A new study from the University of Queensland in Australia may lead to the development of new treatments for Parkinson's disease, and it has the potential to be used to treat nearly 50 other diseases in the future.
In Parkinson's disease, which affects approximately 8 million people worldwide, vital neurons in the brain malfunction or die.
In this study, researchers from the Institute of Molecular Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland studied a gene mutation that interferes with the transportation of substances in neurons and allows waste products to accumulate, which leads to Parkinson's disease. The relevant research results were published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry on August 26, 2016, with the title of the paper "Parkinson Disease-linked Vps35 R524W Mutation Impairs the Endosomal Association of Retromer and Induces α-Synuclein Aggregation".
Corresponding author of the paper, Rohan Teasdale, associate professor of the Institute of Molecular Biological Sciences at the University of Queensland, said that previous research has shown that retromer (a protein complex responsible for the transportation of biological materials in cells) dysfunction is associated with Parkinson’s disease. But the biological reasons behind it are still unknown.
Teasdale said, “We have identified that the protein Vps35 in the retrograde complex is mutated in some Parkinson’s disease patients (R524W), which causes the transport network in neurons to become crowded.”
"Therefore, it seems to indicate that the protein complexes responsible for the recycling of substances in these neurons cannot reach their normal positions of action, and without their support, these neurons in the brain cannot clear their waste products by themselves. Increase the possibility of cell death."
"This cell death subsequently leads to Parkinson's disease symptoms such as tremor and muscle stiffness."
Teasdale said that the study is still in its early stages, but this discovery has the potential to improve therapies for Parkinson’s disease symptoms rather than the cause.
He said, “As part of this research, we expand the transport network within these neurons to restore the flow of transport, so these neurons may be able to clear waste products by themselves.”
"We believe that expanding the recycling capacity of these neurons may be able to prevent or significantly delay the development of Parkinson's disease."
Teasdale said that the same treatment principles may be applied to nearly 50 other diseases caused by the accumulation of waste products in cells.
These diseases, called lysosomal diseases, affect different parts of the body, such as the bones, brain, skin, heart, and central nerve cells, and are especially common in young children.