α-Synuclein oligomers mediate the aberrant form of spike-induced calcium release from IP3 receptor

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 4;9(1):15977. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52135-3.

Abstract

Emerging evidence implicates α-synuclein oligomers as potential culprits in the pathogenesis of Lewy body disease (LBD). Soluble oligomeric α-synuclein accumulation in cytoplasm is believed to modify neuronal activities and intraneural Ca2+ dynamics, which augment the metabolic burden in central neurons vulnerable to LBD, although this hypothesis remains to be fully tested. We evaluated how intracellular α-synuclein oligomers affect the neuronal excitabilities and Ca2+ dynamics of pyramidal neurons in neocortical slices from mice. Intracellular application of α-synuclein containing stable higher-order oligomers (αSNo) significantly reduced spike frequency during current injection, elongated the duration of spike afterhyperpolarization (AHP), and enlarged AHP current charge in comparison with that of α-synuclein without higher-order oligomers. This αSNo-mediated alteration was triggered by spike-induced Ca2+ release from inositol trisphosphate receptors (IP3R) functionally coupled with L-type Ca2+ channels and SK-type K+ channels. Further electrophysiological and immunochemical observations revealed that α-synuclein oligomers greater than 100 kDa were directly associated with calcium-binding protein 1, which is responsible for regulating IP3R gating. They also block Ca2+-dependent inactivation of IP3R, and trigger Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from IP3R during multiple spikes. This aberrant machinery may result in intraneural Ca2+ dyshomeostasis and may be the molecular basis for the vulnerability of neurons in LBD brains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Calcium Channels / metabolism
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors / metabolism*
  • Intracellular Space
  • Lewy Bodies / metabolism
  • Lewy Bodies / pathology
  • Lewy Body Disease / etiology
  • Lewy Body Disease / metabolism
  • Lewy Body Disease / pathology
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Protein Multimerization*
  • Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / metabolism
  • alpha-Synuclein / chemistry
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calcium Channels
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors
  • Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels
  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Ca2+-binding protein-1
  • Calcium