Metabolic products of certain microorganisms could be involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s, a neurodegenerative disease in which dopamine-producing nerve cells are destroyed, remains partially misunderstood. While genetic changes are known to be a trigger, 90% of Parkinson’s cases do not have a clear genetic origin. Age and environmental factors, such as pesticides and viruses, are also considered possible causes.
Current research suggests that our gut could play a role. Parkinson’s patients have a different gut flora than healthy people. Some metabolic products of these microorganisms could selectively damage dopamine-producing neurones.
A research team led by Anna-Katharina Ückert from the University of Konstanz has analysed a metabolic product of the soil bacterium Streptomyces venezuelae. Although this bacterium does not occur in the human body, its metabolic pathways could be similar to those of microorganisms in us.
The researchers isolated a special metabolic product of this bacterium and identified it as a combination of the substances aerugin and aeruginol. Both substances destroyed human nerve cells in laboratory tests, particularly those that produce dopamine. The toxic effect was also confirmed in living nematodes, which showed Parkinson’s-like symptoms.
This discovery could help to better understand the triggers of Parkinson’s disease. “It is a step towards understanding how our environment and the microbes around us might influence diseases like Parkinson’s,” says Marcel Leist from the University of Konstanz.
However, the research also raises new questions. What other microbial substances could influence neurodegenerative diseases? How do these toxins interact with our neurons? Could this knowledge lead to new treatments?
“Although our study is just the beginning, it is a promising step towards deciphering the molecular causes of Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases”
Thomas Böttcher von der Universität Wien
Further research is needed to clarify these questions.
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References
Sources: University of Vienna LinkedIn, University of Konstanz LinkedIn.
Environment International, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108229
Co-authors: Anna-Katharina Ückert’s LinkedIn, Marcel Leist’s LinkedIn, Thomas Böttcher.