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Animal Models of Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders 2.0

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2021) | Viewed by 6300

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Research for Parkinson's Disease, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
Interests: Drosophila genetics; neurodegeneration; Parkinson's disease; iPS cells; mitochondria; synaptic dynamics; unfolded protein stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is the continuation of our previous Special Issue “Animal Models of Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders”.

Parkinson's disease (PD), one of the most common movement disorders, is characterized by age-dependent dysfunction and degeneration of the midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of PD has progressed with neurotoxin-induced and α-synuclein propagation models. Moreover, recent advances in human molecular genetics have led to the identification of familial and PD risk genes. Analyses of model animals in which mutations of these PD genes are introduced promise to shed light on the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying both idiopathic and familial PD.

We invite authors to submit manuscripts focused on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration, therapeutic challenges using model animals, the development of new screening methods, and the generation of new PD and related models to this Special Issue. Both high-quality research articles and reviews of the most recent progress in the area are welcome. Moreover, papers dealing with new methods to detect the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons as well as other cells are of great interest. The key topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • PD studies using vertebrate models;
  • PD studies using non-vertebrate models;
  • PD studies using other organisms;
  • Drug screening using PD model organisms;
  • Development of therapeutic strategies using PD model organisms;
  • Development of experimental techniques.

Prof. Dr. Yuzuru Imai
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • α-synuclein propagation
  • mitochondrial quality control
  • mitochondrial respiratory function
  • autophagy and mitophagy
  • lysosomal functions
  • vesicular transport
  • synaptic vesicle endocytosis and recycling
  • oxidative stress and ER stress
  • lipid metabolism
  • glymphatic system
  • neuroinflammation

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

16 pages, 3882 KiB  
Review
Synaptic Zinc: An Emerging Player in Parkinson’s Disease
by Joanna Sikora and Abdel-Mouttalib Ouagazzal
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(9), 4724; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms22094724 - 29 Apr 2021
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 3470
Abstract
Alterations of zinc homeostasis have long been implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Zinc plays a complex role as both deficiency and excess of intracellular zinc levels have been incriminated in the pathophysiology of the disease. Besides its role in multiple cellular functions, Zn [...] Read more.
Alterations of zinc homeostasis have long been implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Zinc plays a complex role as both deficiency and excess of intracellular zinc levels have been incriminated in the pathophysiology of the disease. Besides its role in multiple cellular functions, Zn2+ also acts as a synaptic transmitter in the brain. In the forebrain, subset of glutamatergic neurons, namely cortical neurons projecting to the striatum, use Zn2+ as a messenger alongside glutamate. Overactivation of the cortico-striatal glutamatergic system is a key feature contributing to the development of PD symptoms and dopaminergic neurotoxicity. Here, we will cover recent evidence implicating synaptic Zn2+ in the pathophysiology of PD and discuss its potential mechanisms of actions. Emphasis will be placed on the functional interaction between Zn2+ and glutamatergic NMDA receptors, the most extensively studied synaptic target of Zn2+. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Models of Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders 2.0)
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17 pages, 1701 KiB  
Review
Animal Model for Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease
by Takeya Kitta, Mifuka Ouchi, Hiroki Chiba, Madoka Higuchi, Mio Togo, Yui Abe-Takahashi, Naohisa Kusakabe and Nobuo Shinohara
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(18), 6520; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms21186520 - 07 Sep 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2380
Abstract
Although Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and subsequent motor symptoms, various non-motor symptoms often precede these other symptoms. While motor symptoms are certainly burdensome, a wide range of non-motor symptoms have emerged as [...] Read more.
Although Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and subsequent motor symptoms, various non-motor symptoms often precede these other symptoms. While motor symptoms are certainly burdensome, a wide range of non-motor symptoms have emerged as the key determinant of the quality of life in PD patients. The prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms differs according to the study, with ranges between 27% and 63.9%. These can be influenced by the stage of disease, the presence of lower urinary tract-related comorbidities, and parallels with other manifestations of autonomic dysfunction. Animal models can provide a platform for investigating the mechanisms of PD-related dysfunction and for the assessment of novel treatment strategies. Animal research efforts have been primarily focused on PD motor signs and symptoms. However, the etiology of lower urinary tract dysfunction in PD has yet to be definitively clarified. Several animal PD models are available, each of which has a different effect on the autonomic nervous system. In this article, we review the various lower urinary tract dysfunction animal PD models. We additionally discuss techniques for determining the appropriate model for evaluating the development of lower urinary tract dysfunction treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Models of Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders 2.0)
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