Dopaminergic Neurons Respond to Iron-Induced Oxidative Stress by Modulating Lipid Acylation and Deacylation Cycles

Metal-imbalance has been reported as a contributor factor for the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson Disease (PD). Specifically, iron (Fe)-overload and copper (Cu) mis-compartmentalization have been reported to be involved in the injury of dopaminergic neurons in this pathology. The aim of this work was to characterize the mechanisms of membrane repair by studying lipid acylation and deacylation reactions and their role in oxidative injury in N27 dopaminergic neurons exposed to Fe-overload and Cu-supplementation. N27 dopaminergic neurons incubated with Fe (1mM) for 24 hs displayed increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation and elevated plasma membrane permeability. Cu-supplemented neurons (10, 50 μM) showed no evidence of oxidative stress markers. A different lipid acylation profile was observed in N27 neurons pre-labeled with [³H] arachidonic acid (AA) or [³H] oleic acid (OA). In Fe-exposed neurons, AA uptake was increased in triacylglycerols (TAG) whereas its incorporation into the phospholipid (PL) fraction was diminished. TAG content was 40% higher in Fe-exposed neurons than in controls. This increase was accompanied by the appearance of Nile red positive lipid bodies. Contrariwise, OA incorporation increased in the PL fractions and showed no changes in TAG. Lipid acylation profile in Cu-supplemented neurons showed AA accumulation into phosphatidylserine and no changes in TAG. The inhibition of deacylation/acylation reactions prompted an increase in oxidative stress markers and mitochondrial dysfunction in Fe-overloaded neurons. These findings provide evidence about the participation of lipid acylation mechanisms against Fe-induced oxidative injury and postulate that dopaminergic neurons cleverly preserve AA in TAG in response to oxidative stress.     

Formation of dopamine-mediated α-synuclein-soluble oligomers requires methionine oxidation

α-Synuclein is the major component of the intracellular Lewy body inclusions present in Parkinson disease (PD) neurons. PD involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the subsequent depletion of dopamine (DA) in the striatum. DA can inhibit α-synuclein fibrillization in vitro and promote α-synuclein aggregation into soluble oligomers. We have studied the mechanism by which DA mediates α-synuclein aggregation into soluble oligomers. Reacting α-synuclein with DA increased the mass of α-synuclein by 64 Da. NMR showed that all four methionine residues were oxidized by DA, consistent with the addition of 64 Da. Substituting all four methionines to alanine significantly reduced the formation of DA-mediated soluble oligomers. The ¹²⁵YEMPS¹²⁹ motif in α-synuclein can modulate DA inhibition of α-synuclein fibrillization. However, α-synuclein ending before the ¹²⁵YEMPS¹²⁹ motif (residues 1–124) could still form soluble oligomers. The addition of exogenous synthetic YEMPS peptide inhibited the formation of soluble oligomers and resulted in the YEMPS peptide being oxidized. Therefore, the ¹²⁵YEMPS¹²⁹ acts as an antioxidant rather than interacting directly with DA. Our study defines methionine oxidation as the dominant mechanism by which DA generates soluble α-synuclein oligomers and highlights the potential role for oxidative stress in modulating α-synuclein aggregation.     

Modulating the catalytic activity of AMPK has neuroprotective effects against α-synuclein toxicity

Background

Metabolic perturbations and slower renewal of cellular components associated with aging increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Declining activity of AMPK, a critical cellular energy sensor, may therefore contribute to neurodegeneration.

Methods

Here, we overexpress various genetic variants of the catalytic AMPKα subunit to determine how AMPK activity affects the survival and function of neurons overexpressing human α-synuclein in vivo.

Results

Both AMPKα1 and α2 subunits have neuroprotective effects against human α-synuclein toxicity in nigral dopaminergic neurons. Remarkably, a modified variant of AMPKα1 (T172Dα1) with constitutive low activity most effectively prevents the loss of dopamine neurons, as well as the motor impairments caused by α-synuclein accumulation. In the striatum, T172Dα1 decreases the formation of dystrophic axons, which contain aggregated α-synuclein. In primary cortical neurons, overexpression of human α-synuclein perturbs mitochondrial and lysosomal activities. Co-expressing AMPKα with α-synuclein induces compensatory changes, which limit the accumulation of lysosomal material and increase the mitochondrial mass.

Conclusions

Together, these results indicate that modulating AMPK activity can mitigate α-synuclein toxicity in nigral dopamine neurons, which may have implications for the development of neuroprotective treatments against PD.

     

Osmotic stress induced toxicity exacerbates Parkinson's associated effects via dysregulation of autophagy in transgenic C. elegans model

The accumulation of aggregate-prone proteins is a major representative of many neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD) wherein the cellular clearance mechanisms, such as the ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy pathways are impaired. PD, known to be associated with multiple genetic and environmental factors, is characterized by the aggregation of α-synuclein protein and loss of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain. This disease is also associated with other cardiovascular ailments. Herein, we report our findings from studies on the effect of hyper and hypo-osmotic induced toxicity representing hyper and hypotensive condition as an extrinsic epigenetic factor towards modulation of Parkinsonism, using a genetic model Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Our studies showed that osmotic toxicity had an adverse effect on α-synuclein aggregation, autophagic puncta, lipid content and oxidative stress. Further, we figure that reduced autophagic activity may cause the inefficient clearance of α-synuclein aggregates in osmotic stress toxicity, thereby promoting α-synuclein deposition. Pharmacological induction of autophagy by spermidine proved to be a useful mechanism for protecting cells against the toxic effects of these proteins in such stress conditions. Our studies provide evidence that autophagy is required for the removal of aggregated proteins in these conditions. Studying specific autophagy pathways, we observe that the osmotic stress induced toxicity was largely associated with atg-7 and lgg-1 dependent autophagy pathway, brought together by involvement of mTOR pathway. This represents a unifying pathway to disease in hyper- and hypo-osmotic conditions within PD model of C. elegans.     

Common Mechanisms Underlying α-Synuclein-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common neurological movement disorder characterized by the selective and irreversible loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta resulting in dopamine deficiency in the striatum. While most cases are sporadic or environmental, about 10% of patients have a positive family history with a genetic cause. The misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) as a casual factor in the pathogenesis of PD has been supported by a great deal of literature. Extensive studies of mechanisms underpinning degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons induced by α-syn dysfunction suggest a complex process that involves multiple pathways, including mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress, impaired calcium homeostasis through membrane permeabilization, synaptic dysfunction, impairment of quality control systems, disruption of microtubule dynamics and axonal transport, endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi dysfunction, nucleus malfunction, and microglia activation leading to neuroinflammation. Among them mitochondrial dysfunction has been considered as the most primary target of α-syn-induced toxicity, leading to neuronal cell death in both sporadic and familial forms of PD. Despite reviewing many aspects of PD pathogenesis related to mitochondrial dysfunction, a systemic study on how α-syn malfunction/aggregation damages mitochondrial functionality and leads to neurodegeneration is missing in the literature. In this review, we give a detailed molecular overview of the proposed mechanisms by which α-syn, directly or indirectly, contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction. This may provide valuable insights for development of new therapeutic approaches in relation to PD. Antioxidant-based therapy as a potential strategy to protect mitochondria against oxidative damage, its challenges, and recent developments in the field are discussed.     

α-Synuclein and Neuronal Cell Death

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting ～1 % of people over the age of 65. Neuropathological hallmarks of PD are prominent loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra and formation of intraneuronal protein inclusions termed Lewy bodies, composed mainly of α-synuclein (αSyn). Missense mutations in αSyn gene giving rise to production of degradation-resistant mutant proteins or multiplication of wild-type αSyn gene allele can cause rare inherited forms of PD. Therefore, the existence of abnormally high amount of αSyn protein is considered responsible for the DA neuronal death in PD. Normally, αSyn protein localizes to presynaptic terminals of neuronal cells, regulating the neurotransmitter release through the modulation of assembly of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor complex. On the other hand, of note, pathological examinations on the recipient patients of fetal nigral transplants provided a prion-like cell-to-cell transmission hypothesis for abnormal αSyn. The extracellular αSyn fibrils can internalize to the cells and enhance intracellular formation of protein inclusions, thereby reducing cell viability. These findings suggest that effective removal of abnormal species of αSyn in the extracellular space as well as intracellular compartments can be of therapeutic relevance. In this review, we will focus on αSyn-triggered neuronal cell death and provide possible disease-modifying therapies targeting abnormally accumulating αSyn.     

多巴胺代谢异常在帕金森病相关病理变化中的作用

帕金森病(Parkinson's disease,PD)是常见的中枢神经系统退行性疾病之一,其主要病理学特征是中脑黑质部的多巴胺(dopamine,DA)能神经元选择性丢失.虽然已发现基因易感性、衰老、环境毒素等因素与PD发病有关,但导致DA能神经元退行性死亡的细胞分子机制仍不明确.DA代谢是DA能神经元中的重要生理过...     

Nitrated α-Synuclein Induces the Loss of Dopaminergic Neurons in the Substantia Nigra of Rats

Background

The pathology of Parkinson''s disease (PD) is characterized by the degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway, as well as the formation of intraneuronal inclusions known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in the substantia nigra. Accumulations of nitrated α-synuclein are demonstrated in the signature inclusions of Parkinson''s disease. However, whether the nitration of α-synuclein is relevant to the pathogenesis of PD is unknown.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this study, effect of nitrated α-synuclein to dopaminergic (DA) neurons was determined by delivering nitrated recombinant TAT-α-synuclein intracellular. We provide evidence to show that the nitrated α-synuclein was toxic to cultured dopaminergic SHSY-5Y neurons and primary mesencephalic DA neurons to a much greater degree than unnitrated α-synuclein. Moreover, we show that administration of nitrated α-synuclein to the substantia nigra pars compacta of rats caused severe reductions in the number of DA neurons therein, and led to the down-regulation of D₂R in the striatum in vivo. Furthermore, when administered to the substantia nigra of rats, nitrated α-synuclein caused PD-like motor dysfunctions, such as reduced locomotion and motor asymmetry, however unmodified α-synuclein had significantly less severe behavioral effects.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results provide evidence that α-synuclein, principally in its nitrated form, induce DA neuron death and may be a major factor in the etiology of PD.     

Oxidative and nitrosative stress in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder marked by movement impairment caused by a selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. The mechanism for dopaminergic neuronal degeneration in PD is not completely clear, but it is believed that oxidative and nitrosative stress plays an important role during the pathogenesis of PD. This notion is supported by various studies that several indices of oxidative and nitrosative stress are increased in PD patients. In recent years, different pathways that are known to be important for neuronal survival have been shown to be affected by oxidative and nitrosative stress. Apart from the well-known oxidative free radicals induced protein nitration, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage, increasing evidence also suggests that some neuroprotective pathways can be affected by nitric oxide through S-nitrosylation. In addition, the selective dopaminergic neurodegeneration suggests that generation of oxidative stress associated with the metabolism of dopamine is an important contributor. Thorough understanding of how oxidative stress can contribute to the pathogenesis of PD will help formulate potential therapy for the treatment of this neurodegenerative disorder in the future.     

Neuroprotective effects of extract of Acanthopanax senticosus harms on SH-SY5Y cells overexpressing wild-type or A53T mutant α-synuclein

Extract of Acanthopanax senticosus harms (EAS) has been shown to have neuroprotective effects on dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD) mice model. α-Synuclein is a key player in the pathogenesis of PD, the elevated level of which is deleterious to dopaminergic neurons, and enhancing its clearance might be a promising strategy for treating PD. To assess the potential of EAS in this regard, we investigated its effect on the SH-SY5Y cells overexpressing wild-type α-synuclein (WT-α-Syn) or A53T mutant α-synuclein (A53T-α-Syn), and the implicated pathway it might mediate. After treatment with EAS, the changes of α-synuclein, caspase-3, parkin, phospho-protein kinase B (Akt), phospho-glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β), and phospho-microtubule-associated protein tau (Tau) in WT-α-Syn or A53T-α-Syn transgenic cells were reverted back to near normal levels, demonstrated by the western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR outcomes. The neuroprotective effects of EAS may be able to protect WT-α-Syn or A53T-α-Syn transgenic SH-SY5Y cells from α-synuclein overexpression and toxicity. Therefore, we speculate that EAS might be a promising candidate for prevention or treatment of α-synuclein-related neurodegenerative disorders such as PD.     

Molecular basis of Parkinsons’s disease linked to LRRK2 mutations

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder whose symptoms are consistent with death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. The pathogenesis of PD involves several factors, such as α-synuclein aggregation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and activation of apoptosis, but the exact molecular mechanism of neurodegeneration remains obscure. PD is usually sporadic, while rare monogenic forms have been identified and described in the past 15 years. Familial Parkinson’s disease is most commonly associated with mutations of the leucine repeat-rich kinase 2 gene (LRRK2). The mechanism of the disease due to LRRK2 mutations is unknown. The signaling cascades regulated by LRRK2 are difficult to study because the physiological substrates of the enzyme are unidentified. The G2019S substitution has been found to be the most common LRRK2 mutation, facilitating a search for patients with LRRK2-associated PD in various populations. The review considers the effects of LRRK2 mutations on protein and, in particular, α-synuclein aggregation, cytoskeletal dynamics, the inflammatory response, and the induction of apoptosis as revealed in both in vitro experiments and studies in PD patients. Investigation of rare hereditary PD forms with known etiology provides for a better understanding of the mechanism of neurodegeneration in more common sporadic PD forms.     

Redistribution of DAT/α-synuclein complexes visualized by "in situ" proximity ligation assay in transgenic mice modelling early Parkinson's disease

Alpha-synuclein, the major component of Lewy bodies, is thought to play a central role in the onset of synaptic dysfunctions in Parkinson's disease (PD). In particular, α-synuclein may affect dopaminergic neuron function as it interacts with a key protein modulating dopamine (DA) content at the synapse: the DA transporter (DAT). Indeed, recent evidence from our "in vitro" studies showed that α-synuclein aggregation decreases the expression and membrane trafficking of the DAT as the DAT is retained into α-synuclein-immunopositive inclusions. This notwithstanding, "in vivo" studies on PD animal models investigating whether DAT distribution is altered by the pathological overexpression and aggregation of α-synuclein are missing. By using the proximity ligation assay, a technique which allows the "in situ" visualization of protein-protein interactions, we studied the occurrence of alterations in the distribution of DAT/α-synuclein complexes in the SYN120 transgenic mouse model, showing insoluble α-synuclein aggregates into dopaminergic neurons of the nigrostriatal system, reduced striatal DA levels and an altered distribution of synaptic proteins in the striatum. We found that DAT/α-synuclein complexes were markedly redistributed in the striatum and substantia nigra of SYN120 mice. These alterations were accompanied by a significant increase of DAT striatal levels in transgenic animals when compared to wild type littermates. Our data indicate that, in the early pathogenesis of PD, α-synuclein acts as a fine modulator of the dopaminergic synapse by regulating the subcellular distribution of key proteins such as the DAT.     

ER Stress Induced by Tunicamycin Triggers α-Synuclein Oligomerization,Dopaminergic Neurons Death and Locomotor Impairment: a New Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive death of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), leading to the major clinical abnormalities that characterize this disease. Although PD’s etiology is unknown, α-synuclein aggregation plays a pivotal role in PD pathogenesis, which could be associated to some pathological processes such as oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, impaired protein degradation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Increasing experimental evidence indicates that ER stress is involved in PD, however most of the described results employed cultured cell lines and genetically modified animal models. In this study, we developed a new ER stress rat model employing the well-known ER stressor tunicamycin (Tm). To evaluate if ER stress was able to induce PD features, we performed an intranigral injection of Tm (0.1 μg/cerebral hemisphere) and animals (male Wistar rats) were analyzed 7 days post injection. The classical 6-OHDA neurotoxin model (1 μg/cerebral hemisphere) was used as an established positive control for PD. We show that Tm injection induced locomotor impairment, dopaminergic neurons death, and activation of astroglia. In addition, we observed an extensive α-synuclein oligomerization in SNpc of Tm-injected animals when compared with DMSO-injected controls. Finally, both Tm and 6-OHDA treated animals presented increased levels of ER stress markers. Taken together, these findings show for the first time that the ER stressor Tm recapitulates some of the phenotypic characteristics observed in rodent models of PD, reinforcing the concept that ER stress could be an important contributor to the pathophysiology of PD. Therefore, we propose the intranigral Tm injection as a new ER stress-based model for the study of PD in vivo.     

Geraniol Protects Against the Protein and Oxidative Stress Induced by Rotenone in an In Vitro Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Dysfunction of autophagy, mitochondrial dynamics and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are currently considered as major contributing factors in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Accumulation of oxidatively damaged cytoplasmic organelles and unfolded proteins in the lumen of the ER causes ER stress and it is associated with dopaminergic cell death in PD. Rotenone is a pesticide that selectively kills dopaminergic neurons by a variety of mechanism, has been implicated in PD. Geraniol (GE; 3,7-dimethylocta-trans-2,6-dien-1-ol) is an acyclic monoterpene alcohol occurring in the essential oils of several aromatic plants. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of GE on rotenone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction dependent oxidative stress leads to cell death in SK-N-SH cells. In addition, we assessed the involvement of GE on rotenone-induced dysfunction in autophagy machinery via α-synuclein accumulation induced ER stress. We found that pre-treatment of GE enhanced cell viability, ameliorated intracellular redox, preserved mitochondrial membrane potential and improves the level of mitochondrial complex-1 in rotenone treated SK-N-SH cells. Furthermore, GE diminishes autophagy flux by reduced autophagy markers, and decreases ER stress by reducing α-synuclein expression in SK-N-SH cells. Our results demonstrate that GE possess its neuroprotective effect via reduced rotenone-induced oxidative stress by enhanced antioxidant status and maintain mitochondrial function. Furthermore, GE reduced ER stress and improved autophagy flux in the neuroblastomal SK-N-SH cells. The present study could suggest that GE a novel therapeutic avenue for clinical intervention in neurodegenerative diseases especially for PD.     

α-Synuclein and mitochondrial bioenergetics regulate tetrahydrobiopterin levels in a human dopaminergic model of Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease (PD) is a multifactorial disease resulting in preferential death of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Studies of PD-linked genes and toxin-induced models of PD have implicated mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and the misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) as key factors in disease initiation and progression. Many of these features of PD may be modeled in cells or animal models using the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺). Reducing oxidative stress and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity has been shown to be protective in cell or animal models of MPP⁺ toxicity. We have previously demonstrated that siRNA-mediated knockdown of α-syn lowers the activity of both dopamine transporter and NOS activity and protects dopaminergic neuron-like cells from MPP⁺ toxicity. Here, we demonstrate that α-syn knockdown and modulators of oxidative stress/NOS activation protect cells from MPP⁺-induced toxicity via postmitochondrial mechanisms rather than by a rescue of the decrease in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation caused by MPP⁺ exposure. We demonstrate that MPP⁺ significantly decreases the synthesis of the antioxidant and obligate cofactor of NOS and TH tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) through decreased cellular GTP/ATP levels. Furthermore, we demonstrate that RNAi knockdown of α-syn results in a nearly twofold increase in GTP cyclohydrolase I activity and a concomitant increase in basal BH4 levels. Together, these results demonstrate that both mitochondrial activity and α-syn play roles in modulating cellular BH4 levels.     

A Highlights from MBoC Selection: Drosophila Histone Deacetylase 6 Protects Dopaminergic Neurons against α-Synuclein Toxicity by Promoting Inclusion Formation

Parkinson''s disease (PD) is associated with progressive degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons. We report for the first time that the Drosophila histone deacetylase 6 (dHDAC6) plays a critical role in the protection of DA neurons and the formation of α-synuclein inclusions by using a Drosophila PD model constructed by ectopic expression of human α-synuclein. Depletion of dHDAC6 significantly enhances the effects caused by ectopic expression of α-synuclein, namely, loss of DA neurons, retinal degeneration, and locomotor dysfunction. Expression of α-synuclein in the DA neurons leads to fewer inclusions in the brains of dHDAC6 mutant flies than in wild-type flies. Conversely, overexpression of dHDAC6 is able to suppress the α-synuclein–induced DA neuron loss and retinal degeneration and promote inclusion formation. Furthermore, mutation of dHDAC6 reinforces the accumulation of oligomers that are suggested to be a toxic form of α-synuclein. We propose that α-synuclein inclusion formation in the presence of dHDAC6 protects DA neurons from being damaged by oligomers, which may uncover a common mechanism for synucleinopathies.     

Enhanced autophagy from chronic toxicity of iron and mutant A53T α-synuclein: implications for neuronal cell death in Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease (PD), a prevalent neurodegenerative motor disorder, is characterized by the rather selective loss of dopaminergic neurons and the presence of α-synuclein-enriched Lewy body inclusions in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. Although the etiology of PD remains incompletely understood, emerging evidence suggests that dysregulated iron homeostasis may be involved. Notably, nigral dopaminergic neurons are enriched in iron, the uptake of which is facilitated by the divalent metal ion transporter DMT1. To clarify the role of iron in PD, we generated SH-SY5Y cells stably expressing DMT1 either singly or in combination with wild type or mutant α-synuclein. We found that DMT1 overexpression dramatically enhances Fe(2+) uptake, which concomitantly promotes cell death. This Fe(2+)-mediated toxicity is aggravated by the presence of mutant α-synuclein expression, resulting in increased oxidative stress and DNA damage. Curiously, Fe(2+)-mediated cell death does not appear to involve apoptosis. Instead, the phenomenon seems to occur as a result of excessive autophagic activity. Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of autophagy reverses cell death mediated by Fe(2+) overloading. Taken together, our results suggest a role for iron in PD pathogenesis and provide a mechanism underlying Fe(2+)-mediated cell death.     

Reprint of: Revisiting oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease—resemblance to the effect of amphetamine drugs of abuse

Parkinson disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurological disease associated with a loss of dopaminergic neurons. In most cases the disease is sporadic but genetically inherited cases also exist. One of the major pathological features of PD is the presence of aggregates that localize in neuronal cytoplasm as Lewy bodies, mainly composed of α-synuclein (α-syn) and ubiquitin. The selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons suggests that dopamine itself may contribute to the neurodegenerative process in PD. Furthermore, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress constitute key pathogenic events of this disorder. Thus, in this review we give an actual perspective to classical pathways involving these two mechanisms of neurodegeneration, including the role of dopamine in sporadic and familial PD, as well as in the case of abuse of amphetamine-type drugs. Mutations in genes related to familial PD causing autosomal dominant or recessive forms may also have crucial effects on mitochondrial morphology, function, and oxidative stress. Environmental factors, such as MPTP and rotenone, have been reported to induce selective degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathways leading to α-syn-positive inclusions, possibly by inhibiting mitochondrial complex I of the respiratory chain and subsequently increasing oxidative stress. Recently, increased risk for PD was found in amphetamine users. Amphetamine drugs have effects similar to those of other environmental factors for PD, because long-term exposure to these drugs leads to dopamine depletion. Moreover, amphetamine neurotoxicity involves α-syn aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. Therefore, dopamine and related oxidative stress, as well as mitochondrial dysfunction, seem to be common links between PD and amphetamine neurotoxicity.