Targeting Post-translational Modification

Protein kinases are essential players in cellular signal cascades and have very diverse roles in numerous signaling pathways that regulate a wide variety of cellular functions. This diversity, as well as the mechanics of their function, makes kinases attractive targets for drug design.

Due to the identification of mutations in LRRK2 in PD patients, novel therapeutic approaches are being developed to target the kinase activity of this protein. However, it has not been definitively determined that LRRK2 kinase activity is the appropriate target for disease-modifying therapies.

Mutation to PINK1 is associated with PD, observed in both familial and sporadic PD. Mutations are thought to induce a loss-of-function in the kinase activity of PINK1. There is also interest in investigating phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein as a therapeutic target.