[Structure and function of DJ-1 and its role in Parkinson's disease]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder mainly due to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Most PD cases are sporadic and only 5%-10% of patients carry mutations with inheritance. Among them, the mutation of DJ-1 is related to the autosomal recessive early-onset parkinsonism. DJ-1, the Parkinson's disease-related protein, plays important roles in different physiopathological processes, including oxidative stress, cell translocation and regulation of transcription and translation. DJ-1 is known to be widely expressed in different areas of brain, including hippocampus, amygdala, substantia nigra and cortical areas. Several researchers have tried to demonstrate the clinical and neuroimaging features of DJ-1 related parkinsonism. The DJ-1 knockout mouse model was established to further explore the mechanisms of different functions. Moreover, the search for different forms of DJ-1 as potential biomarkers of PD also provides guidance for its accurate diagnosis and treatment in the future.