A genetic basis for the variable effect of smoking/nicotine on Parkinson's disease

• Authors: Erin M. Hill-Burns, New York State Department of Health; Navjot Singh, New York State Department of Health; Prabarna Ganguly, New York State Department of Health; Taye H. Hamza, New York State Department of Health; Jennifer Montimurro, New York State Department of Health; Denise M. Kay, New York State Department of Health; Dora Yearout, University of Washington; Patricia Sheehan, New York State Department of Health; Devin Frodey, New York State Department of Health; Julie A. Mclear, New York State Department of Health; Mel B. Feany, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Steven D. Hanes, New York State Department of Health; William J. Wolfgang, New York State Department of Health; Cyrus P. Zabetian, University of Washington; Stewart Factor, Emory University; Haydeh Payami, New York State Department of Health
• Journal Title: Pharmacogenomics Journal
• Volume: Volume 13, Number 6
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group: Open Access Hybrid Model Option B | 2013-12-01, Pages 530-537
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/tpj.2012.38
• Subjects: Biology, Neuroscience; Health Sciences, Pharmacology; Health Sciences, Pathology
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Genetics & Heredity; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; SV2C; nicotine; Parkinson's disease; DOSE TRANSDERMAL NICOTINE; SYNAPTIC VESICLE PROTEIN; SMOKING; MODEL; ASSOCIATION; TRANSPORTER; CAFFEINE; THERAPY; COFFEE; RISK

Abstract

Prior studies have established an inverse association between cigarette smoking and the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD), and currently, the disease-modifying potential of the nicotine patch is being tested in clinical trials. To identify genes that interact with the effect of smoking/nicotine, we conducted genome-wide interaction studies in humans and in Drosophila. We identified SV2C, which encodes a synaptic-vesicle protein in PD-vulnerable substantia nigra (P=1 × 10 -7 for gene-smoking interaction on PD risk), and CG14691, which is predicted to encode a synaptic-vesicle protein in Drosophila (P=2 × 10 -11 for nicotine-paraquat interaction on gene expression). SV2C is biologically plausible because nicotine enhances the release of dopamine through synaptic vesicles, and PD is caused by the depletion of dopamine. Effect of smoking on PD varied by SV2C genotype from protective to neutral to harmful (P=5 × 10 -10). Taken together, cross-validating evidence from humans and Drosophila suggests SV2C is involved in PD pathogenesis and it might be a useful marker for pharmacogenomics studies involving nicotine.