scholarly journals Dietary Macronutrient Management to Treat Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 1850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rijan Bajracharya ◽  
Neil A. Youngson ◽  
J. William O. Ballard
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Mitochondrial Function ◽  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism ◽  
Low Protein ◽  
Drosophila Model

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been demonstrated to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The products of several PD-associated genes, including alpha-synuclein, parkin, pink1, protein deglycase DJ-1, and leucine rich repeat kinase 2, have important roles in mitochondrial biology. Thus, modifying mitochondrial function could be a potential therapeutic strategy for PD. Dietary management can alter mitochondrial function as shifts in dietary macronutrients and their ratios in food can alter mitochondrial energy metabolism, morphology and dynamics. Our studies have established that a low protein to carbohydrate (P:C) ratio can increase lifespan, motor ability and mitochondrial function in a parkin mutant Drosophila model of PD. In this review, we describe mitochondrial dysfunction in PD patients and models, and dietary macronutrient management strategies to reverse it. We focus on the effects of protein, carbohydrate, fatty acids, and their dietary ratios. In addition, we propose potential mechanisms that can improve mitochondrial function and thus reverse or delay the onset of PD.

scholarly journals Clearing Extracellular Alpha-Synuclein from Cerebrospinal Fluid: A New Therapeutic Strategy in Parkinson’s Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Menéndez-González ◽  
Huber Padilla-Zambrano ◽  
Cristina Tomás-Zapico ◽  
Benjamin García
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Alpha Synuclein

scholarly journals Mitochondrial Dysfunction: The Road to Alpha-Synuclein Oligomerization in PD

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Esteves ◽  
D. M. Arduíno ◽  
D. F. F. Silva ◽  
C. R. Oliveira ◽  
S. M. Cardoso
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Neuronal Cell ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Microtubule Network ◽  
The Road ◽  
Species Production ◽  
Alpha Synuclein Aggregation

While the etiology of Parkinson's disease remains largely elusive, there is accumulating evidence suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs prior to the onset of symptoms in Parkinson's disease. Mitochondria are remarkably primed to play a vital role in neuronal cell survival since they are key regulators of energy metabolism (as ATP producers), of intracellular calcium homeostasis, of NAD+/NADH ratio, and of endogenous reactive oxygen species production and programmed cell death. In this paper, we focus on mitochondrial dysfunction-mediated alpha-synuclein aggregation. We highlight some of the findings that provide proof of evidence for a mitochondrial metabolism control in Parkinson's disease, namely, mitochondrial regulation of microtubule-dependent cellular traffic and autophagic lysosomal pathway. The knowledge that microtubule alterations may lead to autophagic deficiency and may compromise the cellular degradation mechanisms that culminate in the progressive accumulation of aberrant protein aggregates shields new insights to the way we address Parkinson's disease. In line with this knowledge, an innovative window for new therapeutic strategies aimed to restore microtubule network may be unlocked.

scholarly journals Cytotoxicity and Mitochondrial Dysregulation Caused by α-Synuclein in Dictyostelium discoideum

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjanie Fernando ◽  
Claire Y. Allan ◽  
Katelyn Mroczek ◽  
Xavier Pearce ◽  
Oana Sanislav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Dictyostelium Discoideum ◽  
Mitochondrial Function ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Lewy Bodies ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Cell Cortex ◽  
Mutant Proteins ◽  
C Terminus

Alpha synuclein has been linked to both sporadic and familial forms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and is the most abundant protein in Lewy bodies a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. The function of this protein and the molecular mechanisms underlying its toxicity are still unclear, but many studies have suggested that the mechanism of α-synuclein toxicity involves alterations to mitochondrial function. Here we expressed human α-synuclein and two PD-causing α-synuclein mutant proteins (with a point mutation, A53T, and a C-terminal 20 amino acid truncation) in the eukaryotic model Dictyostelium discoideum. Mitochondrial disease has been well studied in D. discoideum and, unlike in mammals, mitochondrial dysfunction results in a clear set of defective phenotypes. These defective phenotypes are caused by the chronic hyperactivation of the cellular energy sensor, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Expression of α-synuclein wild type and mutant forms was toxic to the cells and mitochondrial function was dysregulated. Some but not all of the defective phenotypes could be rescued by down regulation of AMPK revealing both AMPK-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Importantly, we also show that the C-terminus of α-synuclein is required and sufficient for the localisation of the protein to the cell cortex in D. discoideum.

scholarly journals Exogenous Alpha-Synuclein Evoked Parkin Downregulation Promotes Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Neuronal Cells. Implications for Parkinson’s Disease Pathology

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Wilkaniec ◽  
Anna M. Lenkiewicz ◽  
Lidia Babiec ◽  
Emilia Murawska ◽  
Henryk M. Jęśko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Mitochondrial Fission ◽  
Alpha Synuclein ◽  
Post Translational Modifications ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Mitochondrial Homeostasis ◽  
Mitochondrial Superoxide ◽  
Mitochondrial Biosynthesis

Aberrant secretion and accumulation of α-synuclein (α-Syn) as well as the loss of parkin function are associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Our previous study suggested a functional interaction between those two proteins, showing that the extracellular α-Syn evoked post-translational modifications of parkin, leading to its autoubiquitination and degradation. While parkin plays an important role in mitochondrial biogenesis and turnover, including mitochondrial fission/fusion as well as mitophagy, the involvement of parkin deregulation in α-Syn-induced mitochondrial damage is largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that treatment with exogenous α-Syn triggers mitochondrial dysfunction, reflected by the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, elevated synthesis of the mitochondrial superoxide anion, and a decrease in cellular ATP level. At the same time, we observed a protective effect of parkin overexpression on α-Syn-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. α-Syn-dependent disturbances of mitophagy were also shown to be directly related to reduced parkin levels in mitochondria and decreased ubiquitination of mitochondrial proteins. Also, α-Syn impaired mitochondrial biosynthesis due to the parkin-dependent reduction of PGC-1α protein levels. Finally, loss of parkin function as a result of α-Syn treatment induced an overall breakdown of mitochondrial homeostasis that led to the accumulation of abnormal mitochondria. These findings may thus provide the first compelling evidence for the direct association of α-Syn-mediated parkin depletion to impaired mitochondrial function in PD. We suggest that improvement of parkin function may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent mitochondrial impairment and neurodegeneration in PD (thereby slowing the progression of the disease).

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