Filamentous α-synuclein inclusions link multiple system atrophy with Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 251; no. 3; pp. 205 - 208
• Main Authors: Grazia Spillantini, Maria, Anthony Crowther, R., Jakes, Ross, Cairns, Nigel J., Lantos, Peter L., Goedert, Michel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 31-07-1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; alpha-Synuclein; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebellum - metabolism; Cerebellum - pathology; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Dementia - metabolism; Dementia - pathology; Dementia with Lewy bodies; Frontal Lobe - metabolism; Frontal Lobe - pathology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Lewy Bodies - metabolism; Lewy Bodies - pathology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multiple system atrophy; Multiple System Atrophy - metabolism; Multiple System Atrophy - pathology; Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism; Neurology; Olivopontocerebellar atrophy; Parkinson Disease - metabolism; Parkinson Disease - pathology; Parkinson's disease; Pons - metabolism; Pons - pathology; Shy–Drager syndrome; Striatonigral degeneration; Synucleins; α-Synuclein; α-Synuclein; Olivopontocerebellar atrophy; Parkinson's disease; Shy–Drager syndrome; Multiple system atrophy; Striatonigral degeneration; Dementia with Lewy bodies; Human; Nervous system diseases; Central nervous system disease; Cell inclusion; Parkinson disease; Degenerative disease; Cerebral disorder; Extrapyramidal syndrome; Lewy body
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(98)00504-7

α-Synuclein forms the major component of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, the defining neuropathological characteristics of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Here we show that
α-synuclein is also the major component of the filamentous inclusions of multiple system atrophy which comprises several neurodegenerative diseases with a shared filamentous pathology in nerve cells and glial cells. These findings provide an unexpected link between multiple system atrophy and Lewy body disorders and establish that
α-synucleinopathies constitute a major class of human neurodegenerative disorder.