Asad Mumtaz, Sana Umar, Abu Bakar Siddique.
Inflammatory Biomarkers for Parkinson`s Disease.
Esculapio J Services Inst Med Sci Jan ;15(1):1-6.

Parkinson disease (PD) is caused by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Clinically it is characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity and resting tremors. The central hallmark of the PD is accumulation of alpha synuclein (?-SN). Aetiology of the PD includes exposure to the environmental toxins, low serum urate, genes and sporadic forms of the disease. Till date PD is a clinical diagnosis with almost 80% of dopaminergic neurons disintegrated when motor signs begin to appear. Therefore, there is urgent need for the definite biomarkers that indicate death of the dopaminergic neurons and provide accuracy in diagnosis. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and imaging biomarkers are already available with varying and inconsistent results. Genetic biomarkers have also significantly contributed in revealing the physiological and pathological process underlying the PD. Most important of them is the leucine rich repeat kinase (LRRK2) which has role in both sporadic and familial forms of the PD. Inflammation appears also to be an important player in PD pathogenesis. The crosstalk between immune system of the CNS and peripheral immune system results in generation of cytokines and chemokines that are useful inflammatory biomarkers. Importantly LRRK2 expressed in different immune cells of the innate immunity which further strengths the role of inflammation in the PD pathogenesis. Hence inflammatory biomarkers could help in early diagnosis of the PD. Moreover the inflammatory biomarkers could help in identification of new pathways and subsequently new pharmacological targets.

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