ABSTRACT
Objective To study the expression of clock genes in Parkinson's disease(PD) and also the molecular clock machinery of PD.Methods Seventeen PD patients(nine men,eight women)and sixteen agematched controls(nine men,seven women) were investigated in this study.Bload samples were collected over a 12h span at 21:00,00:00,06:00 and 09:00.Using a real-time PCR assay,the peripheral molecular clock was examined by measuring Bmall and Bmal2 expression in total leukocytes during the dark span(from 21:00 to 09:00)in PD patients and age-matched healthy controls.Results At PD,the relative abundance of Bmall was significantly lower at 21:00,00:00 and 06:00(21:00:(22.17±4.09)vs(51.14±8.31),P=0.003,00:00:(30.30±5.45)vs(100.00±24.71),P=0.008,06:00:(19.02±3.33)vs(65.61±14.11),P=0.002).The relative Bmal2 levels in PD patients were significantly less abundant than controls at 21:00 and 00:00(21:00:(48.09±7.40)vs(84.96±9.34),P=0.005;00:00:((65.85±7.88)vs(100.00±11.78),P=0.025).Conclusion These results suggest that a peripheral molecular clock is altered in PD patients.In addition,the relative abundance of Bmall and Bmal2 was significantly lower in PD patients versus control subjects,which can provide a molecular basis to help monitor disease progression and response to investigational drugs.