PINK1/Parkin (PINK1/Parkin)

PINK1 (PTEN-induced kinase 1) is a serine/threonine protein kinase whose activity is affected by mitochondrial membrane potential. PINK1 accumulates on the outer damaged mitochondrial membrane and activates PARKIN through phosphorylation. PARKIN is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that ubiquitinates mitochondrial outer membrane proteins, recruits autophagy-related proteins such as OPTN, NDP52, and initiates mitophagy. PINK1/Parkin regulates mitochondrial homeostasis, selectively removes damaged or redundant mitochondria, thereby maintaining and optimizing the mitochondrial network, regulating the energy metabolism, reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. PINK1/Parkin dysfunction could lead to Parkinson's disease (PD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease (HD), or glaucoma^[1][2].