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Katrina Gwinn

Other affiliations: Mayo Clinic
Bio: Katrina Gwinn is an academic researcher from Baylor College of Medicine. The author has contributed to research in topics: Parkinsonism & Parkinson's disease. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 26 publications receiving 3222 citations. Previous affiliations of Katrina Gwinn include Mayo Clinic.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that an unequivocal role for common genetic variants in the etiology of typical PD and population-specific genetic heterogeneity in this disease is suggested, and supporting evidence that common variation around LRRK2 modulates risk for PD is provided.
Abstract: We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 1,713 individuals of European ancestry with Parkinson's disease (PD) and 3,978 controls. After replication in 3,361 cases and 4,573 controls, we observed two strong association signals, one in the gene encoding a-synuclein (SNCA; rs2736990, OR = 1.23, P = 2.24 x 10(-16)) and another at the MAPT locus (rs393152, OR = 0.77, P = 1.95 x 10(-16)). We exchanged data with colleagues performing a GWAS in Japanese PD cases. Association to PD at SNCA was replicated in the Japanese GWAS1, confirming this as a major risk locus across populations. We replicated the effect of a new locus detected in the Japanese cohort (PARK16, rs823128, OR = 0.66, P = 7.29 x 10(-8)) and provide supporting evidence that common variation around LRRK2 modulates risk for PD (rs1491923, OR = 1.14, P = 1.55 x 10(-5)). These data demonstrate an unequivocal role for common genetic variants in the etiology of typical PD and suggest population-specific genetic heterogeneity in this disease.

1,793 citations

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TL;DR: This model represents a new experimental system to identify compounds that reduce levels of α- synuclein, and to investigate the mechanistic basis of neurodegeneration caused by α-synuclein dysfunction.
Abstract: Pluripotent stem cells can be generated from the somatic cells of humans and are a useful model to study disease. Here, pluripotent stem cells are made from a patient with familial Parkinson's disease, and the resulting neurons exhibit elevated levels of α-synuclein, recapitulating the molecular features of the patient's disease.

407 citations

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TL;DR: A novel variant of Alzheimer's disease in a Finnish pedigree with 17 affected individuals of both sexes in three generations caused by a deletion of exon 9 (Δ9) of the presenilin 1 (PSI) gene from the mRNA was described.
Abstract: We describe a novel variant of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a Finnish pedigree with 17 affected individuals of both sexes in three generations. The disease is characterized by progressive dementia which is, in most cases, preceded by spastic paraparesis. Neuropathological investigations revealed numerous, distinct, large, round and eosinophilic plaques as well as neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid angiopathy throughout the cerebral cortex. The predominant plaques resembled cotton wool balls and were immunoreactive for Abeta but lacked a congophilic dense core or marked plaque-related neuritic pathology. Molecular genetic analysis revealed that the disease was caused by a deletion of exon 9 (delta9) of the presenilin 1 (PS1) gene from the mRNA: unlike previous examples of the delta9 variant, the deletion was not caused by a splice acceptor site mutation.

356 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The clinical impact of α‐synuclein locus multiplications, and the implications that this has for Parkinson's disease pathogenesis are outlined; potential strategies for disease‐modifying therapies for this currently incurable disorder are discussed.
Abstract: Genetic studies of Parkinson's disease over the last decade or more have revolutionized our understanding of this condition. α-Synuclein was the first gene to be linked to Parkinson's disease, and is arguably the most important: the protein is the principal constituent of Lewy bodies, and variation at its locus is the major genetic risk factor for sporadic disease. Intriguingly, duplications and triplications of the locus, as well as point mutations, cause familial disease. Therefore, subtle alterations of α-synuclein expression can manifest with a dramatic phenotype. We outline the clinical impact of α-synuclein locus multiplications, and the implications that this has for Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. Finally, we discuss potential strategies for disease-modifying therapies for this currently incurable disorder.

156 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Primers and methods for exonic sequencing of this gene were developed and the entire coding region of the gene was sequenced and no genetic variation was found, suggesting that NACP is not the chromosome 4 locus for disease.
Abstract: A mutation in exon 4 of the alpha-synuclein (NACP) gene has been reported to explain the chromosome 4 linkage to autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease. We developed primers and methods for exonic sequencing of this gene and sequenced the entire coding region of the gene in 6 families with autosomal dominant disease and in 2 cases of lytico and bodig from Guam. In addition, we have sequenced exon 4 of this gene in 5 cases of familial disease and have screened for the specific mutation (A53T) in a 40 cases of idiopathic Parkinson's disease, 3 cases of multisystem atrophy, and 15 cases of Lewy body dementia. We have found no genetic variation in the gene. We discuss these findings with respect to both the epidemiology of Parkinson's disease and the possibility that NACP is not the chromosome 4 locus for disease.

147 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
19 Jul 2002-Science
TL;DR: It has been more than 10 years since it was first proposed that the neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be caused by deposition of amyloid β-peptide in plaques in brain tissue and the rest of the disease process is proposed to result from an imbalance between Aβ production and Aβ clearance.
Abstract: It has been more than 10 years since it was first proposed that the neurodegeneration in Alzheimer9s disease (AD) may be caused by deposition of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) in plaques in brain tissue. According to the amyloid hypothesis, accumulation of Aβ in the brain is the primary influence driving AD pathogenesis. The rest of the disease process, including formation of neurofibrillary tangles containing tau protein, is proposed to result from an imbalance between Aβ production and Aβ clearance.

12,652 citations

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TL;DR: The new guidelines recognize the pre‐clinical stage of AD, enhance the assessment of AD to include amyloid accumulation as well as neurofibrillary change and neuritic plaques, and establish protocols for the neuropathologic assessment of Lewy body disease, vascular brain injury, hippocampal sclerosis, and TDP‐43 inclusions.
Abstract: A consensus panel from the United States and Europe was convened recently to update and revise the 1997 consensus guidelines for the neuropathologic evaluation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other diseases of brain that are common in the elderly. The new guidelines recognize the pre-clinical stage of AD, enhance the assessment of AD to include amyloid accumulation as well as neurofibrillary change and neuritic plaques, establish protocols for the neuropathologic assessment of Lewy body disease, vascular brain injury, hippocampal sclerosis, and TDP-43 inclusions, and recommend standard approaches for the workup of cases and their clinico-pathologic correlation.

2,240 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A practical guide for the implementation of recently revised National Institute on Aging–Alzheimer's Association guidelines for the neuropathologic assessment of Alzheimer’s disease is presented.
Abstract: We present a practical guide for the implementation of recently revised National Institute on Aging–Alzheimer’s Association guidelines for the neuropathologic assessment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Major revisions from previous consensus criteria are: (1) recognition that AD neuropathologic changes may occur in the apparent absence of cognitive impairment, (2) an “ABC” score for AD neuropathologic change that incorporates histopathologic assessments of amyloid β deposits (A), staging of neurofibrillary tangles (B), and scoring of neuritic plaques (C), and (3) more detailed approaches for assessing commonly co-morbid conditions such as Lewy body disease, vascular brain injury, hippocampal sclerosis, and TAR DNA binding protein (TDP)-43 immunoreactive inclusions. Recommendations also are made for the minimum sampling of brain, preferred staining methods with acceptable alternatives, reporting of results, and clinico-pathologic correlations.

1,965 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
16 Nov 2012-Science
TL;DR: It is found that in wild-type nontransgenic mice, a single intrastriatal inoculation of synthetic α- Syn fibrils led to the cell-to-cell transmission of pathologic α-Syn and Parkinson’s-like Lewy pathology in anatomically interconnected regions.
Abstract: Parkinson's disease is characterized by abundant α-synuclein (α-Syn) neuronal inclusions, known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, and the massive loss of midbrain dopamine neurons. However, a cause-and-effect relationship between Lewy inclusion formation and neurodegeneration remains unclear. Here, we found that in wild-type nontransgenic mice, a single intrastriatal inoculation of synthetic α-Syn fibrils led to the cell-to-cell transmission of pathologic α-Syn and Parkinson's-like Lewy pathology in anatomically interconnected regions. Lewy pathology accumulation resulted in progressive loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, but not in the adjacent ventral tegmental area, and was accompanied by reduced dopamine levels culminating in motor deficits. This recapitulation of a neurodegenerative cascade thus establishes a mechanistic link between transmission of pathologic α-Syn and the cardinal features of Parkinson's disease.

1,948 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Recent biophysical studies aimed at elucidating the precise mechanism of in vitro aggregation and animal modeling studies support the emerging notion that an ordered prefibrillar oligomer, or protofibril, may be responsible for cell death and that the fibril form that is typically observed at autopsy may actually be neuroprotective.
Abstract: Many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (prion diseases), are characterized at autopsy by neuronal loss and protein aggregates that are typically fibrillar. A convergence of evidence strongly suggests that protein aggregation is neurotoxic and not a product of cell death. However, the identity of the neurotoxic aggregate and the mechanism by which it disables and eventually kills a neuron are unknown. Both biophysical studies aimed at elucidating the precise mechanism of in vitro aggregation and animal modeling studies support the emerging notion that an ordered prefibrillar oligomer, or protofibril, may be responsible for cell death and that the fibrillar form that is typically observed at autopsy may actually be neuroprotective. A subpopulation of protofibrils may function as pathogenic amyloid pores. An analogous mechanism may explain the neurotoxicity of the prion protein; recent data demonstrates that the disease-associated, infectious form of the prion protein differs from the neurotoxic species. This review focuses on recent experimental studies aimed at identification and characterization of the neurotoxic protein aggregates.

1,690 citations