Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease mainly involving cortical and spinal motor neurons. Several studies indicated that intermediate CAG expansions in ataxin-2 gene (. ATXN2) are associated with increased risk of ALS. We analyzed . ATXN2 CAG repeats in 658 sporadic ALS patients (SALS), 143 familial ALS cases (FALS), 231 sporadic ataxic subjects, and 551 control subjects. The frequency of . ATXN2 alleles with 27-30 repeats was similar in SALS and control subjects. Fifteen SALS subjects carried ≥ 31 CAG repeats. This difference was statistically significant (. p = 0.0014). No alleles with ≥ 34 CAG were found. In FALS, the distribution of . ATXN2 alleles was similar to control subjects. Our results further contributed in refining CAG-repeat range significantly associated with sporadic ALS. Literature data and our findings indicate that only alleles with ≥ 31 CAG may represent low-penetrance disease/susceptibility alleles associated with variable neurodegenerative phenotypes, including cerebellar ataxia, parkinsonism, and ALS. Overlapping phenotypes should be considered in genetic testing and counseling, both for patients and at-risk family members.
ATAXIN2 CAG-repeat length in Italians patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis : risk factor or variant phenotype? Implication for genetic testing and counseling / C. Gellera, N. Ticozzi, V. Pensato, L. Nanetti, A. Castucci, B. Castellotti, G. Lauria, F. Taroni, V. Silani, C. Mariotti. - In: NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING. - ISSN 0197-4580. - 33:8(2012), pp. 1847.e.15-1847.e.21.
ATAXIN2 CAG-repeat length in Italians patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis : risk factor or variant phenotype? Implication for genetic testing and counseling
N. Ticozzi;G. Lauria;V. Silani;
2012
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease mainly involving cortical and spinal motor neurons. Several studies indicated that intermediate CAG expansions in ataxin-2 gene (. ATXN2) are associated with increased risk of ALS. We analyzed . ATXN2 CAG repeats in 658 sporadic ALS patients (SALS), 143 familial ALS cases (FALS), 231 sporadic ataxic subjects, and 551 control subjects. The frequency of . ATXN2 alleles with 27-30 repeats was similar in SALS and control subjects. Fifteen SALS subjects carried ≥ 31 CAG repeats. This difference was statistically significant (. p = 0.0014). No alleles with ≥ 34 CAG were found. In FALS, the distribution of . ATXN2 alleles was similar to control subjects. Our results further contributed in refining CAG-repeat range significantly associated with sporadic ALS. Literature data and our findings indicate that only alleles with ≥ 31 CAG may represent low-penetrance disease/susceptibility alleles associated with variable neurodegenerative phenotypes, including cerebellar ataxia, parkinsonism, and ALS. Overlapping phenotypes should be considered in genetic testing and counseling, both for patients and at-risk family members.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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