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Posttranslational modifications as versatile regulators of parkin function
E Rubio de la Torre1, P Gómez-Suaga, M Martínez-Salvador
1Institute of Parasitology and Biomedicine 'López-Neyra', Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda del Conocimiento s/n, 18100 Armilla (Granada), Spain.
Current Medicinal Chemistry
|May 17, 2011
Summary
Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is crucial for neuronal survival and its activity is regulated by posttranslational modifications. Understanding these modifications may offer new therapeutic strategies for Parkinson's disease (PD).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Parkin is an E3 ubiquitin ligase essential for cellular processes and neuroprotection.
- Loss of parkin function is implicated in inherited and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review how posttranslational modifications regulate parkin's function.
- To explore potential therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease based on parkin regulation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on parkin and posttranslational modifications.
- Analysis of the role of parkin in neuroprotection and Parkinson's disease pathogenesis.
Main Results:
- Posttranslational modifications critically regulate parkin's catalytic activity, solubility, substrate selection, and localization.
- These modifications offer potential pharmacological intervention points for PD.
Conclusions:
- Parkin's multifaceted role in dopaminergic neuron survival is tightly controlled by posttranslational modifications.
- Targeting these modifications could lead to novel strategies for preventing or slowing Parkinson's disease progression.
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