[A study on the relationship between polymorphism of human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase and Parkinson's disease in Chinese].

OBJECTIVE

To detect the putative association between the polymorphism of human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) gene and Parkinson's disease(PD).

METHODS

Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (PCR-DHPLC) was used to detect the polymorphism of monoamine NQO1 gene cDNA 609 site(C-->T). The frequencies of alleles and genotypes in different PD groups were compared with those of the control group.

RESULTS

It was found that the frequencies of TT genotype in the patients with PD and in the controls were 0.226 and 0.118 respectively (P=0.004), i.e., TT genotype increased the risk of PD by 2.186-fold (P=0.005). When the patients with PD were divided into two groups by the age at onset, significant difference in the genotypic frequencies was observed only between late-onset PD group and control group (the frequencies of TT genotype being 0.260 and 0.118, P=0.001) and TT genotype increased the risk of late-onset PD by 2.627-fold(P=0.001). There were no significant differences in frequencies of alleles between different PD groups and control group.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed significant differences in genotypic frequencies between PD group and control group. The findings supported the hypothesis about an association between NQO1 gene and PD, suggesting that the age at onset of PD might be related to the putative association, and NQO1 cDNA C609T site be a risk factor for PD.