Effects of Calcium Ion Dyshomeostasis and Calcium Ion-Induced Excitotoxicity in Parkinson’s Disease
Calcium ions (Ca<sup>2+</sup>) are vital intracellular messengers that regulate a multitude of neuronal functions, including synaptic transmission, plasticity, exocytosis, and cell survival. Neuronal cell death can occur through a variety of mechanisms, including excitotoxicity, apoptosi...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Molecular Pathology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5261/5/4/37 |
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| Summary: | Calcium ions (Ca<sup>2+</sup>) are vital intracellular messengers that regulate a multitude of neuronal functions, including synaptic transmission, plasticity, exocytosis, and cell survival. Neuronal cell death can occur through a variety of mechanisms, including excitotoxicity, apoptosis, and autophagy. In the context of excitotoxicity, the excessive release of glutamate in the synapses can trigger the activation of postsynaptic receptors. Upon activation, Ca<sup>2+</sup> influx into the cell from the extracellular space via their associated ion channels, most notably L-type Ca<sup>2+</sup> channels. Previous studies have indicated that α-synuclein (α-syn), a typical cytosolic protein, plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is also worth noting that the aggregated form of α-syn has the capacity to affect Ca<sup>2+</sup> homeostasis by altering the function of Ca<sup>2+</sup> regulation. The upregulation of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is closely associated with PD pathogenesis. LRRK2 mutants exhibit a dysregulation of calcium signaling, resulting in dopaminergic neuronal degeneration. It could therefore be proposed that α-syn and LRRK2 play important roles in the mechanisms underlying Ca<sup>2+</sup> dyshomeostasis and excitotoxicity in PD. |
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| ISSN: | 2673-5261 |