Article

Peripheral markers of apoptosis in Parkinson's disease: the effect of dopaminergic drugs.

IRCCS C. Mondino, Pavia, Italy.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (impact factor: 3.15). 01/2004; 1010:675-8.
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT In this study, we measured the lymphocyte levels of proteins involved in apoptosis regulation, such as Bcl-2, the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), caspase-3, and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD), in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), either untreated or under therapy with dopaminergic agents (l-Dopa alone or l-dopa + dopamine agonists) and in healthy volunteers. All PD groups showed increased activity of caspase-3, compared to controls, particularly those under treatment only with l-Dopa. In this latter group, the increase in caspase-3 activity was also paralleled by an increase in the concentration of Cu/Zn SOD. In addition, patients taking l-Dopa + dopamine agonists showed marked decrease in Bcl-2 levels and increased PBR expression, which seems in keeping with the hypothesis that PBR may be functionally related to Bcl-2. In conclusion, we found clear modifications in the levels of proteins involved in the control of apoptosis in lymphocytes of PD patients. These changes were disease related but also modulated by the pharmacological treatment, which confirms the potential role of apoptosis in PD pathogenesis and the modulatory influence of dopaminergic agents.

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Keywords

apoptosis
 
apoptosis regulation
 
Bcl-2
 
Bcl-2 levels
 
caspase-3 activity
 
Cu/Zn SOD
 
Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase
 
dopaminergic agents
 
l-Dopa + dopamine agonists
 
lymphocyte levels
 
lymphocytes
 
modulatory influence
 
Parkinson's disease
 
PBR expression
 
PD groups
 
PD pathogenesis
 
PD patients
 
peripheral benzodiazepine receptor
 
pharmacological treatment
 
potential role