Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0030567 (Parkinson's disease)
 63,064 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We report the effect of papaverine, tetrahydro-papaverine, laudanosine, dimethoxyphenylethylamine, dopamine, and its metabolites on mitochondrial respiration and activities of the enzymes in the electron transfer complexes, as mitochondrial toxins may be implicated in the etiology and the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Papaverine was the most potent inhibitor of complex I and NADH-linked mitochondrial respiration among the compounds tested next to rotenone. Tetrahydropapaverine, dimethoxyphenylethylamine, and laudanosine also inhibited NADH-linked mitochondrial respiration and complex I activity in this order. Dopamine and its metabolites showed either no inhibition or only very week inhibition. Compounds with dimethoxy residues in the phenyl ring were associated with more potent inhibition of complex I than those without. Our results warrant further studies on these and some related compounds as candidate neurotoxins causing Parkinson's disease.
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PMID:Effect of dopamine, dimethoxyphenylethylamine, papaverine, and related compounds on mitochondrial respiration and complex I activity. 876 81

We review the recent progress in the research of the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of Parkinson's disease. It has been postulated that mitochondrial respiratory failure and oxidative stress are two major contributors to nigral cell death in Parkinson's disease. Loss of mitochondrial complex I and the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex in the substantia nigra has been reported. Evidence to indicate oxidative stress includes a high dopamine content, increase in superoxide dismutase activities, increase in iron, and decrease in glutathione in the substantia nigra. The question posed is which one occurs first. We believe mitochondrial respiratory failure occurs first, because slowing down of the electron transport induces an increase in the formation of activated oxygen species. The primary cause of Parkinson's disease is still unknown, but we believe the interaction of environmental toxins and genetic predispositions is important. In this respect, molecular genetic studies on familial Parkinson's disease are very important.
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PMID:Parkinson's disease: from etiology to treatment. 877 62

There is increasing evidence for a mitochondrial disturbance in Parkinson's disease (PD). We present data which favor a defect of complex I of the respiratory chain only in substantia nigra pars compacta. Evidence from literature supports the view that this complex I defect is specific for Parkinson's disease. Questions like feasibility of postmortem biochemical analyses, impairment of the mitochondrial genome, and evidence for the complex I defect as a causative event for PD are discussed in detail. We consider complex I defect to play a most important role in the cell death of dopaminergic neurons.
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PMID:Iron-dependent enzymes in Parkinson's disease. 882 Oct 51

The neurotoxic agent MPP+ is an artificial substance producing a syndrome very similar to that of idiopathic Parkinson's disease. There are also naturally occuring neurotoxic substances under discussion like the group of isoquinoline and beta-carboline alkaloids. All these substances are more or less powerfull inhibitors of complex I of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. This study examined the effect of 1-trichloromethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline (TaClo), a putative in vivo condensation product of chloralhydrate and tryptamine, on the oxidative phosphorylation system compared to MPP+. Similar to MPP+, TaClo inhibits only the electron transfer from complex I towards ubiquinone. Demonstrating a 10-times more effective inhibition than MPP+, complex I activity is fully inhibited by 800 microM TaClo in brain homogenates and submitochondrial particles. By extending the preincubation time from 5 to 30 min complex I is already inhibited by 400 microM TaClo. Other derivates of TaClo as N-methyl-TaClo demonstrate an even greater inhibitory effect on complex I and especially on complex II activities.
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PMID:1-Trichloromethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline, a new inhibitor of complex I. 882 Oct 63

Parkinson's disease, known also as striatal dopamine deficiency syndrome, is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system characterized by akinesia, muscular rigidity, tremor at rest, and postural abnormalities. In early stages of parkinsonism, there appears to be a compensatory increase in the number of dopamine receptors to accommodate the initial loss of dopamine neurons. As the disease progresses, the number of dopamine receptors decreases, apparently due to the concomitant degeneration of dopamine target sites on striatal neurons. The loss of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease results in enhanced metabolism of dopamine, augmenting the formation of H2O2, thus leading to generation of highly neurotoxic hydroxyl radicals (OH.). The generation of free radicals can also be produced by 6-hydroxydopamine or MPTP which destroys striatal dopaminergic neurons causing parkinsonism in experimental animals as well as human beings. Studies of the substantia nigra after death in Parkinson's disease have suggested the presence of oxidative stress and depletion of reduced glutathione; a high level of total iron with reduced level of ferritin; and deficiency of mitochondrial complex I. New approaches designed to attenuate the effects of oxidative stress and to provide neuroprotection of striatal dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease include blocking dopamine transporter by mazindol, blocking NMDA receptors by dizocilpine maleate, enhancing the survival of neurons by giving brain-derived neurotrophic factors, providing antioxidants such as vitamin E, or inhibiting monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) by selegiline. Among all of these experimental therapeutic refinements, the use of selegiline has been most successful in that it has been shown that selegiline may have a neurotrophic factor-like action rescuing striatal neurons and prolonging the survival of patients with Parkinson's disease.
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PMID:Oxidative stress and antioxidant therapy in Parkinson's disease. 883 Mar 46

Parkinson's disease is characterized by chronic progression of dopaminergic neuronal death, the mechanism of which is still unknown. Although methyl-4-phenylpyridium ion (MPP+) or MPP(+)-like substance, that can reduce mitochondrial complex I activity, is supposed to be a causative agent for Parkinson's disease, it is difficult to explain the chronic neuronal degeneration for years. It is important to identify other putative agents capable of causing chronic cell death besides MPP+. We hypothesized that treatment with small doses of MPP+, not causing severe damage to dopaminergic neurons but merely reducing the activity of mitochondrial complex I, can be a model of Parkinson's disease, and that glutamate can be a putative agent causing chronic neuronal degeneration. Using primary culture of the rat mesencephalon, we investigated glutamate-induced cytotoxicity against dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons with or without the pretreatment with MPP+. Brief exposure to glutamate showed similar cytotoxicity against both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons. An N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist completely blocked the glutamate-induced cytotoxicity against both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons. In the dopaminergic neurons, MPP+ caused cytotoxicity that was not blocked by co-administration of MK-801. After pretreatment with small doses of MPP+, sub-lethal doses of glutamate caused severe cell damage restricted to dopaminergic neurons, suggesting that MPP+ potentiates the glutamate-induced cytotoxicity only against dopaminergic neurons. As glutamate is putatively capable of causing cytotoxicity against dopaminergic neurons, the present findings might be important in considering the pathogenesis of dopaminergic neuronal degeneration and a possible therapeutic application of glutamate receptor antagonists in Parkinson's disease.
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PMID:Methylphenylpyridium ion (MPP+) enhances glutamate-induced cytotoxicity against dopaminergic neurons in cultured rat mesencephalon. 883 74

The mitochondrial electron transport enzyme NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I), which is encoded by both mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA, is defective in multiple tissues in persons with Parkinson's disease (PD). The origin of this lesion and its role in the neurodegeneration of PD are unknown. To address these questions, we created an in vitro system in which the potential contributions of environmental toxins, complex I nuclear DNA mutations, and mitochondrial DNA mutations could be systematically analyzed. A clonal line of human neuroblastoma cells containing no mitochondrial DNA was repopulated with mitochondria derived from the platelets of PD or control subjects. After 5 to 6 weeks in culture, these cytoplasmic hybrid (cybrid) cell lines were assayed for electron transport chain activities, production of reactive oxygen species, and sensitivity to induction of apoptotic cell death by 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium (MPP+). In PD cybrids we found a stable 20% decrement in complex I activity, increased oxygen radical production, and increased susceptibility to 1-methyl-4-phenyl pyridinium-induced programmed cell death. The complex I defect in PD appears to be genetic, arising from mitochondrial DNA, and may play an important role in the neurodegeneration of PD by fostering reactive oxygen species production and conferring increased neuronal susceptibility to mitochondrial toxins.
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PMID:Origin and functional consequences of the complex I defect in Parkinson's disease. 887 87

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) involves a documentable decline in the activity of mitochondrial complex I in substantia nigra (1-3). We have EPR spectroscopy to investigate complex I in human substantia nigra and globus pallidus. EPR signals characteristic of the iron-sulfur centers of complexes I and II were observed with globus pallidus, with no significant difference between control and PD. These complex 1 signals could not be clearly observed in substantia nigra. Instead, nitric oxide (NO.) radicals in PD nigra were detected at g approximately 2.08, 1.98 due to [haem-NO] formation. Although an EPR signal indicative of haem-NO was observed with control nigra, it lacked the distinctive g approximately 1.98 trough observed with PD nigra. As PD is associated with a reactive gliosis, the difference in the haem-NO EPR signal, between control and PD nigra, may result from cytotoxic NO. generated by microglia in PD substantia nigra.
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PMID:Detection of nitrosyl complexes in human substantia nigra, in relation to Parkinson's disease. 892 Sep 9

There is increasing evidence for a role of defects of mitochondrial DNA in the etiology of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease as well as in normal aging. In several studies a biochemical defect of complex I of the respiratory chain (NADH dehydrogenase, EC 1.6.5.3) has been found in the substantia nigra of Parkinsonian brains. Thus, mutations of mitochondrial genes encoding subunits of complex I could contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. A heteroplasmic G5460A mutation affecting the ND2 subunit of NADH dehydrogenase was detected in several brains of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Since this mutation is heteroplasmic we were interested in the distribution of mutated and wild-type mitochondrial DNA in different brain areas. Relative levels of mutated DNA were quantified in a large number of anatomical regions using DNA extracted from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded brain tissue. DNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and digested employing the restriction enzyme Hphl. The proportion of mutated DNA was determined by laser densitometry. In addition, genotype-phenotype analyses were performed on sections of the substantia nigra with the aid of an automated image analysis system. Ratios of mutant to wild-type DNA varied between 44% and 98%. However, there was no systematic relationship between mutated DNA ratios and ontogenetically related brain areas suggesting that the observed regional heterogeneity of mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy is most likely due to random segregation during development. Therefore, tissue-specific differences in the sensitivity to pathogenic effects of the ND2(5460) mutation or the influence of additional susceptibility genes may be envisioned.
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PMID:Regional heterogeneity of mtDNA heteroplasmy in parkinsonian brain. 893 82

In substantia nigra from patients with Parkinson's disease, there are decreased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and diminished activities of mitochondrial complex I and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (alpha-KGDH), along with increased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). However, the interrelationship among these events is uncertain. We now report the effect of decreased brain GSH levels on SOD and mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity in rat brain. In addition, we have investigated the ability of thioctic acid, an endogenous antioxidant, to alter these parameters. Unilateral or bilateral intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of buthionine sulphoximine (BSO; 1 x 3.2 mg or 2 x 1.6 mg) over a 48-hr period reduced cortical GSH by 55-70%. There was no change in the activity of complex I, II/III, or IV or of citrate synthase in cortex. Similarly, there was no alteration of mitochondrial or cytosolic SOD activity. Thioctic acid (50 or 100 mg/kg IP) alone had no effect on cortical GSH levels in control animals and did not reverse the decrease in GSH levels produced by unilateral or bilateral ICV BSO administration. Thioctic acid (50 or 100 mg/kg IP) had no overall effect on complex I, II/III, or IV or on citrate synthase activity in control animals. Thioctic acid also did not alter cortical mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity in BSO-treated rats. At the lower dose, thioctic acid tended to increase mitochondrial and cytosolic SOD activity in control animals and in BSO-treated rats. However, at the higher dose, thioctic acid tended to decrease mitochondrial SOD activity. Overall, there was no consistent effect of thioctic acid (50 or 100 mg/kg IP) on SOD activity in control or BSO-treated animals. This study shows that BSO-induced glutathione deficiency does not lead to alterations in mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity or to changes in SOD activity. GSH depletion in Parkinson's disease therefore may not account for the alterations occurring in complex I and mitochondrial SOD in substantia nigra. Thioctic acid did not alter brain GSH levels or mitochondrial function. Interestingly, however, it did produce some alterations in SOD activity, which may reflect either its antioxidant activity or its ability to act as a thiol-disulphide redox couple.
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PMID:Mitochondrial respiratory enzyme function and superoxide dismutase activity following brain glutathione depletion in the rat. 898 27


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