Foldamers Reveal and Validate Novel Therapeutic Targets Associated with Toxic α-Synuclein Self-Assembly

Parkinsons disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no successful prevention or intervention. The pathological hallmark for PD involves the self-assembly of functional Alpha-Synuclein (S) into non-functional amyloid structures. One of the potential therapeutic interventions against PD is the effective inhibition of S aggregation. However, the bottleneck towards achieving this goal is the identification of S domains/sequences that are essential for aggregation. Using a protein mimetic approach, we have identified S sequences-based novel targets that are essential for aggregation and will have significant therapeutic implications. An extensive array of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays was utilized to validate S sequences and their structural characteristics that are essential for aggregation and propagation of PD phenotypes. The study aids in developing significant mechanistic and therapeutic insights into various facets of S aggregation, which will pave the way for novel and effective treatments for PD.