Excessive early-life dietary iron exposure: a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease

Developers

Dominic J Hare, Bárbara Rita Cardoso, Erika P Raven, Beverley-Ann Biggs, etc.

Description of the technology

Iron accumulates gradually in the ageing brain. In Parkinson’s disease, iron deposition within the substantia nigra is further increased, contributing to a heightened pro-oxidant environment in dopaminergic neurons.

The developers of the technology have hypothesized that people in high-income countries, where cereals and infant formulae have historically been fortified with iron, experience increased early-life iron exposure that predisposes them to age-related iron accumulation in the brain. Combined with genetic factors that limit iron regulatory capacity and/or dopamine metabolism, this may increase the risk of Parkinson’s diseases.

The authors have proposed to (a) validate a retrospective biomarker of iron exposure in children; (b) translate this biomarker to adults; © integrate it with in vivo brain iron value in Parkinson’s disease; and (d) longitudinally examine the relationships between early-life iron exposure and metabolism, brain iron deposition and Parkinson’s disease risk.

Practical application

This approach will provide empirical evidence to support therapeutically addressing brain iron deposition in Parkinson’s diseases and produce a potential biomarker of Parkinson’s disease risk in preclinical individuals.

The technology will be highly valuable for prevention, diagnostics and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Besides, it will help to improve the quality of diet in the various groups of human population, especially in early ages.

Laboratories

• Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital) at the Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne (Australia)
• The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne (Australia)
• Elemental Bio-imaging Facility, University of Technology Sydney (Australia)
• Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo, São Paulo (Brazil)
• Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne (Australia)

Links

Publications

• Hare, D.J. et al. «Excessive early-life dietary exposure: a potential source of elevated brain iron and a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease." 3 NPJ Parkinson’s Disease, (2017): 1.
• Hare, D. J. & Double, K. L. «Iron and dopamine: a toxic couple." 139 Brain, (2016): 1026–1035.
• Hare, D. J. et al. «Is early-life iron exposure critical in neurodegeneration?» 11 Nat. Rev. Neurol, (2015): 536–544.