Ischemia-induced LRRK2 impairs endothelial and neuronal BDNF signalling and is reversed by salidroside

Overactive mutations of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are neurotoxic, cause Parkinson’s disease, associate with increased risk of ischemic stroke, and their pathological effects can be modified by BDNF mutations. Salidroside is a bioactive compound derived from Rhodiola species, which are traditionally used for stroke treatment. Here we investigated whether LRRK2 modulates BDNF signalling and whether this might explain how salidroside salvages ischemic damage.