The role of abnormally activated microglia in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and its potential clinical application

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder which usually affects old-aged mechanism underling the disease still remains unknown. Recent studies have suggested that abnormally activated microglia plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Several stimuli, such as α-synuclein, neurotoxins, aging, as well as attenuated or deficient inhibiting signals of endogenous CD200-CD200R can cause the abnormal activation of microglia, which will result in dopaminergic neuron injuries through secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), activating inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase-2 (NOX-2). Therefore, it may be a novel way for PD therapy to inhibit neuroinflammatory injuries by suppressing the abnormal activation of microglia.