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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

GBA1-associated Parkinson’s disease (GBA1-PD) is increasingly recognized as a distinct entity within the spectrum of parkinsonian disorders. This review explores the unique pathophysiological features, clinical progression, and genetic underpinnings that differentiate GBA1-PD from idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (iPD). GBA1-PD typically presents with earlier onset and more rapid progression, with a poor response to standard PD medications. It is marked by pronounced cognitive impairment and a higher burden of non-motor symptoms compared to iPD. Additionally, patients with GBA1-PD often exhibit a broader distribution of Lewy bodies within the brain, accentuating neurodegenerative processes. The pathogenesis of GBA1-PD is closely associated with mutations in the GBA1 gene, which encodes the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucocerebrosidase (GCase). In this review, we discuss two mechanisms by which GBA1 mutations contribute to disease development: ‘haploinsufficiency,’ where a single functional gene copy fails to produce a sufficient amount of GCase, and ‘gain of function,’ where the mutated GCase acquires harmful properties that directly impact cellular mechanisms for alpha-synuclein degradation, leading to alpha-synuclein aggregation and neuronal cell damage. Continued research is advancing our understanding of how these mechanisms contribute to the development and progression of GBA1-PD, with the ‘gain of function’ mechanism appearing to be the most plausible. This review also explores the implications of GBA1 mutations for therapeutic strategies, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and targeted interventions. Currently, small molecular chaperones have shown the most promising clinical results compared to other agents. This synthesis of clinical, pathological, and molecular aspects underscores the assertion that GBA1-PD is a distinct clinical and pathobiological PD phenotype, necessitating specific management and research approaches to better understand and treat this debilitating condition.

Details

Title
GBA1-Associated Parkinson’s Disease Is a Distinct Entity
Author
Skrahin, Aliaksandr 1 ; Horowitz, Mia 2 ; Istaiti, Majdolen 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Skrahina, Volha 4 ; Lukas, Jan 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Yahalom, Gilad 6 ; Cohen, Mikhal E 6 ; Revel-Vilk, Shoshana 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Goker-Alpan, Ozlem 8   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Becker-Cohen, Michal 9 ; Hassin-Baer, Sharon 10 ; Svenningsson, Per 11   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Rolfs, Arndt 12 ; Zimran, Ari 13   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Rare Disease Consulting RCV GmbH, Leibnizstrasse 58, 10629 Berlin, Germany 
 Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 6997801 Ramat Aviv, Israel 
 Gaucher Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 9103102 Jerusalem, Israel; Agyany Pharma Ltd., 9695614 Jerusalem, Israel 
 Agyany Pharma Ltd., 9695614 Jerusalem, Israel 
 Translational Neurodegeneration Section Albrecht Kossel, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany; Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany 
 Department of Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 9103102 Jerusalem, Israel; Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9112102 Jerusalem, Israel 
 Gaucher Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 9103102 Jerusalem, Israel; Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9112102 Jerusalem, Israel 
 Lysosomal and Rare Disorders Research and Treatment Center, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA 
 Gaucher Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 9103102 Jerusalem, Israel 
10  Movement Disorders Institute, Department of Neurology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, 5262101 Tel-Hashomer, Israel; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 6997801 Tel-Aviv, Israel 
11  Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Basal and Clinical Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 9RT, UK 
12  Rare Disease Consulting RCV GmbH, Leibnizstrasse 58, 10629 Berlin, Germany; Agyany Pharma Ltd., 9695614 Jerusalem, Israel; Medical Faculty, University of Rostock, 18055 Rostock, Germany 
13  Gaucher Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, 9103102 Jerusalem, Israel; Agyany Pharma Ltd., 9695614 Jerusalem, Israel; Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9112102 Jerusalem, Israel 
First page
7102
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
MDPI AG
ISSN
16616596
e-ISSN
14220067
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3079281215
Copyright
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.