Mitochondrial dysfunction Impairs the Nuclear Pore Complex in Parkinson’s Disease Pathogenesis

Abstract The mislocalization of transcription factors and irregularities in the nuclear envelope of dopaminergic neurons affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD) implicates the nuclear pore in disease pathogenesis. While mitochondrial dysfunction is an integral component of PD pathophysiology, the involvement of channel-forming nucleoporins (Nups) in mitochondrial dysfunction-related neurodegeneration has not been investigated. Here we have identified pathological changes in the levels and distribution of a set of Nups, which are key structural and functional components of the nuclear pore complex, in dopaminergic neuronal models of PD. We observed that mitochondrial dysfunction reduces the expression of these Nups and disrupts the localization of Ran GTPase in both in vitro and in vivo dopaminergic neuron models. Furthermore, the nuclear pore central channel component, Nup62, mislocalizes and accumulates in the cytoplasm of these neurons under mitochondrial stress conditions. Mitochondrial stress also interferes with classical nuclear export of proteins in dopaminergic neural cells. Notably, we observed Nup pathology and Ran gradient loss in nigral dopaminergic neurons of PD patient brains, which highlights the clinical relevance of nuclear pore dysfunction as a disease mechanism. These findings provide direct evidence of the critical role of Nup-related abnormalities in mitochondrial dysfunction-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, ultimately connecting nuclear pore complex and nucleocytoplasmic transport dysregulation to cell death in the development of PD. Graphical Abstract