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Propagation of α-Synuclein Strains Within Human Reconstructed Neuronal Network

Simona Gribaudo, Philippe Tixador, Luc Bousset, Alexis Fenyi, Patricia Lino, Ronald Melki, Jean-Michel Peyrin, Anselme L Perrier

Stem Cell Reports. 2019 Feb 12;12(2):230-244.

PMID: 30639210

Abstract:

Reappraisal of neuropathological studies suggests that pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease (PD) spread progressively along predictable neuronal pathways in the human brain through unknown mechanisms. Although there is much evidence supporting the prion-like propagation and amplification of α-synuclein (α-Syn) in vitro and in rodent models, whether this scenario occurs in the human brain remains to be substantiated. Here we reconstructed in microfluidic devices corticocortical neuronal networks using human induced pluripotent stem cells derived from a healthy donor. We provide unique experimental evidence that different strains of human α-Syn disseminate in "wild-type" human neuronal networks in a prion-like manner. We show that two distinct α-Syn strains we named fibrils and ribbons are transported, traffic between neurons, and trigger to different extents, in a dose- and structure-dependent manner, the progressive accumulation of PD-like pathological hallmarks. We further demonstrate that seeded aggregation of endogenous soluble α-Syn affects synaptic integrity and mitochondria morphology.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number Product Name Structure CAS Number Price
IAR4248207 α-Synuclein human α-Synuclein human Price
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