Examination of the MSX1 gene in patients with Parkinson's disease.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Several genetic variants in transcription factor genes have been reported to be associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The muscle segment homeobox drosophila homolog of 1 gene (MSX1) is a major upstream regulator of the dopaminergic neuronal subtype specification. AIMS OF THE STUDY To determine whether genetic variation in the coding region of the MSX1 gene plays a role in the etiology of PD. METHODS: We searched for genetic variations in the coding region of the MSX1 gene in 202 patients with PD and 200 normal controls by PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and sequencing. RESULTS: No mutation in the MSX1 gene was identified in our cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Mutations in the coding region of the MSX1 gene play little or no role in the development of PD.