Splicing: is there an alternative contribution to Parkinson's disease?

Alternative splicing is a crucial mechanism of gene expression regulation that enormously increases the coding potential of our genome and represents an intermediate step between messenger RNA (mRNA) transcription and protein posttranslational modifications. Alternative splicing occupies a central position in the development and functions of the nervous system. Therefore, its deregulation frequently leads to several neurological human disorders. In the present review, we provide an updated overview on the impact of alternative splicing in Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. We will describe the alternative splicing of major PD-linked genes by collecting the current evidences about this intricate and not carefully explored aspect. Assessing the role of this mechanism on PD pathobiology may represent a central step toward an improved understanding of this complex disease.