Propofol Attenuates α-Synuclein Aggregation and Neuronal Damage in a Mouse Model of Ischemic Stroke

alpha-Synuclein is a soluble monomer abundant in the central nervous system. Aggregates of alpha-synuclein, consisting of higher-level oligomers and insoluble fibrils, have been observed in many chronic neurological diseases and are implicated in neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration. alpha-Synuclein has recently been shown to aggregate following acute ischemic stroke, exacerbating neuronal damage. Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic that is commonly used during intravascular embolectomy following acute ischemic stroke. While propofol has demonstrated neuroprotective properties following brain injury, the mechanism of protection in the setting of ischemic stroke is unclear. In this study, propofol administration significantly reduced the neurotoxic aggregation of alpha-synuclein, decreased the infarct area, and attenuated the neurological deficits after ischemic stroke in a mouse model. We then demonstrated that the propofol-induced reduction of alpha-synuclein aggregation was associated with increased mammalian target of rapamycin/ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1 signaling pathway activity and reduction of the excessive autophagy occurring after acute ischemic stroke.