Neurodegenerative Diseases and Protein Quality Control System

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, are characterized by the progressive loss of neurons in specific brain regions. A hallmark of these conditions is the accumulation of misfolded and aggregated proteins, which disrupt cellular functions and significantly contribute to neuronal death. To counteract this, cells deploy sophisticated quality control systems such as molecular chaperones, the ubiquitin–proteasome system, autophagy, and the unfolded protein response. These mechanisms are crucial for ensuring proper protein folding and function, thereby preventing the harmful accumulation of misfolded proteins. The degradation of these aggregates through cell-mediated, enzymatic, and other clearance pathways is equally vital in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. For example, in AD, the enzymes responsible for the production of aggregation-prone amyloid β peptides, as well as their clearance mechanisms, are closely linked to the disease’s onset and progression. Understanding the intricate relationship between protein aggregation, the protein quality control system, clearance, and neurodegeneration is essential for developing new therapeutic strategies.

This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring the protein quality control system in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Our aim is to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and highlight potential therapeutic strategies that could prove instrumental in managing these debilitating conditions.

Dr. Abdullah Sheikh
Guest Editor

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• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Huntington’s disease
• autophagy
• protein aggregation
• ubiquitin–proteasome system
• neurodegeneration
• neuroinflammation
• aggregated protein clearance