Amelioration of pathologic α-synuclein-induced Parkinson’s disease by irisin
Tae‐In Kam, Hyejin Park, Shih-Ching Chou, Jonathan G. Van Vranken, Melanie J. Mittenbühler, Hyeonwoo Kim, Mu A, Yu Ree Choi, Devanik Biswas, Justin Wang, Yu Jung Shin, Alexis K Loder, Senthilkumar S. Karuppagounder, Christiane D. Wrann, Valina L. Dawson, Bruce M. Spiegelman, Ted M. Dawson
Abstract
Physical activity provides clinical benefit in Parkinson's disease (PD). Irisin is an exercise-induced polypeptide secreted by skeletal muscle that crosses the blood-brain barrier and mediates certain effects of exercise. Here, we show that irisin prevents pathologic α-synuclein (α-syn)-induced neurodegeneration in the α-syn preformed fibril (PFF) mouse model of sporadic PD. Intravenous delivery of irisin via viral vectors following the stereotaxic intrastriatal injection of α-syn PFF cause a reduction in the formation of pathologic α-syn and prevented the loss of dopamine neurons and lowering of striatal dopamine. Irisin also substantially reduced the α-syn PFF-induced motor deficits as assessed behaviorally by the pole and grip strength test. Recombinant sustained irisin treatment of primary cortical neurons attenuated α-syn PFF toxicity by reducing the formation of phosphorylated serine 129 of α-syn and neuronal cell death. Tandem mass spectrometry and biochemical analysis revealed that irisin reduced pathologic α-syn by enhancing endolysosomal degradation of pathologic α-syn. Our findings highlight the potential for therapeutic disease modification of irisin in PD.