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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Tiago OuteiroORCiD
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Recent epidemiological and clinical studies have reported a significantly increased risk for melanoma in people with Parkinson's disease. Because no evidence could be obtained that genetic factors are the reason for the association between these two diseases, we hypothesized that of the three major Parkinson's disease-related proteins-α-synuclein, LRRK2, and Parkin-α-synuclein might be a major link. Our data, presented here, demonstrate that α-synuclein promotes the survival of primary and metastatic melanoma cells, which is the exact opposite of the effect that α-synuclein has on dopaminergic neurons, where its accumulation causes neuronal dysfunction and death. Because this detrimental effect of α-synuclein on neurons can be rescued by the small molecule anle138b, we explored its effect on melanoma cells. We found that treatment with anle138b leads to massive melanoma cell death due to a major dysregulation of autophagy, suggesting that α-synuclein is highly beneficial to advanced melanoma because it ensures that autophagy is maintained at a homeostatic level that promotes and ensures the cell's survival.
Author(s): Turriani E, Lázaro DF, Ryazanov S, Leonov A, Giese A, Schön M, Schön MP, Griesinger C, Outeiro TF, Arndt-Jovin DJ, Becker D
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Year: 2017
Volume: 114
Issue: 25
Pages: E4971-E4977
Print publication date: 20/06/2017
Online publication date: 05/06/2017
Acceptance date: 08/05/2017
ISSN (print): 0027-8424
ISSN (electronic): 1091-6490
Publisher: National Academy of Sciences
URL: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1700200114
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1700200114
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