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Final Congress Guide

Biomedical Sciences

100 Section - Exercise Intervention Ameliorates Neuroinflammation of Parkinson's Disease by Promoting the drainage of alpha-Synuclein Aggregates through Meningeal Lymphatic Vessels

Wednesday, May 20, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

    Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

  • YZ

    Yunjiao Zhou, PhD

    assistant research fellow
    Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), tongji university
    Shanghai, Shanghai, China (People's Republic)

    • Co-Author/Coautor(s)

  • RL

    Ruoyu Li, BS

    doctoral candidate
    tongji university
    Shanghai, Shanghai, China (People's Republic)

  • JZ

    Jin-Bao Zhang, PhD

    post-doc
    Tongji University
    Shanghai, Shanghai, China (People's Republic)

  • YS

    Yunping Song, PhD

    assistant research fellow
    Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), tongji university
    Shanghai, Shanghai, China (People's Republic)

    • Corresponding Author/Autor a quien dirigir la corr(s)

  • LJ

    Lingjing Jin, PhD

    president
    Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center)
    shanghai, Shanghai, China (People's Republic)

Objectives : Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most commonly neurodegenerative disease, lacks effective means to delay its progression. Neuroinflammation is implicated in PD pathogenesis. Our previous research confirmed that physical exercise can ameliorate it. However, the underlying mechanism requires investigation to optimize clinical interventions and explore potential therapeutic targets.

Design: Eight-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were used to establish the PD mouse model via intrastriatal injection of alpha-synuclein preformed fibrils (α-syn PFF), with controls receiving saline. Six months post-injection, 12-week exercise training was initiated. Motor functions were assessed using open field test, pole test, and rotarod test. The number of dopaminergic neurons and neurite projections in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and striatum were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to detect phosphorylated α-syn (pS129) and activated microglia in the motor cortex and striatum. To evaluate meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs) drainage of α-syn aggregates, fluorescently labeled α-syn PFF was injected into the cerebellomedullary cistern and two-photon imaging recorded fluorescence draining into deep cervical lymph nodes (dCLNs).

Results: Exercise intervention reduced central α-syn aggregates and improved motor activity. It also mitigated dopaminergic neurons loss in the SNc and enhanced dopaminergic fiber projections in the striatum. This indicates that exercise promoted α-syn aggregates clearance and ameliorated PD neuropathology.
Since mLVs drainage is a key pathway for clearing central toxic proteins and dCLNs are one of the important sites to respond the central antigens. Two-photon imaging showed exercise enhanced the fluorescent signal of α-syn PFF from mLVs to dCLNs. Additionally, the number of activated microglia decreased in striatum. This suggests that exercise may ameliorate neuroinflammation of PD by promoting α-syn aggregates drainage through mLVs.


Conclusion: This study elucidates that exercise intervention promotes mLVs drainage of α-syn aggregates, which is critical for ameliorating PD neuroinflammation. It also provides potential targets for PD treatment.