Inverse Association Between Parkinson’s Disease and Cancer: Could Exosomes Be the Missing Link?

Topic

Inverse Association Between Parkinson’s Disease and Cancer: Could Exosomes Be the Missing Link?

Presentation Summary

Epidemiological evidence points to an inverse association between Parkinson’s disease and almost all cancers except melanoma, for which this association is positive. The results of multiple studies have demonstrated that patients with Parkinson's disease are at reduced risk for the majority of neoplasms.

The studies were performed using cellular models. Blood samples, skin swabs and stool samples were collected from Parkinson's disease and lung cancer patients and controls to determine skin and gut microbiome profiles. The metabolomics was analyzed by LC-MS.

Prof. Gorska-Ponikowska's team have demonstrated that the missing point may be differences in serum ratio of metabolites of estradiol hydroxylated and methylated at 2 and 4-postion. Significant differences in the gut and skin microbiome profiles of PD patients and lung cancer patients compared to healthy individuals were identified. Notably, they have also demonstrated that exosomes derived from probiotics regulate the cellular survival as estimated on Parkinson's disease and lung cancer models.

Integration of these results into clinical practice could potentially enable earlier diagnosis, facilitating timely treatment and aiding efficacy of research into Parkinson's disease and anticancer therapies. However, these findings require validation in larger patient cohorts.