Brodski, C. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2026

Bone Morphogenetic Protein Pathway Modulates Parkinson's Disease Genetic Risk and Promotes Motor Recovery

Progress toward disease-modifying Parkinsons disease (PD) therapies is hindered by limited understanding of pathogenic drivers and lack of therapies that restore the damaged dopaminergic (DA) neurons driving motor deficits. We investigated the role of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway in PD using common and rare genetic variants across large-scale datasets. Single-variant analyses identified nominal associations with PD risk and onset age. A BMP polygenic risk score (PRS) was significantly associated with PD risk (OR = 1.21, empirical P = 1.0 x 10-), a result replicated in proxy-case analyses (OR = 1.14, empirical P = 1.0 x 10-) and remained significant after sensitivity testing. To test the results functional relevance, we genetically and pharmacologically inhibited BMP signaling in mice, which induced motor deficits and PD-like neuropathology. In a -synuclein preformed fibril (PFF) mouse model, BMP5 and BMP7 (BMP5/7) demonstrated neuroprotective effects when administered concurrently with -synuclein PFFs. Importantly, when delivered after PFFs-induced motor symptoms onset, BMP5/7 demonstrated neurorestorative effects, ameliorating both motor impairments and neuropathology. These findings provide first evidence that BMP signaling variations contribute to polygenic PD risk, identify a physiological role for this pathway in safeguarding against PD-related pathology, and demonstrate BMPs therapeutic potential for disease modification.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

iPSC-derived extracellular vesicles rescue deficits in human and mouse models of Parkinsons disease

Parkinsons disease (PD) pathogenesis often involves progressive -synuclein (-Syn)-mediated neuronal dysfunction, yet the earliest cellular events that link -Syn pathology to circuit failure remain poorly defined. Here, we used human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived dopaminergic (DA) neurons from patients carrying the familial A53T SNCA mutation to reconstruct a temporal course of dysfunction in vitro. We identified a biphasic trajectory with an early phase of hyperexcitability, characterized by elevated spontaneous firing, followed by a progressive transition into hypoexcitability as the neurons mature, accompanied by reduced network activity, synaptic dysfunction, and -Syn accumulation. Transcriptomic profiling at the critical transition point revealed a dual transcriptional signature, with upregulation of stress-inflammatory pathways (p53, JAK-STAT, apoptosis) coupled with systematic downregulation of metabolic and synaptic maintenance genes. This molecular profile preceded functional collapse, linking early hyperactivity-driven metabolic stress to subsequent neuronal exhaustion. To counteract this pathology, we used extracellular vesicles (EVs), small membrane-bound particles carrying intercellular signals, as a cell-free treatment approach. Strikingly, treatment with EVs derived from healthy iPSCs completely rescued both electrophysiological deficits and pathological -Syn accumulation, restoring normal firing patterns, synaptic function, and network activity. Consistent with these observations, EV treatment reduced -Syn aggregation and improved motor responses in -Syn fibril-injected mice, which are characterized by pathological -Syn accumulation and motor deficits. Overall, these findings demonstrate that EVs derived from healthy iPSCs can reverse PD-related phenotypes in human and mouse models.

neuroscience↗