Impaired degradation of mutant α-synuclein by chaperone-mediated autophagy

AM Cuervo, L Stefanis, R Fredenburg, PT Lansbury… - Science, 2004 - science.org
AM Cuervo, L Stefanis, R Fredenburg, PT Lansbury, D Sulzer
Science, 2004science.org
Aberrant α-synuclein degradation is implicated in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis
because the protein accumulates in the Lewy inclusion bodies associated with the disease.
Little is known, however, about the pathways by which wild-type α-synuclein is normally
degraded. We found that wild-type α-synuclein was selectively translocated into lysosomes
for degradation by the chaperone-mediated autophagy pathway. The pathogenic A53T and
A30P α-synuclein mutants bound to the receptor for this pathway on the lysosomal …
Aberrant α-synuclein degradation is implicated in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis because the protein accumulates in the Lewy inclusion bodies associated with the disease. Little is known, however, about the pathways by which wild-type α-synuclein is normally degraded. We found that wild-type α-synuclein was selectively translocated into lysosomes for degradation by the chaperone-mediated autophagy pathway. The pathogenic A53T and A30P α-synuclein mutants bound to the receptor for this pathway on the lysosomal membrane, but appeared to act as uptake blockers, inhibiting both their own degradation and that of other substrates. These findings may underlie the toxic gain-of-function by the mutants.
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