OBJECTIVE: Recent evidence suggests that intermediate-length polyglutamine (PolyQ) expansions in the ataxin-2 (ATXN-2) gene are a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This work was undertaken with the aim to investigate the frequency of ataxin-1 (ATXN-1) and ATXN-2 PolyQ expansions in a cohort of patients with sporadic ALS (sALS) and patients with familial ALS (fALS) from southern Italy. METHODS: We assessed the PolyQ lengths of ATXN-1 and ATXN-2 in 405 patients with sALS, 13 patients with fALS, and 296 unrelated controls without history of neurodegenerative disorders. RESULTS: We found significantly higher intermediate PolyQ expansions ≥ 32 for ATXN-1 alleles and ≥ 28 for ATXN-2 alleles in the sALS cohort (ATXN-1: ALS, 7.07% vs controls, 2.38%; p = 0.0001; ATXN-2: ALS, 2.72% vs controls, 0.5%; p = 0.001). ATXN-1 CAT and ATXN-2 CAA interruptions were detected in patients with ALS only. Age at onset, site of onset, and sex were not significantly related to the ATXN-1 or ATXN-2 PolyQ repeat length expansions. CONCLUSIONS: Both ATXN-1 and ATXN-2 PolyQ intermediate expansions are independently associated with an increased risk for ALS.
OBJECTIVE: Recent evidence suggests that intermediate-length polyglutamine (PolyQ) expansions in the ataxin-2 (ATXN-2) gene are a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This work was undertaken with the aim to investigate the frequency of ataxin-1 (ATXN-1) and ATXN-2PolyQ expansions in a cohort of patients with sporadic ALS (sALS) and patients with familial ALS (fALS) from southern Italy. METHODS: We assessed the PolyQ lengths of ATXN-1 and ATXN-2 in 405 patients with sALS, 13 patients with fALS, and 296 unrelated controls without history of neurodegenerative disorders. RESULTS: We found significantly higher intermediate PolyQ expansions ≥ 32 for ATXN-1 alleles and ≥ 28 for ATXN-2 alleles in the sALS cohort (ATXN-1: ALS, 7.07% vs controls, 2.38%; p = 0.0001; ATXN-2: ALS, 2.72% vs controls, 0.5%; p = 0.001). ATXN-1 CAT and ATXN-2 CAA interruptions were detected in patients with ALS only. Age at onset, site of onset, and sex were not significantly related to the ATXN-1 or ATXN-2PolyQ repeat length expansions. CONCLUSIONS: Both ATXN-1 and ATXN-2PolyQ intermediate expansions are independently associated with an increased risk for ALS.
Authors: Margaux F Keller; Luigi Ferrucci; Andrew B Singleton; Pentti J Tienari; Hannu Laaksovirta; Gabriella Restagno; Adriano Chiò; Bryan J Traynor; Michael A Nalls Journal: JAMA Neurol Date: 2014-09 Impact factor: 18.302
Authors: Marka van Blitterswijk; Bianca Mullen; Michael G Heckman; Matthew C Baker; Mariely DeJesus-Hernandez; Patricia H Brown; Melissa E Murray; Ging-Yuek R Hsiung; Heather Stewart; Anna M Karydas; Elizabeth Finger; Andrew Kertesz; Eileen H Bigio; Sandra Weintraub; Marsel Mesulam; Kimmo J Hatanpaa; Charles L White; Manuela Neumann; Michael J Strong; Thomas G Beach; Zbigniew K Wszolek; Carol Lippa; Richard Caselli; Leonard Petrucelli; Keith A Josephs; Joseph E Parisi; David S Knopman; Ronald C Petersen; Ian R Mackenzie; William W Seeley; Lea T Grinberg; Bruce L Miller; Kevin B Boylan; Neill R Graff-Radford; Bradley F Boeve; Dennis W Dickson; Rosa Rademakers Journal: Neurobiol Aging Date: 2014-05-02 Impact factor: 4.673