| 1. |
- Einarsdottir, Elisabet, et al.
(författare)
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A mutation in the nerve growth factor beta gene (NGFB) causes loss of pain perception.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 13:8, s. 799-805
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Identification of genes associated with pain insensitivity syndromes can increase the understanding of the pathways involved in pain and contribute to the understanding of how sensory pathways relate to other neurological functions. In this report we describe the mapping and identification of the gene responsible for loss of deep pain perception in a large family from northern Sweden. The loss of pain perception in this family is characterized by impairment in the sensing of deep pain and temperature but with normal mental abilities and with most other neurological responses intact. A severe reduction of unmyelinated nerve fibers and a moderate loss of thin myelinated nerve fibers are observed in the patients. Thus the cases in this study fall into the class of patients with loss of pain perception with underlying peripheral neuropathy. Clinically they best fit into HSAN V. Using a model of recessive inheritance we identified an 8.3 Mb region on chromosome 1p11.2-p13.2 shared by the affected individuals in the family. Analysis of functional candidate genes in the disease critical region revealed a mutation in the coding region of the nerve growth-factor beta (NGFB) gene specific for the disease haplotype. This NGF mutation seems to separate the effects of NGF involved in development of central nervous system functions such as mental abilities, from those involved in peripheral pain pathways. This mutation could therefore potentially provide an important tool to study different roles of NGF, and of pain control.
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| 2. |
- Einarsdottir, Elisabet, et al.
(författare)
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The CTLA4 region as a general autoimmunity factor: an extended pedigree provides evidence for synergy with the HLA locus in the etiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease
- 2003
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Ingår i: European Journal of Human Genetics. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1018-4813 .- 1476-5438. ; 11:1, s. 81-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have identified a large family in the northern part of Sweden with multiple cases of autoimmune diseases, namely type 1 diabetes (T1D), Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). The family members affected by any of these diseases share a region of 2.4 Mb that comprises among others the CTLA4 gene. We determined that all affected members of the family shared the HLA susceptibility haplotype (DR4-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302). Analysis of genetic interaction conditioning for HLA haplotype provided strong evidence that the critical region which includes the CTLA4 gene acts together with the HLA locus on the etiology of disease (lodscore 4.20 (theta=0.0). The study of this family allowed us to: (1) reinforce a number of reports on linkage and association of the CTLA4 region to T1D and AITD; (2) demonstrate that a single haplotypic variant in this region constitutes an etiological factor to disease susceptibility in T1D, GD and HT; (3) reveal a strong genetic interaction of the CTLA4 and HLA loci in the genetic architecture of autoimmune disease; (4) emphasise the value of large pedigrees drawn from isolated populations as tools to single out the effect of individual loci in the etiology of complex diseases.
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| 3. |
- Jonasson, Jenni, et al.
(författare)
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Evidence for a common Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) founder mutation in Scandinavia
- 2000
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Ingår i: European Journal of Human Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1018-4813 .- 1476-5438. ; 8, s. 918-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is a neuro-degenerative disorder characterised by progressive cerebellar ataxia and macular degeneration. SCA7 is one of the least common genetically verified autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias (ADCAs) in the world (4.5 to 11.6%), but in Sweden and Finland SCA7 is the most commonly identified form of ADCA. In an inventory of hereditary ataxias in Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland) we identified 15 SCA7 families, eight in Sweden and seven in Finland, while no cases of SCA7 could be found in Norway or Denmark. We examined whether the relatively high frequency of SCA7 families in Sweden and Finland was the result of a common founder effect. Only two out of 15 families could be connected genealogically. However, an extensive haplotype analysis over a 10.2 cM region surrounding the SCAI gene locus showed that all 15 families studied shared a common haplotype over at least 1.9 cM. This strongly suggests that all Scandinavian SCA7 families originate from a common founder pre-mutation.
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| 4. |
- Jonasson, Jenni, et al.
(författare)
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Expression of ataxin-7 in CNS and non-CNS tissue of normal and SCA7 individuals
- 2002
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Ingår i: Acta Neuropathologica. - : Springer. - 0001-6322 .- 1432-0533. ; 104:1, s. 29-37
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is a neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting the cerebellum, brain stem and retina. The disease is caused by an expanded polyglutamine tract in the protein ataxin-7. In this study we analyzed the expression pattern of ataxin-7 in CNS and non-CNS tissue from three SCA7 patients and age-matched controls. SCA7 is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, limiting the number of patients available for analysis. We therefore compiled data on ataxin-7 expression from all SCA7 patients (n=5) and controls (n=7) published to date, and compared with the results obtained in this study. Expression of ataxin-7 was found in neurons throughout the CNS and was highly abundant in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, in regions of the hippocampus and in cerebral cortex. Ataxin-7 expression was not restricted to regions of pathology, and there were no apparent regional differences in ataxin-7 expression patterns between patients and controls. The subcellular distribution of ataxin-7 was primarily nuclear in all brain regions studied. In cerebellar Purkinje cells, however, differences in subcellular distribution of ataxin-7 were observed between patients and controls of different ages. Here we provide an increased understanding of the distribution of ataxin-7, and the possible implication of subcellular localization of this protein on disease pathology is discussed.
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| 5. |
- Jonasson, Jenni, 1971-
(författare)
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Genetic and Molecular analysis of the Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) disease gene
- 2000
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder affecting the cerebellum, pons and retina. SCA7 patients present with gait ataxia and visual impairment as the main symptoms. Anticipation, commonly observed in SCA7 families, is a phenomenon where an earlier age at onset and a more severe progression of disease is seen in successive generations. In order to identify the gene responsible for SCA7, we performed linkage analysis on a Swedish SCA7 kindred. Evidence for linkage of the SCA7 disease locus to a 32 cM region on chromosome 3p12-21.1, between markers D3S1547 and D3S1274, was established. A number of neurodegenerative disorders associated with anticipation are caused by expanded (CAG)n repeats in their respective disease genes. In order to isolate the SCA7 disease gene we, therefore, screened a human infant brain stem cDNA library for CAG repeat containing clones, mapping to chromosome 3. Four candidate clones were isolated and analysed, but could all be excluded as the SCA7 disease gene. In 1997, the SCA7 disease gene was identified and, as expected, shown to harbour a CAG repeat, expanded in SCA7 patients. Analysis of the SCA7 CAG repeat region in Swedish SCA7 patients demonstrated that CAG repeat size was negatively correlated to age at onset of disease. Furthermore, patients with larger repeats presented with visual impairment, whereas patients with smaller repeats presented with ataxia as the initial symptom. SCA7 is the most common autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia in Sweden and Finland, but rare in other populations. In order to investigate if the relatively high frequency of SCA7 in these countries is the result of a founder effect in the region, a haplotype analysis was performed on all SCA7 families available. All 7 families shared a common haplotype of at least 1.9 cM surrounding the SCA7 locus. In addition, strong linkage disequilibrium was demonstrated for marker D3S1287 closely linked to the SCA7 gene, suggesting a founder effect for the SCA7 mutation in Sweden and Finland. The function of the SCA7 protein, ataxin-7, is not known and it does not show significant homologies to any previously known proteins. In order to gain insight into the function of ataxin-7 we analysed the expression of ataxin-7 in brain and peripheral tissue from SCA7 patients and controls. In brain, expression was found to be mainly neuronal with a nuclear subcellular localisation. Ataxin-7 expression was found throughout the CNS, not restricted to sites of pathology. We also confirmed previously reported findings of neuronal intranuclear inclusions (NIls) in the brains of SCA7 patients. Based on our findings, we conclude that the cell type specific neurodegeneration in SCA7 is not due to differences in expression pattern in affected and non-affected tissue or the distribution pattern of aggregated protein.
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| 6. |
- Ström, Anna-Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Cloning and expression analysis of the murine homolg of the Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) gene
- 2002
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Ingår i: Gene. - : Elsevier. ; 285:1-2, s. 91-99
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the protein ataxin-7, a protein of unknown function. In order to analyze the expression pattern of wild type ataxin-7 in detail, the murine SCA7 gene homolog was cloned and the expression pattern in mice analyzed. The SCA7 mouse and human gene exhibit a high degree of identity at both DNA (88.2%) and protein (88.7%) level. The CAG repeat region, known to be polymorphic in man, is conserved in mouse but contained only five repeats in all mouse strains analyzed. The arrestin homology domain and the nuclear localization signal found in human ataxin-7 is also conserved in the murine homolog. Expression of ataxin-7 was detected during mouse embryonic development and in all adult mouse tissues examined by northern and western blots. In brain, immunohistological staining revealed an ataxin-7 expression pattern similar to that in human, with ataxin-7 expression in cerebellum, several brainstem nuclei, cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Our data show high conservation of ataxin-7 both structurally and at the level of expression, suggesting a conserved role for the protein in mice and humans.
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| 7. |
- Ström, Anna-Lena, 1975-
(författare)
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Expression and functional analysis of the SCA7 disease protein ataxin-7
- 2004
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cerebellar ataxia and visual problems due to a progressive and selective loss of neurons within the cerebellum, brainstem and retina. The disease is caused by the expansion of a CAG repeat in the first coding exon of the SCA7 gene, resulting in an expanded polyglutamine domain in the N-terminal part of ataxin-7, a protein of unknown function.To expand our knowledge of the ataxin-7 protein and the mechanism by which mutant ataxin-7 causes disease, we have studied the expression and function of both the normal and the mutated ataxin-7 protein.Ataxin-7 expression was examination in brain and non-CNS tissues from SCA7 patients and age-matched controls. Expression was predominantly nuclear in neurons throughout the brain of both healthy and SCA7 individuals. We also observed aggregation of mutant ataxin-7 in the nuclei of neurons. No obvious difference in the expression level of ataxin-7 or the formation of aggregates could be observed between affected and non-affected brain regions in SCA7 patients. Based on these findings, we could conclude that the cell type specific neurodegeneration in SCA7 is not due to differences in expression levels or to the formation of ataxin-7 aggregates.To widen our studies on ataxin-7 expression, we isolated and characterized the mouse SCA7 gene homolog. Cloning of the mouse SCA7 gene revealed two SCA7 mRNA isoforms that were highly homologous to their human counterparts. Immunohistochemical analysis also revealed a conserved expression pattern of ataxin-7 in adult mouse brain. In addition, ataxin-7 expression was observed during embryonic development in brain as well as in several non-neuronal tissues such as heart, liver and lung.Besides SCA7, eight neurodegenerative disorders are known to be caused by expanded polyglutamine repeats, including SCA 1-3, 6 and 17, DRPLA, SBMA and Huntington’s disease. The polyglutamine disorders have many features in common and a common pathological disease mechanism involving transcriptional dysregulation has been proposed. To investigate the possible involvement of transcriptional dysregulation in SCA7 pathology, we analyzed the effects of both wild-type and expanded ataxin-7 on transcription driven by the co-activator CBP, the Purkinje cell-expressed nuclear receptor RORα1 or a basic TATA promoter. As previously shown for other polyglutamine disease proteins, expansion of the polyglutamine domain in ataxin-7 leads to reduced transcription. Surprisingly, strong repression of CBP-mediated, RORα1-mediated and basal transcription was also observed with wild-type ataxin-7, suggesting that the normal ataxin-7 protein may have a role in transcriptional regulation.
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