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

In recent years, an intense interest has developed in the association between Parkinson's disease (PD) and hyperhomocysteinemia. Homocysteine (Hcy) is a neuronal excitotoxic amino acid, and is well known as a risk factor for vascular diseases. Some reports suggest that the administration of L-DOPA may promote hyperhomocysteinemia and idiopathic atherosclerosis. In this study, we report that a mild hypertrophy of the intima-media complex (IMC) of the carotid artery, which has been established as a marker for systemic atherosclerosis, is observed in PD patients compared with normal subjects. PD patients that were treated with L-DOPA for long durations showed a hypertrophic IMC, while the patients that were not treated with L-DOPA did not show any hypertrophic changes in the IMC. These hypertrophic changes were observed primarily in patients with a Hoehn-Yahr stage of 3-5. PD patients with hypertrophic IMC of the carotid artery also exhibited elevated plasma levels of Hcy associated with the C677T genotype of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). Moreover, a prolonged duration of treatment with L-DOPA in patients with MTHFR T/T genotype enhanced the hypertrophy of IMC, compared with patients with the C/C or C/T genotype. These results suggest that hyperhomocysteinemia promoted by the C677T genotype of MTHFR and prolonged treatment with L-DOPA enhances atherosclerosis in PD patients and affects their general condition.
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PMID:Hypertrophy of IMC of carotid artery in Parkinson's disease is associated with L-DOPA, homocysteine, and MTHFR genotype. 1261 26

In a prospective, population-based cohort study among 5,920 participants aged 55 years or older, we observed that the TT variant of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism is associated with an increased risk for Parkinson's disease in smokers. Both smoking and the TT genotype are known to induce hyperhomocystinemia, and synergistic effects on homocysteine levels have been reported. Increased plasma levels of homocysteine through direct neurotoxic effects might accelerate the selective dopaminergic cell death underlying Parkinson's disease. Our findings support the hypothesis that homocysteine plays a role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
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PMID:Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T genotype and PD. 1631 77

Hyperhomocysteinemia is considered a risk factor for vascular disease causing endothelial damage and consequently atherogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of elevated homocysteine on certain biochemical markers of endothelial function in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Blood homocysteine levels were assessed in 57 PD patients and 40 matched normal controls. Investigation of the C677T 5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotype was also performed in 43 PD patients. The following markers of endothelial function were assessed: superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), sICAM-1 and sE-selectin. Homocysteine levels were found mildly elevated in PD patients particularly in those treated with L-Dopa. MTHFR genotype did not influence significantly this finding. SOD activity was found reduced but it was not correlated to homocysteine levels. All other parameters measured were normal and were not related to hyperhomocysteinemia. Our findings indicate that mild hyperhomocysteinemia in PD patients was not associated with endothelial dysfunction.
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PMID:Endothelial function markers in parkinsonian patients with hyperhomocysteinemia. 1604 Feb 47

No direct data exist on the influence of supranormal intakes of sulfur amino acids on immune function in humans. However 3 major products of sulfur amino acids, glutathione (GSH), homocysteine (Hcy), and taurine (Tau), influence, mainly, inflammatory aspects of the immune response in vitro and in vivo. Methionine intakes above approximately 1 g/d transiently raise plasma Tau, Hcy, and GSH. Tau and GSH ameliorate inflammation. Hcy has the opposite effect. A biphasic relation, between cellular GSH and CD4+ and CD8+ numbers occurs in healthy men. How changes in sulfur amino acid intake influence this phenomenon is unknown. In animals, high Tau intakes are antiinflammatory. How immune function in humans is affected is unknown. A positive relation between plasma neopterin (a marker of a Th-1-type immune response) and Hcy indicates that Hcy may play a part in inflammatory aspects of Parkinson's disease and aging. In vitro, Hcy, at concentrations seen following consumption of approximately 6 g L-methionine/d in adults, increases the interactions among T lymphocytes, monocytes, and endothelium. Whether a similar phenomenon occurs in vivo is unknown. Polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene are associated with raised plasma Hcy in young but not old subjects. The relation of this observation to immune function is unknown. The relationships among Hcy, inflammatory aspects of disease, and in vitro alterations in immune cell behavior create a cautionary note about supplementation of diets with l-methionine to raise intake above approximately 1 g/d. Studies directly linking methionine intake, genetics, plasma Hcy, Tau, and GSH and immune function are needed.
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PMID:The effects of sulfur amino acid intake on immune function in humans. 1670 36

Elevated levels of homocysteine have been observed in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients treated with levodopa. However, it is not studied if duration of PD or PD per se is associated with hyperhomocysteinemia. In the present study, the levels of homocysteine in 99 levodopa-treated PD patients, 15 untreated PD patients and 100 controls were examined. We focused on the influence of levodopa dose, duration of therapy and disease as well as genetic (C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism) and environmental factors. We found that levodopa-treated PD patients had elevated homocysteine plasma levels as compared to controls (p < 0.05), but the levels did not depend on levodopa doses. Another factor influencing homocysteine level was the duration of PD (p < 0.001). The frequency of allele C677T of MTHFR gene did not differ between PD and controls. In conclusion, hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with the duration of PD and levodopa treatment and possibly also with PD per se.
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PMID:Hyperhomocysteinemia and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism in patients with Parkinson's disease. 1678 8

Levodopa (L-dopa) treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with elevated homocysteine (Hcy). To examine the relationship between Hcy, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms (MTHFR: 677C/T; 1298A/C), and B-vitamins in older PD patients and whether Hcy or MTHFR polymorphisms were associated with clinical measures. MTHFR polymorphisms, B-vitamin intake, and blood concentrations of Hcy, vitamin B12 and folate, and creatinine were determined and compared between groups (PD and controls). The relationship of Hcy to clinical measures was examined in PD. Among 51 patients [30M/21F, mean age (SD): 71.5 (4.7)] and 50 controls [29M/21F, 71.5 (4.8)], Hcy was higher in PD [13.6 (3.8); controls: 10.5 (2.5), P < 0.0005]. Hcy was associated with B-vitamin intake [F = 21.7, P < 0.0005], folate level (R = 0.31, P = 0.035), and the interaction of intake with MTHFR 677T (F = 5.2, P = 0.007), but not MTHFR 1298C genotype. Hcy did not correlate with global measures of cognition, mood, or parkinsonism in PD or with dyskinesias, fluctuations, or freezing. Higher vitamin B12 levels were associated with lower dyskinesia risk. Hcy was influenced by PD, MTHFR 677 genotype, and vitamin use, but not by the MTHFR 1298 genotype. There was no clear association with motor or cognitive measures, but dyskinesias were less likely with higher B12.
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PMID:Homocysteine is not associated with global motor or cognitive measures in nondemented older Parkinson's disease patients. 1895 34

Genetic C677T and A1298C polymorphisms in 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and levodopa therapy in Parkinson's disease (PD) may increase homocysteine (Hcy) level. We examined whether connecting both polymorphisms influences the effect of levodopa on Hcy. MTHFR genotypes and Hcy, vitamin B(12), and folate levels were determined in 48 levodopa-treated PD patients (PD-L), 28 non-treated PD patients (PD-N) and 110 controls. Hcy was remarkably higher in PD-L than in PD-N and controls (p<0.001); similarly, the differences were seen in different age subgroups and in both genders. Furthermore, Hcy differences between PD-L and PD-N were evident in 677C/T, T/T, C/T + A/A, T/T + A/A (all p<0.05), and 1298A/A (p<0.001), but not in others such as 677C/C, and C/C + A/A. Hcy in PD-N and controls was comparable for all genotypes. In PD-L, Hcy was the highest in 677T/T, then in C/T, and in C/C with a significant difference from T/T (p=0.014), but was not different among A1298C genotypes. Likewise, Hcy was the highest in 677T/T+1298A/A, intermediate in C/T+A/A, and the lowest in C/C+A/A. In PD-N, Hcy was similar among all genotypes. In conclusion, Hcy elevation may be caused by levodopa administration, and further promoted by 677C/T and T/T, but not by A1298C genotypes. The promoting elevation in 1298A/A is attributed to combining the 677T allele. Neither C677T nor A1298C genotypes contribute to elevating Hcy in PD-N.
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PMID:Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms and plasma homocysteine in levodopa-treated and non-treated Parkinson's disease patients. 1978 83

There is evidence that increased homocysteine (Hcy) levels might accelerate dopaminergic cell death in Parkinson's disease (PD) through neurotoxic effects. Homocysteine neurotoxicity mainly relies on redox state alterations. The present work was aimed at investigating the relationships between plasma Hcy concentrations and percent content of oxidized versus total Coenzyme Q10 (%CoQ10) in 60 PD patients and 82 healthy subjects. Both groups were screened for plasma levels of Hcy, vitamin B12, folate, %CoQ10 and C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism. The MTHFR TT677 mutated genotype was found more frequently in patients than in controls (p = 0.01). In a multivariate analysis, Hcy levels and %CoQ10 were associated with the case/control category (p < 0.0001), MTHFR genotype (p < 0.0001) and their interaction term (p = 0.0015), even after adjusting for age, sex, folate and vitamin B12. Patients carrying the TT677 genotype exhibited the highest values of Hcy and %CoQ10 (p < 0.0001). Structural equation modelling evidenced that the TT677 genotype and levodopa daily dose were independently and directly correlated with Hcy (p < 0.0001, and p = 0.003, respectively), which, in turn, showed a significant correlation (p < 0.0001) with the %CoQ10 in PD patients. Our results suggest that increased Hcy levels act as mediator of the systemic oxidative stress occurring in PD, and %CoQ10 determination might be regarded as a predictor of toxic Hcy effects.
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PMID:Coenzyme Q10, hyperhomocysteinemia and MTHFR C677T polymorphism in levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease patients. 2235 93

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD) and may result from genetic mutations or/and environmental factors. 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a folate-dependent enzyme that catalyzed remethylation of homocysteine (Hcy) and the MTHFR C677T polymorphism makes the MTHFR enzyme thermolabile causing hyperhomocysteinemia. In this study we analyzed whether two functional polymorphisms of MTHFR gene, A1298C and C677T, affect age of onset in PD. We enrolled 120 patients with sporadic PD. Patients were divided into three groups based on MTHFR C677T polymorphisms: (a) homozygotes wild type (CC) (b) heterozygotes (CT) and (c) homozygotes carriers of mutation (TT). MTHFR SNPs were analyzed using High-Resolution Melt analysis and ANOVA was performed to assess whether polymorphisms of MTHFR gene could influence age of onset. The MTHFR A1298C polymorphism had no effect on PD age at onset (p = 1.0) while there was a significant association with MTHFR C677T (p = 0.019 Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc) showing an earlier onset in CC as compared with TT. (p = 0.024). No differences were found for vascular load assessed with magnetic resonance imaging, pharmacological therapy and cognitive state for two MTHFR SNPs. Our results suggest a possible association of MTHFR C677T with age at onset of PD and may have important implications regarding the role of MTHFR.
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PMID:The MTHFR C677T polymorphism modifies age at onset in Parkinson's disease. 2405 51

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is generated during methionine metabolism. It has a physiologic role in DNA metabolism via methylation, a process governed by the presentation of folate, and vitamins B6 and B12. Physiologic Hcy levels are determined primarily by dietary intake and vitamin status. Elevated plasma levels of Hcy (eHcy) can be caused by deficiency of either vitamin B12 or folate, or a combination thereof. Certain genetic factors also cause eHcy, such as C667T substitution of the gene encoding methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. eHcy has been observed in several medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disorders, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, minimal cognitive impairment, dementia, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and eclampsia. There is evidence from laboratory and clinical studies that Hcy, and especially eHcy, exerts direct toxic effects on both the vascular and nervous systems. This article provides a review of the current literature on the possible roles of eHcy relevant to various neurologic disorders.
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PMID:Hyperhomocysteinemia and neurologic disorders: a review. 2562 60


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