DJ-1, an oncogene and causative gene for familial Parkinson's disease, is essential for SV40 transformation in mouse fibroblasts through up-regulation of c-Myc.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) is a tumor virus and its early gene product large T-antigen (LT) is responsible for the transforming activity of SV40. Parkinson's disease causative gene DJ-1 is also a ras-dependent oncogene, but the mechanism of its oncogene function is still not known. In this study, we found that there were no transformed foci when fibroblasts from DJ-1-knockout mice were transfected with LT.

Oxidation of DJ-1-dependent cell transformation through direct binding of DJ-1 to PTEN.

DJ-1 is an oncogene and also a causative gene for a familial form of Parkinson's disease. DJ-1 has multiple functions, including anti-oxidative stress reaction and cysteine 106 (C106) of DJ-1 is an essential amino acid for DJ-1 to exert its function. While increased expression and secretion of DJ-1 into serum in patients with various cancers and regulation of p53 and PTEN by DJ-1 have been reported, the molecular mechanism underlying oncogenicity of DJ-1 is poorly understood.

DJ-1 binds to mitochondrial complex I and maintains its activity.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is caused by neuronal cell death, and oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are thought to be responsible for onset of PD. DJ-1, a causative gene product of a familial form of Parkinson's disease, PARK7, plays roles in transcriptional regulation and anti-oxidative stress. The possible mitochondrial function of DJ-1 has been proposed, but its exact function remains unclear.

Kaempferol derivatives prevent oxidative stress-induced cell death in a DJ-1-dependent manner.

DJ-1, a causative gene product of a familial form of Parkinson's disease (PD), PARK7, plays a role in anti-oxidative stress, and loss of its function is thought to result in the onset of PD. Superfluous oxidation of cysteine at amino acid 106 (C106) of DJ-1 renders DJ-1 inactive, and such oxidized DJ-1 was observed in patients with the sporadic form of PD. In this study, we examined the relationship between DJ-1 and compounds extracted from traditional Chinese medicines possessing anti-oxidant activity.