CCMB Hyderabad study links RNA viruses to Parkinson’s protein clumps

Researchers at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad have identified a molecular mechanism through which RNA virus infections, such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2, may accelerate the formation of amyloid clumps associated with Parkinson’s disease.

The study, published in ‘Cell Reports’, focuses on the protein alpha-synuclein, which forms amyloid aggregates in the brains of Parkinson’s patients. The researchers found that viral RNA contains three-dimensional structures called RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s). These structures can interact with alpha-synuclein, promoting its aggregation within infected cells.

To counter this, the study identified a cellular defense mechanism involving the protein DDX39A. Normally located in the cell nucleus, DDX39A moves into the cytoplasm during infection to bind with both the viral RNA structures and alpha-synuclein. By unwinding the rG4 structures, the protein helps reduce viral replication while simultaneously slowing the formation of amyloid aggregates. The researchers noted that the final cellular outcome depends on the balance between these competing biological processes.