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Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene are found in familial and idiopathic cases of Parkinson's disease (PD), but are also associated with immune-related disorders, notably Crohn's disease and leprosy. Although the physiological function of LRRK2 protein remains largely elusive, increasing evidence suggests that it plays a role in innate immunity, a process that also has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, including PD. Innate immunity involves macrophages and microglia, in which endogenous LRRK2 expression is precisely regulated and expression is strongly up-regulated upon cell activation. This brief report discusses the current understanding of the involvement of LRRK2 in innate immunity particularly in relation to PD, critically examining its role in myeloid cells, particularly macrophages and microglia.

Original publication

DOI

10.1042/bst20160262

Type

Journal article

Journal

Biochemical Society transactions

Publication Date

02/2017

Volume

45

Pages

131 - 139

Addresses

Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, U.K. heyne.lee@path.ox.ac.uk.

Keywords

Central Nervous System, Microglia, Peripheral Nervous System, Macrophages, Humans, Parkinson Disease, Mutation, Models, Immunological, Immunity, Innate, Leucine-Rich Repeat Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase-2