PINK1 and Parkin cooperatively protect neurons against constitutively active TRP channel-induced retinal degeneration in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Calcium has an important role in regulating numerous cellular activities. However, extremely high levels of intracellular calcium can lead to neurotoxicity, a process commonly associated with degenerative diseases. Despite the clear role of calcium cytotoxicity in mediating neuronal cell death in this context, the pathological mechanisms remain controversial. We used a well-established Drosophila model of retinal degeneration, which involves the constitutively active TRP(P365) channels, to study calcium-induced neurotoxicity. We found that the disruption of mitochondrial function was associated with the degenerative process. Further, increasing autophagy flux prevented cell death in Trp(P365) mutant flies, and this depended on the PINK1/Parkin pathway. In addition, the retinal degeneration

SUBMITTER: Huang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4855661 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature