Research conducted by scientists from the Faculty of Medicine at Fujita Health University in Japan revealed a defect in the body’s energy production and recycling system in Parkinson’s patients.
The study suggests that by focusing on the energy production and recycling system of one of the body’s compounds, scientists can develop new treatments that not only slow the progression of the disease, but also improve patients’ quality of life.
Researchers discovered a defect in the recycling of the molecule responsible for energy production in cells, known as “adenosine triphosphate” (ATP).
Purine and Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, and its progressive nature and effects on motor function have long puzzled scientists. For several years, scientists have observed low uric acid levels in his patients.
Uric acid is known for its antioxidant properties, and was initially thought to have a direct role in reducing oxidative stress in the brain. But the new study, published in the journal “npj Parkinson’s Disease” on September 9, 2024, revealed that the situation is more complex than we think.
Uric acid is produced through a metabolic pathway known as the purine pathway. The energy molecule adenosine triphosphate is broken down into adenosine diphosphate and adenosine monophosphate. Uric acid production then begins by hydrolyzing adenosine monophosphate, a purine-containing compound, to give inosine. Inosine, in turn, is hydrolyzed to give hypoxanthine, after which hypoxanthine is converted to xanthine. Xanthine undergoes further transformations until it becomes the uric acid we know.
“Our findings suggest that low uric acid levels in Parkinson’s patients are influenced by factors beyond purine metabolism, including extrinsic factors such as gender,” said Dr. Hirohisa Watanabe of the Department of Neurology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine in Japan and a researcher on the study, according to EurekAlert.com. And weight and age.” This means that the relationship between uric acid and Parkinson’s disease is more complex than we previously thought, and that it is not just a matter of oxidative stress.
By assessing levels of purine metabolites, including inosine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid, using a technique called targeted metabolomics, researchers found that Parkinson’s patients had significantly lower levels of uric acid in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid compared to healthy people. In addition, hypoxanthin levels were low.
Power system failure
Adenosine triphosphate is the currency through which energy is exchanged in living cells to support the energy needs of various cellular activities and functions. This discovery is important because it indicates a defect in the energy molecule recycling system. It appears that this system does not work properly in Parkinson’s disease, leading to a lack of energy that may further worsen the symptoms of the disease.
Significantly, the study showed that Parkinson’s patients had significantly lower levels of hypoxanthin in their blood and cerebrospinal fluid compared to healthy people. Over 90% of hypoxanthine is recycled into adenosine monophosphate in the salvage pathway, which plays a vital role in maintaining energy production.
The discovery that energy metabolism is impaired in Parkinson’s disease opens the door to new therapeutic strategies. Current treatments focus largely on controlling symptoms, but this research suggests that targeting the body’s energy recycling system may slow the progression of the disease.
The study also indicates that treatments aimed at raising blood uric acid levels may have limited effectiveness in improving Parkinson’s. Instead, focusing on the purine recycling system, especially improving the production of energy molecules, may be more important in the search for a cure. As the research progresses, the team hopes to explore exercise and nutritional interventions as potential ways to improve energy metabolism and energy molecule recycling.