RGD Reference Report - Loss of beta-glucocerebrosidase activity does not affect alpha-synuclein levels or lysosomal function in neuronal cells. - Rat Genome Database

Send us a Message



Submit Data |  Help |  Video Tutorials |  News |  Publications |  Download |  REST API |  Citing RGD |  Contact   

Loss of beta-glucocerebrosidase activity does not affect alpha-synuclein levels or lysosomal function in neuronal cells.

Authors: Dermentzaki, G  Dimitriou, E  Xilouri, M  Michelakakis, H  Stefanis, L 
Citation: Dermentzaki G, etal., PLoS One. 2013 Apr 8;8(4):e60674. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060674. Print 2013.
RGD ID: 11535115
Pubmed: PMID:23580063   (View Abstract at PubMed)
PMCID: PMC3620326   (View Article at PubMed Central)
DOI: DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0060674   (Journal Full-text)

To date, a plethora of studies have provided evidence favoring an association between Gaucher disease (GD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). GD, the most common lysosomal storage disorder, results from the diminished activity of the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucocerebrosidase (GCase), caused by mutations in the beta-glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA). Alpha-synuclein (ASYN), a presynaptic protein, has been strongly implicated in PD pathogenesis. ASYN may in part be degraded by the lysosomes and may itself aberrantly impact lysosomal function. Therefore, a putative link between deficient GCase and ASYN, involving lysosomal dysfunction, has been proposed to be responsible for the risk for PD conferred by GBA mutations. In this current work, we aimed to investigate the effects of pharmacological inhibition of GCase on ASYN accumulation/aggregation, as well as on lysosomal function, in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells and in primary neuronal cultures. Following profound inhibition of the enzyme activity, we did not find significant alterations in ASYN levels, or any changes in the clearance or formation of its oligomeric species. We further observed no significant impairment of the lysosomal degradation machinery. These findings suggest that additional interaction pathways together with aberrant GCase and ASYN must govern this complex relation between GD and PD.

Objects referenced in this article
Gene Gba1 glucosylceramidase beta 1 Rattus norvegicus

Additional Information