DNA methylation in Parkinson disease

Abstract

Parkinson disease (PD) is one of the most widespread neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly. It causes motor impairment and the development of non-motor symptoms, which reduce the quality of life and gradually lead to patient disability. However, PD pathogenesis remains unclear. Both genetic and environmental factors play a role in PD development. Recently, researchers have focused more on epigenetic mechanisms and their significance in multifactorial diseases. Epigenetic modifications lead to changes in gene expression and function without changing the DNA sequence. The main epigenetic mechanisms include histone modifications, non-coding RNA activity, and DNA methylation, with most studies of PD focusing on the methylation of various genes. Differential DNA methylation occurs mainly in gene regions important for transcription, contributing to either activation of expression (at low methylation levels) or suppression of gene activity (at hypermethylation). This review analyses most of the recent studies on DNA methylation, with an emphasis on analyzing genes whose participation in PD development has been confirmed in numerous research papers, specifically, the alpha-synuclein gene ( SNCA ) and the Tau protein gene ( MAPT ). The possible use of this analysis of the methylation level of various genes as biomarkers of PD is discussed, as well as the potential for future therapeutic strategies based on epigenetic modifications.