Attempts were made in the present case-control study to investigate the association of polymorphism in the genes encoding
proteins involved in toxication–detoxication and dopaminergic pathways and susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease (PD). Seventy
patients suffering from PD and one hundred healthy controls belonging to the same geographical location and same ethnicity
were included in the study. PCR-RFLP and allele-specific PCR-based methodology were used to identify the genotypes. Multivariate
logistic regression analysis revealed that heterozygous genotypes of cytochrome P4502D6*4(CYP2D6*4), CYP2E1*5B (RsaI) polymorphism
and homozygous mutant genotypes of CYP2E1*6 (Dra1) were found to be overrepresented in PD cases when compared to the controls.
Risk was also found to be increased in patients carrying glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) null or homozygous variant genotypes
of GSTP1. Significant association was observed for monoamine oxidase-B(MAO-B) variant allele G and PD, whereas no difference
in genotype and allele frequencies was observed for manganese-superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), dopamine receptor-D2(DRD2), and
dopamine transporter (DAT) genes between controls and PD cases. Genotype combinations characterized by the presence of two
variant genotypes on their corresponding loci revealed that four combinations of GSTT1 null and MnSOD(-9Val) or GST null and
MAOB-G or CYP2E1*5B and MAO-B-AG or CYP2E1*5B and DRD2 (Taq1A-het) genotypes in the patients exhibited severalfold higher
and significant association with risk to PD. Our data suggest that polymorphism in the genes involved in detoxification and
dopamine regulation may modulate the susceptibility to PD and could be important risk factors in the pathogenesis of PD.
Keywords PD - Detoxication - Dopamine - Polymorphisms - Genotype combinations