Gastrointestinal tract cleavage of α-synuclein by asparaginyl endopeptidase leads to Parkinson's disease

Neuron. 2024 Nov 6;112(21):3516-3518. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.10.015.

Abstract

Pathologic α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may contribute to Parkinson's disease (PD). Xiang et al.1 report in Neuron that enteric nervous system-specific expression of asparaginyl endopeptidase (AEP)-truncated α-syn and tau spreads to the brain, synergistically causing PD-related neurodegeneration and neurobehavioral deficits.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases* / metabolism
  • Enteric Nervous System / metabolism
  • Gastrointestinal Tract* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Parkinson Disease* / metabolism
  • Parkinson Disease* / pathology
  • alpha-Synuclein* / metabolism
  • tau Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • alpha-Synuclein
  • asparaginylendopeptidase
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • tau Proteins