Early-onset Parkinson’s disease may respond to folinic acid, sometimes used as an adjuvant to chemotherapy, according to a new study.
Scientists at the University of Leicester, UK, examined whether a dietary supplement containing folinic acid is neuroprotective, by carrying out tests on adult PINK1 flies, a form of fruit fly which is bred to have abnormal mitochondrial activity.
The team, led by Dr Miguel Martins, say: "It is accepted that mitochondrial defects play an important role in the neuronal demise associated with Parkinson’s disease." They add that mutations in PINK1, a mitochondrial enzyme, lead to an early-onset form of Parkinsonism.
Their tests showed that loss of PINK1 activity "results in mitochondrial dysfunction, increased production of toxic reactive oxygen species and neuronal death".
In <i>Science Matters</i> recently, they state that this fruit fly "is a powerful model for exploring the mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease-associated neurodegeneration". They went on to test a folinic acid supplement on the flies to investigate its therapeutic potential. This showed that the usual age-dependent loss of dopaminergic neurons can be blocked in this way.
They write: "In humans, folic acid is generally well absorbed, but the conversion of folic acid to its metabolically active coenzyme forms is complex. On the other hand, oral administration of folinic acid bypasses the chemical reactions required for the coenzyme conversion of folic acid. Additionally, unlike folic acid, dietary folinic acid might be readily available to the brain."
Dr Martins added: "Folinic acid is already approved and used for applications in the clinic. The drug safety risk is low, and drug development for repurposing folinic acid as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease would be faster than for a novel drug."
Lehmann, S. et al. Folinic acid is neuroprotective in a fly model of Parkinson’s disease associated with pink1 mutations. Science Matters 9 March 2017 [abstract]
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