APOPTOSIS OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES IN PATIENTS WITH LRRK2-ASSOCTATED PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Mutations in the Leucine Reach Repeat Kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene are the most frequent cause of familial Parkinson's disease (PD). Although the precise physiological and pathological role of LRRK2 is unclear, a direct lin between mutant LRRK2 and apoptosis has been suggested. Using How cytometric analysis (PI+Annexin V(FITC)) we showed increased spontaneous apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with LRRK.2-associated PD compared to controls after 24 (<i>P </i>< 0.016) and 48 (<i>P </i>< 0.031 ) h of incubation (5 % CO2, 37 °C). We found the increased <i>FAS </i>mRNA level in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with <i>LRRK2-</i>associated PD compared to controls (<i>P </i>< 0.05) and to sporadic PD (sPD) (<i>P </i>< 0.002). Significant difference in <i>FAS </i>expression between patients with <i>LRRK2</i>-associated PD and controls remained after three years and was detected after 1 and 24 h during lymphocyte incubation (<i>P </i>< 0.03 and 0.05, respectively). Increased spontaneous lymphocytes apoptosis along to increased <i>FAS </i>expression in patients with <i>LRRK2-associated </i>PD suggest that LRRK2 mutations may lead to the activation of extrinsic apoptotic way.