Functional Genomics of Dopaminergic Neurons and Cellular Susceptibility in Parkinson's Disease

摘要

The authors apply functional genomics techniques to describe gene expression profiles of dopaminergic neurons in the brain, with the aim of identifying the molecular basis of the vulnerability of selected classes of dopaminergic cells in Parkinson's Disease (PD). During the first year of research they have established an in-house cDNA micro-array facility with SISSA- RIKEN 20K slides that contain 2033 different full-length cDNAs encoded for secreted proteins. They also have developed a technique for labeling subgroups of dopaminergic neurons. At the end of this project, the authors envision having descriptions of the gene expression profiles of dopaminergic cell subgroups, thus identifying new trophic factors for DA neurons. These molecules will represent new potential therapeutics for PD. Furthermore, genes specifically expressed in vulnerable subgroups may be involved in their selective susceptibility, representing ideal targets for drug discovery.