Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
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Intracerebral injections of the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-HDA) can produce selective, near-total destruction of the dopamine (DA)-containing neurons of the nigrostriatal bundle. The dysfunctions in animals with these lesions show many parallels with those present in Parkinsonian patients. Among these are the extensive loss of DA neurons in the basal ganglia, neurological impairments including akinesia, paradoxical kinesia in response to activating conditions, and improved sensory-motor function after the administration of DOPA. Moreover, as with patients with preclinical Parkinsonism, 6-HDA-treated rats with less extensive lesions show few or no behavioral dysfunctions, but are unusually sensitive to the akinesia-inducing effects of stress and dopaminergic antagonists. In this review, we summarize the behavioral effects of 6-HDA-induced depletion of striatal DA in the rat and then focus on the compensatory changes that may underlie the preclinical stage of the disorder. These compensations appear to include an increase in the number of active DA neurons, an increase in the release of DA per impulse from residual terminals, and a decrease in the amount of DA inactivated by high affinity uptake. Collectively, these alterations permit a few residual DA neurons to maintain a normal level of control over cellular activity in the striatum.
Mol Chem Neuropathol 1989 Jun
PMID:Compensatory responses to nigrostriatal bundle injury. Studies with 6-hydroxydopamine in an animal model of parkinsonism. 250 73

Cellular sites of enkephalin gene expression were investigated using the technique of in situ hybridization in the normal striatum and in the denervated striatum of monkeys depleted of dopamine by pretreatment with the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Animals received MPTP by either (a) intravenous injection to induce generalized parkinsonism, or (b) infusion into one carotid artery to induce unilateral parkinsonism. The animals which received systemic injections of MPTP were found to have an essentially total loss of nigral dopamine cells whereas the intracarotid MPTP treatment was found to destroy approximately 95% of the dopamine neurons in the ipsilateral substantia nigra. A double-stranded cDNA probe encoding the human preproenkephalin (PPE) gene was isotopically labelled with 35S and used to detect PPE mRNA within striatal tissue sections. Application of this radiolabelled cDNA probe to lightly fixed striatal sections from both groups of animals revealed an increase in expression of PPE mRNA within denervated striatal enkephalinergic neurons relative to control tissue. An increase in the number of detectable enkephalinergic mRNA-positive neurons relative to control tissue was also noted. These results suggest that the nigral dopaminergic neurons tonically inhibit PPE gene expression in the striatum.
Brain Res Mol Brain Res 1989 Jul
PMID:Cellular localisation of enkephalin gene expression in MPTP-treated cynomolgus monkeys. 278 92

Although muscle and nerve are reasonably well protected against active oxygen and related free radicals, environmental or inherited malfunctions can overpower their defences. Active oxygen is involved in many neuropathies and myopathies. In every case the damage is caused by agents which exert effects disproportionately greater than the quantities encountered, through a variety of amplification mechanisms. We can categorize these amplification mechanisms as follows: (a) non-replacement of targets (e.g. loss of genetic information, ataxia telangectasia being an hereditary ataxia in which an oxygen mediated chromosomal instability is apparent), (b) non-removal of unwanted materials (e.g. lipofuscin accumulation in brain and heart), (c) redox cycling, usually involving catalysis by trace-metal ions (e.g. some forms of Parkinsonism), (d) non-redox catalysis (e.g. toxicity in cardiac muscle or brain due to vanadium or aluminium respectively), (e) modification of ion transport (e.g. calcium ionophore or acrylamide induce histopathological changes in muscle, similar in some respects to those seen in Duchenne muscular dystrophy), (f) compromised defences (e.g. muscle and nerve become particularly susceptible to free radical damage after loss of the protective actions of vitamin E), and (g) amplification by inflammatory and immune responses (e.g. multiple sclerosis, reperfusion injury to brain and heart, and traumatic injury to nervous tissue). Unfortunately, a variety of therapeutic agents which might be expected to protect against almost every conceivable form of oxygen mediated damage have proved clinically ineffective in most of these disorders. The reasons for this will be explored with an emphasis on common features, differences, mechanisms, and potential therapeutic approaches.
Mol Cell Biochem 1988 Dec
PMID:Active oxygen in neuromuscular disorders. 306 22

Synaptic reaccumulation of the neurotransmitter dopamine is mediated by the dopamine transporter (DAT), a member of the family of twelve transmembrane domain, sodium- and chloride-dependent neurotransmitter transporters. Several DAT features, including its exclusive expression in dopaminergic neurons, implication in cocaine action, and prominent role in the mechanisms of Parkinsonism-inducing neurotoxins, make understanding of the DAT gene of interest. Isolation and characterization of the human and mouse DAT genes has allowed elucidation of similarities between each and other members of this transporter gene family. Sequences 5' to transcriptional start sites contain G-C rich, TATA-less, CAAT-less regions with striking conservation between human and mouse gene flanking regions. These studies suggest sequence elements that are candidates to contribute to the dopamine transporter's dopaminergic cell-specific expression.
Brain Res Mol Brain Res 1995 Jun
PMID:Human and mouse dopamine transporter genes: conservation of 5'-flanking sequence elements and gene structures. 763 82

Cinnarizine and flunarizine are piperazine derivatives with calcium antagonist and anticonvulsant properties and are used widely in the treatment of vertigo and circulatory disorders. They have been implicated recently in the aggravation, or even the induction, of parkinsonism in elderly patients. Because the aetiology of parkinsonism has been suggested as having a mitochondrial component, we have investigated the effects of both compounds on mitochondrial respiration and on the activities of the individual respiratory chain complexes. In intact mitochondria from rat liver, both drugs inhibited respiration rates, with substrates entering at Complex I (glutamate/malate) and Complex II (succinate). These effects could be explained by potent inhibitions (Ki 3-10 microM) of both complexes. Complex I is inhibited at a site near the ubiquinone-binding site, which is not competitive with respect to ubiquinone, whereas the inhibition of Complex II is apparently caused by competition with ubiquinone. Furthermore, the inhibition of NADH oxidation by flunarizine in submitochondrial particles caused an NADH-dependent generation of superoxide. These inhibitory properties of both compounds could be significant factors in the aggravation or induction of parkinsonism in elderly patients, in whom mitochondrial function already may be impaired.
Mol Pharmacol 1994 Jan
PMID:Flunarizine and cinnarizine inhibit mitochondrial complexes I and II: possible implication for parkinsonism. 830 75

Dopamine transporter mRNA expression in individual neurons from the substantia nigra pars compacta. 'All' area, arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, retina, and olfactory bulb was assessed by in situ hybridization. High levels of expression were noted over individual neurons in midbrain nuclei; much lower expression was found in cells of the inner nuclear layer of the retina, glomerular cell layer of the olfactory bulb, and medial aspect of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. The low levels of expression in the latter nuclei are consistent with the paucity of effects of cocaine in visual and olfactory systems, failure to detect photoaffinity-labelled transporter protein in hypothalamus or olfactory bulb, and observations that little or no damage is found in dopaminergic neurons outside the basal midbrain in idiopathic Parkinsonism.
Brain Res Mol Brain Res 1993 Apr
PMID:Dopamine transporter mRNA expression is intense in rat midbrain neurons and modest outside midbrain. 847 87

The two most consistent features of the diseases caused by trinucleotide repeat expansion-neuropsychiatric symptoms and the phenomenon of genetic anticipation-may be present in forms of dementia, hereditary ataxia, Parkinsonism, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia and autism. To identify candidate genes for these disorders, we have screened human brain cDNA libraries for the presence of gene fragments containing polymorphic trinucleotide repeats. Here we report the cDNA cloning of CAGR1, originally detected in a retinal cDNA library. The 2743 bp cDNA contains a 1077 bp open reading frame encoding 359 amino acids. This amino acid sequence is homologous (56% amino acid identify and 81% amino acid conservation) to the Caenorhabditis elegans cell fate-determining protein mab-21. CAGR1 is expressed in several human tissues, most prominently in the cerebellum, as a message of approximately 3.0 kb. The gene was mapped to 13q13, just telomeric to D13S220. A 5'-untranslated CAG trinucleotide repeat is highly polymorphic, with repeat length ranging from six to 31 triplets and a heterozygosity of 87-88% in 684 chromosomes from several human populations. One allele from an individual with an atypical movement disorder and bipolar affective disorder type II contains 46 triplets, 15 triplets longer than any other allele detected. Though insufficient data are available to link the long repeat to this clinical phenotype, an expansion mutation of the CAGR1 repeat can be considered a candidate for the etiology of disorders with anticipation or developmental abnormalities, and particularly any such disorders linked to chromosome 13.
Hum Mol Genet 1996 May
PMID:cDNA cloning of a human homologue of the Caenorhabditis elegans cell fate-determining gene mab-21: expression, chromosomal localization and analysis of a highly polymorphic (CAG)n trinucleotide repeat. 873 27

The major symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD) are tremors, hypokinesia, rigidity, and abnormal posture, caused by the degeneration of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) and deficiency of DA in the neostriatal DA terminals. Norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in the neostriatum and tyrosine hydroxylase and melanin pigments in the substantia nigra are also decreased, and brain cholinergic activity is increased. The cause of PD is unknown, but PD is an age-related disorder, suggesting that changes that occur during the aging process may help to precipitate PD. Methylation increases in aging animals. Increased methylation can deplete DA, NE, and 5-HT; increase acetylcholine; and cause hypokinesia and tremors. These effects are similar to changes seen in PD, and interestingly also, they are similar to some of the changes that are associated with the aging process. It is suggested, therefore, that increased methylation may be an inducing factor in parkinsonism. Accordingly, the effects of an increase in methylation in the brain of rats were studied. S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), the limiting factor in the methylation process, was injected into the lateral ventricle of rats. Specific behavioral changes that resemble changes seen in PD were investigated. The results showed that AdoMet caused tremors, rigidity, hypokinesia, and depleted DA. The hypokinetic effects of a single dose of AdoMet lasted for about 90 min. AdoMet has a dose-dependent hypokinetic effect. A dose of 9.4 nmol reduced movement time (MT) by 68.9% and increased rest time (RT) by 20.7%, and a dose of 400 nmol reduced MT by 92.4% and increased RT by 27.6%. The normethyl analog of AdoMet, S-adenosylhomocysteine, did not cause hypokinesia or tremors, but it blocked the AdoMet-induced motor effects. L-dopa, the precursor of DA, also blocked the AdoMet-induced motor effects. These data suggest that the methyl group of AdoMet as well as DA depletion are involved in the AdoMet-induced motor effects. A dose of 0.65 mumol of AdoMet depleted DA in the ipsilateral caudate nucleus (CN) or neostriatum by 50.1%, and DA in the contralateral CN was reduced by 9.3%. Double the dose of AdoMet did not increase the depletion of DA on the ipsilateral CN, but DA in the contralateral CN was decreased by 26.3%. Taken together, the results suggest that increased methylation may contribute to the symptoms of PD.
Mol Chem Neuropathol 1995 Dec
PMID:Striatal dopamine depletion, tremors, and hypokinesia following the intracranial injection of S-adenosylmethionine: a possible role of hypermethylation in parkinsonism. 874 29

Rapidly progressive autosomal dominant parkinsonism and dementia with pallido-ponto-nigral degeneration (PPND) is a neurodegenerative disorder which begins later in life (> 30 years of age) and is characterized by rapidly progressive parkinsonism, dystonia, dementia, perservative vocalizations and pyramidal tract dysfunction. The disease is observed in a large American family that includes almost 300 members in nine generations with 34 affected individuals. In this kindred evidence for linkage to chromosome 17q21 was obtained with a maximum lod score of 9.08 for the D17S958 locus. Multilocus analysis positions the disease gene in an approximately 10 cM region between D17S250 and D17S943. Notably, the disease locus for a clinically distinct familial neurodegenerative disease named 'disinhibition-dementia-parkinsonism-amyotrophy complex' (DDPAC) was recently mapped to the same region of chromosome 17, suggesting that PPND and DDPAC may possibly originate from mutations in the same gene.
Hum Mol Genet 1996 Jan
PMID:Localization of the gene for rapidly progressive autosomal dominant parkinsonism and dementia with pallido-ponto-nigral degeneration to chromosome 17q21. 878 53

The scanning nuclear microprobe (nuclear microscope) is becoming a powerful instrument for the accurate measurement of minor and trace elements in biological tissue. Using the simultaneously applied techniques of Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM) to image features in the tissue, Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) to measure trace element concentrations, and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) to characterize the tissue matrix, accurate elemental analysis at the parts per million level can be obtained for most elements. This review describes briefly the results obtained using the nuclear microscope for the elemental analysis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's tissue. In Alzheimer's disease (AD) the identification and subsequent analysis of neuritic plaque cores in unstained tissue, yielded an absence of aluminium at the limit of 15 parts per million. Previous analyses involving stained sections were prone to misinterpretation due to aluminium contamination from the staining procedures. Elemental iron, calcium, phosphorus and sulphur were elevated both in the plaques and the AD background tissue compared to age matched controls. Preliminary analyses of neurofibrillary tangles stained with toluidine blue showed increased levels of calcium, although the staining procedure may have distorted the results due to element redistribution. In Parkinson's disease (PD) nuclear microscope studies have concentrated on measurements of iron in the substantia nigra (SN) region of the brain; iron was observed to be elevated by a factor 2 in MPTP induced Parkinsonism in African Green monkeys, and by a factor of 1.25 in 6-OHDA induced Parkinsonism in Sprague Dawley rats. These studies are consistent with other studies showing a general increase in the concentrations of iron associated with PD, and support the theory that iron mediated free radical production may enhance or accelerate the degeneration of dopaminergic cells through oxidative stress.
Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 1996 Feb
PMID:Nuclear microscope analysis in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease: A review. 883 63


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