1.GBA1 Variants and Parkinson’s Disease: Paving the Way for Targeted Therapy
Young Eun HUH ; Tatiana USNICH ; Clemens R. SCHERZER ; Christine KLEIN ; Sun Ju CHUNG
Journal of Movement Disorders 2023;16(3):261-278
Glucosylceramidase beta 1 (GBA1) variants have attracted enormous attention as the most promising and important genetic candidates for precision medicine in Parkinson’s disease (PD). A substantial correlation between GBA1 genotypes and PD phenotypes could inform the prediction of disease progression and promote the development of a preventive intervention for individuals at a higher risk of a worse disease prognosis. Moreover, the GBA1-regulated pathway provides new perspectives on the pathogenesis of PD, such as dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism, impaired protein quality control, and disrupted endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi trafficking. These perspectives have led to the development of novel disease-modifying therapies for PD targeting the GBA1-regulated pathway by repositioning treatment strategies for Gaucher’s disease. This review summarizes the current hypotheses on a mechanistic link between GBA1 variants and PD and possible therapeutic options for modulating GBA1-regulated pathways in PD patients.
3.A KMT2B Frameshift Variant Causing Focal Dystonia Restricted to the Oromandibular Region After Long-Term Follow-up
Alfand Marl F. Dy CLOSAS ; Katja LOHMANN ; Ai Huey TAN ; Norlinah Mohamed IBRAHIM ; Jia Lun LIM ; Yi Wen TAY ; Kalai Arasu MUTHUSAMY ; Azlina Binti AHMAD-ANNUAR ; Christine KLEIN ; Shen-Yang LIM
Journal of Movement Disorders 2023;16(1):91-94
KMT2B-linked dystonia (DYT-KMT2B) is a childhood-onset dystonia syndrome typically beginning in the lower limbs and progressing caudocranially to affect the upper limbs with eventual prominent craniocervical involvement. Despite its recent recognition, it now appears to be one of the more common monogenic causes of dystonia syndromes. Here, we present an atypical case of DYT-KMT2B with oromandibular dystonia as the presenting feature, which remained restricted to this region three decades after symptom onset. This appears to be the first reported case of DYT-KMT2B from Southeast Asia and provides further supporting evidence for the pathogenic impact of the KMT2B c.6210_6213delTGAG variant.