Synaptic, Mitochondrial, and Lysosomal Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease

The discovery of genetic forms of Parkinson's disease (PD) has highlighted the importance of the autophagy/lysosomal and mitochondrial/oxidative stress pathways in disease pathogenesis. However, recently identified PD-linked genes, including DNAJC6 (auxilin), SYNJ1 (synaptojanin 1), and the PD risk gene SH3GL2 (endophilin A1), have also highlighted disruptions in synaptic vesicle endocytosis (SVE) as a significant contributor to disease pathogenesis. Additionally, the roles of other PD genes such as LRRK2, PRKN, and VPS35 in the regulation of SVE are beginning to emerge. Here we discuss the recent work on the contribution of dysfunctional SVE to midbrain dopaminergic neurons’ selective vulnerability and highlight pathways that demonstrate the interplay of synaptic, mitochondrial, and lysosomal dysfunction in the pathogenesis of PD.