Whole-genome analysis of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 90% of persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have the sporadic form, which may be caused by the interaction of multiple environmental factors and previously unknown genes. METHODS: We performed a genomewide association analysis using 766,955 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) found in 386 white patients with sporadic ALS and 542 neurologically normal white controls (the discovery series). Associations of SNPs with sporadic ALS were confirmed in two independent replication populations: replication series 1, with 766 case patients with the disease and 750 neurologically normal controls, and replication series 2, with 135 case patients and 275 controls. RESULTS: We identified 10 genetic loci that are significantly associated (P<0.05) with sporadic ALS in three independent series of case patients and controls and an additional 41 loci that had significant associations in two of the three series. The most significant association with disease in white case patients as compared with controls was found for a SNP near an uncharacterized gene known as FLJ10986 (P=3.0x10(-4); odds ratio for having the genotype in patients vs. controls, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.13 to 1.62). The FLJ10986 protein was found to be expressed in the spinal cord and cerebrospinal fluid of patients and of controls. Specific SNPs seem to be associated with sex, age at onset, and site of onset of sporadic ALS. CONCLUSIONS: Variants of FLJ10986 may confer susceptibility to sporadic ALS. FLJ10986 and 50 other candidate loci warrant further investigation for their potential role in conferring susceptibility to the disease.

Neuronal gene expression correlates of Parkinson's disease with dementia.

Dementia is a common disabling complication in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The underlying molecular causes of Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD) are poorly understood. To identify candidate genes and molecular pathways involved in PDD, we have performed whole genome expression profiling of susceptible cortical neuronal populations. Results show significant differences in expression of 162 genes (P < 0.01) between PD patients who are cognitively normal (PD-CogNL) and controls. In contrast, there were 556 genes (P < 0.01) significantly altered in PDD compared to either healthy controls or to PD-CogNL cases. These results are consistent with increased cortical pathology in PDD relative to PD-CogNL and identify underlying molecular changes associated with the increased pathology of PDD. Lastly, we have identified expression differences in 69 genes in PD cortical neurons that occur before the onset of dementia and that are exacerbated upon the development of dementia, suggesting that they may be relevant presymptomatic contributors to the onset of dementia in PD. These results provide new insights into the cortical molecular changes associated with PDD and provide a highly useful reference database for researchers interested in PDD.

In vivo molecular pharmacology and antitumor activity of the targeted Akt inhibitor PX-316.

Akt, a serine/threonine kinase that promotes cell survival, is activated by binding of its pleckstrin homology (PH) domain to membrane phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns)-3-phosphates formed by PtdIns-3-kinase. D-3-Deoxy-phosphatidyl-myo-inositols that cannot be phosphorylated on the 3-position of the myo-inositol group are inhibitors of the Akt PH domain. The most active compound is D-3-deoxy-phosphatidyl-myo-inositol 1-[(R)-2-methoxy-3-octadecyloxypropyl hydrogen phosphate] (PX-316). PX-316 administered intraperitoneally to mice at 150 mg/kg inhibits Akt activation in HT-29 human tumor xenografts up to 78% at 10 h with recovery to 34% at 48 h. Phosphorylation of GSK-3beta, a downstream target of Akt, is also inhibited. There is no decrease in PtdIns(3,4,5)-trisphosphate levels by PX-316, showing it is not an inhibitor of PtdIns-3-K in vivo. Gene expression profiling of HT-29 tumor xenografts shows many similarities between the effects of PX-316 and the PtdIns-3-K inhibitor wortmannin, with downregulation of several ribosomal-related genes, while PX-316 uniquely increases the expression of a group of mitochondrial-related genes. PX-316 has antitumor activity against early human MCF-7 breast cancer and HT-29 colon cancer xenografts in mice. PX-316 formulated in 20% hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin for intravenous administration is well tolerated in mice and rats with no hemolysis and no hematological toxicity. Thus, PX-316 is the lead compound of a new class of potential agents that inhibit Akt survival signaling.