Shared from parkinsonsnewstoday.com.
Defects in VPS13C, a protein whose dysfunction has been linked to Parkinson’s disease, can prevent cells from repairing damage to their waste disposal systems, a study shows.
VPS13C and other proteins associated with genetic forms of Parkinson’s help repair damaged lysosomes, which are cell components that recycle waste. Without the protein, a key component of the cells’ early response to lysosome damage is compromised and lysosomes become more fragile, potentially contributing to cell damage in Parkinson’s.
“Imagine a fire truck rushing to the scene to minimize damage — this mechanism is part of an emergency system that prevents leakage from a damaged lysosome,” Pietro De Camilli, MD, a neuroscience and cell biology professor at Yale, said in a university press release. “A chronic loss of lysosomal integrity could lead to cell toxicity and ultimately neurodegeneration.”
The study, “The bridge-like lipid transport protein VPS13C/PARK23 mediates ER–lysosome contacts following lysosome damage,” was published in Nature Cell Biology.