IMR Press / JIN / Volume 23 / Issue 2 / DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2302044
Open Access Original Research
FABP2 is Involved in Intestinal α-Synuclein Pathologies
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1 Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, 980-8578 Sendai, Japan
2 Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Sendai Nishitaga Hospital, 982-0805 Sendai, Japan
*Correspondence: kawahata@tohoku.ac.jp (Ichiro Kawahata); takuya.sasaki.b4@tohoku.ac.jp (Takuya Sasaki)
J. Integr. Neurosci. 2024, 23(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.jin2302044
Submitted: 30 November 2023 | Revised: 25 December 2023 | Accepted: 3 January 2024 | Published: 22 February 2024
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: Recently, the hypothesis that pathological α-Synuclein propagates from the gut to the brain has gained attention. Although results from animal studies support this hypothesis, the specific mechanism remains unclear. This study focused on the intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (FABP2), which is one of the subtypes of fatty acid binding proteins localizing in the gut, with the hypothesis that FABP2 is involved in the gut-to-brain propagation of α-synuclein. The aim of this study was to clarify the pathological significance of FABP2 in the pathogenesis and progression of synucleinopathy. Methods: We examined the relationship between FABP2 and α-Synuclein in the uptake of α-Synuclein into enteric neurons using primary cultured neurons derived from mouse small intestinal myenteric plexus. We also quantified disease-related protein concentrations in the plasma of patients with synucleinopathy and related diseases, and analyzed the relationship between plasma FABP2 level and progression of the disease. Results: Experiments on α-Synuclein uptake in primary cultured enteric neurons showed that following uptake, α-Synuclein was concentrated in areas where FABP2 was localized. Moreover, analysis of the plasma protein levels of patients with Parkinson’s disease revealed that the plasma FABP2 and α-Synuclein levels fluctuate with disease duration. The FABP2/α-Synuclein ratio fluctuated more markedly than either FABP2 or α-Synuclein alone, depending on the duration of disease, indicating a higher discriminant ability of early Parkinson’s disease patients from healthy patients. Conclusions: These results suggest that FABP2 potentially contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of α-synucleinopathies. Thus, FABP2 is an important molecule that has the potential to elucidate the consistent mechanisms that lead from the prodromal phase to the onset and subsequent progression of synucleinopathies.

Keywords
FABP2
α-Synuclein
enteric nerves system
synucleinopathy
Parkinson’s disease
primary culture
blood biomarkers
Funding
JPMJSP2114/Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) SPRING
Advanced Graduate Program for Future Medicine and Health Care
JP20dm0107071/Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)
22ym0126095h0001/Japan AMED
23ym0126095h0002/Japan AMED
22K06644/JSPS KAKENHI
Takeda Science Foundation
Toshiaki Ogasawara Memorial Foundation
Figures
Fig. 1.
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