Mutational analysis of DJ-1 in Drosophila implicates functional inactivation by oxidative damage and aging

Inherited mutations in PARK7, the gene encoding DJ-1, are associated with loss of protein function and early-onset parkinsonism. Like human DJ-1 (hDJ-1), Drosophila DJ-1b protects against oxidative insult and is modified with oxidation. We demonstrate that hDJ-1 rescues flies mutant for DJ-1b, and that a conserved cysteine residue in the fly protein (C104, analogous to C106 in hDJ-1) is critical for biological antioxidant function in vivo. Targeted mutagenesis suggests that modification of DJ-1b at this residue inactivates the protective activity of the protein against oxidative stress. Further studies show that DJ-1 modification increases dramatically with age in flies, mice, and humans, with aged flies showing strikingly increased susceptibility to oxidative stress and markedly enhanced DJ-1b modification upon oxidative challenge. Overoxidation of DJ-1 with age and exposure to oxidative toxins may lead to inactivation of DJ-1 function, suggesting a role in susceptibility to sporadic Parkinson’s disease.