Brain disposition of α-Synuclein: roles of brain barrier systems and implications for Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of α-Synuclein (a-Syn) into Lewy body inclusions and the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Accumulation of a-Syn can induce a progressive, cyclical pathology that results in the transmission of toxic, aggregated a-Syn species to healthy neurons, leading to further neurodegeneration such as occurs in PD. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) and blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barriers (BCSFB) are responsible for regulating the access of nutrients and other molecules to the brain, but very little is known about their regulatory roles in maintaining the homeostasis of a-Syn in the CSF and brain parenchyma. This review analyzes the current literature reports on the transport of a-Syn by various brain cell types with a particular focus on the potential transport mechanisms of a-Syn at the BBB and BCSFB. The indication of altered a-Syn transport by brain barriers in PD pathoetiology and the perspectives in this research area are also discussed.