Author: Yang Weili

Publisher: Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Central Nervous Regeneration Research Institute  

Date: October 22, 2024

On October 15, 2024, the Yang Weili/Li Shihua/Li Xiaojiang team from the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Central Nervous Regeneration Research Institute at Jinan University published a groundbreaking research paper titled Deficiency of Parkin causes neurogenesis and accumulation of pathological alpha-synuclein in monkey models in the prestigious journal Journal of Clinical Investigation.

 Study Overview

This study investigates a novel pathological mechanism underlying Parkinson's disease (PD) using a monkey model, providing new insights into the disease's progression. 

 Key Findings

The research highlights that a deficiency in Parkin, a protein essential for the regulation of protein degradation and mitochondrial maintenance, leads to significant neurogenesis and the accumulation of pathological alpha-synuclein in the brains of monkey models. This accumulation is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease and is linked to neurodegenerative processes.

The findings suggest that the disruption of Parkin functionality may not only contribute to neuronal loss but could also stimulate unwanted neurogenesis, which complicates the disease pathology. Understanding this mechanism opens new avenues for potential therapeutic strategies aimed at addressing both the loss of neurons and the aberrant accumulation of proteins in Parkinson's disease.

 Contributions and Support

The research was spearheaded by doctoral students Han Rui, Wang Qi, Xiong Xin, and Chen Xiusheng, who are co-first authors of the study. Researcher Yang Weili, alongside Professors Li Shihua and Li Xiaojiang, serves as co-corresponding authors. The study received robust support from various organizations, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Field Research and Development Project, Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology Project, Guangdong Provincial Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund, and Jinan University.

For further reading, the full paper is available [here] (https://www.jci.org/articles/view/179633). Additional coverage of the research can be found in the Bioart academic media report [here] (https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/vGHHbLTNL_Hbftz3RnfK9A).