Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a complex protein kinase involved in a diverse set of functions. Mutations in LRRK2 are a common cause of autosomal dominant familial Parkinson's disease. Peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) belongs to a family of anti-oxidants that protect cells from oxidative stress. Importantly, PRDX2 is a cytoplasmic protein, similar to Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2, which localizes predominantly in the cytosol. Here, we demonstrated that Leurice-rich repeat kinase 2 phosphorylates PRDX2 in Drosophila, leading to a loss of dopaminergic neurons, climbing ability and shortened lifespan. These pathogenic phenotypes in the LRRK2 Drosophila were rescued with transgenic expression of PRDX2. Chetomin, a PRDX2 mimic, belongs to a class of epidithio-diketopiperazine fungal secondary metabolites (containing a dithiol group that has hydrogen peroxide-reducing activity). As proof of principle, we demonstrated that Chetomin recapitulated the rescue in these mutant Drosophila. Our findings suggest that Chetomin can be a potential therapeutic compound in LRRK2 linked Parkinson's disease.
Keywords: Chetomin; LRRK2; drosophila; neurodegeneration.