Aggregates from mutant and wild-type α-synuclein proteins and NAC peptide induce apoptotic cell death in human neuroblastoma cells by formation of β-sheet and amyloid-like filaments

alpha-Synuclein (alpha-syn) protein and a fragment of it, called NAG, have been found in association with the pathological lesions of a number of neurodegenerative diseases, Recently, mutations in the alpha-syn gene have been reported in families susceptible to an inherited form of Parkinson's disease. We have shown that human wild-type alpha-syn, mutant alpha-syn(Ala30Pro) and mutant alpha-syn(Ala53Thr) proteins can self-aggregate and form amyloid-like filaments, Here we report that aggregates of NAC and alpha-syn proteins induced apoptotic cell death in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. These findings indicate that accumulation of alpha-syn and its degradation products may play a major role in the development of the pathogenesis of these neurodegenerative diseases. (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.