title: Epigenetic Biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease: From Diagnostics to Therapeutics.
abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative illness that is often diagnosed after significant pathology and neuronal cell loss has occurred. Biomarkers of PD are greatly needed for early diagnosis, as well as for the prediction of disease progression and treatment outcome. In this regard, the epigenome, which is partially dynamic, holds considerable promise for the development of molecular biomarkers for PD. Epigenetic marks are modified by both DNA sequence and environmental factors associated with PD, and such marks could serve as a unifying predictor of at-risk individuals. Epigenetic abnormalities have been detected in PD and other age-dependent neurodegenerative diseases, some of which were reported to occur early on and were reversible by PD medications. Emerging reports indicate that certain epigenetic differences observed in the PD brain are detectable in more easily accessible tissues. In this review, we examine epigenetic-based strategies for the development of PD biomarkers. Despite the complexities and challenges faced, the epigenome offers a new source of biomarkers with potential etiological relevance to PD, and may expand opportunities for personalized therapies.
authors: Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
authors: Jennifer L
authors: JL
authors: Jakubowski
authors: Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.|Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors: Viviane
authors: V
authors: Labrie
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: DNA methylation; Parkinson’s disease; biomarkers; epigenetic clock; epigenetics; mitochondrial DNA methylation; single nucleotide polymorphism; α-synuclein