DJ-1, a causative gene product of a familial form of Parkinson's disease, is secreted through microdomains.

DJ-1 is secreted into the serum and plasma of patients with various diseases. In this study, DJ-1 was found to be secreted into culture media of various cells and the amount of wild-type DJ-1 secreted was two-fold greater than that of mutant DJ-1 of cysteine at 106 (C106). Furthermore, the oxidative status of more than 90% of the DJ-1 secreted from HeLa cells was SOH and SO2H forms of C106. A portion of DJ-1 in cells was localized in microdomains of the membrane. These findings suggest that DJ-1 is secreted through microdomains and that oxidation of DJ-1 at C106 facilitates the secretion.