The G2019S LRRK2 Mutation is Rare in Korean Patients with Parkinson's Disease and Multiple System Atrophy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The LRRK2 (PARK8; OMIM607060) substitution was recently identified as a causative mutation for Parkinson's disease (PD). The pathologic heterogeneity of LRRK2-positive patients suggests that mutation of the LRRK2 gene is associated with the pathogenesis of PD and Parkinson-plus disorders, such as multiple system atrophy (MSA). We previously reported that the G2019S LRRK2 mutation-which is the most common LRRK2 mutation-was not found in a sample of 453 Korean PD patients. In the present study, we extended the screening for the G2019S mutation to a larger group of PD and MSA patients. METHODS: We performed a genetic analysis of the G2019S mutation in 877 patients with PD and 199 patients with MSA using a standard PCR and restriction digestion method. RESULTS: None of the subjects carried the G2019S mutation. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study support that the G2019S mutation is extremely rare in PD and is unlikely to be associated with MSA in the Korean population.