Alpha-synuclein protects cerebellar granule neurons against 6-hydroxydopamine-induced death

The physiological role of alpha-synuclein, a protein found enriched in intraneuronal deposits characterizing Parkinson's disease, is debated. While its aggregation is usually considered linked to neuropathology, its normal function may be related to fundamental processes of synaptic transmission and plasticity. By using antisense oligonucleotide strategy, we report in this study that alpha-synuclein silencing in cultured cerebellar granule cells results in widespread death of these neurons, thus demonstrating an essential pro-survival role of the protein towards primary neurons. To study alpha-synuclein expression and processing in a Parkinson's disease model of neurotoxicity, we exposed differentiated cultures of cerebellar granule neurons to toxic concentrations of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). This resulted in neuronal death accompanied by a decrease of the monomeric form of alpha-synuclein, which was due to both decreased synthesis of the protein and its increased mono-ubiquitination accompanied by nuclear translocation. The essential neuroprotective role of alpha-synuclein was confirmed by the fact that subchronic valproate treatment, which increases alpha-synuclein expression and prevents its nuclear translocation in cerebellar granule cells exposed to 6-OHDA, significantly protected these neurons from 6-OHDA insult. In agreement with the pro-survival role of alpha-synuclein in this model, subtoxic concentrations of alpha-synuclein antisense oligonucleotides, aggravated 6-OHDA toxicity towards granule neurons. Our results demonstrate that normal alpha-synuclein expression is essential for the viability of primary neurons and that its pro-survival role is abolished in 6-OHDA neurotoxic challenge. These results are relevant to more precisely define the role of alpha-synuclein in neuronal cells and to better understand its putative involvement in neurodegeneration.