Pathogenic LRRK2 compromises the subcellular distribution of lysosomes in a Rab12‐RILPL1‐dependent manner

Mutations in leucine‐rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) cause familial Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent studies have shown that LRRK2 physiologically phosphorylates several Rab family proteins including Rab12 and that this phosphorylation is accelerated by the pathogenic mutations in LRRK2, although the significance in the PD pathogenesis remains unknown. Here we examined the effect of the overexpression of LRRK2 on the distribution of organelles in cultured cells and found that lysosomes become clustered in a perinuclear region upon the overexpression of pathogenic mutant LRRK2 in a manner dependent on its kinase activity. The perinuclear clustering of lysosomes was abolished by knocking out RAB12 as well as its effector protein RILPL1. Re‐expression of Rab12 in RAB12 knockout cells suggested that the phosphorylation at Ser106 of Rab12 is required for the perinuclear clustering of lysosomes. Moreover, phosphorylated Rab12 was also accumulated on the clustered lysosomes, and the phosphorylation of Rab12 increased its interaction with RILPL1, leading us to conclude that the increase in the phosphorylation of Rab12 by pathogenic LRRK2 compromised intracellular lysosomal transport via the enhanced interaction of Rab12 with RILPL1. These data suggest the involvement of abnormal regulation of lysosomal transport in the LRRK2‐mediated pathogenesis of PD. Mutations in LRRK2 cause familial Parkinson's disease. LRRK2 phosphorylates Rab12, which is accelerated by pathogenic mutations. We found that lysosomes clustered in a perinuclear region upon overexpression of the pathogenic mutant LRRK2. This clustering was abolished by knocking out Rab12 and its effector protein RILPL1. Phosphorylation of Rab12 at Ser106 facilitated its interaction with RILPL1 and was required for the induction of perinuclear lysosomal clustering. This suggests that abnormal regulation of lysosomal transport is involved in LRRK2‐mediated Parkinson's disease pathogenesis.