R406 and its structural analogs reduce SNCA/α-synuclein levels via autophagic degradation
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The presence of neuronal Lewy bodies mainly composed of SNCA/α-synuclein aggregations is a pathological feature of Parkinson disease (PD), whereas reducing SNCA protein levels may slow the progression of this disease. We hypothesized that compounds enhancing SNCA’s interaction with MAP1LC3/LC3 May increase its macroautophagic/autophagic degradation. Here, we conducted small molecule microarray (SMM)-based screening to identify such compounds and revealed that the compound R406 could decrease SNCA protein levels in an autophagy-dependent manner. We further validated the proposed mechanism, in which knockdown of essential gene ATG5 for autophagy formation and using the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) blocked the effect of R406. Additionally, R406 also reduced the levels of phosphorylated serine 129 of SNCA (p-S129-SNCA) in SNCA preformed fibrils (PFFs)-induced cellular models and rescued neuron degeneration.
Source: Autophagy
Authors: Chao Zhong, Xiaoge Gao, Qi Chen, Bowen Guan, Wanli Wu, Zhiqiang Ma, Mengdan Tao, Xihuan Liu, Yu Ding, Yiyan Fei, Yan Liu, Boxun Lu, Zhaoyang Li
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4408916378