The transcription factors PITX3 and Engrailed 1 (EN1), among others, have been shown to play a crucial role in the maturation and survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. The degeneration of those neurons is the pathological hallmark in Parkinson's disease (PD). In a hypothesis-driven candidate gene approach, it has been recently shown that polymorphisms in the genes coding for PITX3 and EN1 are associated with sporadic PD.
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