Changes in Oxidised Phospholipids in Response to Oxidative Stress in () Mutant Dopamine Neurons.

() is strongly associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to driving the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), mutations in the gene can also cause oxidative stress through hyperpolarisation of the mitochondria. This study explores the impact that mutation is having on phospholipid metabolism in iPSC-derived dopamine neurons, and to determine if these effects are exacerbated by mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Neurons that possessed a mutated copy of were shown to have significantly higher levels of oxo-phospholipids (Oxo-PL) than wild-type neurons. Oxidation of the hydrophobic fatty acid side chains changes the chemistry of the phospholipid leading to disruption of membrane function and potential cell lysis. In wild-type neurons, both mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress increased Oxo-PL abundance; however, in mutant neurons mitochondrial stress appeared to have a minimal effect. Endoplasmic reticulum stress, surprisingly, reduced the abundance of Oxo-PL in mutant dopamine neurons, and we postulate that this reduction could be modulated through hyperactivation of the unfolded protein response and X-box binding protein 1. Overall, the results of this study contribute to furthering our understanding of the regulation and impact of oxidative stress in Parkinson's disease pathology.