New research project: Gcase discovered as a key to Parkinson's!

New research project: Gcase discovered as a key to Parkinson's!

Erlangen, Deutschland - A research team from the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) and the University Hospital Erlangen (Uker) has made important progress in the study of risk factors for Parkinson's and Gaucher Disease. These findings could have a significant impact on the development of new therapeutic approaches. In Germany, around 400,000 people are currently suffering from Parkinson's, and the number of those affected continues to increase. An outstanding risk factor for the development of Parkinson's disease is the structure of the enzyme gcase, which is in conjunction with the transport protein LIMP-2, such as National Institute of Health was found.

The findings are particularly alarming that a gcase staplication increases the α-synuclein concentration and reinforces the neurotoxicity. Therapeutic strategies aimed at the activity of GCASE could therefore help to reduce the toxic effects of α-synuclein. Some studies show that non-inhibitory small molecules that activate Gcase achieve promising results in reducing α-synuclein in human neurons.

future of therapy approaches

The scientists at the FAU have made the structure of the GCASE/LIMP-2 complex visible using cryo-electron microscopy, a technique that enables protein structures in their natural environment. This technique is crucial for the development of new therapeutic agents, since the binding of GCASE on Limp-2 leads to activating the enzyme. These findings could pave the way for innovative treatment methods for Parkinson's and Gaucher's disease.

The research team pursues the goal of developing new therapeutic agents based on the structure of the transport complex. The data situation from various studies supports the hypothesis that Gcase is one of the largest genetic risk factors for Parkinson's. In an extensive analysis, it has already been found that GBA1 mutations in Parkinson's patients often lead to an earlier start of illness, which underlines the urgency of research in this area, as was highlighted by Nature