Xiaoting Zheng
Jianhai Chen
Chunyu Li- 1Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- 2Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Editorial on the Research Topic
Genetic research into neurodegenerative disorders
The integration of advanced sequencing technologies into genetic research has ushered in a new era of understanding the intricate genetic foundations of neurodegenerative disorders. This transformative approach has yielded a wealth of insights, emphasizing the pivotal role played by genetic factors in susceptibility to conditions such as Parkinson's disease (PD), hereditary spastic paraplegia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
In a study on PD, Liu et al. utilized burden genetic analysis combined with high-throughput sequencing to evaluate Dynamin-1-like (DNM1L) variants in the Chinese population. They identified 23 rare variants and 201 common variants in the DNM1L coding region but found no significant relationship with PD susceptibility, thereby broadening the genetic spectrum of the DNM1L gene in PD. The results not only expanded our knowledge of the genetic diversity within the DNM1L gene, but also significantly advanced our understanding of its implications for PD susceptibility.
Similarly, Ferese et al.'s investigation into hereditary spastic paraplegia type 4 (SPG4) patients with SPAST gene mutations has employed next-generation sequencing panels to uncover a rich tapestry of splice variants. The combined approach of in silico and in vitro analysis for splicing mutations confirmed the pathogenic mechanism of two splicing variants (i.e., c.1245+1G>A and c.1414-2A>T).
In the context of AD, Wang et al.'s innovative use of optimized transcriptome-wide association studies has not only expanded our knowledge base with the identification of 415 associated risk genes but has also led to the validation of 34 highly reliable biomarkers, including APOC1, CR1, ERBB2, and RIN3. This not only corroborates existing knowledge but also illuminates novel avenues for deeper exploration into AD pathogenesis.
Furthermore, Cox et al. described the clinical spectrum of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS), encompassing both patients and asymptomatic carriers. They observed varying heterogeneity levels in different tissues and found distinct manifestations in standard and late-onset cases with similar or divergent genetic mutations.
Collectively, these multifaceted investigations underscore the intricate interplay of genetic factors in neurodegenerative disorders, urging the scientific community to embark on further explorations to uncover novel risk variants, elucidate underlying mechanisms, and delineate intricate pathways. Such analyses are essential for advancing our knowledge and developing targeted interventions for these complex and challenging conditions.
Author contributions
XZ: Writing—original draft. JC: Writing—review & editing. CL: Writing—review & editing.
Funding
The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Keywords: genetics, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, hereditary spastic paraplegia, rare variant
Citation: Zheng X, Chen J and Li C (2024) Editorial: Genetic research into neurodegenerative disorders. Front. Neurol. 15:1367627. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1367627
Received: 09 January 2024; Accepted: 16 January 2024;
Published: 29 January 2024.
Edited and reviewed by: Huifang Shang, Sichuan University, China
Copyright © 2024 Zheng, Chen and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Chunyu Li, lichunyu@scu.edu.cn