Lysosome TMEM175 Potassium Channel Protein and Parkinson’s Disease / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

ABSTRACT

Parkinson’s disease (PD)is a complex neurodegenerative disorder by motor impairments and non-motor symptoms. While dopamine-based therapies are effective in fighting the symptoms in the early stages of the disease‚ a lack of neuroprotective drugs means that the disease continues to progress. New disease modifying therapies and novel therapeutic strategies are in high demand for PD patients. Genetic studies indicated that both rare and common genetic variants could induce the development PD. As a risk candidate gene for Parkinson’s disease‚ TMEM175 encodes a lysosomal potassium channel protein with new structures‚ and the protein plays an important role in maintaining lysosomal membrane potential and pH stability. With the in-depth understanding for its structure and function‚ TMEM175 deficiency results in decreased lysosomal catalytic activity and the pathological aggregation of α-synuclein. In view of the importance of lysosome potassium channel TMEM175‚ it could be an interesting target for the development of drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Herein we review the structure and function TMEM175‚ and focuses on its involvement in the occurrence and development of PD by affecting the function of lysosome as a homeostatic regulator. Future drug screenings based on lysosome TMEM175 may be carried out to maintain the active state or enhance the expression of TMEM175 to improve the condition of PD patients. Further investigations are needed to study how to maintain the balance between the open and closed state of TMEM175 channels to regulate the ion homeostasis of lysosomes. Studies of this ion channel protein will bring new strategies and ideas for the treatment of PD‚ and provide support for establishing the molecular status of TMEM175 in the diagnosis and treatment of PD.