Immunohistochemical and subcellular localization of Parkin protein: absence of protein in autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism patients.
Autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism (AR-JP) is a distinct clinical entity characterized by a selective degeneration of nigral neurons. Recently, the parkin gene responsible for AR-JP has been identified. Now, we report the subcellular localization of Parkin protein in patients with AR-JP or Parkinson's disease (PD) and in controls by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry using antibodies raised against the Parkin molecule. Parkin protein was absent in all regions of the brains of patients with AR-JP. Parkin protein was not decreased in the brains of sporadic PD patients. Immunoreactivity was detected in a few Lewy bodies. Parkin protein was located in both the Golgi complex and cytosol.
D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005808:Genes, Recessive / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008025:Ligases; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases