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<p class="publishdate"><span property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2014-04-28T00:00:00-04:00" class="date-display-single">April 28, 2014</span></p><div class='syndicate'><h1>Insights into Mutations That Cause Parkinsons Disease</h1><div class="media-float-right"><div class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-floated_media clearfix">
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</div><p>Researchers determined how an abnormal gene begins the process that leads to neuron death and Parkinsons disease. The finding hints at potential new therapies for the movement disorder.</p>
<p>Parkinsons disease is a degenerative disorder that destroys neurons in the brain. The loss of neurons leads to movement difficulties that include trembling of the hands, arms, legs, jaw, or head; slowed movements; muscle stiffness; and impaired balance. Medications or surgery can often improve symptoms, but currently theres no cure.</p>
<p>While the exact causes of Parkinsons disease arent known, scientists have identified several genes that are linked to the disorder. Misspellings in one gene, <em>LRRK2 </em>are the most common genetic cause of the disease. <em>LRRK2 </em>mutations have been implicated in about 10% of inherited forms of Parkinsons and in about 4% of patients with no family history of the disease. The most common <em>LRRK2</em> mutation, called G2019S, is thought to be the cause of 30-40% of Parkinsons cases in people of North African Arabic descent.</p>
<p>A team led by Drs. Ted Dawson and Valina Dawson at the Johns Hopkins University set out to learn why mutations in the<em> LRRK2</em> gene might lead to Parkinsons disease. Their study was funded in part by NIHs National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Results appeared online on April 10, 2014, in <em>Cell</em>.</p>
<p>LRRK2 is an enzyme that attaches chemical tags, known as phosphate groups, to proteins. To determine exactly what proteins are tagged by LRRK2, the team used it as bait to fish out the proteins. They discovered that LRRK2 attaches phosphate groups to many ribosomal proteins, including one called s15. Ribosomes are the complex molecular machines that manufacture proteins for the cell.</p>
<p>The group found that rat and human neurons with a mutated form of <em>LRRK2</em> had increased tagging of the ribosomal protein s15, and more of these nerve cells died. When s15 was altered so it couldnt be tagged by LRRK2, less cell death occurred, demonstrating a connection between the tagging and cell death. The group also found that 4 brain tissue samples from patients with <em>LRRK2</em> mutations had greater levels of phosphorylated s15 than healthy controls.</p>
<p>To better understand the molecular mechanisms at work, the team turned to a fruit fly model of Parkinsons disease. They found that the brains of flies expressing mutant human LRRK2 had abnormally high protein levels, showing that increased s15 tagging caused ribosomes to make too much protein. Treating flies with a drug that blocked protein production prevented nerve cell damage and restored the flies movement—even though levels of s15 phosphorylation remained high. Altered s15 that couldnt be tagged by LRRK2 prevented cell damage and restored normal movement to flies.</p>
<p>These findings suggest that misspellings in the <em>LRRK2 </em>gene may lead to Parkinsons disease by abnormally increasing protein synthesis in neurons.</p>
<p>“This may be a major discovery for Parkinsons disease patients,” Ted Dawson says. “Our results support the idea that changes in the way cells make proteins might be a common cause of Parkinsons disease and possibly other neurodegenerative disorders.” The team next plans to determine how excess protein production might cause neurons to degenerate.</p>
</div><h2 class="label-above">Related Links</h2><ul class="spaced print-urls"><li><a href="http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/parkinsons_disease.htm" target="_top">Parkinson's Disease</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/study-reveals-new-targets-parkinsons-disease" target="_top">Study Reveals New Targets for Parkinson's Disease</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/altered-protein-shapes-may-explain-brain-diseases" target="_top">Altered Protein Shapes May Explain Brain Diseases</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/skin-cells-yield-clues-parkinsons-disease" target="_top">Skin Cells Yield Clues to Parkinsons Disease</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/tai-chi-increases-balance-parkinsons-patients" target="_top">Tai Chi Increases Balance in Parkinsons Patients</a></li></ul><p class="footnote"><strong class="label-inline">References:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24725412"> Ribosomal Protein s15 Phosphorylation Mediates LRRK2 Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's Disease.</a> Martin I, Kim JW, Lee BD, Kang HC, Xu JC, Jia H, Stankowski J, Kim MS, Zhong J, Kumar M, Andrabi SA, Xiong Y, Dickson DW, Wszolek ZK, Pandey A, Dawson TM, Dawson VL. <em>Cell</em>. 2014 Apr 10;157(2):472-85. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.01.064. PMID: 24725412.</p><p class="footnote"><strong class="label-inline">Funding:&nbsp;</strong>NIHs National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS); JPB Foundation; Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund; New York Stem Cell Foundation; Adrienne Helis Malvin Medical Research Foundation; Diana Helis Henry Medical Research Foundation; and Merck KGAA.</p>
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