1. Academic Validation
  2. Molecular mechanisms of α-synuclein and GBA1 in Parkinson's disease

Molecular mechanisms of α-synuclein and GBA1 in Parkinson's disease

  • Cell Tissue Res. 2018 Jul;373(1):51-60. doi: 10.1007/s00441-017-2704-y.
Iva Stojkovska 1 Dimitri Krainc 1 Joseph R Mazzulli 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Ward 12-369, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
  • 2 The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave, Ward 12-369, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. jmazzulli@northwestern.edu.
Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized pathologically by the presence of Lewy bodies comprised of insoluble alpha (α)-synuclein. Pathological, clinical and genetic studies demonstrate that mutations in the GBA1 gene, which encodes the lysosomal Enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase) that is deficient in Gaucher's disease, are important risk factors for the development of PD. The molecular mechanism for the association between these two diseases is not completely understood. We discuss several possible mechanisms that may lead to GBA1-related neuronal death and α-synuclein accumulation including disruptions in lipid metabolism, protein trafficking and impaired protein quality control mechanisms. Elucidating the mechanism between GCase and α-synuclein may provide insight into potential therapeutic pathways for PD and related synucleinopathies.

Keywords

Alpha (α)-synuclein; Glucosylceramide; Lysosomal dysfunction; Neurodegeneration; Protein aggregation.

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