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α-Synuclein overexpression reduces gap junctional intercellular communication in dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells

  • Jee Young Sung
  • , Hyun Jung Lee
  • , Eun Il Jeong
  • , Yohan Oh
  • , Joongkyu Park
  • , Kyung Sun Kang
  • , Kwang Chul Chung

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

α-Synuclein has been implicated in the pathology of certain neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (LBs). Overexpression of human α-synuclein in neuronal cells reduces cell viability, but the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) is thought to be essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis and growth control. In the present study, the effect of α-synuclein overexpression on GJIC in human dopaminergic neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells was investigated. Cells overexpressing wild-type α-synuclein were more vulnerable to hydrogen peroxide and 6-hydroxydopamine. GJIC was decreased in cells overexpressing α-synuclein. In addition, α-synuclein binds directly to connexin-32 (Cx32). As such, the post-translational modification of Cx32 was enhanced in cells overexpressing α-synuclein. These findings suggest that α-synuclein can modulate GJIC in a dopaminergic neuronal cell line through specific binding to Cx32.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)289-293
Number of pages5
JournalNeuroscience Letters
Volume416
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 18 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • α-Synuclein
  • Cell death
  • Connexin-32
  • Gap junction
  • Parkinson disease

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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