Peer-Reviewed Journal Details
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Stockdale SR;Draper LA;O'Donovan SM;Barton W;O'Sullivan O;Volpicelli-Daley LA;Sullivan AM;O'Neill C;Hill C;
2021
September
Communications Biology
Alpha-synuclein alters the faecal viromes of rats in a gut-initiated model of Parkinson's disease.
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Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurological disorder associated with the misfolding of alpha-synuclein (a-syn) into aggregates within nerve cells that contribute to their neurodegeneration. Recent evidence suggests a-syn aggregation may begin in the gut and travel to the brain along the vagus nerve, with microbes potentially a trigger initiating a-syn misfolding. However, the effects a-syn alterations on the gut virome have not been investigated. In this study, we show longitudinal faecal virome changes in rats administered either monomeric or preformed fibrils (PFF) of a-syn directly into their enteric nervous system. Differential changes in rat viromes were observed when comparing monomeric and PFF a-syn, with alterations compounded by the addition of LPS. Changes in rat faecal viromes were observed after one month and did not resolve within the study's five-month observational period. These results suggest that virome alterations may be reactive to host a-syn changes that are associated with PD development.
2399-3642
10.1038/s42003-021-02666-1
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