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  • SHIP164 is a chorein motif lipid transfer protein that controls endosome-Golgi membrane traffic

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    Cellular membranes differ in protein and lipid composition as well as in the protein-lipid ratio. Thus, progression of membranous organelles along traffic routes requires mechanisms to control bilayer lipid chemistry and their abundance relative to proteins. The recent structural and functional characterization of VPS13-family proteins has suggested a mechanism through which lipids can be transferred in bulk from one membrane to another at membrane contact sites, and thus independently of vesicular traffic. Here, we show that SHIP164 (UHRF1BP1L) shares structural and lipid transfer properties with these proteins and is localized on a subpopulation of vesicle clusters in the early endocytic pathway whose membrane cargo includes the cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (MPR). Loss of SHIP164 disrupts retrograde traffic of these organelles to the Golgi complex. Our findings raise the possibility that bulk transfer of lipids to endocytic membranes may play a role in their traffic.

  • TNF-NF-κB-p53 axis restricts in vivo survival of hPSC-derived dopamine neurons

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    The ASAP-related findings are the DA neuron purification strategy developed (CD49e-/CD184+) developed and validated in this manuscript, which is suitable for PD-iPSC based disease modeling and DA-neuron related CRISPR screens from our consortium.

  • Rapid iPSC inclusionopathy models shed light on formation, consequence, and molecular subtype of α-synuclein inclusions

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    The authors developed an iPSC toolbox utilizing piggyBac-based or targeted transgenes to rapidly induce CNS cells with concomitant expression of aggregation-prone proteins.

  • Targeting the GBA1 pathway to slow Parkinson disease: Insights into clinical aspects, pathogenic mechanisms and new therapeutic avenues

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    The GBA1 gene encodes the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase), which is involved in sphingolipid metabolism. Biallelic variants in GBA1 cause Gaucher disease (GD), a lysosomal storage disorder characterised by loss of GCase activity and aberrant intracellular accumulation of GCase substrates. Carriers of GBA1 variants have an increased risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD), with odds ratio ranging from 2.2 to 30 according to variant severity. GBA1 variants which do not cause GD in homozygosis can also increase PD risk. Patients with PD carrying GBA1 variants show a more rapidly progressive phenotype compared to non-carriers, emphasising the need for disease modifying treatments targeting the GBA1 pathway. Several mechanisms secondary to GCase dysfunction are potentially responsible for the pathological changes leading to PD. Misfolded GCase proteins induce endoplasmic reticulum stress and subsequent unfolded protein response and impair the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. This results in α-synuclein accumulation and spread, and promotes neurodegenerative changes. Preclinical evidence also shows that products of GCase activity can promote accumulation of α-synuclein, however there is no convincing evidence of substrate accumulation in GBA1-PD brains. Altered lipid homeostasis secondary to loss of GCase activity could also contribute to PD pathology. Treatments that target the GBA1 pathway could reverse these pathological processes and halt/slow the progression of PD. These range from augmentation of GCase activity via GBA1 gene therapy, restoration of normal intracellular GCase trafficking via molecular chaperones, and substrate reduction therapy. This review discusses the pathways associated with GBA1-PD and related novel GBA1-targeted interventions for PD treatment.

  • Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 at a glance

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    An overview of current knowledge about LRRK2 function, dysfunction, and links to disease.

  • The Parkinson’s disease protein alpha-synuclein is a modulator of processing bodies and mRNA stability

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    The paper describes the ability of alpha-synuclein to bind to P-bodies, machinery that regulates the expression of our genes through mRNAs. When alpha-synuclein abnormally accumulates, the physiologic structure and functions of the P-body are lost.

  • Combining biomarkers for prognostic modelling of Parkinson’s disease

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    Parkinson's disease progression varies among patients. Predicting progression accurately is crucial for clinical trial selection. Blood biomarkers like serum NfL, along with genetic factors (GBA, APOE) can enhance prediction beyond age and phenotype.

  • Quantitative proteomics reveals the selectivity of ubiquitin-binding autophagy receptors in the turnover of damaged lysosomes by lysophagy

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    The authors used proteomics to develop a quantitative snapshot of the proteins involved in lysophagy. Among the proteins identified, they found that TAX1BP1 and TBK1 are both required for lysophagy.

  • LRRK2 kinase activity regulates GCase level and enzymatic activity differently depending on cell type in Parkinson’s disease

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    Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a kinase involved in different cellular functions, including autophagy, endolysosomal pathways, and immune function. Mutations in LRRK2 cause autosomal-dominant forms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Heterozygous mutations in GBA1, the gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase), are the most common genetic risk factors for PD. Moreover, GCase function is altered in idiopathic PD and in other genetic forms of the disease. Recent work suggests that LRRK2 kinase activity can regulate GCase function. However, both a positive and a negative correlation have been described. To gain insights into the impact of LRRK2 on GCase, we performed a comprehensive analysis of GCase levels and activity in complementary LRRK2 models, including (i) LRRK2 G2019S knock in (GSKI) mice, (ii) peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs), plasma, and fibroblasts from PD patients carrying LRRK2 G2019S mutation, (iii) patient iPSCs-derived neurons; (iv) endogenous and overexpressed cell models. In some of these models we found a positive correlation between the activities of LRRK2 and GCase, which was further confirmed in cell lines with genetic and pharmacological manipulation of LRRK2 kinase activity. GCase protein level is reduced in GSKI brain tissues and in G2019S iPSCs-derived neurons, but increased in fibroblasts and PBMCs from patients, suggesting cell-type-specific effects. Overall, our study indicates that LRRK2 kinase activity affects both the levels and the catalytic activity of GCase in a cell-type-specific manner, with important implications in the context of therapeutic application of LRRK2 inhibitors in GBA1-linked and idiopathic PD.

  • Isotope tracing in health and disease

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    Here, the authors review recent work utilizing metabolic tracing to study health and disease, and highlight its application to interrogate subcellular, intercellular, and in vivo metabolism.

  • PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and Parkin: Unlocking a mitochondrial quality control pathway linked to Parkinson’s disease

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    This review focuses on understanding the PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial quality control pathway through the lens of abherrant immune activation as a driver of dopaminerigic neuron loss following the loss of PINK and Parkin.

  • The lipid flippase ATP10B enables cellular lipid uptake under stress conditions

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    ATP10B mutations are linked to Parkinson's and Lewy body disease. ATP10B acts as a lipid transporter in late endo-/lysosomes, enhancing phosphatidylcholine uptake in cells under stress conditions like rotenone treatment.

  • Pathogenic LRRK2 control of primary cilia and Hedgehog signaling in neurons and astrocytes of mouse brain

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    Pathogenic mutations in LRRK2 can cause loss of primary cilia in neurons. The authors show that cilia loss is seen very early in mice harboring the most common LRRK2 mutation.

  • The non-specific lethal complex regulates genes and pathways genetically linked to Parkinson’s disease

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    Here, the authors sought to identify whether the non-specific lethal complex has potential regulatory relationships with other genes associated with Parkinson's disease in human brain.

  • Localization of PPM1H phosphatase tunes Parkinson’s disease-linked LRRK2 kinase-mediated Rab GTPase phosphorylation and ciliogenesis

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    The data support a model in which localization drives PPM1H substrate selection and centriolar PPM1H is critical for regulation of Rab GTPase-regulated ciliogenesis.

  • Integrating protein networks and machine learning for disease stratification in the Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias

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    The authors used validated human data to create a protein-protein interaction map using causative genes to identify core proteins and processes.

  • Mechanisms underlying ubiquitin-driven selective mitochondrial and bacterial autophagy

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    The authors review efforts to understand the biochemical mechanisms and principles by which cargo are marked with ubiquitin and how ubiquitin-binding cargo receptors use conserved structural modules to recruit autophagosome initiation machinery

  • Whole proteome copy number dataset in primary mouse cortical neurons

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    The authors provide a proteomic reference dataset that has been generated to identify proteins and quantify their level of expression in primary mouse cortical neurons.

  • ALS and FTD-associated missense mutations in TBK1 differentially disrupt mitophagy

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    TBK1 mutations are linked to neurodegenerative disorders. The authors explored TBK1 functions in PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy and how mutations lead to disease.

  • Serine-129 phosphorylation of α-synuclein is an activity-dependent trigger for physiologic protein-protein interactions and synaptic function

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    Phosphorylation of α-synuclein at the serine-129 site (α-syn Ser129P) is an established pathologic hallmark of synucleinopathies and a therapeutic target. In physiologic states, only a fraction of α-syn is phosphorylated at this site, and most studies have focused on the pathologic roles of this post-translational modification. We found that unlike wild-type (WT) α-syn, which is widely expressed throughout the brain, the overall pattern of α-syn Ser129P is restricted, suggesting intrinsic regulation. Surprisingly, preventing Ser129P blocked activity-dependent synaptic attenuation by α-syn—thought to reflect its normal function. Exploring mechanisms, we found that neuronal activity augments Ser129P, which is a trigger for protein-protein interactions that are necessary for mediating α-syn function at the synapse. AlphaFold2-driven modeling and membrane-binding simulations suggest a scenario where Ser129P induces conformational changes that facilitate interactions with binding partners. Our experiments offer a new conceptual platform for investigating the role of Ser129 in synucleinopathies, with implications for drug development.

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Aligning Science Across Parkinson's
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