Analysis of neural subtypes reveals selective mitochondrial dysfunction in dopaminergic neurons from parkin mutants

Studies of the familial Parkinson disease-related proteins PINK1 and Parkin have demonstrated that these factors promote the fragmentation and turnover of mitochondria following treatment of cultured cells with mitochondrial depolarizing agents. Whether PINK1 or Parkin influence mitochondrial quality control under normal physiological conditions in dopaminergic neurons, a principal cell type that degenerates in Parkinson disease, remains unclear. To address this matter, we developed a method to purify and characterize neural subtypes of interest from the adult Drosophila brain. Using this method, we find that dopaminergic neurons from Drosophila parkin mutants accumulate enlarged, depolarized mitochondria, and that genetic perturbations that promote mitochondrial fragmentation and turnover rescue the mitochondrial depolarization and neurodegenerative phenotypes of parkin mutants. In contrast, cholinergic neurons from parkin mutants accumulate enlarged depolarized mitochondria to a lesser extent than dopaminergic neurons, suggesting that a higher rate of mitochondrial damage, or a deficiency in alternative mechanisms to repair or eliminate damaged mitochondria explains the selective vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson disease. Our study validates key tenets of the model that PINK1 and Parkin promote the fragmentation and turnover of depolarized mitochondria in dopaminergic neurons. Moreover, our neural purification method provides a foundation to further explore the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease, and to address other neurobiological questions requiring the analysis of defined neural cell types.     

The PINK1/Parkin pathway regulates mitochondrial morphology

Loss-of-function mutations in the PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) or parkin genes, which encode a mitochondrially localized serine/threonine kinase and a ubiquitin-protein ligase, respectively, result in recessive familial forms of Parkinsonism. Genetic studies in Drosophila indicate that PINK1 acts upstream of Parkin in a common pathway that influences mitochondrial integrity in a subset of tissues, including flight muscle and dopaminergic neurons. The mechanism by which PINK1 and Parkin influence mitochondrial integrity is currently unknown, although mutations in the PINK1 and parkin genes result in enlarged or swollen mitochondria, suggesting a possible regulatory role for the PINK1/Parkin pathway in mitochondrial morphology. To address this hypothesis, we examined the influence of genetic alterations affecting the machinery that governs mitochondrial morphology on the PINK1 and parkin mutant phenotypes. We report that heterozygous loss-of-function mutations of drp1, which encodes a key mitochondrial fission-promoting component, are largely lethal in a PINK1 or parkin mutant background. Conversely, the flight muscle degeneration and mitochondrial morphological alterations that result from mutations in PINK1 and parkin are strongly suppressed by increased drp1 gene dosage and by heterozygous loss-of-function mutations affecting the mitochondrial fusion-promoting factors OPA1 and Mfn2. Finally, we find that an eye phenotype associated with increased PINK1/Parkin pathway activity is suppressed by perturbations that reduce mitochondrial fission and enhanced by perturbations that reduce mitochondrial fusion. Our studies suggest that the PINK1/Parkin pathway promotes mitochondrial fission and that the loss of mitochondrial and tissue integrity in PINK1 and parkin mutants derives from reduced mitochondrial fission.     

Parkin negatively regulates JNK pathway in the dopaminergic neurons of Drosophila

Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, has been found to be responsible for autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism characterized primarily by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons with subsequent defects in movements. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this neuron loss remain elusive. Here, we characterized Drosophila parkin loss-of-function mutants, which exhibit shrinkage of dopaminergic neurons with decreased tyrosine hydroxylase level and impaired locomotion. The behavioral defect of parkin mutant flies was partially restored by administering L-DOPA, and the dopamine level in the brains of parkin mutant flies was highly decreased. Intriguingly, we found that c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is strongly activated in the dopaminergic neurons of parkin mutants and that impaired dopaminergic neuron phenotypes are dependent on the activation of the JNK signaling pathway. In consistent with this, our epistatic analysis and mammalian cell studies showed that Parkin inhibits the JNK signaling pathway in an E3 activity-dependent manner. These results suggest that loss of Parkin function up-regulates the JNK signaling pathway, which may contribute to the vulnerability of dopaminergic neurons in Drosophila parkin mutants and perhaps autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism patients.     

Pink1 regulates mitochondrial dynamics through interaction with the fission/fusion machinery

Mitochondria form dynamic tubular networks that undergo frequent morphological changes through fission and fusion, the imbalance of which can affect cell survival in general and impact synaptic transmission and plasticity in neurons in particular. Some core components of the mitochondrial fission/fusion machinery, including the dynamin-like GTPases Drp1, Mitofusin, Opa1, and the Drp1-interacting protein Fis1, have been identified. How the fission and fusion processes are regulated under normal conditions and the extent to which defects in mitochondrial fission/fusion are involved in various disease conditions are poorly understood. Mitochondrial malfunction tends to cause diseases with brain and skeletal muscle manifestations and has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether abnormal mitochondrial fission or fusion plays a role in PD pathogenesis has not been shown. Here, we show that Pink1, a mitochondria-targeted Ser/Thr kinase linked to familial PD, genetically interacts with the mitochondrial fission/fusion machinery and modulates mitochondrial dynamics. Genetic manipulations that promote mitochondrial fission suppress Drosophila Pink1 mutant phenotypes in indirect flight muscle and dopamine neurons, whereas decreased fission has opposite effects. In Drosophila and mammalian cells, overexpression of Pink1 promotes mitochondrial fission, whereas inhibition of Pink1 leads to excessive fusion. Our genetic interaction results suggest that Fis1 may act in-between Pink1 and Drp1 in controlling mitochondrial fission. These results reveal a cell biological role for Pink1 and establish mitochondrial fission/fusion as a paradigm for PD research. Compounds that modulate mitochondrial fission/fusion could have therapeutic value in PD intervention.     

Mitochondrial pathology and apoptotic muscle degeneration in Drosophila parkin mutants

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Several lines of evidence strongly implicate mitochondrial dysfunction as a major causative factor in PD, although the molecular mechanisms responsible for mitochondrial dysfunction are poorly understood. Recently, loss-of-function mutations in the parkin gene, which encodes a ubiquitin-protein ligase, were found to underlie a familial form of PD known as autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism (AR-JP). To gain insight into the molecular mechanism responsible for selective cell death in AR-JP, we have created a Drosophila model of this disorder. Drosophila parkin null mutants exhibit reduced lifespan, locomotor defects, and male sterility. The locomotor defects derive from apoptotic cell death of muscle subsets, whereas the male sterile phenotype derives from a spermatid individualization defect at a late stage of spermatogenesis. Mitochondrial pathology is the earliest manifestation of muscle degeneration and a prominent characteristic of individualizing spermatids in parkin mutants. These results indicate that the tissue-specific phenotypes observed in Drosophila parkin mutants result from mitochondrial dysfunction and raise the possibility that similar mitochondrial impairment triggers the selective cell loss observed in AR-JP.     

Globular adiponectin protects hepatocytes against intermittent hypoxia-induced injury via Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy induction

Purpose

This study sought to determine the effect of Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy on liver cells exposed to intermittent hypoxia (IH) and the roles of globular adiponectin (gAPN).

Methods

The hepatocyte model of IH was established. Cell apoptosis was assessed using flow cytometry. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) level was determined using JC-1, and mitophagy was assessed using a confocal laser. Mitochondrial injury associated protein levels of bax and bcl-2, and protein levels of Pink1 and Parkin were evaluated via western blotting. We downregulated Parkin expression by transfecting the cells with Parkin siRNA.

Results

Pink1 and Parkin protein levels, mitophagy, and cell apoptosis rate were high, while the MMP level and protein level ratio of bcl-2/bax were low in IH-treated hepatocyte. gAPN upregulated Pink1 and Parkin protein levels, MMP level, protein level ratio of bcl-2/bax, and mitophagy while it reduced the rate of cell apoptosis in IH-treated hepatocytes. Inhibiting Parkin expression significantly reduced mitophagy and increased mitochondrial injury and the rate of hepatocyte apoptosis under IH or IH with gAPN.

Conclusion

gAPN alleviated IH-induced mitochondrial injury and hepatocyte apoptosis by upregulating Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy.

     

Cytoplasmic Pink1 activity protects neurons from dopaminergic neurotoxin MPTP

PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (Pink1) is a recently identified gene linked to a recessive form of familial Parkinson's disease (PD). The kinase contains a mitochondrial localization sequence and is reported to reside, at least in part, in mitochondria. However, neither the manner by which the loss of Pink1 contributes to dopamine neuron loss nor its impact on mitochondrial function and relevance to death is clear. Here, we report that depletion of Pink1 by RNAi increased neuronal toxicity induced by MPP(+). Moreover, wild-type Pink1, but not the G309D mutant linked to familial PD or an engineered kinase-dead mutant K219M, protects neurons against MPTP both in vitro and in vivo. Intriguingly, a mutant that contains a deletion of the putative mitochondrial-targeting motif was targeted to the cytoplasm but still provided protection against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP(+))/1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced toxicity. In addition, we also show that endogenous Pink1 is localized to cytosolic as well as mitochondrial fractions. Thus, our findings indicate that Pink1 plays a functional role in the survival of neurons and that cytoplasmic targets, in addition to its other actions in the mitochondria, may be important for this protective effect.     

Increased glutathione S-transferase activity rescues dopaminergic neuron loss in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease

Loss-of-function mutations of the parkin gene are a major cause of early-onset parkinsonism. To explore the mechanism by which loss of parkin function results in neurodegeneration, we are using a genetic approach in Drosophila. Here, we show that Drosophila parkin mutants display degeneration of a subset of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the brain. The neurodegenerative phenotype of parkin mutants is enhanced by loss-of-function mutations of the glutathione S-transferase S1 (GstS1) gene, which were identified in an unbiased genetic screen for genes that modify parkin phenotypes. Furthermore, overexpression of GstS1 in DA neurons suppresses neurodegeneration in parkin mutants. Given the previous evidence for altered glutathione metabolism and oxidative stress in sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD), these data suggest that the mechanism of DA neuron loss in Drosophila parkin mutants is similar to the mechanisms underlying sporadic PD. Moreover, these findings identify a potential therapeutic approach in treating PD.     

Pink1 regulates the oxidative phosphorylation machinery via mitochondrial fission

Mutations in PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), a mitochondrial Ser/Thr kinase, cause an autosomal recessive form of Parkinson''s disease (PD), PARK6. To investigate the mechanism of PINK1 pathogenesis, we used the Drosophila Pink1 knockout (KO) model. In mitochondria isolated from Pink1-KO flies, mitochondrial respiration driven by the electron transport chain (ETC) is significantly reduced. This reduction is the result of a decrease in ETC complex I and IV enzymatic activity. As a consequence, Pink1-KO flies also display a reduced mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Because mitochondrial dynamics is important for mitochondrial function and Pink1-KO flies have defects in mitochondrial fission, we explored whether fission machinery deficits underlie the bioenergetic defect in Pink1-KO flies. We found that the bioenergetic defects in the Pink1-KO can be ameliorated by expression of Drp1, a key molecule in mitochondrial fission. Further investigation of the ETC complex integrity in wild type, Pink1-KO, PInk1-KO/Drp1 transgenic, or Drp1 transgenic flies indicates that the reduced ETC complex activity is likely derived from a defect in the ETC complex assembly, which can be partially rescued by increasing mitochondrial fission. Taken together, these results suggest a unique pathogenic mechanism of PINK1 PD: The loss of PINK1 impairs mitochondrial fission, which causes defective assembly of the ETC complexes, leading to abnormal bioenergetics.     

PINK1-dependent recruitment of Parkin to mitochondria in mitophagy

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) and PARK2/Parkin mutations cause autosomal recessive forms of Parkinson''s disease. Upon a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ_m) in human cells, cytosolic Parkin has been reported to be recruited to mitochondria, which is followed by a stimulation of mitochondrial autophagy. Here, we show that the relocation of Parkin to mitochondria induced by a collapse of ΔΨ_m relies on PINK1 expression and that overexpression of WT but not of mutated PINK1 causes Parkin translocation to mitochondria, even in cells with normal ΔΨ_m. We also show that once at the mitochondria, Parkin is in close proximity to PINK1, but we find no evidence that Parkin catalyzes PINK1 ubiquitination or that PINK1 phosphorylates Parkin. However, co-overexpression of Parkin and PINK1 collapses the normal tubular mitochondrial network into mitochondrial aggregates and/or large perinuclear clusters, many of which are surrounded by autophagic vacuoles. Our results suggest that Parkin, together with PINK1, modulates mitochondrial trafficking, especially to the perinuclear region, a subcellular area associated with autophagy. Thus by impairing this process, mutations in either Parkin or PINK1 may alter mitochondrial turnover which, in turn, may cause the accumulation of defective mitochondria and, ultimately, neurodegeneration in Parkinson''s disease.     

Dopamine-dependent neurodegeneration in rats induced by viral vector-mediated overexpression of the parkin target protein, CDCrel-1

Mutations in the parkin gene are linked to autosomal-recessive juvenile parkinsonism (AR-JP). Parkin functions as a ubiquitin protein ligase in the degradation of several proteins, including the neuron-specific septin CDCrel-1. AR-JP-associated parkin mutations inhibit ubiquitination and degradation of CDCrel-1 and other parkin target proteins. Here we show that recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated CDCrel-1 gene transfer to the substantia nigra of rats results in a rapid onset (6-10 days) of nigral and striatal CDCrel-1 expression that is followed by a progressive loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons and a decline of the striatal dopamine levels. In contrast, neurons of the globus pallidus are spared from CDCrel-1 toxicity. Furthermore, CDCrel-1 inhibits the release of dopamine from stably-transfected PC12 cells, and pharmacological inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine synthesis in rats prevents CDCrel-1-induced nigral neurodegeneration. These results show that CDCrel-1 overexpression exerts dopamine-dependent neurotoxicity and suggest that inhibition of dopamine secretion by CDCrel-1 may contribute to the development of AR-JP.     

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated interacts with Parkin and induces mitophagy independent of kinase activity. Evidence from mantle cell lymphoma

Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), a critical DNA damage sensor with protein kinase activity, is frequently altered in human cancers including mantle cell lymphoma. Loss of ATM protein is linked to accumulation of nonfunctional mitochondria and defective mitophagy in both murine thymocytes and in ataxia-telangiectasia cells. However, the mechanistic role of ATM kinase in cancer cell mitophagy is unknown. Here, we provide evidence that FCCP-induced mitophagy in mantle cell lymphoma and other cancer cell lines is dependent on ATM but independent of its kinase function. While Granta-519 mantle cell lymphoma cells possess single copy kinase-dead ATM and are resistant to FCCP-induced mitophagy, both Jeko-1 and Mino cells are ATMproficient and induce mitophagy. Stable knockdown of ATM in Jeko-1 and Mino cells conferred resistance to mitophagy and was associated with reduced ATP production, oxygen consumption, and increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. ATM interacts with the E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin in a kinase-independent manner. Knockdown of ATM in HeLa cells resulted in proteasomal degradation of GFP-Parkin which was rescued by the proteasome inhibitor, MG132, suggesting that the ATMParkin interaction is important for Parkin stability. Neither loss of ATM kinase activity in primary B-cell lymphomas nor inhibition of ATM kinase in mantle cell lymphoma, ataxia-telangiectasia and HeLa cell lines mitigated FCCP- or CCCP-induced mitophagy suggesting that ATM kinase activity is dispensable for mitophagy. Malignant B-cell lymphomas without detectable ATM, Parkin, Pink1, and Parkin-Ub^Ser65 phosphorylation were resistant to mitophagy, providing the first molecular evidence of the role of ATM in mitophagy in mantle cell lymphoma and other B-cell lymphomas.     

Drosophila Parkin requires PINK1 for mitochondrial translocation and ubiquitinates Mitofusin

Loss of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin causes early onset Parkinson''s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder of unknown etiology. Parkin has been linked to multiple cellular processes including protein degradation, mitochondrial homeostasis, and autophagy; however, its precise role in pathogenesis is unclear. Recent evidence suggests that Parkin is recruited to damaged mitochondria, possibly affecting mitochondrial fission and/or fusion, to mediate their autophagic turnover. The precise mechanism of recruitment and the ubiquitination target are unclear. Here we show in Drosophila cells that PINK1 is required to recruit Parkin to dysfunctional mitochondria and promote their degradation. Furthermore, PINK1 and Parkin mediate the ubiquitination of the profusion factor Mfn on the outer surface of mitochondria. Loss of Drosophila PINK1 or parkin causes an increase in Mfn abundance in vivo and concomitant elongation of mitochondria. These findings provide a molecular mechanism by which the PINK1/Parkin pathway affects mitochondrial fission/fusion as suggested by previous genetic interaction studies. We hypothesize that Mfn ubiquitination may provide a mechanism by which terminally damaged mitochondria are labeled and sequestered for degradation by autophagy.     

Mitochondrial complex I inhibition is not required for dopaminergic neuron death induced by rotenone, MPP+, or paraquat

Inhibition of mitochondrial complex I is one of the leading hypotheses for dopaminergic neuron death associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). To test this hypothesis genetically, we used a mouse strain lacking functional Ndufs4, a gene encoding a subunit required for complete assembly and function of complex I. Deletion of the Ndufs4 gene abolished complex I activity in midbrain mesencephalic neurons cultured from embryonic day (E) 14 mice, but did not affect the survival of dopaminergic neurons in culture. Although dopaminergic neurons were more sensitive than other neurons in these cultures to cell death induced by rotenone, MPP⁺, or paraquat treatments, the absence of complex I activity did not protect the dopaminergic neurons, as would be expected if these compounds act by inhibiting complex 1. In fact, the dopaminergic neurons were more sensitive to rotenone. These data suggest that dopaminergic neuron death induced by treatment with rotenone, MPP⁺, or paraquat is independent of complex I inhibition.     

From the Cover: Impaired mitochondrial transport and Parkin-independent degeneration of respiratory chain-deficient dopamine neurons in vivo

Mitochondrial dysfunction is heavily implicated in Parkinson disease (PD) as exemplified by the finding of an increased frequency of respiratory chain-deficient dopamine (DA) neurons in affected patients. An inherited form of PD is caused by impaired function of Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase reported to translocate to defective mitochondria in vitro to facilitate their clearance. We have developed a reporter mouse to assess mitochondrial morphology in DA neurons in vivo and show here that respiratory chain deficiency leads to fragmentation of the mitochondrial network and to the formation of large cytoplasmic bodies derived from mitochondria. Surprisingly, the dysfunctional mitochondria do not recruit Parkin in vivo, and neither the clearance of defective mitochondria nor the neurodegeneration phenotype is affected by the absence of Parkin. We also show that anterograde axonal transport of mitochondria is impaired in respiratory chain-deficient DA neurons, leading to a decreased supply of mitochondria to the axonal terminals.     

Parkin overexpression during aging reduces proteotoxicity,alters mitochondrial dynamics,and extends lifespan

Aberrant protein aggregation and mitochondrial dysfunction have each been linked to aging and a number of age-onset neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson disease. Loss-of-function mutations in parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that functions to promote the ubiquitin–proteasome system of protein degradation and also in mitochondrial quality control, have been implicated in heritable forms of Parkinson disease. The question of whether parkin can modulate aging or positively impact longevity, however, has not been addressed. Here, we show that ubiquitous or neuron-specific up-regulation of Parkin, in adult Drosophila melanogaster, increases both mean and maximum lifespan without reducing reproductive output, physical activity, or food intake. Long-lived Parkin-overexpressing flies display an increase in K48-linked polyubiquitin and reduced levels of protein aggregation during aging. Recent evidence suggests that Parkin interacts with the mitochondrial fission/fusion machinery to mediate the turnover of dysfunctional mitochondria. However, the relationships between parkin gene activity, mitochondrial dynamics, and aging have not been explored. We show that the mitochondrial fusion-promoting factor Drosophila Mitofusin, a Parkin substrate, increases in abundance during aging. Parkin overexpression results in reduced Drosophila Mitofusin levels in aging flies, with concomitant changes in mitochondrial morphology and an increase in mitochondrial activity. Together, these findings reveal roles for Parkin in modulating organismal aging and provide insight into the molecular mechanisms linking aging to neurodegeneration.     

Melatonin reduces the neuronal loss, downregulation of dopamine transporter, and upregulation of D2 receptor in rotenone-induced parkinsonian rats

Abstract:  Parkinson's disease (PD) is a movement disorder resulting from nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration. The impairment of mitochondrial function and dopamine synaptic transmission are involved in the pathogenesis of PD. Two mitochondrial inhibitors, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP⁺) and rotenone, have been used to induce dopaminergic neuronal death both in in vitro and in vivo models of PD. Because the uptake of MPP⁺ is mediated by the dopamine transporter (DAT), we used a cell-permeable rotenone-induced PD model to investigate the role of DAT and dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) on dopaminergic neuronal loss. Rotenone subcutaneously infused for 14 days induced PD symptoms in rats, as indicated by reduced spontaneous locomotor activity (hypokinesis), loss of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, a marker enzyme for dopamine neurons) immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra and striatum, obvious α-synuclein accumulation, downregulated DAT protein expression, and upregulated D2R expression. Interestingly, rotenone also caused significant noradrenergic neuronal loss in the locus coeruleus. Melatonin, an antioxidant, prevented nigrostriatal neurodegeneration and α-synuclein aggregation without affecting the rotenone-induced weight loss and hypokinesis. However, rotenone-induced hypokinesis was markedly reversed by the DAT antagonist nomifensine and body weight loss was attenuated by the D2R antagonist sulpiride. In addition, both antagonists significantly prevented the reduction of striatal TH or DAT immunoreactivity but not the loss of nigral TH- and DAT-immunopositive neurons. These results suggested that oxidative stress and DAT downregulation are involved in the rotenone-induced pathogenesis of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration, whereas D2R upregulation may simply represent a compensatory response.     

Dopaminergic degeneration is enhanced by chronic brain hypoperfusion and inhibited by angiotensin receptor blockage

The possible interaction between brain hypoperfusion related to aging and/or vascular disease, vascular parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease, as well as the possible contribution of aging-related chronic brain hypoperfusion in the development or severity of Parkinson’s disease are largely unknown. We used a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion to study the long-term effects of hypoperfusion on dopaminergic neurons and the possible synergistic effects between chronic hypoperfusion and factors that are deleterious to dopaminergic neurons, such as the dopaminergic neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine. Chronic hypoperfusion induced significant loss of dopaminergic neurons and striatal dopaminergic terminals and a reduction in striatal dopamine levels. Furthermore, intrastriatal administration of 6-hydroxydopamine in rats subjected to chronic hypoperfusion induced a significantly greater loss of dopaminergic neurons than in sham-operated control rats. The dopaminergic neuron loss was significantly reduced by oral treatment with angiotensin type 1 receptor antagonist candesartan (3 mg/kg/day). The levels of angiotensin type 2 receptors were lower and the levels of angiotensin type 1 receptors, interleukin-1 β and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity were higher in the substantia nigra of rats subjected to chronic hypoperfusion than in control rats; this was significantly reduced by treatment with candesartan. The results suggest that early treatment of vascular disease should be considered in the treatment of aged Parkinson’s disease patients and Parkinson’s disease patients with cerebrovascular risk factors. The findings also suggest that inhibition of brain renin–angiotensin activity may be useful as a neuroprotective strategy.     

Parkin in cancer: Mitophagy-related/unrelated tasks

Dysfunctional mitochondria may produce excessive reactive oxygen species, thus inducing DNA damage, which may be oncogenic if not repaired. As a major role of the PINK1-Parkin pathway involves selective autophagic clearance of damaged mitochondria via a process termed mitophagy, Parkin-mediated mitophagy may be a tumorsuppressive mechanism. As an alternative mechanism for tumor inhibition beyond mitophagy, Parkin has been reported to have other oncosuppressive functions such as DNA repair, negative regulation of cell proliferation and stimulation of p53 tumor suppressor function. The authors recently reported that acute ethanol-induced mitophagy in hepatocytes was associated with Parkin mitochondrial translocation and colocalization with accumulated 8-OHd G(a marker of DNA damage and mutagenicity). This finding suggests:(1) the possibility of Parkin-mediated repair of damaged mitochondrial DNA in hepatocytes of ethanol-treated rats(ETRs) as an oncosuppressive mechanism; and(2) potential induction of cytoprotective mitophagy in ETR hepatocytes if mitochondrial damage is too severe to be repaired. Below is a summary of the various roles Parkin plays in tumor suppression, which may or may not be related to mitophagy. A proper understanding of the various tasks performed by Parkin in tumorigenesis may help in cancer therapy by allowing the PINK1-Parkin pathway to be targeted.