| 1. |
- Albagha, O M E, et al.
(författare)
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Association of oestrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphisms with postmenopausal bone loss, bone mass, and quantitative ultrasound properties of bone.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : BMJ. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 42:3, s. 240-6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The gene encoding oestrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) appears to regulate bone mineral density (BMD) and other determinants of osteoporotic fracture risk. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between common polymorphisms and haplotypes of the ESR1 gene and osteoporosis related phenotypes in a population based cohort of 3054 Scottish women. RESULTS: There was a significant association between a common haplotype "px", defined by the PvuII and XbaI restriction fragment length polymorphisms within intron 1 of the ESR1 gene, and femoral neck bone loss in postmenopausal women who had not received hormone replacement therapy (n = 945; p = 0.009). Annual rates of femoral neck bone loss were approximately 14% higher in subjects who carried one copy of px and 22% higher in those who carried two copies, compared with those who did not carry the px haplotype. The px haplotype was associated with lower femoral neck BMD in the postmenopausal women (p = 0.02), and with reduced calcaneal broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) values in the whole study population (p = 0.005). There was no association between a TA repeat polymorphism in the ESR1 promoter and any phenotype studied, though on long range haplotype analysis subjects with a smaller number of TA repeats who also carried the px haplotype had reduced BUA values. CONCLUSIONS: The ESR1px haplotype is associated with reduced hip BMD values and increased rates of femoral neck bone loss in postmenopausal women. An association with BUA may explain the fact that ESR1 intron 1 alleles predict osteoporotic fractures by a mechanism partly independent of differences in BMD.
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| 2. |
- Antoniou, A C, et al.
(författare)
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Breast and ovarian cancer risks to carriers of the BRCA1 5382insC and 185delAG and BRCA2 6174delT mutations: a combined analysis of 22 population based studies
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : BMJ. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 42:7, s. 602-603
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A recent report estimated the breast cancer risks in carriers of the three Ashkenazi founder mutations to be higher than previously published estimates derived from population based studies. In an attempt to confirm this, the breast and ovarian cancer risks associated with the three Ashkenazi founder mutations were estimated using families included in a previous meta-analysis of populatrion based studies. The estimated breast cancer risks for each of the founder BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were similar to the corresponding estimates based on all BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations in the meta-analysis. These estimates appear to be consistent with the observed prevalence of the mutations in the Ashkenazi Jewish population.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Clendenning, M, et al.
(författare)
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A frame-shift mutation of PMS2 is a widespread cause of Lynch syndrome
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : BMJ. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 45:6, s. 340-345
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: When compared to the other mismatch repair genes involved in Lynch syndrome, the identification of mutations within PMS2 has been limited (<2% of all identified mutations), yet the immunohistochemical analysis of tumour samples indicates that approximately 5% of Lynch syndrome cases are caused by PMS2. This disparity is primarily due to complications in the study of this gene caused by interference from pseudogene sequences. Methods: Using a recently developed method for detecting PMS2 specific mutations, we have screened 99 patients who are likely candidates for PMS2 mutations based on immunohistochemical analysis. Results: We have identified a frequently occurring frame-shift mutation (c.736_741del 6ins11) in 12 ostensibly unrelated Lynch syndrome patients (20% of patients we have identified with a deleterious mutation in PMS2, n = 61). These individuals all display the rare allele (population frequency <0.05) at a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 11, and have been shown to possess a short common haplotype, allowing us to calculate that the mutation arose around 1625 years ago (65 generations; 95% confidence interval 22 to 120). Conclusion: Ancestral analysis indicates that this mutation is enriched in individuals with British and Swedish ancestry. We estimate that there are >10 000 carriers of this mutation in the USA alone. The identification of both the mutation and the common haplotype in one Swedish control sample (n = 225), along with evidence that Lynch syndrome associated cancers are rarer than expected in the probands' families, would suggest that this is a prevalent mutation with reduced penetrance.
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| 5. |
- Dahlqvist, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
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Congenital ichthyosis : mutations in ichthyin are associated with specific structural abnormalities in the granular layer of epidermis
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : BMJ. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 44:10, s. 615-620
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI) is a heterogeneous group of skin disorders. Several mutant genes have been identified in ARCI, but the association between genotype and phenotype is poorly understood. Methods: To investigate genotype–phenotype correlations in ARCI, we selected 27 patients from 18 families with specific ultrastructural features of the epidermis. The characteristic findings using electron microscopy (EM) were abnormal lamellar bodies and elongated membranes in the stratum granulosum, classified as ARCI EM type III. DNA samples from a subset of affected individuals were screened for homozygous genomic regions, and a candidate gene region was identified on chromosome 5q33. The region coincides with the ichthyin gene, previously reported as mutated in ARCI. Results: Mutation screening of ichthyin revealed missense or splice-site mutations in affected members from 16 of 18 (89%) families with characteristics of ARCI EM type III. In a control group of 18 patients with ARCI without EM findings consistent with type III, we identified one patient homozygous for a missense mutation in ichthyin. Discussion: Our findings indicate a strong association between ultrastructural abnormalities in the granular layer of epidermis and ichthyin mutations. The results also suggest that EM provides a tool for specific diagnosis in a genetically homogenous subgroup of patients with ARCI.
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| 6. |
- Ghavami, S., et al.
(författare)
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Apoptosis and cancer : mutations within caspase genes
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : B M J Group. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 46:8, s. 497-510
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The inactivation of programmed cell death has profound effects not only on the development but also on the overall integrity of multicellular organisms. Beside developmental abnormalities, it may lead to tumorigenesis, autoimmunity, and other serious health problems. Deregulated apoptosis may also be the leading cause of cancer therapy chemoresistance. Caspase family of cysteinyl-proteases plays the key role in the initiation and execution of programmed cell death. This review gives an overview of the role of caspases, their natural modulators like IAPs, FLIPs, and Smac/Diablo in apoptosis and upon inactivation, and also in cancer development. Besides describing the basic mechanisms governing programmed cell death, a large part of this review is dedicated to previous studies that were focused on screening tumours for mutations within caspase genes as well as their regulators. The last part of this review discusses several emerging treatments that involve modulation of caspases and their regulators. Thus, we also highlight caspase cascade modulating experimental anticancer drugs like cFLIP-antagonist CDDO-Me; cIAP1 antagonists OSU-03012 and ME-BS; and XIAP small molecule antagonists 1396-11, 1396-12, 1396-28, triptolide, AEG35156, survivin/Hsp90 antagonist shephedrin, and some of the direct activators of procaspase-3.
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| 7. |
- Giedraitis, Vilmantas, et al.
(författare)
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New Alzheimer's disease locus on chromosome 8
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : BMJ. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 43:12, s. 931-935
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Family history is one of the most consistent risk factors for dementia. Therefore, analysis of families with a distinct inheritance pattern of disease can be a powerful approach for the identification of previously unknown disease genes. Objective: To map susceptibility regions for Alzheimer's disease. Methods: A complete genome scan with 369 microsatellite markers was carried out in 12 extended families collected in Sweden. Age at disease onset ranged from 53 to 78 years, but in 10 of the families there was at least one member with age at onset of <= 65 years. Mutations in known early-onset Alzheimer's disease susceptibility genes have been excluded. All people were genotyped for APOE, but no clear linkage with the epsilon 4 allele was observed. Results: Although no common disease locus could be found in all families, in two families an extended haplotype was identified on chromosome 8q shared by all affected members. In one of the families, a non-parametric multi-marker logarithm of the odds (LOD) score of 4.2 (p = 0.004) was obtained and analysis based on a dominant model showed a parametric LOD score of 2.4 for this region. All six affected members of this family shared a haplotype of 10 markers spanning about 40 cM. Three affected members in another family also shared a haplotype in the same region. Conclusion: On the basis of our data, we propose the existence of a dominantly acting Alzheimer's disease susceptibility locus on chromosome 8.
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| 8. |
- Goldstein, Alisa M, et al.
(författare)
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Features associated with germline CDKN2A mutations: a GenoMEL study of melanoma-prone families from three continents
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : BMJ. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 44:2, s. 99-106
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The major factors individually reported to be associated with an increased frequency of CDKN2A mutations are increased number of patients with melanoma in a family, early age at melanoma diagnosis, and family members with multiple primary melanomas (MPM) or pancreatic cancer. METHODS: These four features were examined in 385 families with > or =3 patients with melanoma pooled by 17 GenoMEL groups, and these attributes were compared across continents. RESULTS: Overall, 39% of families had CDKN2A mutations ranging from 20% (32/162) in Australia to 45% (29/65) in North America to 57% (89/157) in Europe. All four features in each group, except pancreatic cancer in Australia (p = 0.38), individually showed significant associations with CDKN2A mutations, but the effects varied widely across continents. Multivariate examination also showed different predictors of mutation risk across continents. In Australian families, > or =2 patients with MPM, median age at melanoma diagnosis < or =40 years and > or =6 patients with melanoma in a family jointly predicted the mutation risk. In European families, all four factors concurrently predicted the risk, but with less stringent criteria than in Australia. In North American families, only > or =1 patient with MPM and age at diagnosis < or =40 years simultaneously predicted the mutation risk. CONCLUSIONS: The variation in CDKN2A mutations for the four features across continents is consistent with the lower melanoma incidence rates in Europe and higher rates of sporadic melanoma in Australia. The lack of a pancreatic cancer-CDKN2A mutation relationship in Australia probably reflects the divergent spectrum of mutations in families from Australia versus those from North America and Europe. GenoMEL is exploring candidate host, genetic and/or environmental risk factors to better understand the variation observed.
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| 9. |
- Karppinen, S. -M., et al.
(författare)
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Nordic collaborative study of the BARD1 Cys557Ser allele in 3956 patients with cancer: enrichment in familial BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation-negative breast cancer but not in other malignancies
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : BMJ. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 43:11, s. 856-862
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: BARD1 was originally identified as a BRCA1- interacting protein but has also been described in tumour-suppressive functions independent of BRCA1. Several studies have indicated that the BARD1 gene is a potential target for germline changes predisposing to breast and ovarian cancer. The C- terminal Cys557Ser change has previously been uncovered to associate with an increased risk of breast cancer and was recently shown to result in defective apoptotic activities. Aim and methods: Conformation- sensitive gel electrophoresis, minisequencing, TaqMan assays, denaturing high- performance liquid chromatography analysis and DNA sequencing were used to investigate the prevalence of the Cys557Ser allele in a large Nordic case - control study cohort consisting of 2906 patients with breast or ovarian cancer, 734 with prostate cancer, 188 with colorectal cancer, 128 men with breast cancer, and 3591 controls from Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Results: The frequency of the BARD1 Cys557Ser variant seemed to increase among patients from families with breast or ovarian cancer lacking BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations: a significant difference was obtained compared with controls ( 6.8% v 2.7%; p < 0.001; odds ratio ( OR) 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7 to 4.0) and with patients from BRCA1/ BRCA2 mutation- positive families ( 6.8% v 2.2%; p = 0.01; OR 3.2; 95% CI 1.2 to 8.3). In contrast, no major association with male breast, ovarian, colorectal or prostate cancer was observed. Additionally, a novel BARD1 allele resulting in Ser558Pro was identified in familial breast cancer cases. Conclusion: These results provide further evidence that BARD1 Cys557Ser confers a slightly increased risk of breast cancer in women.
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| 10. |
- Kristjansdottir, Gudlaug, et al.
(författare)
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Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 (IRF5) Gene Variants are Associated with Multiple Sclerosis in Three Distinct Populations
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Genetics. - : BMJ. - 0022-2593 .- 1468-6244. ; 45:6, s. 362-369
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: IRF5 is a transcription factor involved both in the type I interferon and the toll-like receptor signalling pathways. Previously, IRF5 has been found to be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Here we investigated whether polymorphisms in the IRF5 gene would be associated with yet another disease with features of autoimmunity, multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: We genotyped nine single nucleotide polymorphisms and one insertion-deletion polymorphism in the IRF5 gene in a collection of 2337 patients with MS and 2813 controls from three populations: two case-control cohorts from Spain and Sweden, and a set of MS trio families from Finland. RESULTS: Two single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) (rs4728142, rs3807306), and a 5 bp insertion-deletion polymorphism located in the promoter and first intron of the IRF5 gene, showed association signals with values of p<0.001 when the data from all cohorts were combined. The predisposing alleles were present on the same common haplotype in all populations. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays we observed allele specific differences in protein binding for the SNP rs4728142 and the 5 bp indel, and by a proximity ligation assay we demonstrated increased binding of the transcription factor SP1 to the risk allele of the 5 bp indel. CONCLUSION: These findings add IRF5 to the short list of genes shown to be associated with MS in more than one population. Our study adds to the evidence that there might be genes or pathways that are common in multiple autoimmune diseases, and that the type I interferon system is likely to be involved in the development of these diseases.
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