X-linked methyl-CpG protein may be potential target for treatment of Parkinson's

X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 plays important role in the regulation of neuronal development, proliferation and maturation, and synaptic regeneration and apoptosis. Overexpression of X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 in SH-SY5Y cells can reduce cell apoptosis induced by 6-hydroxydopamine and increased tyrosine hydroxylase expression. But the specific role of X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease remains unknown.

Prof. Xianhou Yuan and team from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University used 6-hydroxydopamine-induced human neuroblastoma cell (SH-SY5Y cells) injury as a cell model of Parkinson's disease. The researchers found that overexpression of X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 was able to ameliorate the effects of 6-hydroxydopamine, it reduced 6-hydroxydopamine-induced apoptosis, and increased the levels of tyrosine hydroxylase in SH-SY5Y cells. These findings, published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 21, 2013), suggesting that X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.