Alpha-Synuclein to the Rescue: Immune Cell Recruitment by Alpha-Synuclein during Gastrointestinal Infection

Intraneuronal accumulation of misfolded alpha-synuclein in the central and peripheral nervous systems is strongly linked to Parkinson disease (PD) and other related synucleinopathies. In rare inherited forms of PD, point mutations or gene multiplications mediate the formation of alpha-synuclein protein aggregates. However, in most PD cases it is presumed that the combined effects of ageing and environmental factors drive the formation of alpha-synuclein aggregates. Despite advances regarding alpha-synuclein pathobiology, the normal functions of this protein and factors that regulate its expression are not well understood. We discuss a recent study reporting that viral infection induces alpha-synuclein expression in neurons of the gastrointestinal tract. Alpha-synuclein levels increased during norovirus infection in the duodenum of children. In an in vitro paradigm, monomeric and oligomeric alpha-synuclein acted as chemoattractants for neutrophils and monocytes, and promoted the maturation of dendritic cells. This suggests that alpha-synuclein facilitates immune responses to infection. We explore the possibility that intestinal infections, and associated inflammation, place individuals at increased risk of PD by increasing alpha-synuclein levels and promoting the formation of alpha-synuclein aggregates that propagate in a prion-like fashion via the vagal nerve to the brainstem.