G2019S LRRK2 and aging confer susceptibility to proteasome inhibitor-induced neurotoxicity in nigrostriatal dopaminergic system

Qian Xiao, Suosuo Yang, Weidong Le

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

The leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) mutation G2019S is one of the most common genetic causes in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The penetrance of G2019S LRRK2 is incomplete and is age-dependent, therefore, it has been speculated that environmental toxins and aging could contribute to G2019S LRRK2-related PD pathogenesis. To prove this speculation, we performed a longitudinal investigation in mice bearing G2019S LRRK2 mutation. BAC G2019S LRRK2 transgenic (Tg) mice and their wildtype (Wt) littermates were treated with lactacystin, a specific proteasome inhibitor. The susceptibilities of mice to lactacystin-induced nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DAergic) degeneration were evaluated, at 5 and 12 months of age. We found that lactacystin treatment caused a greater decline of striatal DA content in the Tg mice at either 5 or 12 months of age than their age-matched Wt littermates. Moreover, the lactacystin-treated Tg or Wt mice at 12 months of age lose much more nigral tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons than the mice at 5 months of age, indicating an age-associated DAergic neurotoxicity. Additionally, stereotactic injection of lactacystin induced a dramatic increase of activated microglia in substantia nigra of mice at 12 months of age, compared with mice at 5 months of age. In summary, our study suggests that expression of the G2019S mutation in the mouse LRRK2 gene confers an age-associated high susceptibility to proteasome inhibition-induced nigrostriatal DAergic degeneration.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1645-1657
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Neural Transmission
Volume122
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2015

Keywords

  • Aging
  • G2019S mutation
  • Lactacystin
  • Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2
  • Parkinson’s disease

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Biological Psychiatry

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