Progress of immunotherapy of anti-α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease

Many neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive loss of neurons and abnormal protein accumulation, including amyloid (A)beta and tau in Alzheimer's disease and Lewy bodies and alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent evidence suggests that adaptive immunity plays an important role in PD, and that anti-alpha-syn antibodies can be used as therapy in neurodegenerative diseases; monoclonal antibodies were shown to inhibit a-syn propagation and aggregation in PD models and patients. In this review, we summarize the different pathological states of alpha-syn, including gene mutations, truncation, phosphorylation, and the high molecular weight form, and describe the specific antibodies that recognize the alpha-syn monomer or oligomer, some of which have been tested in clinic trials. We also discuss future research directions and potential targets in PD therapy.