A Cross-Study Transcriptional Analysis of Parkinson's Disease

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004955
• Publication Date: 2009-03-20T23:13:54Z
• Authors: Greg T. Sutherland; Nicholas A. Matigian; Alistair M. Chalk; Matthew J. Anderson; Peter A. Silburn; Alan Mackay-Sim; Christine A. Wells; George D. Mellick
• Keywords: Concordance

The study of Parkinson's disease (PD), like other complex neurodegenerative disorders, is limited by access to brain tissue from patients with a confirmed diagnosis. Alternatively the peripheral tissues may offer some insight into molecular basis susceptibility and progression, but this approach still relies on benchmark relevant changes against. Several studies have reported whole-genome expression profiling in post-mortem concordance between these analyses lacking. Here we apply standardised pathway analysis seven independent case-control studies, demonstrate increased data sets. Moreover convergence when was five substantia nigra (SN) sets; highlighted down regulation dopamine receptor signaling insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) pathways. We also show that comparisons affected post mortem are more likely reflect terminal cytoarchitectural differences rather than primary pathogenic mechanisms. implementation correction for dopaminergic neuronal loss predictably resulted significance while axon guidance pathways significance. Interestingly IGF1 over-represented non-SN areas, unaffected or only terminally PD, were considered. Our findings suggest there greater PD membership ranked gene list used comparison.