Cross-Reactivity and Sequence Homology Between Alpha-Synuclein and Food Products: A Step Further for Parkinson's Disease Synucleinopathy

Overview

Journal Cells

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Biophysics
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology

Date 2021 Jun 2

PMID 34063062

Citations 16

Authors

Aristo Vojdani

Aaron Lerner

Elroy Vojdani

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Parkinson's disease is characterized by non-motor/motor dysfunction midbrain neuronal death and α-synuclein deposits. The accepted hypothesis is that unknown environmental factors induce α-synuclein accumulation in the brain via the enteric nervous system.

Material And Methods: Monoclonal antibodies made against recombinant α-synuclein protein or α-synuclein epitope 118-123 were applied to the antigens of 180 frequently consumed food products. The specificity of those antibody-antigen reactions was confirmed by serial dilution and inhibition studies. The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool sequence matching program was used for sequence homologies.

Results: While the antibody made against recombinant α-synuclein reacted significantly with 86/180 specific food antigens, the antibody made against α-synuclein epitope 118-123 reacted with only 32/180 tested food antigens. The food proteins with the greatest number of peptides that matched with α-synuclein were yeast, soybean, latex hevein, wheat germ agglutinin, potato, peanut, bean agglutinin, pea lectin, shrimp, bromelain, and lentil lectin. The cross-reactivity and sequence homology between α-synuclein and frequently consumed foods, reinforces the autoimmune aspect of Parkinson's disease. It is hypothesized that luminal food peptides that share cross-reactive epitopes with human α-synuclein and have molecular similarity with brain antigens are involved in the synucleinopathy. The findings deserve further confirmation by extensive research.

Citing Articles

Microbial Transglutaminase-The Food Additive, a Potential Inducing Factor in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Bauer A, Rosiek P, Bauer T Molecules. 2025; 30(4).

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Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA): Its Nature, Biological Role, Significance in Human Nutrition, and Possibility to Be Used as Marker of Whole-Grain Status in Wheat-Based Foods.

Carcea M, Melloni S, Narducci V, Turfani V Foods. 2024; 13(18).

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The Potential Harmful Effects of Genetically Engineered Microorganisms (GEMs) on the Intestinal Microbiome and Public Health.

Lerner A, Benzvi C, Vojdani A Microorganisms. 2024; 12(2).

PMID: 38399642 PMC: 10892181. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12020238.

Cross-reactivity and sequence similarity between microbial transglutaminase and human tissue antigens.

Lerner A, Benzvi C, Vojdani A Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):17526.

PMID: 37845267 PMC: 10579360. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44452-5.

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Lerner A, Benzvi C, Vojdani A Biomedicines. 2023; 11(7).

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