Parkinson Disease: Saint-Hilaire MH

Saint-Hilaire MH. · Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118 USA. · Med Health R I. · Pubmed #18549039 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.

Jorga KM, Davis TL, Kurth MC, Saint-Hilaire MH, LeWitt PA, Fotteler B, Zürcher G, Rabbia M. · Department of Research and Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, Switzerland. · Clin Neuropharmacol. · Pubmed #10803800 No free full text.

Abstract: The effect and clinical significance of tolcapone withdrawal on erythrocyte catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity, levodopa pharmacokinetics, and levodopa requirements were investigated in 59 patients with fluctuating parkinsonism who were randomized to receive placebo or tolcapone 100 or 200 mg three times daily for 6 weeks. Tolcapone withdrawal caused a transient elevation in COMT activity by 64% in patients receiving 100 mg three times daily and by 128% in those receiving 200 mg three times daily at approximately 1-2 weeks after discontinuation of drug. Thereafter, COMT activity was declining but did not reach baseline values by the 12-week study endpoint. However, this had no effect on plasma levodopa and 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD) concentrations or on levodopa requirements. During treatment, tolcapone increased "on" time and decreased "off" time; after discontinuation of study medication and levodopa dose adjustment, on and off times were similar to baseline. Withdrawal was generally well tolerated; no patients withdrew from the trial during the posttreatment period, and no serious adverse events were observed. In conclusion, the transient increase in erythrocyte COMT activity observed after discontinuation oftolcapone is not associated with changes in peripheral levodopa metabolism and therefore has no significant clinical consequences in terms of levodopa requirements, clinical symptoms, or adverse events.

Latourelle JC, Sun M, Lew MF, Suchowersky O, Klein C, Golbe LI, Mark MH, Growdon JH, Wooten GF, Watts RL, Guttman M, Racette BA, Perlmutter JS, Ahmed A, Shill HA, Singer C, Goldwurm S, Pezzoli G, Zini M, Saint-Hilaire MH, Hendricks AE, Williamson S, Nagle MW, Wilk JB, Massood T, Huskey KW, Laramie JM, DeStefano AL, Baker KB, Itin I, Litvan I, Nicholson G, Corbett A, Nance M, Drasby E, Isaacson S, Burn DJ, Chinnery PF, Pramstaller PP, Al-hinti J, Moller AT, Ostergaard K, Sherman SJ, Roxburgh R, Snow B, Slevin JT, Cambi F, Gusella JF, Myers RH. · Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. · BMC Med. · Pubmed #18986508 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: We report age-dependent penetrance estimates for leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2)-related Parkinson's disease (PD) in a large sample of familial PD. The most frequently seen LRRK2 mutation, Gly2019Ser (G2019S), is associated with approximately 5 to 6% of familial PD cases and 1 to 2% of idiopathic cases, making it the most common known genetic cause of PD. Studies of the penetrance of LRRK2 mutations have produced a wide range of estimates, possibly due to differences in study design and recruitment, including in particular differences between samples of familial PD versus sporadic PD. METHODS: A sample, including 903 affected and 58 unaffected members from 509 families ascertained for having two or more PD-affected members, 126 randomly ascertained PD patients and 197 controls, was screened for five different LRRK2 mutations. Penetrance was estimated in families of LRRK2 carriers with consideration of the inherent bias towards increased penetrance in a familial sample. RESULTS: Thirty-one out of 509 families with multiple cases of PD (6.1%) were found to have 58 LRRK2 mutation carriers (6.4%). Twenty-nine of the 31 families had G2019S mutations while two had R1441C mutations. No mutations were identified among controls or unaffected relatives of PD cases. Nine PD-affected relatives of G2019S carriers did not carry the LRRK2 mutation themselves. At the maximum observed age range of 90 to 94 years, the unbiased estimated penetrance was 67% for G2019S families, compared with a baseline PD risk of 17% seen in the non-LRRK2-related PD families. CONCLUSION: Lifetime penetrance of LRRK2 estimated in the unascertained relatives of multiplex PD families is greater than that reported in studies of sporadically ascertained LRRK2 cases, suggesting that inherited susceptibility factors may modify the penetrance of LRRK2 mutations. In addition, the presence of nine PD phenocopies in the LRRK2 families suggests that these susceptibility factors may also increase the risk of non-LRRK2-related PD. No differences in penetrance were found between men and women, suggesting that the factors that influence penetrance for LRRK2 carriers are independent of the factors which increase PD prevalence in men.

McNicoll CF, Latourelle JC, MacDonald ME, Lew MF, Suchowersky O, Klein C, Golbe LI, Mark MH, Growdon JH, Wooten GF, Watts RL, Guttman M, Racette BA, Perlmutter JS, Ahmed A, Shill HA, Singer C, Saint-Hilaire MH, Massood T, Huskey KW, DeStefano AL, Gillis T, Mysore J, Goldwurm S, Pezzoli G, Baker KB, Itin I, Litvan I, Nicholson G, Corbett A, Nance M, Drasby E, Isaacson S, Burn DJ, Chinnery PF, Pramstaller PP, Al-Hinti J, Moller AT, Ostergaard K, Sherman SJ, Roxburgh R, Snow B, Slevin JT, Cambi F, Gusella JF, Myers RH. · Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA. · Mov Disord. · Pubmed #18649400 No free full text.

Abstract: The ATP/ADP ratio reflects mitochondrial function and has been reported to be influenced by the size of the Huntington disease gene (HD) repeat. Impaired mitochondrial function has long been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), and therefore, we evaluated the relationship of the HD CAG repeat size to PD onset age in a large sample of familial PD cases. PD affected siblings (n = 495), with known onset ages from 248 families, were genotyped for the HD CAG repeat. Genotyping failed in 11 cases leaving 484 for analysis, including 35 LRRK2 carriers. All cases had HD CAG repeats (range, 15-34) below the clinical range for HD, although 5.2% of the sample (n = 25) had repeats in the intermediate range (the intermediate range lower limit = 27; upper limit = 35 repeats), suggesting that the prevalence of intermediate allele carriers in the general population is significant. No relation between the HD CAG repeat size and the age at onset for PD was found in this sample of familial PD.

DeStefano AL, Latourelle J, Lew MF, Suchowersky O, Klein C, Golbe LI, Mark MH, Growdon JH, Wooten GF, Watts R, Guttman M, Racette BA, Perlmutter JS, Marlor L, Shill HA, Singer C, Goldwurm S, Pezzoli G, Saint-Hilaire MH, Hendricks AE, Gower A, Williamson S, Nagle MW, Wilk JB, Massood T, Huskey KW, Baker KB, Itin I, Litvan I, Nicholson G, Corbett A, Nance M, Drasby E, Isaacson S, Burn DJ, Chinnery PF, Pramstaller PP, Al-Hinti J, Moller AT, Ostergaard K, Sherman SJ, Roxburgh R, Snow B, Slevin JT, Cambi F, Gusella JF, Myers RH. · Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Crosstown Center, 3rd floor, Boston, MA 02118, USA. · Hum Genet. · Pubmed #18587682 links to  free full text

Abstract: Genetic variants in embryonic lethal, abnormal vision, Drosophila-like 4 (ELAVL4) have been reported to be associated with onset age of Parkinson disease (PD) or risk for PD affection in Caucasian populations. In the current study we genotyped three single nucleotide polymorphisms in ELAVL4 in a Caucasian study sample consisting of 712 PD patients and 312 unrelated controls from the GenePD study. The minor allele of rs967582 was associated with increased risk of PD (odds ratio = 1.46, nominal P value = 0.011) in the GenePD population. The minor allele of rs967582 was also the risk allele for PD affection or earlier onset age in the previously studied populations. This replication of association with rs967582 in a third cohort further implicates ELAVL4 as a PD susceptibility gene.

Tobin JE, Latourelle JC, Lew MF, Klein C, Suchowersky O, Shill HA, Golbe LI, Mark MH, Growdon JH, Wooten GF, Racette BA, Perlmutter JS, Watts R, Guttman M, Baker KB, Goldwurm S, Pezzoli G, Singer C, Saint-Hilaire MH, Hendricks AE, Williamson S, Nagle MW, Wilk JB, Massood T, Laramie JM, DeStefano AL, Litvan I, Nicholson G, Corbett A, Isaacson S, Burn DJ, Chinnery PF, Pramstaller PP, Sherman S, Al-hinti J, Drasby E, Nance M, Moller AT, Ostergaard K, Roxburgh R, Snow B, Slevin JT, Cambi F, Gusella JF, Myers RH. · Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. · Neurology. · Pubmed #18509094 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) has been associated with several neurodegenerative disorders including forms of parkinsonism and Parkinson disease (PD). We evaluated the association of the MAPT region with PD in a large cohort of familial PD cases recruited by the GenePD Study. In addition, postmortem brain samples from patients with PD and neurologically normal controls were used to evaluate whether the expression of the 3-repeat and 4-repeat isoforms of MAPT, and neighboring genes Saitohin (STH) and KIAA1267, are altered in PD cerebellum. METHODS: Twenty-one single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the region of MAPT on chromosome 17q21 were genotyped in the GenePD Study. Single SNPs and haplotypes, including the H1 haplotype, were evaluated for association to PD. Relative quantification of gene expression was performed using real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: After adjusting for multiple comparisons, SNP rs1800547 was significantly associated with PD affection. While the H1 haplotype was associated with a significantly increased risk for PD, a novel H1 subhaplotype was identified that predicted a greater increased risk for PD. The expression of 4-repeat MAPT, STH, and KIAA1267 was significantly increased in PD brains relative to controls. No difference in expression was observed for 3-repeat MAPT. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports a role for MAPT in the pathogenesis of familial and idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD). Interestingly, the results of the gene expression studies suggest that other genes in the vicinity of MAPT, specifically STH and KIAA1267, may also have a role in PD and suggest complex effects for the genes in this region on PD risk.

Wilk JB, Tobin JE, Suchowersky O, Shill HA, Klein C, Wooten GF, Lew MF, Mark MH, Guttman M, Watts RL, Singer C, Growdon JH, Latourelle JC, Saint-Hilaire MH, DeStefano AL, Prakash R, Williamson S, Berg CJ, Sun M, Goldwurm S, Pezzoli G, Racette BA, Perlmutter JS, Parsian A, Baker KB, Giroux ML, Litvan I, Pramstaller PP, Nicholson G, Burn DJ, Chinnery PF, Vieregge P, Slevin JT, Cambi F, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF, Myers RH, Golbe LI. · Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 715 Albany St., E-338, Boston, MA 02118, USA. · Neurology. · Pubmed #17190945 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Polymorphisms in the glutathione S-transferase pi gene (GSTP1), encoding GSTP1-1, a detoxification enzyme, may increase the risk of Parkinson disease (PD) with exposure to pesticides. Using the GenePD Study sample of familial PD cases, we explored whether GSTP1 polymorphisms were associated with the age at onset of PD symptoms and whether that relation was modified by exposure to herbicides. METHODS: Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped and tested for association with PD onset age in men in three strata: no exposure to herbicides, residential exposure to herbicides, and occupational exposure to herbicides. Haplotypes were similarly evaluated in stratified analyses. RESULTS: Three SNPs were associated with PD onset age in the group of men occupationally exposed to herbicides. Three additional SNPs had significant trends for the association of PD onset age across the herbicide exposure groups. Haplotype results also provided evidence that the relation between GSTP1 and onset age is modified by herbicide exposure. One haplotype was associated with an approximately 8-years-earlier onset in the occupationally exposed group and a 2.8-years-later onset in the nonexposed group. CONCLUSIONS: Herbicide exposure may be an effect modifier of the relation between glutathione S-transferase pi gene polymorphisms and onset age in familial PD.

Sun M, Latourelle JC, Wooten GF, Lew MF, Klein C, Shill HA, Golbe LI, Mark MH, Racette BA, Perlmutter JS, Parsian A, Guttman M, Nicholson G, Xu G, Wilk JB, Saint-Hilaire MH, DeStefano AL, Prakash R, Williamson S, Suchowersky O, Labelle N, Growdon JH, Singer C, Watts RL, Goldwurm S, Pezzoli G, Baker KB, Pramstaller PP, Burn DJ, Chinnery PF, Sherman S, Vieregge P, Litvan I, Gillis T, MacDonald ME, Myers RH, Gusella JF. · Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114, USA. · Arch Neurol. · Pubmed #16769863 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The PARK2 gene at 6q26 encodes parkin, whose inactivation is implicated in an early-onset autosomal recessive form of Parkinson disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of heterozygosity for parkin mutation on onset age in a sample of families with at least 2 PD-affected members. DESIGN: Clinical and genetic study. SETTING: Twenty collaborative clinical sites. PATIENTS: Patients with familial PD collected in the GenePD study. Studied families were selected for (1) affected sibling pairs sharing 2 alleles identical by state at PARK2 (D6S305) or (2) 1 or more family members with onset age younger than 54 years, regardless of D6S305 status. At least 1 member from each of 183 families underwent comprehensive screening for deletion/insertion variants and point mutations in PARK2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mutations in the parkin gene were screened by means of single-stranded conformation polymorphism and sequencing in all 12 coding exons and flanking intronic sequences for point mutations and duplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction in all exons for rearrangement, duplication, and deletion. RESULTS: Mutations were found in 23 families (12.6% of those screened). Among the mutation-positive families, 10 (43%) contained compound heterozygotes; 3 (13%), homozygotes; and 10 (43%), heterozygotes. The onset age in patients with parkin gene mutations ranged from 20 to 76 years. Patients with 1 parkin mutation had an 11.7-year age at onset than did patients with none (P = .04), and patients with 2 or more parkin mutations had a 13.2-year decrease in age at onset compared with patients with 1 mutation (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that parkin mutations are not rare in multiply affected sibships, and that heterozygous mutation carrier status in PARK2 significantly influences age at onset of PD.

Maher NE, Currie LJ, Lazzarini AM, Wilk JB, Taylor CA, Saint-Hilaire MH, Feldman RG, Golbe LI, Wooten GF, Myers RH. · Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. · Am J Med Genet. · Pubmed #11977177 No free full text.

Abstract: The role of genetics in Parkinson disease (PD) continues to be an area of considerable interest and controversy. We collected information involving the nuclear families of 948 consecutively ascertained PD index cases from the University of Virginia (UVA) Health System, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) School of Medicine, and Boston University (BU) School of Medicine. We performed a segregation analysis to assess evidence for the presence of a Mendelian pattern of familial transmission. The proportion of male (60.4%) and female (39.6%) cases, the mean age of onset (57.7 years), and the proportion of affected fathers (4.7%), mothers (6.6%), brothers (2.9%), and sisters (3.2%) were similar across the three sites. While most of the index cases were male, modestly more of the reported affected relatives were female. These analyses support the presence of a rare major Mendelian gene for PD in both the age-of-onset and susceptibility model. The age-of-onset model provides evidence for a gene that influences age-dependent penetrance of PD, influencing age of onset rather than susceptibility. We also found evidence for a Mendelian gene influencing susceptibility to the disease. It is not evident whether these two analyses are modeling the same gene or different genes with different effects on PD. The finding of significant genes influencing penetrance for PD raises the question of whether these may interact with environmental factors or other genes to increase the risk for PD. Such gene environment interactions, involving reduced penetrance in PD, may explain the low concordance rates among monozygotic twins for this disease.

DeStefano AL, Lew MF, Golbe LI, Mark MH, Lazzarini AM, Guttman M, Montgomery E, Waters CH, Singer C, Watts RL, Currie LJ, Wooten GF, Maher NE, Wilk JB, Sullivan KM, Slater KM, Saint-Hilaire MH, Feldman RG, Suchowersky O, Lafontaine AL, Labelle N, Growdon JH, Vieregge P, Pramstaller PP, Klein C, Hubble JP, Reider CR, Stacy M, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF, Myers RH. · Department of Neurology, Boston University Schools of Medicine and of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA. · Am J Hum Genet. · Pubmed #11920285 links to  free full text

Abstract: Parkinson disease (PD) is a late-onset neurodegenerative disorder. The mean age at onset is 61 years, but the disease can range from juvenile cases to cases in the 8th or 9th decade of life. The parkin gene on chromosome 6q and loci on chromosome 1p35-36 and 1p36 are responsible for some cases of autosomal recessive early-onset parkinsonism, but they do not appear to influence susceptibility or variability of age at onset for idiopathic PD. We have performed a genomewide linkage analysis using variance-component methodology to identify genes influencing age at onset of PD in a population of affected relatives (mainly affected sibling pairs) participating in the GenePD study. Four chromosomal loci showed suggestive evidence of linkage: chromosome 2p (maximum multipoint LOD [MaxLOD] = 2.08), chromosome 9q (MaxLOD = 2.00), chromosome 20 (MaxLOD = 1.82), and chromosome 21 (MaxLOD = 2.21). The 2p and 9q locations that we report here have previously been reported as loci influencing PD affection status. Association between PD age at onset and allele 174 of marker D2S1394, located on 2p13, was observed in the GenePD sample (P=.02). This 174 allele is common to the PD haplotype observed in two families that show linkage to PARK3 and have autosomal dominant PD, which suggests that this allele may be in linkage disequilibrium with a mutation influencing PD susceptibility or age at onset of PD.

Taylor CA, Saint-Hilaire MH, Cupples LA, Thomas CA, Burchard AE, Feldman RG, Myers RH. · Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. · Am J Med Genet. · Pubmed #10581500 No free full text.

Abstract: Controversy persists about the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Pesticides, herbicides, well-water consumption, head injury, and a family history of PD have been reported as risk factors for PD. The purpose of this study was to (1) investigate the impact of environmental factors on PD risk (2) estimate the chronology, frequency, and duration of those exposures associated with PD; and (3) investigate the effects of family history on PD risk. One-hundred and forty PD cases were recruited from Boston University Medical Center. The control group was composed of 147 friends and in-laws of PD patients. Environmental, medical, and family history data were obtained by structured interview from each participant for events recalled prior to PD onset for cases, or corresponding censoring age for controls (mean age = 56 years of age for each group). A traditional stratified analysis, adjusting for birth cohort and sex, was employed. Four factors were associated with increased risk for PD: (1) head injury (OR=6.23, confidence interval [CI]: 2.58-15.07); (2) family history of PD (OR=6.08, CI: 2.35-15. 58); (3) family history of tremor (OR=3.97, CI: 1.17-13.50); and (4) history of depression (OR=3.01, CI: 1.32-6.88). A mean latency of 36. 5 (SE=2.81) years passed between the age of first reported head injury and PD onset. A mean latency of 22 (SE=2.66) years passed between the onset of the first reported symptoms of depression and onset of PD. Years of education, smoking, and well-water intake were inversely associated with PD risk. PD was not associated with exposure to pesticides or herbicides. These findings support the role of both environmental and genetic factors in the etiology in PD. The results are consistent with a multifactorial model. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 88:742-749, 1999.

Joost O, Taylor CA, Thomas CA, Cupples LA, Saint-Hilaire MH, Feldman RG, Baldwin CT, Myers RH. · Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118, USA. · Mov Disord. · Pubmed #10435495 No free full text.

Abstract: The reduction or loss of cytochrome P450 enzyme activity as a result of mutations in the CYP2D6 gene has been suggested as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). Conflicting results among reported studies of the prevalence of mutations among patients with PD suggested a more comprehensive genotyping and an analysis of the interactions with other suspected risk factors and family history. We determined the frequency of seven CYP2D6 mutations among 109 patients with PD and 110 control subjects. Family history of PD, age of onset, exposure to pesticides or herbicides, and well-water consumption were obtained for all cases. There was no significant difference in frequency between patients with PD and control subjects for any mutant allele and no significant association with family history, onset age, or environmental exposures. We sought to increase the power of our study by combining reports from the literature, choosing allele frequencies as the most informative measure. Although we found variability in reported allele frequencies for control subjects that made a meta-analysis problematic, summing all reports demonstrated no difference in CYP2D6 mutation frequency between patients with PD and control subjects. This comprehensive study of CYP2D6 mutations demonstrates that other genes or shared environmental exposures account for the familial risk of PD.