Screening of VCP mutations in Chinese amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

Mutations in valosin-containing protein (VCP) gene have been recently found in familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To define the frequency of VCP mutations in ALS patients in Chinese population, we sequenced all 17 exons of the VCP gene in a cohort of both familial and sporadic ALS patients of Chinese origin. No nonsynonymous coding variants were identified. This indicates that VCP mutations are not a common cause of familial or sporadic ALS in Chinese population.