This Swisch paper tells us a lot about what is still missing in the PD pathogenesis at the mitochondrial level. Very close to what the Kosman papers have told us. Kosman papers are, however, about the effect of ATH434, the most important to us.

Here is the abstract:

Nat Commun

. 2025 Aug 16;16(1):7651.

doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-62895-4.

Alpha-synuclein interacts with regulators of ATP homeostasis in mitochondria

Tetiana Serdiuk ^{# 1}, Yanick Fleischmann ^{# 2}, Dhiman Ghosh ², Aro Delparente ³, Viviane Reber ¹, Larissa Frey ², David Rhyner ², Juan Gerez ², Norbert Volkmar ¹, Lucie Kralickova ¹, Guillaume Mas ⁴, Christian Dörig ¹, Sebastian Hiller ⁴, Roger Schibli ³, Linjing Mu ³, Paola Picotti ⁵, Roland Riek ⁶

Affiliations Expand

• PMID: 40819080

PMCID: PMC12357861 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62895-4

Abstract

Mitochondrial dysfunction and accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates are hallmarks of the neurodegenerative Parkinson's disease and may be interconnected. To investigate the interplay between α-synuclein and brain mitochondria at near atomic structural level, we apply NMR and identify α-synuclein protein interactors using limited proteolysis-coupled mass spectrometry (LiP-MS). Several of the proteins identified are related to ATP synthesis and homeostasis and include subunits of ATP synthase and the adenylate kinase AK2. Furthermore, our data suggest that α-synuclein interacts with the Parkinson's disease-related protein DJ1. NMR analysis demonstrates that both AK2 and DJ1 bind to the C-terminus and other segments of α-synuclein. Using a functional assay for AK2, we show that monomeric α-synuclein has an activating effect, whereas C-terminally truncated α-synuclein and α-synuclein in an amyloid fibrillar state have no significant effect on AK2 activity. Our results suggest that α-synuclein modulates ATP homeostasis in a manner dependent on its conformation and its C-terminal acidic segment.

Here is the paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62895-4