Title

Capstone Project: “Nanovesicles as ‘Trojan Horses’ in Brain Disorders with a Focus on Multiple System Atrophy”

Creator

Lego, Erika

Abstract

Neurodegenerative disorders along with cardiovascular diseases and cancer are the leading causes of morbidity worldwide characterized by a number of motor and non-motor dysfunctions. α-Synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) are linked to misfolding and aggregation of α-Synuclein (αSyn), a neuronal protein involved in synaptic communication. While PD and DLB feature αSyn aggregates in neurons, MSA is marked by αSyn accumulation in oligodendrocytes. Aggregated αSyn can propagate between cells in a prion-like manner, triggering neuroinflammation and degeneration. Exosomes, small extracellular vesicles released by neurons and glial cells, play a role in spreading αSyn pathology but also hold promise as therapeutic tools. This laboratory-based study investigates the role of brain-derived wild-type and PLP-human αSyn exosomes in MSA, focusing on their impact on neuroinflammation and protein aggregation, and explores their dual role as scavengers and transmitters of pathology and as potential therapeutic agents.

Keywords

pathogenic cargo

neuroinflammation

misfolded threat

Subject

Biomedical Sciences

Date Available

May 22, 2025

Course

BMS 4650 Capstone in Biomedical Sciences

Instructor

Xilouri, Maria

Session

Poster Session

Location

Deree Corridor

Event

Year 2025 | 9th Annual Student Research and Creative Arts Symposium