Lipid Metabolism is the common pathologic mechanism between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Parkinson’s disease

International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2020 · DOI: 10.7150/ijms.46456 · Published: July 6, 2020

Simple Explanation

This study aimed to identify common biological pathways and molecules shared between Parkinson's disease (PD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It used gene expression data from public databases to find genes that are differentially expressed in both diseases. The researchers identified 113 genes that were commonly altered in both PD and T2DM. These genes were found to be involved in lipid metabolism, suggesting a link between the two diseases. Further analysis pointed to a transcription factor called SP1 as a key regulator of these lipid metabolism processes, indicating that SP1 could be a potential therapeutic target for both PD and T2DM.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

GSE6613: 50 PD patients and 23 controls; GSE95849: 6 T2DM patients and 6 controls

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
113 communal differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between PD and T2DM.
2
These communal DEGs are enriched in lipid metabolism, including protein modifications that regulate metabolism, lipid synthesis and decomposition, and the biological effects of lipid products.
3
SP1 transcription factor (SP1) could be a key molecule since it affected other hub genes that participate in the common mechanisms between PD and T2DM.

Research Summary

The study identifies shared biological pathways between Parkinson's disease (PD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by analyzing gene expression data. Lipid metabolism is highlighted as a key intersection between PD and T2DM, with 113 commonly altered genes involved in this process. The transcription factor SP1 is identified as a potential key molecule regulating lipid metabolism processes shared between the two diseases.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Target Identification

SP1 and related genes could be potential therapeutic targets for both PD and T2DM.

Novel Mechanistic Insights

The findings provide novel insights into the association between PD and T2DM, suggesting a shared pathological mechanism involving lipid metabolism.

Diagnostic Biomarker Potential

The identified communal DEGs could potentially serve as biomarkers for the early diagnosis or monitoring of disease progression in both PD and T2DM.

Study Limitations

1
The hub nodes identified need to be validated in future studies.
2
The sample size in this study was relatively small, and external validation is needed to consolidate our results.
3
It is necessary to perform functional studies to confirm the roles of the DEGs in T2DM and PD.

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