Session Information
Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Session Title: Parkinson's disease: Genetics
Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: To investigate genetic variability in CYP2B6, PCB levels and Parkinson’s disease in the Faroese.
Background: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent man-made highly toxic pollutants that bioaccumulate in the food chain. The Faroe Islands are a geographically isolated population in the North Atlantic with high PCB exposure and high prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The etiology of PD in this population is largely unknown. In countries where the exposure of PCBs is significant, the presence of high concentrations of these toxicants constitutes a legitimate health concern. Genome-wide association analysis has implicated association between the cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolic pathway, and more specifically CYP2B6, and plasma levels of PCBs in a Swedish cohort.
Methods: Serum levels of six PCB congeners obtained from a case-control study regarding Parkinson’s disease in the Faroe Islands (n=263) were measured by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Samples were genotyped in a targeted CYP2B6 gene Sequenom iPLEX panel. Association testing for each lipid-adjusted log-transformed PCB congener was performed by linear regression under an additive model. Forty-eight of these subjects had a diagnosis of PD (mean onset 71 ± 10.8SD, range 29-86) so we also assessed whether serum PCB levels and CYP2B6 genotype might contribute.
Results: No significant association was observed between serum PCB levels and SNPs in the CYP2B6 locus, adjusting for age and gender. However, a trend towards significance was observed for rs71337576 (praw=7.8 x 10-2). In regression models, PCB levels were not associated with PD risk or age at onset when adjusting for CYP2B6 genotype.
Conclusions: In agreement with the previous study, our data suggests genetic variation in the CYP2B6 locus might be involved in the metabolism of some PCBs. No evidence for a relationship between serum PCB levels and PD was observed, but power is a limitation in this study. In this population which has significant PCB exposure, further investigation is warranted on the potential influence of PCBs on individual susceptibility and neurodegeneration.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
L.L. Farrell, E. Nosova, S. Bech, I. Guella, M.J. Farrer, M.S. Petersen. Serum levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, CYP2B6 and neurodegenerative disease in the Faroe Islands [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/serum-levels-of-polychlorinated-biphenyls-cyp2b6-and-neurodegenerative-disease-in-the-faroe-islands/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/serum-levels-of-polychlorinated-biphenyls-cyp2b6-and-neurodegenerative-disease-in-the-faroe-islands/