ISSN:
1471-4159
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
TorsinA, a protein with homology to yeast heat shock protein104, has previously been demonstrated to colocalize with α-synuclein in Lewy bodies, the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Heat shock proteins are a family of chaperones that are both constitutively expressed and induced by stressors, and that serve essential functions for protein refolding and/or degradation. Here, we demonstrate that, like torsinA, specific molecular chaperone heat shock proteins colocalize with α-synuclein in Lewy bodies. In addition, using a cellular model of α-synuclein aggregation, we demonstrate that torsinA and specific heat shock protein molecular chaperones colocalize with α-synuclein immunopositive inclusions. Further, overexpression of torsinA and specific heat shock proteins suppress α-synuclein aggregation in this cellular model, whereas mutant torsinA has no effect. These data suggest that torsinA has chaperone-like activity and that the disease-associated GAG deletion mutant has a loss-of-function phenotype. Moreover, these data support a role for chaperone proteins, including torsinA and heat shock proteins, in cellular responses to neurodegenerative inclusions.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1471-4159.2002.01190.x
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