Mutations in LRRK2, the gene that encodes leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), are associated with autosomal dominant and sporadic forms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and are the most common genetic causes of PD. Recently, a R1628P variant has been reported as a risk factor for PD in Taiwan and Singapore. To determine the association of this variant and PD in the Han-Chinese population from mainland China, we analyzed its frequency in a cohort of 600 patients and 459 unrelated healthy controls. Forty (6.7%) patients were heterozygous and 3 (0.5%) homozygous for the R1628P variant, which was significantly more frequent than in the controls [2.4% heterozygous and 0.0% homozygous, Odds ratio = 3.14, 95%CI: 1.60-6.17, P < 0.01]. Considering the age at onset, this difference was found only in late-onset PD (older than 50) [Odds ratio = 3.76, 95% CI: 1.90-7.45, P < 0.01]. Our data confirms that the LRRK2 R1628P variant is associated with an increased risk to develop late onset PD in the ethnic Han-Chinese population.
