A new window into Parkinson’s
A universal feature of Parkinson’s disease is the presence of inclusions, or aggregates of a protein called alpha-synuclein in certain nerve cells in the brain. Dr. Michael Schlossmacher recently co-discovered a key molecular switch called GATA-2 that turns on the production of alpha-synuclein. The discovery opens a unique window into Parkinson’s disease and provides a potential target for developing new therapies. Genetic evidence suggests that reducing alpha-synuclein levels by just 20 to 40 per cent could have a big impact on patients. The Schlossmacher team is now trying to define how the switch works and looking for molecules that may be able to adjust it. The discovery was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.