Genetic analysis of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in German Parkinson’s disease patients

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the presence of intracytoplasmic inclusions (Lewy bodies). Iron, which is elevated in the substantia nigra (SN) of PD patients, seems to be of pivotal importance, because of its capacity to enhance the amplification of reactive-oxygen species. Therefore, it is tempting that the iron-releasing key enzyme in heme catabolism, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), may represent a candidate for a genetic susceptibility to PD. In the current study, we examined a (GT)n fragment length polymorphism in the promoter region, as well as three coding SNPs in the HO-1 gene in order to assess if certain genotypes are associated with PD. Furthermore, peripheral blood expression levels of HO-1 in PD patients and healthy probands were compared. However, our analyses did not reveal a significant association of these genetic markers in the HO-1 gene with an increased susceptibility to PD.