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Post-translational glycosylation diminishes α-synuclein pathology formation

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O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is an endogenous form of glycosylation that alters the structure of α-synuclein amyloid fibrils and attenuates their pathogenetic properties. The modified fibrils have a significantly reduced ability to seed the aggregation of endogenous α-synuclein in cultured neurons and in mice brains in vivo, which results in reduced pathology.

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Fig. 1: O-GlcNAc α-synuclein fibrils have a diminished ability to induce pathology formation, spreading and toxicity.

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This is a summary of: Balana, A. T. et al. O-GlcNAc forces an α-synuclein amyloid strain with notably diminished seeding and pathology. Nat. Chem. Biol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-024-01551-2 (2024).

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Post-translational glycosylation diminishes α-synuclein pathology formation. Nat Chem Biol 20, 553–554 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-024-01553-0

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