Work

ALDH2 protects against dopaminergic neuronal cell ferroptosis by enhancing the enzyme activity of PRDX6 in Parkinson’s disease

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Emerging evidence suggests that ferroptosis is probably involved in the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD). Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) plays an important role in detoxifying lipid aldehydes derived from lipid peroxidation, a process that is closely linked to ferroptosis. In our study, ALDH2 knockout (KO) mice were more susceptible to the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons and behavioral changes in a PD mouse model. Similar observations were made in a knock-in (KI) mouse model with one of the most common single-nucleotide polymorphisms of ALDH2, rs671. Interestingly, ALDH2 KO or KI mice showed enhanced ferroptosis in the SN. Moreover, expression of ALDH2 modified the sensitivity of SH-SY5Y cells to ferroptosis inducers. Mechanistic studies have shown that ALDH2 regulates neuronal cell ferroptosis by interacting with the antioxidant enzyme peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) to enhance its enzymatic activity, whereas the ALDH2 rs671 variant weakens its binding to PRDX6.

Source: npj Parkinson s Disease

DOI: 10.1038/s41531-025-01155-0