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Targeting toxic forms of α-synuclein with immunotherapy could alter the progression of Parkinson’s disease

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Abstract

α-Synuclein is a presynaptic protein typically involved in synaptic regulation. However, it may form toxic aggregates and propagate in the CNS via cell-to-cell transmission, which have been identified as a key part in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Multiple strategies are being investigated to mitigate this; these include passive and active immunization against α-synuclein, among other immunotherapies and/or other α-synuclein-targeting compounds. Ultimately, these techniques aim to lessen neurotoxicity by increasing α-synuclein clearance and reducing the accumulation of toxic α-synuclein aggregates, potentially slowing the progression of PD through disease-modifying effects.

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    Julia Paik

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Correspondence to Julia Paik.

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The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.

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J. Paik is a salaried employee of Adis International Ltd/Springer Nature and declares no relevant conflicts of interest. All authors contributed to the review and are responsible for the article content.

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Paik, J. Targeting toxic forms of α-synuclein with immunotherapy could alter the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Drugs Ther Perspect 38, 467–471 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-022-00950-6

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