Many Parkinson’s disease researchers are focused on reducing the prevalence of Synuclein alpha (SNCA) proteins in neurons as a therapeutic measure.
About Synuclein alpha (SNCA) proteins:
It is a mysterious protein which is present in healthy cells.
It is notorious for its involvement in age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Features of SNCA:
It is abundant in neurons, especially in dopaminergic neurons. It is found near the nuclei of these cells and at the junctions between two neurons.
It’s capable of misfolding as well as forming filamentous structures.
So unlike most other proteins, which take up predictable three-dimensional structures, SNCA can fold in multiple ways. Misfolded proteins don’t function correctly.
SNCA is present in 2 ways as aggregates in cells: one that interferes with the structural integrity of cells’ nuclei and another that allows the cell to degrade misfolded proteins.
In these two the former are related to diseased states while the latter is important for healthy cells.
Over time, these two SNCA populations in the cells:one was around the nuclei, shapes like filaments tens of micrometres long, much like Lewy bodies.
The other population was also around the nuclei but as much smaller clumps called aggresomes. Such aggresomes are formed when cells localise misfolded proteins into a small bunch (like collecting the trash in a corner) for further processing.
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