Prion-like spreading of pathological α-synuclein in brain

Brain. 2013 Apr;136(Pt 4):1128-38. doi: 10.1093/brain/awt037. Epub 2013 Mar 6.

Abstract

α-Synuclein is the major component of filamentous inclusions that constitute the defining characteristic of neurodegenerative α-synucleinopathies. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying α-synuclein accumulation and spread are unclear. Here we show that intracerebral injections of sarkosyl-insoluble α-synuclein from brains of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies induced hyperphosphorylated α-synuclein pathology in wild-type mice. Furthermore, injection of fibrils of recombinant human and mouse α-synuclein efficiently induced similar α-synuclein pathologies in wild-type mice. C57BL/6J mice injected with α-synuclein fibrils developed abundant Lewy body/Lewy neurite-like pathology, whereas mice injected with soluble α-synuclein did not. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that endogenous mouse α-synuclein started to accumulate 3 months after inoculation, while injected human α-synuclein fibrils disappeared in about a week. These results indicate that α-synuclein fibrils have prion-like properties and inoculation into wild-type brain induces α-synuclein pathology in vivo. This is a new mouse model of sporadic α-synucleinopathy and should be useful for elucidating progression mechanisms and evaluating disease-modifying therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intranasal
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intraventricular
  • Lewy Body Disease / metabolism
  • Lewy Body Disease / pathology
  • Lewy Body Disease / physiopathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Prions / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Recombinant Proteins / toxicity
  • Time Factors
  • alpha-Synuclein / administration & dosage
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism*
  • alpha-Synuclein / toxicity

Substances

  • Prions
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • SNCA protein, human
  • Snca protein, mouse
  • alpha-Synuclein