| 1. |
- Wills, A-M, et al.
(författare)
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A large-scale international meta-analysis of paraoxonase gene polymorphisms in sporadic ALS.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Neurology. - : American Academy of Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 73:1, s. 16-24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Six candidate gene studies report a genetic association of DNA variants within the paraoxonase locus with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, several other large studies, including five genome-wide association studies, have not duplicated this finding. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of 10 published studies and one unpublished study of the paraoxonase locus, encompassing 4,037 ALS cases and 4,609 controls, including genome-wide association data from 2,018 ALS cases and 2,425 controls. RESULTS: The combined fixed effects odds ratio (OR) for rs662 (PON1 Q192R) was 1.09 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.16, p = 0.01); the genotypic OR for RR homozygotes at Q192R was 1.25 (95% CI, 1.07-1.45, p = 0.0004); the combined OR for rs854560 (PON1 L55M) was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.86-1.10, p = 0.62); the OR for rs10487132 (PON2) was 1.08 (95% CI, 0.92-1.27, p = 0.35). Although the rs662 polymorphism reached a nominal level of significance, no polymorphism was significant after multiple testing correction. In the subanalysis of samples with genome-wide data from which population outliers were removed, rs662 had an OR of 1.06 (95% CI, 0.97-1.16, p = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to previous positive smaller studies, our genetic meta-analysis showed no significant association of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with the PON locus. This is the largest meta-analysis of a candidate gene in ALS to date and the first ALS meta-analysis to include data from whole genome association studies. The findings reinforce the need for much larger and more collaborative investigations of the genetic determinants of ALS.
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| 2. |
- van Es, Michael A, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association study identifies 19p13.3 (UNC13A) and 9p21.2 as susceptibility loci for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- 2009
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Ingår i: Nature genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 41:10, s. 1083-1087
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We conducted a genome-wide association study among 2,323 individuals with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 9,013 control subjects and evaluated all SNPs with P < 1.0 x 10(-4) in a second, independent cohort of 2,532 affected individuals and 5,940 controls. Analysis of the genome-wide data revealed genome-wide significance for one SNP, rs12608932, with P = 1.30 x 10(-9). This SNP showed robust replication in the second cohort (P = 1.86 x 10(-6)), and a combined analysis over the two stages yielded P = 2.53 x 10(-14). The rs12608932 SNP is located at 19p13.3 and maps to a haplotype block within the boundaries of UNC13A, which regulates the release of neurotransmitters such as glutamate at neuromuscular synapses. Follow-up of additional SNPs showed genome-wide significance for two further SNPs (rs2814707, with P = 7.45 x 10(-9), and rs3849942, with P = 1.01 x 10(-8)) in the combined analysis of both stages. These SNPs are located at chromosome 9p21.2, in a linkage region for familial ALS with frontotemporal dementia found previously in several large pedigrees.
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| 3. |
- Gallo, Valentina, et al.
(författare)
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Smoking and risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis : analysis of the EPIC cohort
- 2009
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Ingår i: Annals of Neurology. - New York : J. Wiley & Sons. - 0364-5134 .- 1531-8249. ; 65:4, s. 378-385
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Cigarette smoking has been reported as "probable" risk factor for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a poorly understood disease in terms of aetiology. The extensive longitudinal data of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) were used to evaluate age-specific mortality rates from ALS and the role of cigarette smoking on the risk of dying from ALS. Methods: A total of 517,890 healthy subjects were included, resulting in 4,591,325 person-years. ALS cases were ascertained through death certificates. Cox hazard models were built to investigate the role of smoking on the risk of ALS, using packs/years and smoking duration to study dose-response. Results: A total of 118 subjects died from ALS, resulting in a crude mortality rate of 2.69 per 100,000/year. Current smokers at recruitment had an almost two-fold increased risk of dying from ALS compared to never smokers (HR = 1.89, 95% C.I. 1.14-3.14), while former smokers at the time of enrollment had a 50% increased risk (HR = 1.48, 95% C.I. 0.94-2.32). The number of years spent smoking increased the risk of ALS (p for trend = 0.002). Those who smoked more than 33 years had more than a two-fold increased risk of ALS compared with never smokers (HR = 2.16, 95% C.I. 1.33-3.53). Conversely, the number of years since quitting smoking was associated with a decreased risk of ALS compared with continuing smoking. Interpretation: These results strongly support the hypothesis of a role of cigarette smoking in aetiology of ALS. We hypothesize that this could occur through lipid peroxidation via formaldehyde exposure.
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| 4. |
- Kotak, R., et al.
(författare)
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Dust and The Type II-Plateau Supernova 2004et
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 704:1, s. 306-323
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present mid-infrared (MIR) observations of the Type II-plateau supernova (SN) 2004et, obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope between 64 and 1406 days past explosion. Late-time optical spectra are also presented. For the period 300-795 days past explosion, we argue that the spectral energy distribution (SED) of SN 2004et comprises (1) a hot component due to emission from optically thick gas, as well as free-bound radiation; (2) a warm component due to newly formed, radioactively heated dust in the ejecta; and (3) a cold component due to an IR echo from the interstellar-medium dust of the host galaxy, NGC 6946. There may also have been a small contribution to the IR SED due to free-free emission from ionized gas in the ejecta. We reveal the first-ever spectroscopic evidence for silicate dust formed in the ejecta of a supernova. This is supported by our detection of a large, but progressively declining, mass of SiO. However, we conclude that the mass of directly detected ejecta dust grew to no more than a few times 10-4 M sun. We also provide evidence that the ejecta dust formed in comoving clumps of fixed size. We argue that, after about two years past explosion, the appearance of wide, box-shaped optical line profiles was due to the impact of the ejecta on the progenitor circumstellar medium and that the subsequent formation of a cool, dense shell was responsible for a later rise in the MIR flux. This study demonstrates the rich, multifaceted ways in which a typical core-collapse supernova and its progenitor can produce and/or interact with dust grains. The work presented here adds to the growing number of studies that do not support the contention that SNe are responsible for the large mass of observed dust in high-redshift galaxies.
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| 5. |
- Ong, Ken K., et al.
(författare)
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Genetic variation in LIN28B is associated with the timing of puberty
- 2009
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Ingår i: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 41:6, s. 729-733
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The timing of puberty is highly variable(1). We carried out a genome-wide association study for age at menarche in 4,714 women and report an association in LIN28B on chromosome 6 (rs314276, minor allele frequency (MAF) = 0.33, P = 1.5 x 10(-8)). In independent replication studies in 16,373 women, each major allele was associated with 0.12 years earlier menarche (95% CI = 0.08-0.16; P = 2.8 x 10(-10); combined P = 3.6 x 10(-16)). This allele was also associated with earlier breast development in girls (P = 0.001; N = 4,271); earlier voice breaking (P = 0.006, N = 1,026) and more advanced pubic hair development in boys (P = 0.01; N = 4,588); a faster tempo of height growth in girls (P = 0.00008; N = 4,271) and boys (P = 0.03; N = 4,588); and shorter adult height in women (P = 3.6 x 10(-7); N = 17,274) and men (P = 0.006; N = 9,840) in keeping with earlier growth cessation. These studies identify variation in LIN28B, a potent and specific regulator of microRNA processing(2), as the first genetic determinant regulating the timing of human pubertal growth and development.
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| 6. |
- Saeed, M, et al.
(författare)
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Age and founder effect of SOD1 A4V mutation causing ALS.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Neurology. - : American Academy of Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 72:19, s. 1634-1639
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The alanine to valine mutation at codon 4 (A4V) of SOD1 causes a rapidly progressive dominant form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with exclusively lower motor neuron disease and is responsible for 50% of SOD1 mutations associated with familial ALS in North America. This mutation is rare in Europe. The authors investigated the origin (geographic and time) of the A4V mutation. METHODS: Several cohorts were genotyped: North American patients with confirmed A4V mutation (n = 54), Swedish (n = 3) and Italian (n = 6) A4V patients, patients with ALS with SOD1 non-A4V mutations (n = 66) and patients with sporadic ALS (n = 96), healthy white (n = 96), African American (n = 17), Chinese (n = 53), Amerindian (n = 11), and Hispanic (n = 12) subjects. High-throughput SNP genotyping was performed using Taqman assay in 384-well format. A novel biallelic CA repeat in exon 5 of SOD1, tightly linked to A4V, was genotyped on sequencing gels. Association statistics were estimated using Haploview. p Values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Age of A4V was estimated using a novel method based on r(2) degeneration with genetic distance and a Bayesian method incorporated in DMLE+. RESULTS: A single haplotype of 10 polymorphisms across a 5.86-cM region was associated with A4V (p = 3.0e-11) when white controls were used, suggesting a founder effect. The strength of association of this haplotype progressively decreased when African American, Chinese, Hispanic, and Amerindian subjects were used as controls. The associated European haplotype was different from the North American haplotype, indicating two founder effects for A4V (Amerindian and European). The estimated age of A4V with the r(2) degeneration method was 458 +/- 59 years (range 398-569) and in agreement with the Bayesian method (554-734 years with 80-90% posterior probability). CONCLUSIONS: North American SOD1 alanine to valine mutation at codon 4 descended from two founders (Amerindian and European) 400-500 years ago.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Agner, Tove, et al.
(författare)
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Contact sensitisation in hand eczema patients-relation to subdiagnosis, severity and quality of life: a multi-centre study
- 2009
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Ingår i: Contact Dermatitis. - 0105-1873. ; 61:5, s. 291-296
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Contact sensitisation has been identified as a factor associated with poor prognosis for patients with hand eczema. Objectives To study implications of contact sensitisation with respect to severity, quality of life (QoL) and subdiagnosis of hand eczema. Methods The study was performed as a multi-centre, cross-sectional study from 10 European clinics. All patients were patch tested, and severity of hand eczema assessed by Hand Eczema Severity Index. A multi-variate analysis was performed to explore which factors influenced severity, QoL and sick leave. Results A total 416 patients were included, and 63% had contact sensitisation to one or more of the tested allergens. More women (66%) than men (51%) were sensitized. No significant association was found between sensitisation to specific allergens, disease severity, QoL or diagnostic subgroups. High age, male sex, atopic eczema and presence of contact sensitisation were independent risk factors for increased severity as measured by Hand Eczema Severity Index. Furthermore, the severity of hand eczema increased by the number of contact sensitisations detected (P = 0.023). High age and personal history of atopic eczema were independent risk factors for low QoL, as measured by Dermatology Life Quality Index, and atopic eczema as well as allergic contact dermatitis as subdiagnosis was associated with increased sick leave. Conclusion Diagnostic subgroups were not found to be related to specific allergens. Contact sensitisation was found to be a risk factor for increased severity of hand eczema, as did high age, male sex and atopic eczema.
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| 9. |
- Bergemalm, Daniel, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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Changes in the spinal cord proteome of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis murine model determined by differential in-gel electrophoresis
- 2009
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Ingår i: Molecular and cellular proteomics. - : The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,Inc. - 1535-9484. ; 8:6, s. 1306-1317
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of motor neurons resulting in progressive paralysis. To date, more than 140 different mutations in the gene encoding CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) have been associated with ALS. Several transgenic murine models exist in which various mutant SOD1s are expressed. We have used differential in-gel electrophoresis (DIGE) to analyze the changes in the spinal cord proteome induced by expression of the unstable SOD1 truncation mutant G127insTGGG (G127X) in mice. Unlike mutants used in most other models, G127X lacks SOD activity and is present at low levels, thus reducing the risk of overexpression artifacts. The mice were analyzed at their peak body weights, just before onset of symptoms. Variable importance plot (VIP) analysis showed that 420 of 1,800 detected protein spots contributed significantly to the differences between the groups. By MALDI-TOF MS analysis, 54 proteins were identified. One spot was found to be a covalently linked mutant SOD1 dimer, apparently analogous to SOD1 immunoreactive bands migrating at double the molecular weight of SOD1 monomers previously detected in humans and mice carrying mutant SOD1s and in sporadic ALS cases. Analyses of affected functional pathways, and the subcellular representation of alterations suggest that the toxicity exerted by mutant SODs induces oxidative stress and affects mitochondria, cellular assembly/organization, and protein degradation.
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| 10. |
- Broom, Wendy J, et al.
(författare)
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DNA sequence analysis of the conserved region around the SOD1 gene locus in recessively inherited ALS
- 2009
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Ingår i: Neuroscience Letters. - : Elsevier. - 0304-3940 .- 1872-7972. ; 463:1, s. 64-69
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) accounts for 10% of all ALS cases; 12-23% are associated with mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1). All ALS-linked SOD1 mutations present with a dominant pattern of inheritance apart from the aspartate to alanine mutation in exon 4 (D90A). This mutation has been observed in dominant, recessive and apparently sporadically cases. SOD1(D90A/D90A) ALS cases have a very slow disease progression (>10 years), raising the hypothesis that modifier genes linked to SOD1 ameliorate the phenotype of recessively inherited SOD1(D90A/D90A) mutations. Previous sequence analysis of a conserved haplotype region around the SOD1 gene did not reveal any functional polymorphisms within known coding or putative regulatory regions. In the current study we expanded the previous analyses by sequencing the entire SOD1 conserved haplotypic region. Although many polymorphisms were identified, none of these variants explain the slowly progressive phenotype observed in patients with recessive SOD1(D90A) mutations. This study disproves the hypothesis that there is a tightly linked genetic protective factor specifically located close to the SOD1 gene in SOD1(D90A) mediated ALS.
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