Increasing evidence implicates mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD): on average, PD patients have a modest, systemic defect in complex I activity;one causative gene encodes a mitochondrial kinase (PINKi);two other causative genes encode proteins (parkin &DJ-i) that traffic in and out of mitochondria;and systemic inhibition of mitochondria] function accurately reproduces many features of PD. This program brings together 4 established investigators - Tim Greenamyre, Jun Chen, Valerian Kagan and Teresa Hastings - who are each individually interested in the pathogenesis of PD and the roles that mitochondria play in this disorder. Moreover, the director of this program's neuropathology core, Charleen Chu, also has an interest and track record in mitochondria and PD. Greenamyre (Project 1) will study how iron accumulates in PD via a novel pathway mediated by transferrin and a previously unrecognized mitochondrial transferrin receptor (TfR2) that is selectively localized in substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons. Kagan (Project 2) is studying mechanisms and consequences of the interactions of alpha-synuclein with cytochrome c via binding to the mitochondrial anionic phospholipid, cardiolipin. This complex of alphasynuclein-cardiolipin-cytochrome c may prevent apoptosome formation while also promoting oxidative stress via a novel peroxidase activity. Chen (Project 3) will study mechanisms and relevance of HSP27 translocation to mitochondria and the ASKi/JNK apoptotic pathway in PD. Hastings (Project 4) will study the roles of mitochondrial selenoproteins, such as glutathione peroxidase 4 and thioredoxin reductase 2, in neurodegeneration in PD. The individual projects are supported by 2 scientific cores. The Molecular Core (Guodong Cao) will assist each project with design and production of constructs for gene overexpression or gene silencing, generation of transient and stable transfections, and production of viral vectors for in vivo gene transfer. As pathogenic mechanisms are defined in model systems in Projects 1-4, their relevance will be confirmed in postmortem human tissue in collaboration with the Neuropathology Core (Charleen Chu). The overall Program is unified and strengthened by (i) numerous scientific interactions between the projects;(ii) the use of a common set of in vitro and in vivo model systems;and (iii) the scientific cores, which will be used by each project.

Public Health Relevance

As the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, PD affects 1.5 million individuals in the United States. The cause of neurodegeneration in PD is uncertain, but mitochondrial impairment has been strongly implicated. This Program will determine the roles of mitochondrial proteins in causing neurodegeneration, and each project will test novel therapeutic concepts designed to slow or stop the disease process.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Program Projects (P01)
Project #
5P01NS059806-04
Application #
8289687
Study Section
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Initial Review Group (NSD)
Program Officer
Sutherland, Margaret L
Project Start
2009-07-15
Project End
2014-06-30
Budget Start
2012-07-01
Budget End
2013-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$1,265,705
Indirect Cost
$427,371
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Neurology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004514360
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Verma, Manish; Callio, Jason; Otero, P Anthony et al. (2017) Mitochondrial Calcium Dysregulation Contributes to Dendrite Degeneration Mediated by PD/LBD-Associated LRRK2 Mutants. J Neurosci 37:11151-11165
Tapias, Victor; Hu, Xiaoping; Luk, Kelvin C et al. (2017) Synthetic alpha-synuclein fibrils cause mitochondrial impairment and selective dopamine neurodegeneration in part via iNOS-mediated nitric oxide production. Cell Mol Life Sci 74:2851-2874
Di Maio, Roberto; Barrett, Paul J; Hoffman, Eric K et al. (2016) ?-Synuclein binds to TOM20 and inhibits mitochondrial protein import in Parkinson's disease. Sci Transl Med 8:342ra78
Van Laar, Victor S; Berman, Sarah B; Hastings, Teresa G (2016) Mic60/mitofilin overexpression alters mitochondrial dynamics and attenuates vulnerability of dopaminergic cells to dopamine and rotenone. Neurobiol Dis 91:247-61
Hu, Xiaoming; Leak, Rehana K; Shi, Yejie et al. (2015) Microglial and macrophage polarization—new prospects for brain repair. Nat Rev Neurol 11:56-64
Greenamyre, J Timothy; Sanders, Laurie H; Gasser, Thomas (2015) Fruit flies, bile acids, and Parkinson disease: a mitochondrial connection? Neurology 85:838-9
Zharikov, Alevtina D; Cannon, Jason R; Tapias, Victor et al. (2015) shRNA targeting ?-synuclein prevents neurodegeneration in a Parkinson's disease model. J Clin Invest 125:2721-35
Lee, Jang-Won; Tapias, Victor; Di Maio, Roberto et al. (2015) Behavioral, neurochemical, and pathologic alterations in bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic G2019S leucine-rich repeated kinase 2 rats. Neurobiol Aging 36:505-18
Verma, Manish; Steer, Erin K; Chu, Charleen T (2014) ERKed by LRRK2: a cell biological perspective on hereditary and sporadic Parkinson's disease. Biochim Biophys Acta 1842:1273-81
Mohammadyani, Dariush; Tyurin, Vladimir A; O'Brien, Matthew et al. (2014) Molecular speciation and dynamics of oxidized triacylglycerols in lipid droplets: Mass spectrometry and coarse-grained simulations. Free Radic Biol Med 76:53-60

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