Outeiro, T.F., Kontopoulos, E., Altmann, S.M., Kufareva, I., Strathearn, K.E., Amore, A.M., Volk, C.B., Maxwell, M.M., Rochet, J.C., McLean, P.J., Young, A.B., Abagyan, R., Feany, M.B., Hyman, B.T., Kazantsev, A.G. (2007). Sirtuin 2 inhibitors rescue alpha-synuclein-mediated toxicity in models of Parkinson's disease.  Science 317(5837): 516--519.

FBrf0200581

Research paper

The sirtuins are members of the histone deacetylase family of proteins that participate in a variety of cellular functions and play a role in aging. We identified a potent inhibitor of sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) and found that inhibition of SIRT2 rescued alpha-synuclein toxicity and modified inclusion morphology in a cellular model of Parkinson's disease. Genetic inhibition of SIRT2 via small interfering RNA similarly rescued alpha-synuclein toxicity. Furthermore, the inhibitors protected against dopaminergic cell death both in vitro and in a Drosophila model of Parkinson's disease. The results suggest a link between neurodegeneration and aging.