NADPH oxidase 2 activity in Parkinson's disease
Matthew T Keeney1, Eric K Hoffman2, Kyle Farmer2
1Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Neurobiology of Disease
|May 16, 2022
Summary
Neuronal NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) activation drives Parkinson's disease pathology, including alpha-synuclein modification and mitochondrial dysfunction. Specific NOX2 inhibitors show promise for treating this neurodegenerative disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Pathology
Background:
- Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are key in Parkinson's disease (PD).
- NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) activation by superoxide is implicated, but neuronal NOX2's role is unclear.
- Existing NOX2 inhibitors lack specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of neuronal NOX2 in PD pathogenesis.
- To develop and validate a specific assay for NOX2 activity.
- To evaluate the therapeutic potential of specific NOX2 inhibitors in PD.
Main Methods:
- Developed and validated a proximity ligation assay for NOX2 activity.
- Assessed NOX2 activity in human PD samples and animal models (acute, sub-acute, chronic).
- Utilized in vitro neuronal cultures and in vivo rat models with a specific NOX2 inhibitor.
Main Results:
- Neuronal and microglial NOX2 are active in chronic PD models; neuronal NOX2 is active in early PD models.
- NOX2 activity causes oxidative modifications of alpha-synuclein and impairs mitochondrial protein import.
- A specific NOX2 inhibitor blocked neuronal NOX2 activation and downstream effects, including LRRK2 activation, in rats.
Conclusions:
- Neuronal NOX2 plays a critical role in early and progressive PD.
- NOX2 contributes to oxidative damage, alpha-synuclein pathology, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
- Targeting NOX2 with specific inhibitors offers a potential disease-modifying therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease.
Related Concept Videos
Parkinson's Disease: Treatment
399
Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), involve the gradual and irreversible destruction of neurons in particular brain areas. These disorders exhibit standard features like proteinopathies, selective vulnerability of some neurons, and an interaction of intrinsic properties, genetics, and environmental influences in neural injury.
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of...
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of...
399
Parkinson's Disease: Overview
738
Neurodegenerative disorders are progressive diseases that cause irreversible damage and loss to neurons in specific brain areas. Examples of these disorders include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These disorders share characteristics such as proteinopathies, selective neuronal vulnerability, and a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The primary therapeutic goal for these conditions is...
738
Neural Regulation
40.4K
Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
40.4K
Role of Reduced Coenzymes NADH and FADH₂
12.9K
The energy released from the breakdown of the chemical bonds within nutrients can be stored either through the reduction of electron carriers or in the bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). In living systems, a small class of compounds functions as mobile electron carriers, molecules that bind to and shuttle high-energy electrons between compounds in pathways. The principal electron carriers that will be considered originate from the B vitamin group and are derivatives of nucleotides; they are...
12.9K


