Parkinson's Disease Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Parkinson's Disease, including details on symptoms, treatment, genetics, medication.

Analysis of gene expression changes in a cellular model of Parkinson disease.

Ryu EJ, Angelastro JM, Greene LA

Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.

We employed Serial Analysis of Gene Expression to identify transcriptional changes in a cellular model of Parkinson Disease (PD). The model consisted of neuronally differentiated PC12 cells compared before and after 8 hours' exposure to 6-hydroxydopamine. Approximately 1200 transcripts were significantly induced by 6-OHDA and approximately 500 of these are currently matched to known genes. Here, we categorize the regulated genes according to known functional activities and discuss their potential roles in neuron death and survival and in PD. We find induction of multiple death-associated genes as well as many with the capacity for neuroprotection. This suggests that survival or death of individual neurons in PD may reflect an integrated response to both protective and destructive gene changes. Our findings identify a number of regulated genes as candidates for involvement in PD and therefore as potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Such intervention may include both inhibiting the induction/activity of death-promoting genes and enhancing those with neuroprotective activity.

Published 14 January 2005 in Neurobiol Dis, 18(1): 54-74.
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