Scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have identified a potential new target for Parkinson’s disease treatment. Their research highlights the role of a specific brain cell protein in triggering the disease and may explain why Parkinson’s is more prevalent in men.

Recent studies from LJI suggest that autoimmunity plays a key role in Parkinson’s onset. Their latest findings, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, reveal that the protein PINK1 may label certain brain cells for attack by the immune system, contributing to disease progression.

“This research allows us to better understand the role of the immune system in Parkinson’s disease,” says LJI Professor Alessandro Sette, Dr. Biol. Sci., senior author of the recent study.