Takeaway
Injection of α-synuclein (α-syn) preformed fibrils (PFFs) induced a synucleinopathy in a non-human primate model, with pathology similar to early Parkinson’s disease (including Lewy bodies and nigrostriatal changes).
Why this matters
Dopamine transporter (DAT) expression was induced by α-syn PFFs, and DAT and α-syn formed a complex together, suggesting that formation of this complex may initiate Parkinson’s disease pathology in dopaminergic neurons, warranting further investigation.