Alpha-synuclein enhances dopamine D2 receptor signaling

Brain Res. 2006 Dec 8;1124(1):5-9. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.09.079. Epub 2006 Nov 7.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a selective loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), which in turn results in dopamine depletion in the striatum, and the presence of neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies (LBs). Alpha-synuclein is a presynaptic protein that accumulates abnormally in LBs and is seen predominantly in cases of dementia with LBs. Although the central role of alpha-synuclein in neurodegeneration has been previously demonstrated by the discovery of missense alpha-synuclein mutations in familial PD, the specific mechanism by which alpha-synuclein contributes to these diseases remains unclear. In the present study, we examined whether alpha-synuclein affects the downstream signaling of dopamine D2 receptor (D2R). In CHO cells stably transfected with D2Rs, alpha-synuclein enhanced dopamine D2-agonist-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase, which consequently affected its downstream cAMP-responsive element (CRE)-mediated gene transcription, while C-terminal deletion mutant of alpha-synuclein did not. Our study suggests that the alpha-synuclein enhances the dopamine-mediated intracellular signaling pathways by D2R, thus provide a possible mechanism in presynaptic regulation of the synaptic homeostasis in the dopaminergic neurotransmission.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western / methods
  • CHO Cells / drug effects
  • CHO Cells / metabolism
  • Colforsin / pharmacology
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Dopamine / pharmacology
  • Drug Interactions
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Mutation / physiology
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / genetics
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Transfection / methods
  • alpha-Synuclein / genetics
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Peptide Fragments
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • alpha-Synuclein
  • Colforsin
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Luciferases
  • Dopamine