{"id":{"repo_id":"cau-kiel","oai_identifier":"oai:macau.uni-kiel.de:macau_mods_00008082"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cau-kiel/oai:macau.uni-kiel.de:macau_mods_00008082","repository":{"repo_id":"cau-kiel","name":"Christian-Albrechts Universität Kiel","base_url":"https://macau.uni-kiel.de/servlets/OAIDataProvider"},"display":{"title":"Characterization of the Expression and Pathogenicity of Alpha-Synuclein in the Enteric Nervous System","abstract":"Misfolded alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a main neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). α-Syn is expressed not only in brain tissues, but also in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Here, we aimed to reevaluate the localization pattern of α-Syn in the ENS of PD patients and control subjects. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) full-thickness colon resections were used to characterize α-Syn localization pattern in the ENS of control subjects. Additionally, α-Syn localization pattern was assessed by immunohistochemistry in FFPE deep rectal biopsies of PD patients using a conformation-specific α-Syn-antibody and compared to healthy controls. Seeding potential of α-Syn aggregates from rectal biopsies was further analyzed by α-Syn Seeding Aggregation Assays (α-syn-SAA). Characterization of the physiological localization pattern of α-Syn in the ENS confirms that α-Syn is widely detected in enteric neurons within myenteric and submucosal ganglia. While intraganglionic enteric glial cells (EGC) remained α-Syn-negative, α-Syn immunoreactivity was observed in mucosal EGC. This localization pattern remained unchanged in PD patients in comparison to controls. However, α-syn-SAAs confirmed the presence of misfolded α-Syn in FFPE biopsies of PD patients, but not in controls. These results confirm that α-Syn is not only expressed in enteric neurons, but also in mucosal EGC, indicating that this glial subpopulation may contribute to the regulation of α-Syn life-cycle. Unlike immunohistochemistry, α-syn-SAA may be used for the detection of pathological α-Syn in rectal biopsies of PD-patients with a high sensitivity. Development of such methodologies may help to better understand PD pathogenesis along the gut-brain axis in manifest and prodromal stages of PD.","abstract_html":"Misfolded alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a main neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). α-Syn is expressed not only in brain tissues, but also in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Here, we aimed to reevaluate the localization pattern of α-Syn in the ENS of PD patients and control subjects. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) full-thickness colon resections were used to characterize α-Syn localization pattern in the ENS of control subjects. Additionally, α-Syn localization pattern was assessed by immunohistochemistry in FFPE deep rectal biopsies of PD patients using a conformation-specific α-Syn-antibody and compared to healthy controls. Seeding potential of α-Syn aggregates from rectal biopsies was further analyzed by α-Syn Seeding Aggregation Assays (α-syn-SAA). Characterization of the physiological localization pattern of α-Syn in the ENS confirms that α-Syn is widely detected in enteric neurons within myenteric and submucosal ganglia. While intraganglionic enteric glial cells (EGC) remained α-Syn-negative, α-Syn immunoreactivity was observed in mucosal EGC. This localization pattern remained unchanged in PD patients in comparison to controls. However, α-syn-SAAs confirmed the presence of misfolded α-Syn in FFPE biopsies of PD patients, but not in controls. These results confirm that α-Syn is not only expressed in enteric neurons, but also in mucosal EGC, indicating that this glial subpopulation may contribute to the regulation of α-Syn life-cycle. Unlike immunohistochemistry, α-syn-SAA may be used for the detection of pathological α-Syn in rectal biopsies of PD-patients with a high sensitivity. Development of such methodologies may help to better understand PD pathogenesis along the gut-brain axis in manifest and prodromal stages of PD.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kintrup, Carmen"],"institution":"Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel","degree_name":null,"degree_level":"thesis.doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Cossais, François","Wulff, Peer Christian"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-02-23","date_published":"2026-02-23","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:35:31Z","subjects":["alpha-Synuclein","Parkinson’s Disease","enteric nervous system"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://macau.uni-kiel.de/receive/macau_mods_00008082","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"source_url"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Cossais, François","Wulff, Peer Christian"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kintrup, Carmen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Universitätsbibliothek Kiel"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["PhDThesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["thesis.doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["alpha-Synuclein","Parkinson’s Disease","enteric nervous system"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Misfolded alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a main neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). α-Syn is expressed not only in brain tissues, but also in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Here, we aimed to reevaluate the localization pattern of α-Syn in the ENS of PD patients and control subjects. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) full-thickness colon resections were used to characterize α-Syn localization pattern in the ENS of control subjects. Additionally, α-Syn localization pattern was assessed by immunohistochemistry in FFPE deep rectal biopsies of PD patients using a conformation-specific α-Syn-antibody and compared to healthy controls. Seeding potential of α-Syn aggregates from rectal biopsies was further analyzed by α-Syn Seeding Aggregation Assays (α-syn-SAA). Characterization of the physiological localization pattern of α-Syn in the ENS confirms that α-Syn is widely detected in enteric neurons within myenteric and submucosal ganglia. While intraganglionic enteric glial cells (EGC) remained α-Syn-negative, α-Syn immunoreactivity was observed in mucosal EGC. This localization pattern remained unchanged in PD patients in comparison to controls. However, α-syn-SAAs confirmed the presence of misfolded α-Syn in FFPE biopsies of PD patients, but not in controls. These results confirm that α-Syn is not only expressed in enteric neurons, but also in mucosal EGC, indicating that this glial subpopulation may contribute to the regulation of α-Syn life-cycle. Unlike immunohistochemistry, α-syn-SAA may be used for the detection of pathological α-Syn in rectal biopsies of PD-patients with a high sensitivity. Development of such methodologies may help to better understand PD pathogenesis along the gut-brain axis in manifest and prodromal stages of PD."]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Characterization of the Expression and Pathogenicity of Alpha-Synuclein in the Enteric Nervous System"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Cossais, François","Wulff, Peer Christian"],"dc:creator":["Kintrup, Carmen"],"dc:description.abstract":["Misfolded alpha-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a main neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). α-Syn is expressed not only in brain tissues, but also in the enteric nervous system (ENS). Here, we aimed to reevaluate the localization pattern of α-Syn in the ENS of PD patients and control subjects. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) full-thickness colon resections were used to characterize α-Syn localization pattern in the ENS of control subjects. Additionally, α-Syn localization pattern was assessed by immunohistochemistry in FFPE deep rectal biopsies of PD patients using a conformation-specific α-Syn-antibody and compared to healthy controls. Seeding potential of α-Syn aggregates from rectal biopsies was further analyzed by α-Syn Seeding Aggregation Assays (α-syn-SAA). Characterization of the physiological localization pattern of α-Syn in the ENS confirms that α-Syn is widely detected in enteric neurons within myenteric and submucosal ganglia. While intraganglionic enteric glial cells (EGC) remained α-Syn-negative, α-Syn immunoreactivity was observed in mucosal EGC. This localization pattern remained unchanged in PD patients in comparison to controls. However, α-syn-SAAs confirmed the presence of misfolded α-Syn in FFPE biopsies of PD patients, but not in controls. These results confirm that α-Syn is not only expressed in enteric neurons, but also in mucosal EGC, indicating that this glial subpopulation may contribute to the regulation of α-Syn life-cycle. Unlike immunohistochemistry, α-syn-SAA may be used for the detection of pathological α-Syn in rectal biopsies of PD-patients with a high sensitivity. Development of such methodologies may help to better understand PD pathogenesis along the gut-brain axis in manifest and prodromal stages of PD."],"dc:format.medium":["application/pdf"],"dc:publisher":["Universitätsbibliothek Kiel"],"dc:subject":["alpha-Synuclein","Parkinson’s Disease","enteric nervous system"],"dc:title":["Characterization of the Expression and Pathogenicity of Alpha-Synuclein in the Enteric Nervous System"],"dc:type":["PhDThesis"],"thesis:degree_level":["thesis.doctoral"],"thesis:institution_name":["Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:35:31Z"}