein is neurotoxic for cultured primary neurons. Furthermore, β-synuclein formed proteinase K–resistant aggregates in dopaminergic neurons in vivo, leading to pronounced and progressive neurodegeneration in rats. Expression of β-synuclein caused mitochondrial fragmentation, but this fragmentation did not render mitochondria nonfunctional in terms of ion handling and respiration even at late stages of neurodegeneration. A comparison of the neurodegenerative effects induced by α-, β-, and γ-synuclein revealed that β-synuclein was eventually as neurotoxic as α-synuclein for nigral dopaminergic neurons, whereas γ-synuclein proved to be nontoxic and had very low aggregation propensity. Interpretation: Our results suggest that the role of β-synuclein as a putative modulator of neuropathology in aggregopathies like Parkinson disease and dementia with Lewy bodies needs to be revisited.