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you need a PHD in biochem to understand what is being said here .....LOL ----- Original Message ----- From: "mschild" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 4:52 AM Subject: Vitamin B6 Gene Implicated in PD >A variant in a gene that converts vitamin B6 to a cofactor for dopamine > synthesis is implicated in some cases of Parkinson's disease, according to > a > new study. > > The study used gene expression profiling (i.e., determining changes in > messenger RNA production) to identify candidate genes, and then determined > whether variants in those genes were associated with disease, a process > called > "genomic convergence." The value of such a study design is that it can > detect > associations weaker than those currently found through genome-wide > association > studies. > > The authors performed whole-genome expression profiling in 100 individual > substantia nigra cells from a single individual from a brain bank PD case. > After Bonferroni correction and confirmation by real-time expression > analysis, > several genes were identified as significantly altered between PD and > control > cells. Variants of one, PDXK (pyridoxal kinase), were found to be > associated > with PD in three European cohorts. > > "PDXK catalyzes the conversion of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and > pyridoxamine) to pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)," the authors state. PLP is > thought to be a cofactor in multiple reactions, including the biosynthesis > of > dopamine by dopa decarboxylase. > > "Upregulation of PDXK in dopaminergic neurons may be explained by an > adaptive > mechanism to increase dopamine metabolism in the remaining funcitonal > dopaminergic neurons of the SNc or to levodopa therapy." The authors > speculate > that the polymorphism associated with PD may influence enzyme amount or > activity. Dietary vitamin B6 has previously been linked to a reduced risk > of > PD in smokers. > > Single-cell expression profiling ofdopaminergic neurons combined with > association analysis identifies pyridoxal kinase as Parkinson's disease > gene > M Elstner, CM Morris, K Heim, et al. > Ann Neurol 2009;66:792-798 > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn