Feb 1, 2016
• Excess iron is found
in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease, and researchers have nowdiscovered
the mechanism by which the iron wreaks damage on neurons involved in this
incurable neurodegenerative condition that affects motor function
• The damage stems from an impairment in the lysosome, the
organelle that acts as a cellular recycling center for damaged proteins
It has long been known
that excess iron is found in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease,
and researchers have now discovered the mechanism by which the iron wreaks
damage on neurons involved in this incurable neurodegenerative condition that
affects motor function.
The damage stems from an impairment in the lysosome, the
organelle that acts as a cellular recycling center for damaged proteins, the
study said.
This impairment allows excess iron to escape into the neurons
where it causes toxic oxidative stress, the researchers explained.
"It's recently been
realised that one of the most important functions of the lysosome is to store
iron in a place in the cell where it is not accessible to participate in toxic
oxidative stress-producing reactions," said Julie Andersen from Buck Institute
for Research on Aging in California, US.
"Now we have demonstrated that a mutation in a lysosomal
gene results in the toxic release of iron into the cell resulting in neuronal
cell death," Andersen noted.
The research was published online in The Journal of
Neuroscience.
The work involved a mutation in a gene (ATP13A2) associated with
a rare form of Parkinson's disease called Kufor-Rakeb syndrome.
When researchers knocked out the gene, the lysosome was unable
to maintain the balance of iron within the cell.
The study could provide researchers specific target to
selectively impact iron toxicity within the affected neurons.
http://health.einnews.com/article/309303484/J4yFbYlVCvjqFx2L
See in my blog:
The connection between excess iron and Parkinson's disease dated
Jan. 26, 2016 for more information on this subject.
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