Cerebrospinal fluid fatty acids in glucocerebrosidase-associated Parkinson's disease.
BACKGROUND
Heterozygous mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene lead to an increased risk for and to more severe alpha-synuclein-associated pathology in Parkinson's disease. As both glucocerebrosidase and alpha-synuclein interact with fatty acids, we hypothesized that cerebrospinal fluid fatty acid levels are altered in these Parkinson's disease patients.


METHODS
Cerebrospinal fluid levels of 13 fatty acids in 8 Parkinson's disease patients with a heterozygous glucocerebrosidase mutation were compared with those of 41 idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients and 30 controls using gas chromatography.


RESULTS
Parkinson's disease patients with a heterozygous glucocerebrosidase mutation had lower levels of palmitoleic (P ≤ .007), oleic (P ≤ .016), linoleic (P ≤ .005), arachidonic (P ≤ .003), eicosapentaenoic (P ≤ .003) and decosahexaenoic (P ≤ .03) acids and lower levels of total fatty acids (P < .005) compared with both idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients and control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that abnormalities of fatty acid metabolism are specifically involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease associated with a heterozygous glucocerebrosidase mutation.
Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Department of Neurodegeneration, Center of Neurology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Stefan P
SP
Schmid
Erwin D
ED
Schleicher
Alexander
A
Cegan
Christian
C
Deuschle
Stephanie
S
Baur
Ann-Kathrin
AK
Hauser
Matthis
M
Synofzik
Karin
K
Srulijes
Kathrin
K
Brockmann
Daniela
D
Berg
Walter
W
Maetzler
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D005962:Glucosylceramidase / Q000235:genetics*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000235:genetics*
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005962:Glucosylceramidase