MCL1 as a Therapeutic Target in Parkinson's Disease?

Dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta are selectively lost during the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent work performed on the role of the Bcl2 family (highly specialized proteins which control cellular survival and death) in midbrain dopamine neurons has led to the identification of the Bcl2 factor Mcl1 as a weak link in the survival of these neurons. We hypothesize that the regulation of BCL2 proteins may explain this selective vulnerability, and may even provide a novel therapeutic opportunity - strengthening weak links such as MCL1 could result in a delay or complete abrogation of cell death during PD.