Upregulation of γ-synuclein in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus following dopamine depletion: A study using the striatal 6-hydroxydopamine hemiparkinsonian rat model.

Synucleins, including α-synuclein (α-syn), β-syn, and γ-syn, have been implicated in various synucleinopathies, notably Parkinson's disease (PD), which has generated increased interest in understanding their roles. Although α-syn and β-syn have contrasting neuropathological consequences, the precise role of γ-syn remains unclear. This study validated non-motor symptoms, specifically anxiety-like behavior, along with the degradation of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the nigrostriatal system and DAergic neurites in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of rats infused with striatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Our study further investigated the alterations in γ-syn expression levels in the prefrontal cortices and hippocampi of these 6-OHDA-treated rats, aiming to establish foundational insights into the neuropathophysiology of DA depletion, a central feature of PD. Our findings revealed a significant increase in the expression of γ-syn mRNA and protein in these brain regions, in contrast to unaltered α- and β-syn expression levels. This suggests a distinct role of γ-syn within the neurobiological milieu under conditions of DA deficiency. Overall, our data shed light on the neurobiological changes observed in the hemiparkinsonian rat model induced with 6-OHDA, underscoring the potential significance of γ-syn in PD pathology.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)