Inhibition of Ras-guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) signaling in the striatum reverts motor symptoms associated with L-dopa-induced dyskinesia

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Dec 14;107(50):21824-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1012071107. Epub 2010 Nov 29.

Abstract

L-dopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a common debilitating complication of dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease. Recent evidence suggests that LID may be linked causally to a hyperactivation of the Ras-ERK signaling cascade in the basal ganglia. We set out to determine whether specific targeting of Ras-guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 1 (Ras-GRF1), a brain-specific activator of the Ras-ERK pathway, may provide a therapy for LID. On the rodent abnormal involuntary movements scale, Ras-GRF1-deficient mice were significantly resistant to the development of dyskinesia during chronic L-dopa treatment. Furthermore, in a nonhuman primate model of LID, lentiviral vectors expressing dominant negative forms of Ras-GRF1 caused a dramatic reversion of dyskinesia severity leaving intact the therapeutic effect of L-dopa. These data reveal the central role of Ras-GRF1 in governing striatal adaptations to dopamine replacement therapy and validate a viable treatment for LID based on intracellular signaling modulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Corpus Striatum / cytology
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects*
  • Corpus Striatum / physiology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / physiopathology*
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / genetics
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Levodopa / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • ras-GRF1 / genetics
  • ras-GRF1 / metabolism*

Substances

  • ras-GRF1
  • Levodopa
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases