BDNF rs6265 Variant Alters Outcomes with Levodopa in Early-Stage Parkinson ’s Disease

This study investigated if theBDNF rs6265 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is associated with differential outcomes with specific pharmacotherapy treatment strategies in the “NIH Exploratory Trials in PD Long-term Study 1” (NET-PD LS-1,n = 540). DNA samples were genotyped for the rs6265 SNP and others (rs11030094, rs10501087, rs1491850, rs908867, and rs1157659). The primary measures were the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and its motor component (UPDRS-III). Groups were divided by genotype and treatment regi men (levodopa monotherapyvs levodopa with other medicationsvs no levodopa). T allele carriers were associated with worse UPDRS outcomes compared to C/C subjects when treated with levodopa monotherapy (+  6 points,p = 0.02) and to T allele carriers treated with no levodopa treatment strategies (UPDRS: + 8 points,p = 0.01; UPDRS-III: + 6 points,p = 0.01). Similar effects of worse outcomes associated with levodopa monotherapy were observed in theBDNF rs11030094, rs10501087, and rs1491850 SNPs. This study suggests the levodopa monotherapy strategy is associated with worse disease outcomes inBDNF rs6265 T carriers. Pending prospective validation,BDNF variants may be precision medicine factors to consider for symptomatic treatment decisions for early-stage PD patients.
Source: Neurotherapeutics - Category: Neurology Source Type: research