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RESEARCH PAPER ANALYSIS

Molecular mechanisms of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial quality control.

This review integrates recent structural and biochemical advances to explain how PINK1 activates Parkin and how PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy is regulated and integrated with other cellular stress responses.

PMID41997861
JournalTrends in biochemical sciences
Publication Date2026-04-16
Ingested2026-04-28 08:58 PM
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

What the AI sees

This review integrates recent structural and biochemical advances to explain how PINK1 activates Parkin and how PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy is regulated and integrated with other cellular stress responses.

WHY IT MATTERS

Research significance

By defining molecular determinants and regulatory nodes in the PINK1/Parkin pathway, the paper highlights actionable targets and mechanisms for drug discovery, biomarker development, and therapies aimed at restoring mitochondrial quality control in Parkinson's disease.

ABSTRACT

Source abstract

PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy and other related mitochondrial quality control pathways are critical to maintaining cellular homeostasis and neuronal health, and indeed, mutations in PINK1 and PRKN that disrupt this pathway cause early-onset Parkinson's disease. While PINK1-dependent Parkin recruitment to damaged mitochondria has been established for over a decade, recent structural and biochemical advances have illuminated the mechanisms governing their allosteric activation and integration into broader cellular signaling networks. This review synthesizes these insights, focusing on the molecular determinants of PINK1/Parkin activation and the regulatory crosstalk that integrates mitophagy with other cellular stress responses. These mechanistic advances position the PINK1/Parkin pathway as a promising, tractable therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease and related pathologies.

SUPPORTING PAPER SET

32 more papers to review

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B, Biointerfaces 86.0 13 Neuroprotective roles of klotho: Molecular pathways and therapeutic implications for cognitive health in neurological and psychiatric diseases. Experimental physiology 84.0 14 Flavonoid Rutin Reduces Intestinal Inflammation in an Experimental Model of Parkinson's Disease. Neurotoxicity research 70.0 15 Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Enhance Brain Delivery and Antioxidant Efficacy of a Small-Molecule MAO B Inhibitor for Neurodegenerative Disease Therapy. Molecular pharmaceutics 78.0 16 Pathophysiological Role of the Gut Brain Axis in Parkinson's Disease: From Microbial Metabolites and Intestinal Permeability to Central Neuroinflammation. Current neurovascular research 86.0 17 Parkinson's Disease: From Metabolism to Genetics-A Comprehensive Review. Current issues in molecular biology 86.0 18 Navigating the cholesterol maze: Key insights on use of statins in neurodegenerative disorders. Neuroprotection (Chichester, England) 76.0 19 Integrative network pharmacology delineates dual GPCR and non-GPCR mechanisms of blended and individual Taikong Blue lavender and Pingyin rose essential oils in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Computers in biology and medicine 65.0 20 Models of neuroprotection in Parkinson's disease: Exploring cellular, molecular, and microenvironmental targets. Experimental neurology 78.0 21 Hyaluronic acid: emerging roles and biomaterial innovations in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease therapy. Frontiers in pharmacology 75.2 22 Molecular mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease and role of phytochemicals, α-synuclein, sirtuins, and incretin mimetics in potential therapy. Frontiers in pharmacology 75.0 23 Lipid droplets in neurodegenerative diseases: pathological drivers and therapeutic vulnerabilities. Cell death discovery 82.0 24 Brain-gut-microbiota axis: a review on the bidirectional regulatory mechanisms between gut microbiota and brain and their disease interactions. Frontiers in microbiology 74.0 25 Long non-coding RNAs in neurodegenerative diseases - Molecular mechanisms, liquid biopsy biomarkers, and therapeutic targets: A review. Biomolecules & biomedicine 84.0 26 Neurosyphilis and Parkinsonism: Overlapping Pathophysiology and Emerging Therapeutic Insights. Current neurovascular research 76.0 27 Molecular biochemistry of soluble epoxide hydrolase in lipid mediator pathways and neuroinflammatory responses. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology 82.0 28 Multifaceted role of CNPY2 beyond ER stress: Disease implications and therapeutic potential. Cell stress 83.3 29 Neuroprotective Role of Exercise-based Physiotherapy Combined with Pharmacological Agents in Parkinson's Disease. Central nervous system agents in medicinal chemistry 64.0 30 Distinct metabolomic and proteomic signatures in Parkinson's disease patients with REM sleep behavior disorder. Signal transduction and targeted therapy 84.0 31 HMGB1-mediated neuroinflammation: molecular mechanisms and emerging therapeutic approaches. Inflammopharmacology 78.0 32 Beyond acid-base dyshomeostasis: Dynamic instability of neuronal lysosomal pH as a pathogenic mechanism and therapeutic target in neurological diseases. Biochemical pharmacology 88.0
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