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An inverse relationship between Parkinson's disease (PD) and cancer has been described. However, the association between cancers and genetic forms of PD, in particular the R1441G mutation in the LRRK2 gene, is not well known. The objective of this work was to analyze cancer prevalence in PD patients with R1441G or G2019S mutations in LRRK2, and in idiopathic PD (iPD). A total of 732 patients with PD (70 and 25 carriers of R1441G or G2019S mutations, respectively), and 177 controls, were linked using a population-based cancer registry of the Spanish province of Gipuzkoa. Cancer prevalence was not significantly higher in PD-G2019S carriers (20%) than in PD-R1441G carriers (14.3%), iPD (13.8%), or controls (12.5%). With the exception of a high prevalence of hematological cancers (crude odds ratio of 7.1) in the R1441G group, specific cancer types were not increased in PD mutation carriers. In both the carrier and iPD groups, cancers were diagnosed after the onset of PD. PD patients had a similar prevalence of cancer to control subjects. There was no increased association between G2019S or R1441G mutations and any type of cancer. Although there was a higher prevalence of hematological cancers in the R1441G group, the low number of such cancers overall makes this finding of uncertain significance. There was a slightly higher but not statistically significant prevalence of non-skin cancers in the G2019S group, suggesting that further study to evaluate the association should be undertaken prior to ascribing an increased cancer risk to this population.

The LRRK2 R1441G mutation was first identified in Basque families and it is responsible for 46% of familial Parkinson's disease (PD) and for 2.5% of sporadic PD in the PD population of Basque ascent. The aim of this study was to determine LRRK2 R1441G penetrance in PD in the Basque Country (Spain) to help in a more accurate genetic counseling. A total of 59 sibships containing 244 individuals, with a total of 40 PD-affected relatives, were studied. Genetic testing for the R1441G mutation in the LRRK2 gene was performed in 133 individuals and was positive in 51% of them. Lifetime penetrance of R1441G mutations turned out to be 12.5% at 65 years to 83.4% at 80 years. No gender differences were found in penetrance.

Background There is an increasing interest in the clinico-pathological correlation of mutations in progranulin ( PGRN ) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) complex diseases. We aim to study the PGRN expression variability in patients with different clinical features for a better understanding of its roles in FTLD disease. Methods We sequenced the PGRN gene in 72 patients suffering from FTLD (25 familial and 47 sporadic cases) and in 24 asymptomatic at-risk relatives. We also analyzed PGRN expression in blood by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction from 37 patients, 8 asymptomatic mutation carriers, and 10 control subjects as well as in brain tissue from 16 patients and 9 control subjects. Results Four novel mutations were associated with familial and sporadic FTLD and familial dementia associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We identified a close association between the IVS6-1G>A mutation in PGRN and corticobasal syndrome. Brain tissue was available for carriers of two of the four mutations (IVS6-1 G>A and P357HfsX3). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed ubiquitin- and TDP-43positive and τ/α-synuclein negative immunoreactive neuronal intranuclear inclusions. The relative expression of PGRN in the clinical sample was significantly lower in carriers of the IVS6-1 G>A than in control subjects. Conclusions Progranulopathies are a major cause of the main phenotypes included in the FTLD complex. According to our results, the level of expression of PGRN in blood could be a useful marker both for diagnostics of part of the spectrum of FTLD conditions and for monitoring future treatments that might boost the level of PGRN in this disorder.

Fundamento y objetivo Analizar objetivamente las alteraciones de la marcha en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) y los cambios observados tras la administracion de medicacion dopaminergica. Pacientes y metodo Se incluyo a 15 pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson para la comparacion de la marcha con un grupo de 15 individuos sanos de la misma edad y a 24 pacientes para la comparacion antes y despues de la administracion de la medicacion.Se realizo el analisis con un Nuevo sistema de fotogrametria tridimensional. Resultados Los pacientes presentaron de forma significativa una menor velocidad,longitud de zancada, de paso y menores amplitudes articulares de cadera y rodilla que el grupo control, sin diferencias en la cadencia, base de sustentacion ni en los tiempos relativos del ciclo de la marcha.No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la comparacion de la marcha antes y despues de la administracion de la medicacion dopaminergica. Conclusiones El analisis de la marcha permite cuantificar las alteraciones de la marcha en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson y el potencial efecto de intervenciones terapeuticas. Los resultados indicant un cierto grado de resistencia a la levodopa en la marcha de estos pacientes.

We report the neuropathological findings in a patient with Parkinson's disease (PD) associated with Basque R1441G-LRRK2/dardarin mutation. The patient was a man with disease onset at 68 years of age, with unilateral rest tremor; the Parkinsonism was well controlled with medication for 15 years. He died at the age of 86, after 18 years of evolution. The neuropathological examination disclosed mild neuronal loss in the substantia nigra pars compacta without alpha-synuclein, tau, LRRK2, or ubiquitin cytoplasmic inclusions. Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites were absent. This is the first neuropathological study of PD associated with brain with the R1441G mutation in LRRK2.