Yale researchers study alpha-synuclein spread in Parkinson’s disease

Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine are investigating the mechanisms by which misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins spread between neurons, a process central to the development of Parkinson’s disease and certain forms of dementia. These protein clusters, known as Lewy bodies, can move from one cell to another through the fluid spaces of the brain.

In a project funded by Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP), a research team led by Stephen Strittmatter is working to identify the specific proteins responsible for the uptake of these misfolded proteins into healthy nerve cells. After screening thousands of proteins, researchers identified approximately 15 that could bind to labeled synuclein. The study is now focusing on two specific proteins selectively expressed in dopamine-containing neurons: metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGluR4) and NPDC1.