Background/aims: Alpha synuclein (αSN) is a widely distributed protein in vertebrates whose physiological significance in many tissues remains unclear, being a key protein present in neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and in Sporadic-Inclusion Body Myositis. We search for αSN in skeletal muscle (SM) and neuronal plasma membrane isolated from brain (BR) from young and old rats.

Methods: In isolated Sarcolemma from SM and from myelin-free neuronal plasma membrane isolated from BR, we determine by Western blot with anti-αSN (2B2D1) and anti-P-αSN (EP1536Y) the αSN membrane distribution, and the SM αSN intra and extracellular localization.

Results: In SM and BR, αSN is present in cytosol (CYT) as monomer and oligomer structures mainly tetramers (TM) and in plasma membranes as oligomers (TM and PM). All αSN oligomers were localized in non-lipid rafts and their distribution was unaffected by cholesterol-depletion with Methyl-β-Cyclodextrin. Membranes with natively high cholesterol content such as Transverse Tubules in SM and myelin in BR, reduce the presence of αSN. Under the same experimental conditions, aged SM and BR plasma membranes show ≈2 folds more αSN. In SM, αSN is extruded without cell damage in young and old rats.

Conclusion: We conclude that oligomeric αSN are regularly present in SM and BR plasma membranes of healthy young and old rats. Interestingly, low-cholesterol content membranes promote αSN interaction. SM, the largest tissue in vertebrate body is a source of αSN and may contribute to the presence of αSN in extracellular fluids.