Exp Neurobiol.  2023 Jun;32(3):147-156. 10.5607/en23007.

Monitoring α-synuclein Aggregation Induced by Preformed α-synuclein Fibrils in an In Vitro Model System

• Kim BJ
• Noh HR
• Jeon H
• Park SM

• KMID: 2544626
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5607/en23007

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the presence of α-synuclein (α-syn) inclusions in the brain and the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons. There is evidence to suggest that the progression of PD may be due to the prion-like spread of α-syn aggregates, so understanding and limiting α-syn propagation is a key area of research for developing PD treatments. Several cellular and animal model systems have been established to monitor α-syn aggregation and propagation. In this study, we developed an in vitro model using A53T α-syn-EGFP overexpressing SH-SY5Y cells and validated its usefulness for high-throughput screening of potential therapeutic targets. Treatment with preformed recombinant α-syn fibrils induced the formation of aggregation puncta of A53T α-syn-EGFP in these cells, which were analyzed using four indices: number of dots per cell, size of dots, intensity of dots, and percentage of cells containing aggregation puncta. Four indices are reliable indicators of the effectiveness of interventions against α-syn propagation in a one-day treatment model to minimize the screening time. This simple and efficient in vitro model system can be used for high-throughput screening to discover new targets for inhibiting α-syn propagation.

Keyword

Parkinson disease; α-synuclein; Protein aggregation; In vitro techniques