VMAT2 dysfunction impairs vesicular dopamine uptake, driving its oxidation and α-synuclein pathology in DJ-1–linked Parkinson’s neurons
- Leonie M. Heger
- Francesco Gubinelli
- Andreas J. Huber
- Aida Cardona-Alberich
- Matteo Rovere
- Ulf Matti
- Stephan A. Müller
- Sankarshana R. Nagaraja
- Lena Jaschkowitz
- Martina Schifferer
- Wolfgang Wurst
- Stefan F. Lichtenthaler
- Christian Behrends
- Sivakumar Sambandan
- Lena F. Burbulla
2026-02-11
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by α-synuclein accumulation and dopaminergic neuron degeneration, with dopamine (DA) oxidation emerging as a key pathological driver. However, the mechanisms underlying this neurotoxic process remain unclear. Using PD patient-derived and CRISPR-engineered induced pluripotent stem cell midbrain dopaminergic neurons lacking DJ-1, we identified defective sequestration of cytosolic DA into synaptic vesicles, which culminated in DA oxidation and α-synuclein pathology. In-depth proteomics, state-of-the-art imaging, and ultrasensitive DA probes uncovered that decreased vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) protein and function impaired vesicular DA uptake, resulting in reduced vesicle availability and abnormal vesicle morphology. Furthermore, VMAT2 activity and vesicle endocytosis are processes dependent on adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), which is notably reduced in DJ-1–deficient dopaminergic neurons. ATP supplementation restored vesicular function and alleviated DA-related pathologies in mutant dopaminergic neurons. This study reveals an ATP-sensitive mechanism that regulates DA homeostasis through VMAT2 and vesicle dynamics in midbrain dopaminergic neurons, highlighting enhanced DA sequestration as a promising therapeutic strategy for PD.