Ethanolamine and Phosphatidylethanolamine: Partners in Health and Disease

Figure 4

Model for the aggregation of the PD-associated protein α-synuclein. Low PE generates lipid-induced ER stress and disrupts the synthesis and vesicular trafficking of GPI-APs. The disruption of GPI-APs via low PE or mutations in a GPI anchor gene triggers α-synuclein to form cytoplasmic foci. Similar foci form when the synthesis of ergosterol/cholesterol or sphingolipids is inhibited pharmacologically or via mutation. Ergosterol/cholesterol and sphingolipids make up lipid rafts and GPI-APs partition into lipid rafts. Disrupting GPI-anchor protein synthesis or lipid raft composition results in the formation of α-synuclein foci. Modified from [86].