New research from the University of Surrey indicates that Parkinson’s disease impacts the heart through a harmful protein, offering new treatment possibilities.
New findings from researchers at the University of Surrey offer a fresh perspective on Parkinson’s disease, showing that the condition’s effects extend beyond the brain and impact the heart. This pioneering study suggests that targeting the alpha-synuclein protein outside the brain could help manage Parkinson’s-related heart issues.
In research published in the journal Experimental Physiology, the team discovered that alpha-synuclein — a protein linked to Parkinson’s — builds up in the stellate ganglia, a nerve cluster near the heart that’s part of the autonomic nervous system. The accumulation of this protein in neurons poses a potential risk to heart function.
“Our study confirms the suspicion that there is a link between Parkinson’s disease and cardiac autonomic dysfunction — giving us a new insight into how the disease impacts the nervous system beyond the brain,” lead author Kamalan Jeevaratnam, the head of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, said in a news release. “And just like the brain, alpha-synuclein forms clumps in the nerves, strongly suggesting that the same process that damages brain cells in Parkinson’s is also damaging the nerves that control the heart.”
Using mouse models, the researchers produced a mutant form of alpha-synuclein and meticulously dissected the stellate ganglia, ensuring minimal tissue damage. By staining thin slices of the nerve clusters with fluorescent markers, they tracked the protein’s spread and its effect on individual neurons.
They found that 27% of neurons in the stellate ganglia contained harmful protein clumps, akin to those found in the brains of Parkinson’s patients. This suggests that Parkinson’s impacts heart function, not just movement and brain activity.
Co-author Bonn Lee, a postgraduate student at the University of Surrey, emphasized the broader implications of the research.
“Understanding how Parkinson’s affects the heart opens up new possibilities for treatment. If we can find ways to stop or slow the build-up of alpha-synuclein in the nervous system outside the brain, we could help manage some of the lesser-known but serious effects of the disease,” Lee added. “We are keen to work with industrial partners on exploring whether targeting these toxic protein clumps in the heart’s nerve cells could improve symptoms and quality of life for people with Parkinson’s.”
Source: University of Surrey