Artículos de Revista en Ciencias Médicas · 2025
Protective Efect of the LRRK2 Kinase Inhibition in Human Fibroblasts Bearing the Genetic Variant GBA1 K198E: Implications for Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder for which there are currently no curative therapies. Therefore, the need for innovative treatments for this illness is critical. The glucosylceramidase beta 1 (GBA1) and leucine-rich repeated kinase 2 (LRRK2) genes have been postulated as potential genetically defned drug targets. We report for the frst time that the LRRK2 inhibitor PF-06447475 (PF-475) not only restores GCase enzyme activity, but also increases mitochondrial membrane potential, signifcantly decreases DJ-1 Cys106-SO3, reduces lysosome accumulation, and diminishes cleaved caspase-3 (CC3) in GBA1 K198E fbroblasts. Furthermore, in addition to a signifcant reduction in p-Ser935 LRRK2 kinase, we found that PF-475 reduced p-Thr73 RAB 10 and p-Ser129 α-Syn in mutant skin fbroblasts. In addition, we found that the GCase activator GCA (NCGC00188758) increased GCase activity and decreased lysosomal accumulation, but did not afect p-Ser935 LRRK2, ∆Ψm, p-Ser129 α-Syn, DJ-1 Cys106-SO3, or CC3 in K198E GBA1 fbroblasts. The GCase inhibitor conduritol-β-epoxide (CBE), used as an internal control, signifcantly reduced GCase and left the other pathological markers largely unaltered in GBA1 K198E, but reduced GCase and increased the accumulation of lysosomes only in WT GBA1 fbroblasts. Taken together, these results suggest that LRRK2 is a critical signaling kinase in the pathogenic mechanism associated with the lysosomal GBA1/GCase K198E variant. Our fndings suggest that the use of LRRK2 inhibitors in PD patients with GBA1 mutations, such as K198E, may be efective in reversing GBA1/GCase defciency, autophagy impairment, oxidative stress, and neuronal death.