A new form of Parkinson's disease was discovered.
 

Mutations in SLC30A10 Cause Parkinsonism and Dystonia with Hypermanganesemia, Polycythemia, and Chronic Liver Disease

http://www.cell.com/AJHG/abstract/S0...)00051-1#bcor1

Abstract:
Manganese is essential for several metabolic pathways but becomes toxic in excessive amounts. Manganese levels in the body are therefore tightly regulated, but the responsible protein(s) remain incompletely known. We studied two consanguineous families with neurologic disorders including juvenile-onset dystonia, adult-onset parkinsonism, severe hypermanganesemia, polycythemia, and chronic hepatic disease, including steatosis and cirrhosis. We localized the genetic defect by homozygosity mapping and then identified two different homozygous frameshift SLC30A10 mutations, segregating with disease. SLC30A10 is highly expressed in the liver and brain, including in the basal ganglia. Its encoded protein belongs to a large family of membrane transporters, mediating the efflux of divalent cations from the cytosol. We show the localization of SLC30A10 in normal human liver and nervous system, and its depletion in liver from one affected individual. Our in silico analyses suggest that SLC30A10 possesses substrate specificity different from its closest (zinc-transporting) homologs. We also show that the expression of SLC30A10 and the levels of the encoded protein are markedly induced by manganese in vitro. The phenotype associated with SLC30A10 mutations is broad, including neurologic, hepatic, and hematologic disturbances. Intrafamilial phenotypic variability is also present. Chelation therapy can normalize the manganesemia, leading to marked clinical improvements. In conclusion, we show that SLC30A10 mutations cause a treatable recessive disease with pleomorphic phenotype, and provide compelling evidence that SLC30A10 plays a pivotal role in manganese transport. This work has broad implications for understanding of the manganese biology and pathophysiology in multiple human organs.

New confirmations about the link between liver and PD
 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23086199

Abstract

Acquired hepatolenticular degeneration, also known as "Parkinsonism in cirrhosis" is characterized by extrapyramidal symptoms including hypokinesia, dystonia and rigidity that are rapidly progressive and may be independent of the severity of cognitive dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging reveals T1-weighted hyperintense signals in both globus pallidus and substantia nigra. Estimates of the prevalence of Parkinsonism in cirrhosis have been reported as high as 21 %. The cause of Parkinsonism in cirrhosis has been attributed to manganese deposition in basal ganglia structures, leading to the dysfunction of the dopaminergic neurotransmitter system. In particular, there is evidence from both spectroscopic and biochemical investigations for damage to (or dysfunction of) presynaptic dopamine transporters together with a loss of post-synaptic dopamine receptors in basal ganglia of affected patients. Therapeutic options are limited; ammonia-lowering strategies are without substantial benefit, and an effective manganese chelator is not available. In many patients, L-Dopa replacement therapy and the dopamine receptor agonist bromocriptine are beneficial, and liver transplantation is generally effective. However, reports of post-transplant residual extrapyramidal symptoms suggest an element of irreversibility in some cases.