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. 2010 Jun 3;26(3):205–210. doi: 10.1007/s12264-010-1117-7

Dose- and time-dependent α-synuclein aggregation induced by ferric iron in SK-N-SH cells

铁离子对 α- 突触核蛋白聚集的诱发作用具有剂量和时间依赖性

Wen-Jing Li 1, Hong Jiang 1, Ning Song 1, Jun-Xia Xie 1,✉
PMCID: PMC5560295  PMID: 20502498

Abstract

Objective

Intracellular formation of Lewy body (LB) is one of the hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease. The main component of LB is aggregated α-synuclein, present in the substantia nigra where iron accumulation also occurs. The present study was aimed to study the relationship between iron and α-synuclein aggregation.

Methods

SK-N-SH cells were treated with different concentrations of ferric iron for 24 h or 48 h. MTT assay was conducted to determine the cell viability. Thioflavine S staining was used to detect α-synuclein aggregation.

Results

With the increase of iron concentration, the cell viability decreased significantly. At the concentrations of 5 mmol/L and 10 mmol/L, iron induced α-synuclein aggregation more severely than at the concentration of 1 mmol/L. Besides, 48-h treatment-induced aggregation was more severe than that induced by 24-h treatment, at the corresponding iron concentrations.

Conclusion

Ferric iron can induce α-synuclein aggregation, which is toxic to the cells, in a dose- and time-dependent way.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, α-synuclein, ferric ammonium citrate

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