"Research Discovers Possible Link Between Crohn’s And Parkinson’s In Jewish Population"
Mount Sinai Researchers have just discovered that patients in the Ashkenazi Jewish population with Crohn's disease are more likely to carry the LRRK2 gene mutation. This gene is the major genetic cause of Parkinson's disease, which is a movement disorder. The study's findings, published in Science Translational Medicine, could help doctors better understand Crohn’s disease, determine specifically who’s at risk, and develop new drugs for treatment and/or prevention by targeting this specific gene. "Crohn's disease is a complex disorder with multiple genes and environmental factors involved, which disproportionally affects individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry," explained lead researcher Inga Peter, PhD, professor of genetics and genomic sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "The presence of shared LRRK2 mutations in patients with Crohn's disease and Parkinson's disease provides refined insight into disease mechanisms and may have major implications for the treatment of these two seemingly unrelated diseases." The study’s co-author, Judy H. Cho, MD, director of the institute for personalized medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said, "Defining the biology of naturally occurring protective mutations is quite important, because they define desired outcomes for potentially new therapies.”
- Inga Peter, PhD, Professor, Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Judy H. Cho, MD, Director, Institute for Personalized Medicine, Professor, Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Medicine, Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Additional coverage:
Nature
The Jewish Chronicle
Fast Forward
News Medical & Life Sciences