Roles and therapeutic potential of PARP-1 in neurodegenerative diseases

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) was first discovered in the 1960 s, and over the past few decades, there has been growing evidence that PARP-1 plays a key role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. With DNA damage detection and repair as its main function, PARP-1 is activated by regulation in the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, quickly and effectively repairs mild DNA damage, and protects nerve cells from death. However, as the disease progresses, severe DNA damage causes PARP-1 to overactivate, resulting in neuronal cell death, including apoptosis, necrosis, and parthanatos, further exacerbating the disease progression. PARP-1 is also involved in the pathological process of neurodegenerative diseases, such as pathological protein aggregation, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy disorder, and damage to the blood–brain barrier. According to a large number of studies, PARP-1 inhibition has shown great therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative diseases, and the development of PARP-1 inhibitors has received increasing attention. Here, we review the role of PARP-1 in the process of neurodegenerative diseases and summarize the latest research progress and application of PARP-1 inhibitors in neurodegenerative diseases.