Corrigendum to 'Immunoprotection against toxic biomarkers is retained during Parkinson's disease progression?' [Journal of Neuroimmunology, 233 (2011) 221-227]

The authors regret that one of the author names for this article was presented incorrectly in the printed version. ‘Olga R. Bocharova’ should have been ‘Olga A. Bocharova’. The correct presentation of the author names can be seen above and in the online version of this paper. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused

Correlation between protective immunity to alpha-synuclein aggregates, oxidative stress and inflammation

Objective: Protein aggregation leading to central amyloid deposition is implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD). During disease progression, inflammation and oxidative stress may well invoke humoral immunity against pathological aggregates of PD-associated α-synuclein. The aim was to investigate any possible concurrence between autoimmune responses to α-synuclein monomers, oligomers or fibrils with oxidative stress and inflammation. Methods: The formation of α-synuclein amyloid species was assessed by thioflavin-T assay and atomic force microscopy was employed to confirm their morphology. Serum autoantibody titers to α-synuclein conformations were determined by ELISA. Enzyme activity and concentrations of oxidative stress/inflammatory indicators were evaluated by enzyme and ELISA protocols. Results: In PD patient sera, a differential increase in autoantibody titers to α-synuclein monomers, toxic oligomers or fibrils was associated with boosted levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α, but a decrease in interferon-γ concentration. In addition, levels of malondialdehyde were elevated whilst those of glutathione were reduced along with decrements in the activity of the antioxidants: superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione transferase. Conclusions: It is hypothesized that the generation of α-synuclein amyloid aggregates allied with oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions may invoke humoral immunity protecting against dopaminergic neuronal death. Hence, humoral immunity is a common integrative factor throughout PD progression which is directed towards prevention of further neurodegeneration, so potential treatment strategies should attempt to maintain PD patient immune status

Nasal inoculation with α-synuclein aggregates evokes rigidity, locomotor deficits and immunity to such misfolded species as well as dopamine

Animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been widely used to investigate the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disorder which is typically associated with the specific and largely disordered protein α-synuclein (α-syn). In the current study, the nasal vector was used to deliver α-syn aggregates to the brain. Both α-syn oligomers and its fibrils were firstly characterized using atomic force microscopy and the thioflavin T binding assay. The toxic oligomers alone (0.48 mg/kg) or their 50:50 combination with fibrils (in a total dose of 0.48 mg/kg) were then given intranasally for ten days in mice and PD-mimetic symptoms as well as humoral immunity to these species and dopamine (DA) were evaluated simultaneously. Open-field behavioral deficits indicated by rigidity and reduced locomotor activity were induced by the dual administration of α-syn oligomers plus fibrils but not the oligomers by themselves under the 10-day dosing regimen. In contrast, using ELISA, high levels of serum autoantibodies to α-syn monomeric, oligomeric and fibrillar conformers as well as DA were observed in both treatment groups reflecting immune system activation and this substantiates previous clinical studies in Parkinson's disease patients. Thus, nasal administration of α-syn amyloidogenic species may be a potential experimental PD model which results not only in motor deficits but also incitement of humoral protection to mimic the disease. Such a paradigm may be exploitable in the quest for potential therapeutic strategies and further studies are warranted

Immunoprotection against toxic biomarkers is retained during Parkinson's disease progression

The aim was to ascertain any possible linkage between humoral immune responses to principal biomarkers (α-synuclein monomers, its toxic oligomers or fibrils, dopamine and S100B) and cellular immunity in Parkinson's disease development. There were elevated autoantibody titers to α-synuclein monomers, oligomers plus fibrils in 72%, 56%, and 17% of Parkinsonian patients respectively with a 5-year disease duration. Additionally, there were increased titers to dopamine and S100B (96% and 89%) in the 5-year patient group. All of these values subsided in 10-year sufferers. Furthermore, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T-lymphocyte and B-lymphocyte subsets declined in the patient cohort during Parkinsonism indicating disease associated reductions in these lymphocyte subsets