Abstract 2943 Stickin' Together Is Not Always Better: Implication of Alpha-Synuclein in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a major public health problem that affects as many as one million Americans in any given year1. PD is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies in the substantia nigra. Lewy bodies are closely connected amyloid fibrils. Amyloid fibrils are the result of the misfolding of the protein alpha synuclein (α-syn). Α-syn regulates neurotransmitter release by interacting with a protein complex to facilitate vesicle docking and fusion2. After misfolding, α-syn goes through templated conversion causing other α-syn to misfold, leading to the formation of oligomers.