α-synuclein transfer through tunneling nanotubes occurs in SH-SY5Y cells and primary brain pericytes from Parkinson's disease patients.

ABSTRACT: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the presence of inclusions known as Lewy bodies, which mainly consist of α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates. There is growing evidence that α-syn self-propagates in non-neuronal cells, thereby contributing to the progression and spread of PD pathology in the brain. Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are long, thin, F-actin-based membranous channels that connect cells and have been proposed to act as conduits for α-syn transfer between cells. SH-SY5Y cells and primary human brain pericytes, derived from postmortem PD brains, frequently form TNTs that allow α-syn transfer and long-distance electrical coupling between cells. Pericytes in situ contain α-syn precipitates like those seen in neurons. Exchange through TNTs was rapid, but dependent on the size of th

SUBMITTER: Dieriks BV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5322400 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature