Abstract

Pathogenic aggregates of α-synuclein are thought to contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease. Inclusion bodies containing α-synuclein are present in Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, α-synuclein mutations are found in cases of familial Parkinson's disease, and transgenic overexpression of α-synuclein causes neurodegeneration in mice. The molecular mechanisms involved, however, remain incompletely understood. Here we show that, in transgenic mice, α-synuclein induced neurodegeneration involves activation of the ubiquitin/proteasome system, a massive increase in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) levels and accumulation of insoluble mouse Aβ. ApoE was not protective, but was injurious, as deletion of ApoE delayed the neurodegeneration caused by α-synuclein and suppressed the accumulation of Aβ. Our data reveal a molecular link between central pathogenic mechanisms implicated in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease and suggest that intracellular α-synuclein is pathogenic, at least in part, by activation of extracellular signaling pathways involving ApoE.