Alteration of endosomal trafficking is associated with neurodegenerative diseases

Il 15/06/2018 ore 14.30 - 15.30

Sala Conferenze Cnr Area della Ricerca Na1, Via P. Castellino, 111 80131 Napoli

Simona Palladino from the Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies,‘Federico II’ University of Naples, CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, will give a seminar on the topic regarding membrane trafficking in health and diseases. Homeostasis of eukaryotic cells is largely dependent on the dynamic compartmentalization of the endo-membrane system, which is designed so that cellular compartments can exchange materials and undergo dramatic morphological changes in order to meet the demands of metabolism, growth, and environment. In particular, the endosomal system, at crossroads of distinct intracellular pathways, has emerging as key player in the sorting of molecules throughout the cell, suggesting that its dysfunction might be crucial for cell viability. With respect to other cell types, nervous system is more sensitive to alterations of membrane trafficking. Several genes responsible for hereditary forms of Parkinson’s disease are implicated in distinct steps of the endolysosomal pathway. However, the nature and the degree of endocytic membrane trafficking impairment in early-onset parkinsonism remain elusive.

Palladino's team has recently highlighted defective cellular pathways in an autosomal recessive early-onset parkinsonism (PARK20), due to a mutation in the phosphoinositide phosphatase Synaptojanin 1 (Synj1). They showed that Synj1 plays a crucial role in regulating the homeostasis and functions of early endosomal compartments in different cell types. Alterations of these compartments and trafficking defects occur in fibroblasts of PARK20 patients.

Overall, their data strengthen the link between endosomal trafficking and Parkinson’s disease.

Organizzato da:
Cnr-Ibp

Referente organizzativo:
Carmen Valente
Cnr - Istituto di biochimica delle proteine
Via P. Castellino, 111 80131 Napoli
c.valente@ibp.cnr.it
081/6132225

Modalità di accesso: ingresso libero