The synucleins, including α-synuclein (also designated NACP for nonamyloid component precursor), β-synuclein (also designated PNP 14 for phospho-neuroprotein 14) and γ-synuclein (also designated persyn or BCSG1 for breast cancer-specific gene 1) are presynaptic proteins abundant in neurons. Synucleins are predominantly expressed in the brain and are speculated to be involved in synaptic regulation and neuronal plasticity. α-Synuclein, identified as a component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid plaques, is localized to neuronal cell bodies and synapses. Coordinate expression of α-synuclein and β-synuclein may be important during hematopoetic cell differentiation. A mutant form of α-synuclein is found in patients with early onset Parkinson's disease. γ-Synuclein is associated with axonal pathology in Parkinson's disease.
