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Is X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 a new target for the treatment of Parkinson's disease

Teng Xie1, Jie Zhang1, Xianhou Yuan1

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China.

Neural Regeneration Research
|September 11, 2014
PubMed

Insights

X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) may protect against Parkinson's disease. Overexpressing MECP2 reduced cell death and increased key protein levels in a Parkinson's disease cell model.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Genetics
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Mutations in X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) can mimic Parkinson's disease symptoms.
  • The precise role of MECP2 in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of MECP2 in a cellular model of Parkinson's disease.
  • To determine if MECP2 can protect against neurotoxicity relevant to PD.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced injury model in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.
  • Assessed the impact of 6-OHDA on MECP2 and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein levels.
  • Examined the effects of MECP2 overexpression on 6-OHDA-induced cell death and TH levels.

Main Results:

  • 6-OHDA treatment reduced MECP2 and TH protein levels and induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells.
  • Overexpression of MECP2 significantly reduced 6-OHDA-induced apoptosis.
  • MECP2 overexpression increased TH levels in the presence of 6-OHDA.

Conclusions:

  • MECP2 plays a protective role against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in a cellular PD model.
  • MECP2 may be a potential therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease treatment.
Keywords:
6-hydroxydopamineParkinson's diseaseSH-SY5Y cellsdopaminergic neuronsgrants-supported papermethyl-CpG-binding protein 2neural regenerationneurodegenerative diseasesneuroregenerationtyrosine hydroxylase

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