ASAP announces new teams joining the Collaborative Research Network! Learn More
Aligning Science Across Parkinson's Logo Text
Submit site search
  • Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 at a glance

    By on

    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

    By on

    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.

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

    By on

    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.

  • Combining biomarkers for prognostic modelling of Parkinson’s disease

    By on

    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.

  • Isotope tracing in health and disease

    By on

    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.

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

    By on

    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.

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

    By on

    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

    By on

    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

    By on

    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

    By on

    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.

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

    By on

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

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

    By on

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

  • Whole proteome copy number dataset in primary mouse cortical neurons

    By on

    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.

  • Mechanisms underlying ubiquitin-driven selective mitochondrial and bacterial autophagy

    By on

    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

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

    By on

    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.

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

    By on

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

  • PARK15/FBXO7 is dispensable for PINK1/Parkin mitophagy in iNeurons and HeLa cell systems

    By on

    PINK1 and Parkin promote damaged mitochondria removal through Ub phosphorylation, Parkin activation. FBXO7 mutation in PD may not affect mitophagy in HeLa and neuron cells, suggesting it may not play a significant role in Parkin-dependent mitophagy.

  • Protein aggregation and calcium dysregulation are hallmarks of familial Parkinson’s disease in midbrain dopaminergic neurons

    By on

    Mutations in SNCA gene cause PD by forming α-synuclein aggregates. Using hiPSCs, we traced pathophysiological events, revealing early oligomeric aggregate formation, calcium signaling impairments, and multiple cellular stresses leading to cell death.

  • Golgi-IP, a novel tool for multimodal analysis of Golgi molecular content

    By on

    The authors develop a method for the rapid capture of intact Golgi via Golgi immunoprecipitation. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, the approach allows the unbiased characterization of the Golgi proteome, metabolome, and lipidome.

  • Advances in AAV technology for delivering genetically encoded cargo to the nonhuman primate nervous system

    By on

    Modern neuroscience approaches including optogenetics, calcium imaging, and other genetic manipulations have facilitated our ability to dissect specific circuits in rodent models to study their role in neurological disease. These approaches regularly use viral vectors to deliver genetic cargo (e.g., opsins) to specific tissues and genetically-engineered rodents to achieve cell-type specificity. However, the translatability of these rodent models, cross-species validation of identified targets, and translational efficacy of potential therapeutics in larger animal models like nonhuman primates remains difficult due to the lack of efficient primate viral vectors. A refined understanding of the nonhuman primate nervous system promises to deliver insights that can guide the development of treatments for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we outline recent advances in the development of adeno-associated viral vectors for optimized use in nonhuman primates. These tools promise to help open new avenues for study in translational neuroscience and further our understanding of the primate brain.

Load More
Aligning Science Across Parkinson's
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.