Background: Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by parkinsonism, resistance to dopamine therapy, ataxia, autonomic dysfunction, and pathological accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) in oligodendrocytes. Neurosin (kallikrein-6) is a serine protease capable of cleaving α-syn in the CNS, and we have previously shown that lentiviral (LV) vector delivery of neurosin into the brain of a mouse model of dementia with Lewy body/ Parkinson's disease reduces the accumulation of α-syn and improves neuronal synaptic integrity. Results: In this study, we investigated the ability of a modified, systemically delivered neurosin to reduce the levels of α-syn in oligodendrocytes and reduce the cell-to-cell spread of α-syn to glial cells in a mouse model of MSA (MBP-α-syn). We engineered a viral vector that expresses a neurosin genetically modified for increased half-life (R80Q mutation) that also contains a brain-targeting sequence (apoB) for delivery into the CNS. Peripheral administration of the LV-neurosin-apoB to the MBP-α-syn tg model resulted in accumulation of neurosin-apoB in the CNS, reduced accumulation of α-syn in oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, improved myelin sheath formation in the corpus callosum and behavioral improvements. Conclusion: Thus, the modified, brain-targeted neurosin may warrant further investigation as potential therapy for MSA.
CITATION STYLE
Spencer, B., Valera, E., Rockenstein, E., Trejo-Morales, M., Adame, A., & Masliah, E. (2015). A brain-targeted, modified neurosin (kallikrein-6) reduces α-synuclein accumulation in a mouse model of multiple system atrophy. Molecular Neurodegeneration, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13024-015-0043-6
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