MDR1 variants and risk of Parkinson disease: Association with pesticide exposure?

The multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1 or ABCB1) gene encodes a P-glycoprotein that protects the brain against neurotoxicants. Certain MDR1 genetic variants are known to compromise the function of this transporter and may thus be associated with Parkinson disease (PD). We therefore conducted a large case-control study investigating the potential relationship between MDR1 variants and PD. We determined the frequency of three MDR1 variants in 599 European PD patients and controls and further stratified the population by ethnicity, age at onset, and exposure to pesticides. We detected no relevant association in either the entire sample, or when separately investigating by ethnic origin or age at onset. However, the distribution of c.3435C/T differed significantly between PD patients exposed to pesticides compared to those non-exposed (odds ratio = 4.74; confidence interval = [1.009; 22.306]); p = 0.047), suggesting that common MDR1 variants might influence the risk to develop PD in conjunction with exposure to pesticides.