High expression of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.
We have previously speculated that elevated levels of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), the primary catabolic enzyme of nicotinamide, may result in reduced Complex I activity in idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) in two ways: (1) reduction in the levels of nicotinamide available for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide synthesis; and (2) increased methylation of compounds such as tetrahydroisoquinolines and beta-carbolines, which are potent Complex I inhibitors. Expression of NNMT was assessed in 91 cerebella (53 IPD, 38 control) using immunohistochemistry coupled with quantitative digital image analysis. Control cerebella showed a distribution of expression ascribed to low, intermediate and high expressors with ratios of 1:2:1 categories. Expression in the parkinsonian cerebella was significantly higher than in the control group (control group median expression 17%, mean expression 16.6%, range 0-51%, standard deviation 11.4%, standard error 1.9%; IPD group median expression 46%, mean expression 53.7%, range 21-100%, standard deviation 23.4%, standard error 3.2%; P<0.0001; unpaired t-test with Welch correction (parametric) and Mann-Whitney U-test (non-parametric)). These results confirm that NNMT expression is elevated in IPD, which may ultimately lead to neurodegeneration via a reduction in Complex I activity.
Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, B15 2TH, Birmingham, UK. r.parsons@rfc.ucl.ac.uk
Richard B
RB
Parsons
Stuart W
SW
Smith
Rosemary H
RH
Waring
Adrian C
AC
Williams
David B
DB
Ramsden
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D050903:Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D008780:Methyltransferases; C494406:NNMT protein, human; D050903:Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase