Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:1.14.99.3 (heme oxygenase)
 4,196 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

It has been five years since the elucidation of the genetic mutation underlying the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD) (97), however the precise mechanism of the selective neuronal death it propagates still remains an enigma. Several different etiological processes may play roles, and strong evidence from studies in both humans and animal models suggests the involvement of energy metabolism dysfunction, excitotoxic processes, and oxidative stress. Importantly, the recent development of transgenic mouse models of HD led to the identification of neuronal intranuclear inclusion bodies in affected brain regions in both mouse models and in HD brain, consisting of protein aggregates containing fragments of mutant huntingtin protein. These observations opened new avenues of investigation into possible huntingtin protein interactions and their putative pathogenetic sequelae. Amongst these studies, findings of elevated levels of oxidative damage products such as malondialdehyde, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, 3-nitrotyrosine and heme oxygenase in areas of degeneration in HD brain, and of increased free radical production in animal models, indicate the involvement of oxidative stress either as a causative event, or as a secondary constituent of the cell death cascade in the disease. Here we review the evidence for oxidative damage and potential mechanisms of neuronal death in HD.
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PMID:Oxidative stress in Huntington's disease. 998 57

ABSTRUCT: Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with progressive degeneration of melanin-containing dopamine neuron cell bodies arising in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and projecting terminals to the striatum. The disease is best characterized biochemically as a deficiency of striatal dopamine. The mechanism of neurodegeneration remains an enigma despite a large body of investigation and several hypotheses (1-5). In the past decade much has been learned about the chemical pathology of the disease. This progress has been helped by elucidation of the mechanism of the neurotoxic actions of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which are used to induce animal models of this disease. Thus, the most valid current hypothesis concerning the pathogenesis of idiopathic PD is progressive oxidative stress (OS), which can generate excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) selectively in the SNpc (1-9), and subsequent biochemical abnormalities (Table 1). In addition, the ROS scavenging system may also diminish, which would exaggerate the condition leading to accumulation of ROS. In PD, it is thought that both these events occur; Table 1 gives a summary of the biochemical changes identified to date in the SNpc of PD patients. Iron, monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD), and heme oxygenase (radical producing) are increased; reduced glutathione (GSH) and vitamin C (radical scavenging) are decreased. Whether OS is a primary or secondary event in PD has not been established, but when it does occur, OS can lead to a cascade of events resulting in the demise of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. One approach toward protection of such neurons is the use of radical scavengers or iron chelators as neuroprotective drugs (10). Table 1 Biochemical Alterations in Substantia Nigra of Parkinson's Disease Indicating Oxidative Stress Elevated Decreased Iron (in microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and melanized dopamine neurons and mitochondria) GSH (GSSG unchanged); GSH/GSSG ratio decreased Mitochondrial complex I Ferritin Calcium binding protein (calbindin 28) Mitochondrial monoamine oxidase B Transferrin and transferrin receptor Lipofuscin Vitamins E and C Ubiquitin Copper Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase Cytotoxic cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1, IL-6) Inflammatory transcription factor NFKB Heme oxygenase-1 Ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione (GSSG/GSH) Nitric oxide Neuromelanin.
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PMID:Oxidative stress indices in Parkinson's disease : biochemical determination. 2131 73