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Genetic Research in Neurological Diseases
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Genetic Research in Neurological Diseases

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2025 | Viewed by 3165

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Eva Bagyinszky

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Guest Editor
Department of Industrial and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Environment, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
Interests: neurodegeneration; Alzheimer disease; genetics; diagnosis; prion disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodegenerative diseases are major health issues that affect every population all around the world. Genetics plays a significant role in neurodegeneration, and genetic mutations could be either causative factors, risk factors, or risk modifiers. Mutations in the disease-causing or risk genes could lead to the impairment of neurological functions, leading to various diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, prion diseases, Parkinson’s disease, small-vessel diseases, or other motor diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and different kinds of ataxias or spastic paraplegias. These diseases may be inherited autosomal dominantly or autosomal recessively. Genome-wide association studies and next-generation sequencing studies (whole-genome or whole-exome) accelerated the gene and mutation discovery of genetic forms of neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, in vitro or in vivo models of possibly pathogenic mutations should be essential to discovering the potential pathogenic mechanisms associated with these diseases. Determining the disease-related mechanisms may also help the therapeutic research on these diseases.

This Special Issue aims to provide an overview of the current research on the promising discoveries in the genetics of neurodegenerative diseases, potential disease-related mutations, and cell models associated with genetic findings in neurodegenerative diseases. Review, research articles, and case reports are welcome.

Dr. Eva Bagyinszky
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neurodegenerative diseases
  • genetic risk factor
  • next-genetation sequencing
  • genome-wide association studies
  • disease models

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3225 KiB  
Article
A Novel Rare PSEN2 Val226Ala in PSEN2 in a Korean Patient with Atypical Alzheimer’s Disease, and the Importance of PSEN2 5th Transmembrane Domain (TM5) in AD Pathogenesis
by YoungSoon Yang, Eva Bagyinszky and Seong Soo A. An
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(17), 9678; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25179678 - 6 Sep 2024
Viewed by 812
Abstract
In this manuscript, a novel presenilin-2 (PSEN2) mutation, Val226Ala, was found in a 59-year-old Korean patient who exhibited rapid progressive memory dysfunction and hallucinations six months prior to her first visit to the hospital. Her Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed brain atrophy, and [...] Read more.
In this manuscript, a novel presenilin-2 (PSEN2) mutation, Val226Ala, was found in a 59-year-old Korean patient who exhibited rapid progressive memory dysfunction and hallucinations six months prior to her first visit to the hospital. Her Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed brain atrophy, and both amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and multimer detection system-oligomeric amyloid-beta (Aβ) results were positive. The patient was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The whole-exome analysis revealed a new PSEN2 Val226Ala mutation with heterozygosity in the 5th transmembrane domain of the PSEN2 protein near the lumen region. Analyses of the structural prediction suggested structural changes in the helix, specifically a loss of a hydrogen bond between Val226 and Gln229, which may lead to elevated helix motion. Multiple PSEN2 mutations were reported in PSEN2 transmembrane-5 (TM5), such as Tyr231Cys, Ile235Phe, Ala237Val, Leu238Phe, Leu238Pro, and Met239Thr, highlighting the dynamic importance of the 5th transmembrane domain of PSEN2. Mutations in TM5 may alter the access tunnel of the Aβ substrate in the membrane to the gamma-secretase active site, indicating a possible influence on enzyme function that increases Aβ production. Interestingly, the current patient with the Val226Ala mutation presented with a combination of hallucinations and memory dysfunction. Although the causal mechanisms of hallucinations in AD remain unclear, it is possible that PSEN2 interacts with other disease risk factors, including Notch Receptor 3 (NOTCH3) or Glucosylceramidase Beta-1 (GBA) variants, enhancing the occurrence of hallucinations. In conclusion, the direct or indirect role of PSEN2 Val226Ala in AD onset cannot be ruled out. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Research in Neurological Diseases)
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Review

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28 pages, 869 KiB  
Review
GBA1-Associated Parkinson’s Disease Is a Distinct Entity
by Aliaksandr Skrahin, Mia Horowitz, Majdolen Istaiti, Volha Skrahina, Jan Lukas, Gilad Yahalom, Mikhal E. Cohen, Shoshana Revel-Vilk, Ozlem Goker-Alpan, Michal Becker-Cohen, Sharon Hassin-Baer, Per Svenningsson, Arndt Rolfs and Ari Zimran
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 7102; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137102 - 28 Jun 2024
Viewed by 2050
Abstract
GBA1-associated Parkinson’s disease (GBA1-PD) is increasingly recognized as a distinct entity within the spectrum of parkinsonian disorders. This review explores the unique pathophysiological features, clinical progression, and genetic underpinnings that differentiate GBA1-PD from idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (iPD). GBA1-PD [...] Read more.
GBA1-associated Parkinson’s disease (GBA1-PD) is increasingly recognized as a distinct entity within the spectrum of parkinsonian disorders. This review explores the unique pathophysiological features, clinical progression, and genetic underpinnings that differentiate GBA1-PD from idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (iPD). GBA1-PD typically presents with earlier onset and more rapid progression, with a poor response to standard PD medications. It is marked by pronounced cognitive impairment and a higher burden of non-motor symptoms compared to iPD. Additionally, patients with GBA1-PD often exhibit a broader distribution of Lewy bodies within the brain, accentuating neurodegenerative processes. The pathogenesis of GBA1-PD is closely associated with mutations in the GBA1 gene, which encodes the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucocerebrosidase (GCase). In this review, we discuss two mechanisms by which GBA1 mutations contribute to disease development: ‘haploinsufficiency,’ where a single functional gene copy fails to produce a sufficient amount of GCase, and ‘gain of function,’ where the mutated GCase acquires harmful properties that directly impact cellular mechanisms for alpha-synuclein degradation, leading to alpha-synuclein aggregation and neuronal cell damage. Continued research is advancing our understanding of how these mechanisms contribute to the development and progression of GBA1-PD, with the ‘gain of function’ mechanism appearing to be the most plausible. This review also explores the implications of GBA1 mutations for therapeutic strategies, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and targeted interventions. Currently, small molecular chaperones have shown the most promising clinical results compared to other agents. This synthesis of clinical, pathological, and molecular aspects underscores the assertion that GBA1-PD is a distinct clinical and pathobiological PD phenotype, necessitating specific management and research approaches to better understand and treat this debilitating condition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Research in Neurological Diseases)
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