Parkinson's disease (PD) was long considered the archetypal non-genetic disease entity. A combination of increased understanding of complex genetics and the use of isolated populations has clarified that genetics plays a significant role in the risk of PD. We are assessing the role of genetics in PD usign two approaches, firstly a case-control association study and secondly a mutation screening approach. Using well characterized patient and control cohorts from Finland we are utilizing a case control methodology to elucidate the role of candidate loci in PD. Consideration of genetic loci for assessment is based on prior association, gene function or genetic localization. Genetic variation such as single nucleotide polymorphisms and simple tandem repeats will be initially identified in genes of interest by web-based data mining techniques with the assistance of the bioinformatics core of LNG. Although non-functional variation is useful for constructing haplotypes across genes we will initially prioritise variation by functional relevance. To maximise the likelihood of identifying functional variation regions of high conservation across mammalian species will be initially targeted, with emphasis on promoter regions. To date we have assessed varation within the genes encoding inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), alpha-synuclein, GTP cyclohydrolase, parkin, Tau, APO E, DJ-1, UCH-L1, FRM1, SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, SCA7, SCA8, SCA12, SCA17, DRPLA and NAT2. Results identifying a consistent protective effect against PD of variation within the iNOS gene is currently in press at neurology. Likewise the first assessment of the DJ-1 gene as a risk factor for typical PD is also in press. In the previous 4 years we have collected a large series of patients with a strong family history of PD. We assess these cases for mutations within genes associated with parkinsonism, including the SCA genes, alpha-synuclein, DJ-1, parkin and GTP-cyclohydrolase. These genes are assessed by a combination of direct sequencing and semi-quantitative real-time PCR amplification. We have shown that mutations in DJ-1 are a rare (<1%) cause of young-onset PD and that disease caused by mutation at this locus can present without family history. In 2003 we identified a triplication of the alpha-synuclein gene as a cause of PD in a large well-characterized family with autosomal dominant disease. THis work provided the first mechanistic link between alpha-synuclein and Parkinson's disease. Recently we have been led a project which aimed to assess the incidence of PINK1 mutations in Parkinson;s disease and have published data which suggests these mutations are a rare cause of young onset disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01AG000957-02
Application #
6969747
Study Section
(LNG)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Aging
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code
Bettencourt, Conceição; Salpietro, Vincenzo; Efthymiou, Stephanie et al. (2017) Genotype-phenotype correlations and expansion of the molecular spectrum of AP4M1-related hereditary spastic paraplegia. Orphanet J Rare Dis 12:172
Jansen, Iris E; Ye, Hui; Heetveld, Sasja et al. (2017) Discovery and functional prioritization of Parkinson's disease candidate genes from large-scale whole exome sequencing. Genome Biol 18:22
Hernandez, Dena G; Reed, Xylena; Singleton, Andrew B (2016) Genetics in Parkinson disease: Mendelian versus non-Mendelian inheritance. J Neurochem 139 Suppl 1:59-74
Barr, Taura L; VanGilder, Reyna; Rellick, Stephanie et al. (2015) A genomic profile of the immune response to stroke with implications for stroke recovery. Biol Res Nurs 17:248-56
Scholz, Sonja W; Majounie, Elisa; Revesz, Tamas et al. (2015) Multiple system atrophy is not caused by C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions. Neurobiol Aging 36:1223.e1-2
Scholz, Sonja W; Jeon, Beom S (2015) GBA mutations and Parkinson disease: when genotype meets phenotype. Neurology 84:866-7
Ross, Owen A; Singleton, Andrew B (2012) Does trans size matter in Huntington disease? Neurology 78:686-7
Singleton, Andrew B (2012) Rapid genetic diagnosis in single-gene movement disorders. Mov Disord 27:467-9
Wu, J; Lou, H; Alerte, T N M et al. (2012) Lewy-like aggregation of ?-synuclein reduces protein phosphatase 2A activity in vitro and in vivo. Neuroscience 207:288-97
Majounie, Elisa; Abramzon, Yevgeniya; Renton, Alan E et al. (2012) Large C9orf72 repeat expansions are not a common cause of Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Aging 33:2527.e1-2

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