Is α-synuclein, Like Tau, Driven to Aggregate by the Activities of Inflammatory Microglia?

What are the important steps in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the presence of protein aggregates? These aggregates are misfolded or otherwise altered proteins that precipitate to form solid deposits. This means α-synuclein in the case of Parkinson's disease, or amyloid-β and tau in the cause of Alzheimer's disease, to pick the best known examples. A growing body of evidence is pointing to dysfunction and inflammation in the immune cells known as microglia, a type of macrophage resident in the central nervous system. Like macrophages elsewhere in the body, microglia are responsible for chasing down pathogens and clearing up debris. They also participate in a range of other supporting activities that assist the function of neurons. In Alzheimer's disease, there is compelling evidence for microglia to be driven into an inflammatory state by the presence of amyloid-β. They act as the bridge between the mild earlier stage of the condition, in which amyloid-β accumulates, and the later stage in which tau aggregates form and neurons die. It is the chronic inflammation and dysfunction of microglia in brain tissue that drives this more severe tau pathology. Inflammatory behavior in microglia appears to involve significant numbers of senescent microglia, and researchers have shown that removing these senescent cells can turn back tau pathology in mouse models and reduce levels of neuroinflammation. Lingering senescent cells of any cell type c...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs