Extracellular vesicles mediate the transfer of aggregated α-synuclein.
α-Synuclein aggregates present in the donor neuron interacts with the lipid membranes of EVs which allows its packaging and subsequent release into the extracellular space. Once in the extracellular space, α-synuclein is internalised into the recipient neuronal cells via EVs causing α-synuclein aggregate formation in the recipient neuronal cell due to its prion-like nature. The increased presence of neurotoxic aggregate species induces ER stress, compromised axonal transport, and mitochondrial activity dysfunction.