Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found a potential new target for treating Parkinson’s disease. Their new research reveals how a protein in brain cells may drive Parkinson’s onset-and offers a possible explanation for why Parkinson’s is much more common in men.
In recent years, LJI scientists have found increasing evidence that autoimmunity plays a role in the onset of Parkinson’s disease. Their recent study in The Journal of Clinical Investigation shows that PINK1 appears to mark some brain cells for immune cell attack.
“This research allows us to better understand the role of the immune system in Parkinson’s disease,” says LJI Professor Alessandro Sette, Dr.Biol.Sci., senior author of the recent study.
PINK1 means no harm. The protein actually helps brain cells regulate…