Open AccessAlpha-Synuclein: The Interplay of Pathology, Neuroinflammation, and Environmental Factors in Parkinson’s Disease
Author(s) -
Songzhe He,
Shan Zhong,
Gang Liu,
Jun Yang
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
neurodegenerative diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.98
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1660-2862
pISSN - 1660-2854
DOI - 10.1159/000511083
Subject(s) - neuroinflammation , parkinson's disease , alpha synuclein , neuroscience , disease , pathological , dopaminergic , synucleinopathies , lewy body , neurodegeneration , medicine , psychology , pathology , dopamine
Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a multifactorial, chronic, and progressive neurodegenerative disease. α-Synuclein (α-syn), which is the main protein component of Lewy bodies, plays an important role in the pathological hallmarks of PD. However, the pathological function of α-syn and the molecular mechanisms responsible for the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons are still elusive. Summary: Cumulative evidence implicates that abnormal processing of α-syn will be predicted to lead to pathological changes in PD. Key Messages: In this review, we summarize the structure and physiological function of α-syn, and further discuss the interplay of pathology, neuroinflammation, and environmental factors in PD. Additionally, we suggest future directions for understanding the toxicity of α-syn to neurons, which may ultimately encourage us to better design disease-modifying therapeutic strategies for PD.