Genetic predisposition and risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract: The inter-individual variability in biotransformation, may lead to differences in activation and detoxification of both endogenous and exogenous compounds. Polymorphism studies in such genes were applied for Parkinson's disease (PD) and Chronic toxic encephalopathy (CTE), two diseases influenced by both genetic and enviromnental factors.An elevated median age for the onset of PD was found among GS1M1 gene carriers compared to PD patients being GS1M1 null genotypes (68 years versus 57 years). No similar difference was found for GSTT1. mEPHX (113HH) isoform, which has been suggested as a low activity variant, is over represented in PD patients (OR=3.8, CI 95%, 1.2-11.8).Monoamine oxidases (MAO-A and -B) are important in the dopamine metabolism and in the detoxification of neurotoxins and genetic variants in these genes have earlier been assigned to PD. However, no difference was revealed between any of the polymorphisms studied in the MAO-A and -B genes and PD. Smoking displayed an enviromnental exposure with a strong decreased risk for PD in this study (OR=0.40 for men and OR=0.48 for women) but no obvious interaction with the MAO genotypes could be observed.Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress have been hypothesized to contribute to the pathogenesis of PD. The superoxide dismutases (SOD) potentially play an important role in PD by detoxifying superoxide radicals in mitochondria. Polymorphisms neither in superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) nor mitochondrial complex I subunit, NDUFV2, were associated with PD.An increased risk ratio for CTE was found in smokers with the GSTM1 null genotype (RR=2.5, Cl 95%, 1.4-4.2) or the GSTT1 null genotype (RR=1.4, Ci 95%, 1.02-2.0). In non-smokers GS1M1 null genotype did not confer any risk for CTE. Polymorphisms in mEPHX were not associated with an increased risk for CTE.Thus, various genetic and enviromnental factors most likely influence both PD and solvent-induced CTE. Detoxification pathways may represent important protective mechanisms against reactive intermediates, thus genetic predisposition in these pathways could modify the susceptibility and onset of PD and solvent-induced CTE.