Innovative research led by a uOttawa Faculty of Medicine professor whose lab focuses on mechanisms that maintain a healthy immune system has discovered that a gene best known for increasing the risk of Parkinson's disease may also give the body an edge in fighting dangerous infections.
The findings suggest that a well-studied mutation in the LRRK2 gene — whose mutated form is one of the most common genetic causes of Parkinson’s — actually strengthens the ability of key immune cells to destroy killer bacteria.
The work recently published in the journal Cellular & Molecular Immunology could open new possibilities for eventually developing therapies that strike a careful balance—strengthening protection against infection while minimizing the harmful effects of chronic inflammation.