Impairment of mitochondria dynamics by human A53T α-synuclein and rescue by NAP (davunetide) in a cell model for Parkinson’s disease

The formation of oligomers and aggregates of overexpressed or mutant α-synuclein play a role in the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease by causing dysfunction of mitochondria, reflected in their disturbed mobility and production of ROS. The mode of action and mechanisms underlying this mitochondrial impairment is still unclear. We have induced stable expression of wild-type, A30P or A53T α-synuclein in neuronally differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and studied anterograde and retrograde mitochondrial trafficking in this cell model for Parkinson’s disease. In contrast to wild-type and A30P, A53T α-synuclein significantly inhibited mitochondrial trafficking, at first retrogradely and in a later stage anterogradely. Accordingly, A53T α-synuclein also caused the highest increase in ROS production in the dysmobilized mitochondria in comparison to wild-type or A30P α-synuclein. Treatment with NAP, the eight amino acid peptide identified as the active component of activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP), completely annihilated the adverse effects of A53T on mitochondrial dynamics. Our results reveal that A53T α-synuclein (oligomers or aggregates) leads to the inhibition of mitochondrial trafficking, which can be rescued by NAP, suggesting the involvement of microtubule disruption in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00221-016-4836-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.