Researchers have developed a new blood test that measures mitochondrial DNA damage as a potential marker for Parkinson's disease (PD). The study shows the test could aid in diagnosing PD and assessing responses to LRRK2 kinase inhibitors, which may help in reducing mitochondrial damage in PD patients.
By Pooja Toshniwal PahariaSep 4 2023Reviewed by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc. In a recent study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, researchers investigate the potential of mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid injury as a serological marker for Parkinson's disease using the novel Mito DNADX test.
Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a significant role in PD pathogenesis, with mtDNA damage observed in PD neuronal cultures and animal models. The development of blood-based molecular markers could transform clinical trials and enhance the success of disease-modifying therapies. The count of mtDNA lesions depended on the hydrogen peroxide concentration. Agarose gel electrophoresis was performed to verify the appropriate size of mitochondrial amplicons.
The team investigated whether increases in peripheral mtDNA injury were observed among LRRK2-G2019S mutational carriers with or without a PD diagnosis and compared them with an independent group of idiopathic PD patients.
In the PD murine midbrain neuronal model and idiopathic PD patient-derived cells, a small-molecule-type LRRK2 inhibitor reduced mtDNA damage. The mtDNA damage observed in cells derived from individuals with idiopathic PD was mitigated with LRRK2 kinase inhibition. PD patients exhibited elevated amounts of mtDNA damage with or without washout. Increased mtDNA damage was observed among individuals carrying the LRRK2 mutation.
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