Regulation of Weibel-Palade body exocytosis by alpha-synuclein in endothelial cells

J Biol Chem. 2010 Jul 9;285(28):21416-25. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.103499. Epub 2010 May 6.

Abstract

alpha-Synuclein is a small presynaptic protein implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease. Nevertheless, its physiological roles and mechanisms remain incompletely understood. alpha-Synuclein is not only expressed in neurons but also in the vascular endothelium, which contains intracellular granules called Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) that contain a number of chemokines, adhesive molecules, and inflammatory cytokines. This study explored whether the exocytosis of WPB is regulated by alpha-synuclein. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-, thrombin-, or forskolin-induced von Willebrand factor release or translocation of P-selectin from endothelial cells were inhibited by alpha- and beta-synuclein but not gamma-synuclein. Three point mutants (A30P, A53T, and E46K) found in familial Parkinson disease also inhibited WPB exocytosis similar to that of wild-type alpha-synuclein. Furthermore, the negative regulation of WPB exocytosis required the N terminus or the nonamyloid beta-component of Alzheimer disease amyloid region of alpha-synuclein, but not the C-terminal acidic tail, and alpha-synuclein affected WPB exocytosis through interference with RalA activation by enhancing the interaction of RalGDS-beta-arrestin complexes. Immuno-EM analysis revealed that alpha-synuclein was localized close to WPBs. These findings imply that alpha-synuclein plays as a negative regulator in WPB exocytosis in endothelial cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Endothelium, Vascular / cytology
  • Exocytosis*
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Confocal / methods
  • Microscopy, Immunoelectron / methods
  • Models, Biological
  • Parkinson Disease / genetics
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Transport
  • Weibel-Palade Bodies / metabolism*
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism*
  • ral GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • alpha-Synuclein
  • RALA protein, human
  • ral GTP-Binding Proteins