Exploring the Role of Faulty Protein Degradation as a Cause of Parkinson’s Disease

Study Rationale: For the brain to work efficiently, its cells have systems to clear out old proteins that are no longer needed or functional. When these protein-clearing systems fail, old proteins accumulate and can interfere with healthy brain activity, leading to neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). One of these systems involves tagging unusable or dysfunctional proteins with a molecule called ubiquitin, which marks them for degradation by a structure called the proteasome. In this study, we will use these tagged proteins as a biomarker to evaluate the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in individuals with PD. 

Hypothesis: We hypothesize that variations in biomarkers that indicate the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system can be used to monitor the onset of disease and aid in the diagnosis of PD.  

Study Design: LifeSensors has developed a technology that enables enrichment of ubiquitin-tagged proteins to be used as unique and sensitive biomarkers. Using this technique, we have tested serum samples from individuals with PD and healthy volunteers to compare the levels of “tagged” proteins. By removing proteins like albumin and immunoglobulins, which are found at high levels in healthy individuals, we were able to successfully identify and isolate several proteins that could eventually be classified as biomarkers. 

Impact on Diagnosis/Treatment of Parkinson’s disease: We are hopeful that identification of a small panel of unique protein biomarkers will lead to early diagnosis of, and potentially preventative treatment for, PD before the onset of symptoms. 

Next Steps for Development: If our study is successful, we can develop our panel of biomarkers into a rapid, blood-based diagnostic test to evaluate PD risk. Currently LifeSensors is developing tools to make these technologies available to other labs to accelerate the establishment of accurate diagnostics.