Mitochondrial dysfunction has been associated with Parkinson's disease. However, the role
of mitochondrial defects in the formation of Lewy bodies, a pathological hallmark of
Parkinson's disease has not been addressed directly. In this report, we investigated the
effects of inhibitors of the mitochondrial electron-transport chain on the aggregation of α-
synuclein, a major protein component of Lewy bodies. Treatment with rotenone, an inhibitor
of complex I, resulted in an increase of detergent-resistant α-synuclein aggregates and a …