Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 26, 2025
10:03
Studying Pre-formed Fibril Induced α-Synuclein Accumulation in Primary Embryonic Mouse Midbrain Dopamine Neurons
Published on: August 16, 2020
10.8K
α-Synuclein at the Presynaptic Axon Terminal as a Double-Edged Sword
Li Yang Tan1,2, Kwan Hou Tang1,3, Lynette Yu You Lim1,3
1Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138667, Singapore.
Biomolecules
|April 23, 2022
Summary
Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) aggregation is key in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's. Novel encapsulation strategies, like lipid nanoparticles, may improve targeted delivery of α-syn therapies across the blood-brain barrier.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a presynaptic protein implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and Alzheimer's Disease (AD).
- Normal α-syn function involves endocytosis and exocytosis; however, mutations lead to aggregation, impacting neuronal function and causing excitotoxicity.
- Current α-syn targeted therapies face challenges with blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration and presynaptic terminal delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of α-synuclein in neurodegenerative diseases.
- To discuss the limitations of current α-syn targeted therapies.
- To propose novel strategies for enhancing therapeutic delivery to the brain.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of α-synuclein's role in neuropathology.
- Analysis of current therapeutic approaches and their limitations.
- Exploration of encapsulation technologies for drug delivery.
Main Results:
- α-synuclein aggregation and its pathological consequences are central to PD, DLB, and AD.
- Existing therapies struggle to overcome the BBB and reach target sites effectively.
- Lipid nanoparticles offer a potential solution for improved drug delivery across the BBB.
Conclusions:
- Targeting α-synuclein is crucial for treating associated neurodegenerative diseases.
- Novel delivery systems are required to overcome pharmacokinetic challenges.
- Encapsulation technologies like lipid nanoparticles show promise for enhancing brain-penetrant therapies for α-synucleinopathies.
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