title: Mitochondrial DNA deletions in Alzheimer's brains: a review.
abstract: Mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress have been associated with normal aging and are possibly implicated in the etiology of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). DNA deletions, as well as other alterations, can result from oxidative damage to nucleic acids. Many studies during the past two decades have investigated the incidence of mitochondrial DNA deletions in postmortem brain tissues of late-onset AD patients compared with age-matched normal control subjects. Published studies are not entirely concordant, but their differences might shed light on the heterogeneity of AD itself. Our understanding of the role that mitochondrial DNA deletions play in disease progression may provide valuable information that could someday lead to a treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic & Investigative Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA. Electronic address: Nicole.Phillips@unthsc.edu.
authors.forename: Nicole R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; Center for Basic and Translational Stroke Research, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Simpkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic & Investigative Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA; Institute of Applied Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Rhonda K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Roby
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D006801:Humans; D017384:Sequence Deletion
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; DNA damage; Mitochondrial DNA deletion; Neurodegeneration; Oxidative stress