Tue Apr 4 14:40:01 2006 Pacific Time
Variants in Three Estrogen-Related Genes Linked to Parkinson's Disease
in Women
ROCHESTER, Minn., April 4 (AScribe Newswire) -- Mayo Clinic researchers
have discovered a possible connection between increased risk for Parkinson's
disease and variants in three genes that control estrogen production and
activity in the body.
The findings will be presented Tuesday at the American Academy of
Neurology meeting in San Diego.
"We and other investigators have found evidence that estrogen helps
protect women from developing Parkinson's," says Walter Rocca, M.D., M.P.H.,
Mayo Clinic neurologist and epidemiologist, and lead study investigator. "So,
a gene variant that would decrease estrogen production or activity would put
those women at greater risk for the disease."
The study associated variants in the following three genes with
development of Parkinson's: estrogen receptor 1 gene (ESR1); estrogen
receptor 2 gene (ESR2); and PR domain-containing protein 2 gene (PRDM2).
"The gene variants are not a defect or a problem in and of themselves
-they are part of human differences, simply differences across people, like
being slim, short or blue-eyed,"says Dr. Rocca. "These differences make one
subgroup of the population more susceptible to a disease like Parkinson's.
However, sometimes the genetic variant is a weak risk factor, and the disease
only manifests if another risk factor is present, such as a particular diet,
physical exercise, taking certain medications or a medical event."
The study was conducted using a database from a previous study of the
entire human genome for genes linked to Parkinson's. For the new study, the
Mayo Clinic investigators examined several genes for variants in 172 women
who had Parkinson's and 229 women who did not have the disease.
Dr. Rocca explains that some genetic variants the study pinpointed for
association with Parkinson's are quite common, affecting 10 to 20 percent of
the female population. As women are not routinely tested for these gene
variations, however, those affected would be unaware, he says.
"If the findings of this study are replicated and confirmed, the hope
is to use these variants to predict the risk of disease using a simple blood
test," says Dr. Rocca. He explains that the test would be particularly useful
for women and their physicians before deciding to conduct an elective
ovariectomy, surgical removal of the ovaries, because a combination of
estrogen-reducing factors could amplify a woman's risk for Parkinson's.
Other members of the Mayo Clinic research team included: Brandon
Grossardt; Mariza de Andrade, Ph.D.; James Bower, M.D.; and Demetrius
Maraganore, M.D. The study was financially supported by grants from the
National Institutes of Health.
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CONTACT: Lisa Lucier, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005 (days),
507-284-2511 (evenings), [log in to unmask]
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