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MDPI, Biomolecules, 9(11), p. 1333, 2021

DOI: 10.3390/biom11091333

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Alpha-Synuclein and the Endolysosomal System in Parkinson’s Disease: Guilty by Association

Journal article published in 2021 by Maxime Teixeira ORCID, Razan Sheta, Walid Idi ORCID, Abid Oueslati
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Abnormal accumulation of the protein α- synuclein (α-syn) into proteinaceous inclusions called Lewy bodies (LB) is the neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related disorders. Interestingly, a growing body of evidence suggests that LB are also composed of other cellular components such as cellular membrane fragments and vesicular structures, suggesting that dysfunction of the endolysosomal system might also play a role in LB formation and neuronal degeneration. Yet the link between α-syn aggregation and the endolysosomal system disruption is not fully elucidated. In this review, we discuss the potential interaction between α-syn and the endolysosomal system and its impact on PD pathogenesis. We propose that the accumulation of monomeric and aggregated α-syn disrupt vesicles trafficking, docking, and recycling, leading to the impairment of the endolysosomal system, notably the autophagy-lysosomal degradation pathway. Reciprocally, PD-linked mutations in key endosomal/lysosomal machinery genes (LRRK2, GBA, ATP13A2) also contribute to increasing α-syn aggregation and LB formation. Altogether, these observations suggest a potential synergistic role of α-syn and the endolysosomal system in PD pathogenesis and represent a viable target for the development of disease-modifying treatment for PD and related disorders.