In Parkinson's disease, alpha-synuclein binds to LC3B. Normally, LC3B causes misfolded proteins to become degraded, but in the case of Parkinson's, LC3B becomes trapped in protein aggregates and becomes inactive.
A new study reports chronic infections of the upper gastrointestinal tract could be linked to Parkinson's disease. Researchers say alpha synuclein, a Parkinson's linked protein, is released during upper GI infections, inducing an immune response. Findings suggest frequent chronic infections could overwhelm the body's ability to remove the protein, leading to the onset of Parkinson's.
Researchers have created an artificial enzyme that stops alpha-synuclein from spreading. The findings could have positive implications for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
