The Genetic Link between Parkinson’s Disease and the Kynurenine Pathway Is Still Missing

Background. There is substantial evidence that the kynurenine pathway (KP) plays a role in the normal physiology of the brain and is involved in the pathology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective. We set out to investigate the potential...

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Main Authors: Nóra Török, Rita Török, Zoltán Szolnoki, Ferenc Somogyvári, Péter Klivényi, László Vécsei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015-01-01
Series:Parkinson's Disease
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/474135
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author Nóra Török
Rita Török
Zoltán Szolnoki
Ferenc Somogyvári
Péter Klivényi
László Vécsei
author_facet Nóra Török
Rita Török
Zoltán Szolnoki
Ferenc Somogyvári
Péter Klivényi
László Vécsei
author_sort Nóra Török
collection DOAJ
description Background. There is substantial evidence that the kynurenine pathway (KP) plays a role in the normal physiology of the brain and is involved in the pathology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective. We set out to investigate the potential roles in PD of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from one of the key enzymes of the KP, kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO). Methods. 105 unrelated, clinically definitive PD patients and 131 healthy controls were enrolled to investigate the possible effects of the different alleles of KMO. Fluorescently labeled TaqMan probes were used for allele discrimination. Results. None of the four investigated SNPs proved to be associated with PD or influenced the age at onset of the disease. Conclusions. The genetic link between the KP and PD is still missing. The investigated SNPs presumably do not appear to influence the function of KMO and probably do not contain binding sites for regulatory proteins of relevance in PD. This is the first study to assess the genetic background behind the biochemical alterations of the kynurenine pathway in PD, directing the attention to this previously unexamined field.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2090-8083
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publishDate 2015-01-01
publisher Wiley
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series Parkinson's Disease
spelling doaj-art-6a9b482a1bea4988bc96d7e05a2d1bdf2025-08-20T02:06:04ZengWileyParkinson's Disease2090-80832042-00802015-01-01201510.1155/2015/474135474135The Genetic Link between Parkinson’s Disease and the Kynurenine Pathway Is Still MissingNóra Török0Rita Török1Zoltán Szolnoki2Ferenc Somogyvári3Péter Klivényi4László Vécsei5Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, 6 Semmelweis Utca, Szeged 6725, HungaryDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, 6 Semmelweis Utca, Szeged 6725, HungaryDepartment of Neurology and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Pándy Kálmán County Hospital, 1 Semmelweis Utca, Gyula 5700, HungaryDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Immunobiology, University of Szeged, 10 Dóm tér, Szeged 6725, HungaryDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, 6 Semmelweis Utca, Szeged 6725, HungaryDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Centre, University of Szeged, 6 Semmelweis Utca, Szeged 6725, HungaryBackground. There is substantial evidence that the kynurenine pathway (KP) plays a role in the normal physiology of the brain and is involved in the pathology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective. We set out to investigate the potential roles in PD of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from one of the key enzymes of the KP, kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO). Methods. 105 unrelated, clinically definitive PD patients and 131 healthy controls were enrolled to investigate the possible effects of the different alleles of KMO. Fluorescently labeled TaqMan probes were used for allele discrimination. Results. None of the four investigated SNPs proved to be associated with PD or influenced the age at onset of the disease. Conclusions. The genetic link between the KP and PD is still missing. The investigated SNPs presumably do not appear to influence the function of KMO and probably do not contain binding sites for regulatory proteins of relevance in PD. This is the first study to assess the genetic background behind the biochemical alterations of the kynurenine pathway in PD, directing the attention to this previously unexamined field.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/474135
spellingShingle Nóra Török
Rita Török
Zoltán Szolnoki
Ferenc Somogyvári
Péter Klivényi
László Vécsei
The Genetic Link between Parkinson’s Disease and the Kynurenine Pathway Is Still Missing
Parkinson's Disease
title The Genetic Link between Parkinson’s Disease and the Kynurenine Pathway Is Still Missing
title_full The Genetic Link between Parkinson’s Disease and the Kynurenine Pathway Is Still Missing
title_fullStr The Genetic Link between Parkinson’s Disease and the Kynurenine Pathway Is Still Missing
title_full_unstemmed The Genetic Link between Parkinson’s Disease and the Kynurenine Pathway Is Still Missing
title_short The Genetic Link between Parkinson’s Disease and the Kynurenine Pathway Is Still Missing
title_sort genetic link between parkinson s disease and the kynurenine pathway is still missing
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/474135
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