Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2)

This is the first book to assemble the leading researchers in the field of LRRK2 biology and neurology and provide a snapshot of the current state of knowledge, encompassing all major aspects of its function and dysfunction. The contributors are experts in cell biology and physiology, neurobiology, and medicinal chemistry, bringing a multidisciplinary perspective on the gene and its role in disease. The book covers the identification of LRRK2 as a major contributor to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease. It also discusses the current state of the field after a decade of research, putative normal physiological roles of LRRK2, and the various pathways that have been identified in the search for the mechanism(s) of its induction of neurodegeneration.

Thorough overview of the current state of knowledge on LRRK2

Part I: Clinical and Genetic Considerations of LRRK2 Associated Parkinson's Disease.- Leucine-rich repeat kinase (LRRK2) genetics and Parkinson's disease.- Clinical features of LRRK2 carriers with Parkinson's disease.- Part II: Fundamentals of LRRK2 Biology.- LRRK2 phosphorylation.- Understanding the GTPase activity of LRRK2: regulation, function and neurotoxicity.- LRRK2 and autophagy.- Molecular insights and functional implication of LRRK2 dimerization.- LRRK2 and the immune system.- Regulation of LRRK2 by phosphatases.- Part III: LRRK2 Neurodegeneration, Modeling, and Therapeutic Options.- Animal models of LRRK2-associated Parkinson's disease.- LRRK2 and the "LRRKtosome" at the crossroads of programmed cell death: Clues from RIP kinase relatives.- Interaction of LRRK2 and -synuclein in Parkinson's disease.- Mechanisms of mutant LRRK2 neurodegeneration.- Small molecule inhibitors of LRRK2.