| 1. |
- Zeggini, Eleftheria, et al.
(author)
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Meta-analysis of genome-wide association data and large-scale replication identifies additional susceptibility loci for type 2 diabetes
- 2008
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 40:5, s. 638-645
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified multiple loci at which common variants modestly but reproducibly influence risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D)(1-11). Established associations to common and rare variants explain only a small proportion of the heritability of T2D. As previously published analyses had limited power to identify variants with modest effects, we carried out meta-analysis of three T2D GWA scans comprising 10,128 individuals of European descent and similar to 2.2 million SNPs (directly genotyped and imputed), followed by replication testing in an independent sample with an effective sample size of up to 53,975. We detected at least six previously unknown loci with robust evidence for association, including the JAZF1 (P=5.0 x 10(-14)), CDC123-CAMK1D (P=1.2 x 10(-10)), TSPAN8-LGR5 (P=1.1 x 10(-9)), THADA (P=1.1 x 10(-9)), ADAMTS9 (P=1.2 x 10(-8)) and NOTCH2 (P=4.1 x 10(-8)) gene regions. Our results illustrate the value of large discovery and follow-up samples for gaining further insights into the inherited basis of T2D.
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| 2. |
- Wills, A-M, et al.
(author)
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A large-scale international meta-analysis of paraoxonase gene polymorphisms in sporadic ALS.
- 2009
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In: Neurology. - : American Academy of Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 73:1, s. 16-24
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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 METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of 10 published studies and one unpublished study of the paraoxonase locus, encompassing 4,037 ALS cases and 4,609 controls, including genome-wide association data from 2,018 ALS cases and 2,425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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| 3. |
- van Es, Michael A, et al.
(author)
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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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In: Nature genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 41:10, s. 1083-1087
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 4. |
- Benzinou, Michael, et al.
(author)
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Common nonsynonymous variants in PCSK1 confer risk of obesity.
- 2008
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In: Nature genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 40:8, s. 943-5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mutations in PCSK1 cause monogenic obesity. To assess the contribution of PCSK1 to polygenic obesity risk, we genotyped tag SNPs in a total of 13,659 individuals of European ancestry from eight independent case-control or family-based cohorts. The nonsynonymous variants rs6232, encoding N221D, and rs6234-rs6235, encoding the Q665E-S690T pair, were consistently associated with obesity in adults and children (P = 7.27 x 10(-8) and P = 2.31 x 10(-12), respectively). Functional analysis showed a significant impairment of the N221D-mutant PC1/3 protein catalytic activity.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Calliari, Danilo, 1969, et al.
(author)
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Salinity modulates the energy balance and reproductive success of co-occurring copepods Acartia tonsa and A-clausi in different ways
- 2006
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In: Marine Ecology-Progress Series. - : Inter-Research Science Center. - 0171-8630 .- 1616-1599. ; 312, s. 177-188
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We assessed metabolic balance, RNA content, and egg hatching success (EHS) in Acartia tonsa and A. clausi over a wide salinity range (2 to 33 and 16 to 33, respectively). For A. tonsa, the energy partitioning between ingestion, production and respiration was relatively constant with small differences in gross growth efficiency (GGE) and cost of growth (CG). In contrast, A. clausi exhibited significantly reduced ingestion and GGE, and highly elevated CG at salinities <= 20. In both species, RNA levels mirrored egg production. EHS was generally high in both species, but decreased by 80% for A. clausi at 16. These results contribute to the understanding of distribution patterns of both species along salinity gradients. The observed responses would allow the dominance of A. tonsa at low salinities, although its higher energetic requirement and feeding activity subject it to stronger predation pressure than competing A. clausi.
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| 7. |
- Eisen, Andrew, et al.
(author)
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SOD1 gene mutations in ALS patients from British Columbia, Canada : clinical features, neurophysiology and ethical issues in management
- 2008
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In: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and other Motor Neuron Disorders. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1466-0822 .- 1743-4483. ; 9:2, s. 108-119
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two hundred and fifty-four ALS patients from British Columbia, Canada were screened for mutations in the gene encoding the enzyme superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1). Thirteen patients (5.1%) carried one of six missense mutations (A4V, G72C, D76Y, D90A, C111Y, I113T). Mutations were found both in sporadic and familial ALS cases. Atypical clinical features delayed diagnosis in some cases. The demographic and clinical features of the mutation carrying index cases are summarized, and compared with those of screened patients without mutations. The phenotypic variability between SOD1 mutation carrying patients in this study is dramatic, even among patients with the same mutation This underlines the hypothesis that ALS is a biologically heterogeneous disorder in which genetics, environment and ageing all interrelate to form the final clinical phenotype.
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| 8. |
- Gallo, Valentina, et al.
(author)
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Smoking and risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis : analysis of the EPIC cohort
- 2009
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In: Annals of Neurology. - New York : J. Wiley & Sons. - 0364-5134 .- 1531-8249. ; 65:4, s. 378-385
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 9. |
- Jonsson, Andreas P., et al.
(author)
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Motor neuron disease in mice expressing the wild type-like D90A mutant superoxide dismutase-1
- 2006
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In: Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0022-3069 .- 1554-6578. ; 65:12, s. 1126-1136
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mutant human CuZn-superoxide dismutases (hSOD1s) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The most common mutation is the wild type-like D90A and to explore its properties, transgenic mice were generated and compared with mice expressing wild-type hSOD1. D90A hSOD1 was both in vivo in mice and in vitro under denaturing conditions nearly as stable as the wild-type human enzyme. It appeared less toxic than other tested mutants, but mice homozygous for the transgene insertion developed a fatal motor neuron disease. In these mice, the disease progression was slow and there were bladder disturbances similar to what is found in human ALS cases homozygous for the D90A mutation. The homozygous D90A mice accumulated detergent-resistant hSOD1 aggregates in spinal cords, and abundant hSOD1 inclusions and vacuoles were seen in the ventral horns. Mice expressing wild-type hSOD1 at a comparable rate showed similar pathologic changes but less and later. Hemizygous D90A mice showed even milder alterations. At 600 days, the wild-type hSOD1 transgenic mice had lost more ventral horn neurons than hemizygous D90A mice (38% vs 31% p < 0.01). Thus, wild-type hSOD1 shows a significant neurotoxicity in the spinal cord, that is less than equal but more than half as large as that of D90A mutant enzyme.
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| 10. |
- Kotak, R., et al.
(author)
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Dust and The Type II-Plateau Supernova 2004et
- 2009
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In: Astrophysical Journal. - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 704:1, s. 306-323
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 11. |
- Ong, Ken K., et al.
(author)
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Genetic variation in LIN28B is associated with the timing of puberty
- 2009
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 41:6, s. 729-733
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 12. |
- Saeed, M, et al.
(author)
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Age and founder effect of SOD1 A4V mutation causing ALS.
- 2009
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In: Neurology. - : American Academy of Neurology. - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 72:19, s. 1634-1639
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Valdmanis, P N, et al.
(author)
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Association of paraoxonase gene cluster polymorphisms with ALS in France, Quebec, and Sweden
- 2008
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In: Neurology. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0028-3878 .- 1526-632X. ; 71:7, s. 514-520
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The paraoxonase gene cluster on chromosome 7 comprising the PON1-3 genes is an attractive candidate for association in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) given the role of paraoxonase genes during the response to oxidative stress and their contribution to the enzymatic break down of nerve toxins. Oxidative stress is considered one of the mechanisms involved in ALS pathogenesis. Evidence for this includes the fact that mutations of SOD1, which normally reduce the production of toxic superoxide anion, account for 12% to 23% of familial cases in ALS. In addition, PON variants were shown to be associated with susceptibility to ALS in several North American and European populations. METHODS: We extended this analysis to examine 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the PON gene cluster in a set of patients from France (480 cases, 475 controls), Quebec (159 cases, 95 controls), and Sweden (558 cases, 506 controls). RESULTS: Although individual SNPs were not considered associated on their own, a haplotype of SNPs at the C-terminal portion of PON2 that includes the PON2 C311S amino acid change was significant in the French (p value 0.0075) and Quebec (p value 0.026) populations as well as all three populations combined (p value 1.69 x 10(-6)). Stratification of the samples showed that this variation was pertinent to ALS susceptibility as a whole, and not to a particular subset of patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to the increasing weight of evidence that genetic variants in the paraoxonase gene cluster are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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| 15. |
- van Es, Michael A, et al.
(author)
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Genetic variation in DPP6 is associated with susceptibility to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
- 2008
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In: Nature genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 40:1, s. 29-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We identified a SNP in the DPP6 gene that is consistently strongly associated with susceptibility to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in different populations of European ancestry, with an overall P value of 5.04 x 10(-8) in 1,767 cases and 1,916 healthy controls and with an odds ratio of 1.30 (95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.18-1.43). Our finding is the first report of a genome-wide significant association with sporadic ALS and may be a target for future functional studies.
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| 16. |
- van Es, Michael A, et al.
(author)
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ITPR2 as a susceptibility gene in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis : a genome-wide association study.
- 2007
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In: Lancet Neurology. - 1474-4422 .- 1474-4465. ; 6:10, s. 869-77
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease characterised by progressive degeneration of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. ALS is thought to be multifactorial, with both environmental and genetic causes. Our aim was to identify genetic variants that predispose for sporadic ALS. METHODS: We did a three-stage genome-wide association study in 461 patients with ALS and 450 controls from The Netherlands, using Illumina 300K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chips. The SNPs that were most strongly associated with ALS were analysed in a further 876 patients and 906 controls in independent sample series from The Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden. We also investigated the possible pathological functions of associated genes using expression data from whole blood of patients with sporadic ALS and of control individuals who were included in the genome-wide association study. FINDINGS: A genetic variant in the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor 2 gene (ITPR2) was associated with ALS (p=0.012 after Bonferroni correction). Combined analysis of all samples (1337 patients and 1356 controls) confirmed this association (p=3.28x10(-6), odds ratio 1.58, 95% CI 1.30-1.91). ITPR2 expression was greater in the peripheral blood of 126 ALS patients than in that of 126 healthy controls (p=0.00016). INTERPRETATION: Genetic variation in ITPR2 is a susceptibility factor for ALS. ITPR2 is a strong candidate susceptibility gene for ALS because it is involved in glutamate-mediated neurotransmission, is one of the main regulators of intracellular calcium concentrations, and has an important role in apoptosis.
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| 17. |
- Agner, Tove, et al.
(author)
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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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In: Contact Dermatitis. - 0105-1873. ; 61:5, s. 291-296
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 18. |
- Agner, Tove, et al.
(author)
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Hand eczema severity and quality of life: a cross-sectional, multicentre study of hand eczema patients
- 2008
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In: Contact Dermatitis. - : Wiley. - 0105-1873 .- 1600-0536. ; 59:1, s. 43-47
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and Objectives: Hand eczema is a chronic disease with negative impact on quality of life (QoL). In this study, QoL in hand eczema patients is assessed and related to age, sex, severity, and diagnostic subgroups. Methods: A total of 416 patients with hand eczema from 10 European patch test clinics participated in the study. Data on QoL were obtained from a self-administered questionnaire using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Severity was assessed by a scoring system (Hand Eczema Severity Index, HECSI) as well as frequency of eruptions and sick leave due to hand eczema. Results: No significant difference was found between males and females with respect to QoL [DLQI median values and 25/75 percentiles for males and females being 7.0 (3-14) and 8.0 (3-13), respectively], although males were more severely affected than females (P < 0.025). A significant positive correlation was found for hand eczema severity and age (P < 0.001), while no significant correlation was found for QoL and age. QoL was found increasingly reduced when sick leave was getting higher (P < 0.001). A statistically significant correlation between QoL (as measured by DLQI) and hand eczema severity as measured by HECSI was found (P < 0.001). No significant difference in QoL was found between diagnostic subgroups. Conclusions: QoL was found markedly negatively affected in hand eczema patients and was significantly correlated to disease severity. No significant difference in QoL was found between males and females, in spite of significantly more severe eczema in males, indicating that QoL in female patients is more easily affected.
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
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| 21. |
- Bergemalm, Daniel, 1977-, et al.
(author)
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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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In: Molecular and cellular proteomics. - : The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,Inc. - 1535-9484. ; 8:6, s. 1306-1317
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 22. |
- Bergemalm, Daniel, 1977-, et al.
(author)
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Overloading of stable and exclusion of unstable human superoxide dismutase-1 variants in mitochondria of murine amyotrophic lateral sclerosis models
- 2006
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In: Journal of Neuroscience. - : Society for Neuroscience. - 0270-6474 .- 1529-2401. ; 26:16, s. 4147-4154
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mutants of human superoxide dismutase-1 (hSOD1) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and mitochondria are thought to be primary targets of the cytotoxic action. The high expression rates of hSOD1s in transgenic ALS models give high levels of the stable mutants G93A and D90A as well as the wild-type human enzyme, significant proportions of which lack Cu and the intrasubunit disulfide bond. The endogenous murine SOD1 (mSOD1) also lacks Cu and is disulfide reduced but is active and oxidized in mice expressing the low-level unstable mutants G85R and G127insTGGG. The possibility that the molecular alterations may cause artificial loading of the stable hSOD1s into mitochondria was explored. Approximately 10% of these hSOD1s were localized to mitochondria, reaching levels 100-fold higher than those of mSOD1 in control mice. There was no difference between brain and spinal cord and between stable mutants and the wild-type hSOD1. mSOD1 was increased fourfold in mitochondria from high-level hSOD1 mice but was normal in those with low levels, suggesting that the Cu deficiency and disulfide reduction cause mitochondrial overloading. The levels of G85R and G127insTGGG mutant hSOD1s in mitochondria were 100- and 1000-fold lower than those of stable mutants. Spinal cords from symptomatic mice contained hSOD1 aggregates covering the entire density gradient, which could contaminate isolated organelle fractions. Thus, high hSOD1 expression rates can cause artificial loading of mitochondria. Unstable low-level hSOD1s are excluded from mitochondria, indicating other primary locations of injury. Such models may be preferable for studies of ALS pathogenesis.
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| 23. |
- Broom, Wendy J, et al.
(author)
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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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In: Neuroscience Letters. - : Elsevier. - 0304-3940 .- 1872-7972. ; 463:1, s. 64-69
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 24. |
- Broom, Wendy J, et al.
(author)
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SOD1A4V-mediated ALS : absence of a closely linked modifier gene and origination in Asia
- 2008
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In: Neuroscience Letters. - : Elsevier. - 0304-3940 .- 1872-7972. ; 430:3, s. 241-245
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) accounts for 10% of all ALS. Approximately 20% of cases are due to mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1). In North America, SOD1(A4V) is the most common SOD1 mutation. Carriers of the SOD1(A4V) mutation share a common phenotype with rapid disease progression and death on average occurring at 1.4 years (versus 3-5 years with other dominant SOD1 mutations). Previous studies of SOD1(A4V) carriers identified a common haplotype around the SOD1 locus, suggesting a common founder for most SOD1(A4V) patients. In the current study we sequenced the entire common haplotypic region around SOD1 to test the hypothesis that polymorphisms in either previously undescribed coding regions or non-coding regions around SOD1 are responsible for the more aggressive phenotype in SOD1(A4V)-mediated ALS. We narrowed the conserved region around the SOD1 gene in SOD1(A4V) ALS to 2.8Kb and identified five novel SNPs therein. None of these variants was specifically found in all SOD1(A4V) patients. It therefore appears likely that the aggressive nature of the SOD1(A4V) mutation is not a result of a modifying factor within the region around the SOD1 gene. Founder analysis estimates that the A4V mutation occurred 540 generations (approximately 12,000 years) ago (95% CI 480-700). The conserved minimal haplotype is statistically more similar to Asian than European population DNA sets, suggesting that the A4V mutation arose in native Asian-Americans who reached the Americas through the Bering Strait.
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| 25. |
- Cronin, Simon, et al.
(author)
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Screening of hypoxia-inducible genes in sporadic ALS
- 2008
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In: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and other Motor Neuron Disorders. - : Informa Plc. - 1466-0822 .- 1743-4483. ; 9:5, s. 299-305
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Genetic variations in two hypoxia-inducible angiogenic genes, VEGF and ANG, have been linked with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS). Common variations in these genes may reduce the levels or functioning of their products. VEGF and ANG belong to a larger group of angiogenic genes that are up-regulated under hypoxic conditions. We hypothesized that common genetic variation across other members of this group may also predispose to sporadic ALS. To screen other hypoxia-inducible angiogenic genes for association with SALS, we selected 112 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tgSNPs) that captured the common genetic variation across 16 VEGF-like and eight ANG-like hypoxia-inducible genes. Screening for association was performed in 270 Irish individuals with typical SALS and 272 ethnically matched unrelated controls. SNPs showing association in the Irish phase were genotyped in a replication sample of 281 Swedish sporadic ALS patients and 286 Swedish controls. Seven markers showed association in the Irish. The one modest replication signal observed in the Swedish replication sample, at rs3801158 in the gene inhibin beta A, was for the opposite allele vs. the Irish cohort. We failed to detect association of common variation across 24 candidate hypoxia-inducible angiogenic genes with SALS.
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
- Gros-Louis, Francois, et al.
(author)
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Chromogranin B P413L variant as risk factor and modifier of disease onset for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- 2009
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 106:51, s. 21777-21782
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recently, chromogranins were reported to interact specifically with mutant forms of superoxide dismutase that are linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This interaction led us to analyze the frequencies of sequence variants of the CHGB gene in ALS patients and matched controls from three different countries. Of particular interest was the finding of the P413L CHGB variant present in 10% of ALS patients (n = 705) as compared to 4.5% in controls (n = 751), conferring a 2.2-fold greater relative risk to develop the disease (P < 0.0001). This effect was mainly contributed by the samples of French origin that yielded a frequency of the P413L variation at 17% in ALS (n = 289) and 5% in controls (n = 448), conferring a 3.3-fold greater risk to develop ALS. Furthermore, the P413L CHGB variant is associated with an earlier age of onset by almost a decade in both sporadic ALS and familial ALS cases. Genetic variation influencing age of onset in ALS had not previously been reported. Expression of fusion CHGB-EGFP constructs in SHSY-5Y cells revealed that the P413L variation can cause defective sorting of CHGB into secretory granules. The finding that CHGB may act as a susceptibility gene and modifier of onset in ALS is consistent with the emerging view that dysfunction of the secretory pathway may contribute to increased vulnerability of motor neurons.
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| 29. |
- Jonsson, Andreas P., et al.
(author)
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Disulphide-reduced superoxide dismutase-1 in CNS of transgenic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis models
- 2006
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In: Brain. - : Oxford University Press. - 0006-8950 .- 1460-2156. ; 129:Pt 2, s. 451-644
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mutant forms of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by an unknown noxious mechanism. Using an antibody against a novel epitope in the G127insTGGG mutation, mutant SOD1 was studied for the first time in spinal cord and brain of an ALS patient. The level was below 0.5% of the SOD1 level in controls. In corresponding transgenic mice the content of mutant SOD1 was also low, although it was enriched in spinal cord and brain compared with other tissues. In the mice the misfolded mutant SOD1 aggregated rapidly and 20% occurred in steady state as detergent-soluble protoaggregates. The misfolded SOD1 and the protoaggregates form, from birth until death, a potentially noxious burden that may induce the motor neuron injury. Detergent-resistant aggregates, as well as inclusions of mutant SOD1 in motor neurons and astrocytes, accumulated in spinal cord ventral horns of the patient and mice with terminal disease. The inclusions and aggregates may serve as terminal markers of long-term assault by misfolded SOD1 and protoaggregates.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Jonsson, P Andreas, et al.
(author)
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Superoxide dismutase in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients homozygous for the D90A mutation
- 2009
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In: Neurobiology of Disease. - : Elsevier BV. - 0969-9961 .- 1095-953X. ; 36:3, s. 421-424
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The most common of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) mutations, D90A, differs from others in its high structural stability and by the existence of both recessive and dominant inheritance. Here SOD1 in CNS and peripheral organs from five ALS patients homozygous for D90A were compared to controls. In most areas, including ventral horns, there were no significant differences in SOD1 activities and Western blotting patterns between controls and D90A cases. The SOD1 activities in areas vulnerable to mutant SOD1s, ventral horns and precentral gyrus were intermediate among CNS areas and much lower than in kidney and liver. Thus, the vulnerability of motor areas is not explained by high SOD1 content. The findings argue against the idea of expression-reducing protective factors being present near the D90A locus in recessive pedigrees. The similarity to wild-type SOD1 prompts speculations on the involvement of the latter in sporadic ALS.
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| 32. |
- Lappalainen, T, et al.
(author)
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Migration waves to the Baltic Sea region
- 2008
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In: Annals of Human Genetics. - Oxford : Blackwell Publishing. - 0003-4800 .- 1469-1809. ; 72, s. 337-348
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, the population history of the Baltic Sea region, known to be affected by a variety of migrations and genetic barriers, was analyzed using both mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosomal data. Over 1200 samples from Finland, Sweden, Karelia, Estonia, Setoland, Latvia and Lithuania were genotyped for 18 Y-chromosomal biallelic polymorphisms and 9 STRs, in addition to analyzing 17 coding region polymorphisms and the HVS1 region from the mtDNA. It was shown that the populations surrounding the Baltic Sea are genetically similar, which suggests that it has been an important route not only for cultural transmission but also for population migration. However, many of the migrations affecting the area from Central Europe, the Volga-Ural region and from Slavic populations have had a quantitatively different impact on the populations, and, furthermore, the effects of genetic drift have increased the differences between populations especially in the north. The possible explanations for the high frequencies of several haplogroups with an origin in the Iberian refugia (H1, U5b, I1a) are also discussed.
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| 33. |
- Mochel, Fanny, et al.
(author)
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Splice mutation in the iron-sulfur cluster scaffold protein ISCU causes myopathy with exercise intolerance
- 2008
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In: American Journal of Human Genetics. - : Elsevier. - 0002-9297 .- 1537-6605. ; 82:3, s. 652-660
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A myopathy with severe exercise intolerance and myoglobinuria has been described in patients from northern Sweden, with associated deficiencies of succinate dehydrogenase and aconitase in skeletal muscle. We identified the gene for the iron-sulfur cluster scaffold protein ISCU as a candidate within a region of shared homozygosity among patients with this disease. We found a single mutation in ISCU that likely strengthens a weak splice acceptor site, with consequent exon retention. A marked reduction of ISCU mRNA and mitochondrial ISCU protein in patient muscle was associated with a decrease in the iron regulatory protein IRP1 and intracellular iron overload in skeletal muscle, consistent with a muscle-specific alteration of iron homeostasis in this disease. ISCU interacts with the Friedreich ataxia gene product frataxin in iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis. Our results therefore extend the range of known human diseases that are caused by defects in iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis.
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| 34. |
- Prudencio, Mercedes, et al.
(author)
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Variation in aggregation propensities among ALS-associated variants of SOD1 : correlation to human disease
- 2009
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 18:17, s. 3217-3226
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To date, 146 different mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) have been identified in patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The mean age of disease onset in patients inheriting mutations in SOD1 is 45-47 years of age. However, although the length of disease duration is highly variable, there are examples of consistent disease durations associated with specific mutations (e. g. A4V, less than 2 years). In the present study, we have used a large set of data from SOD1-associated ALS pedigrees to identify correlations between disease features and biochemical/biophysical properties of more than 30 different variants of mutant SOD1. Using a reliable cell culture assay, we show that all ALS-associated mutations in SOD1 increase the inherent aggregation propensity of the protein. However, the relative propensity to do so varied considerably among mutants. We were not able to explain the variation in aggregation rates by differences in known protein properties such as enzyme activity, protein thermostability, mutation position or degree of change in protein charge. Similarly, we were not able to explain variability in the duration of disease in SOD1-associated ALS pedigrees by these properties. However, we find that the majority of pedigrees in which patients exhibit reproducibly short disease durations are associated with mutations that show a high inherent propensity to induce aggregation of SOD1.
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| 35. |
- Salmela, Elina, et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms uncovers population structure in Northern Europe
- 2008
-
In: PLOS ONE. - San Fransisco : Public library of science. - 1932-6203. ; 3:10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Genome-wide data provide a powerful tool for inferring patterns of genetic variation and structure of human populations.Principal Findings: In this study, we analysed almost 250,000 SNPs from a total of 945 samples from Eastern and Western Finland, Sweden, Northern Germany and Great Britain complemented with HapMap data. Small but statistically significant differences were observed between the European populations (F(ST) = 0.0040, p < 10(-4)), also between Eastern and Western Finland (F(ST) = 0.0032, p < 10(-3)). The latter indicated the existence of a relatively strong autosomal substructure within the country, similar to that observed earlier with smaller numbers of markers. The Germans and British were less differentiated than the Swedes, Western Finns and especially the Eastern Finns who also showed other signs of genetic drift. This is likely caused by the later founding of the northern populations, together with subsequent founder and bottleneck effects, and a smaller population size. Furthermore, our data suggest a small eastern contribution among the Finns, consistent with the historical and linguistic background of the population.Significance: Our results warn against a priori assumptions of homogeneity among Finns and other seemingly isolated populations. Thus, in association studies in such populations, additional caution for population structure may be necessary. Our results illustrate that population history is often important for patterns of genetic variation, and that the analysis of hundreds of thousands of SNPs provides high resolution also for population genetics.
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| 36. |
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
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| 39. |
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| 40. |
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| 41. |
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| 42. |
- Stanton, Biba R, et al.
(author)
-
Diffusion tensor imaging in sporadic and familial (D90A SOD1) forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- 2009
-
In: Archives of Neurology. - : American Medical Association. - 0003-9942 .- 1538-3687. ; 66:1, s. 109-115
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The basis of heterogeneity in the clinical presentation and rate of progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: To use diffusion tensor imaging as a measure of axonal pathologic features in vivo in ALS and to compare a homogeneous form of familial ALS (homozygous D90A SOD1 [superoxide dismutase 1]) with sporadic ALS. DESIGN: Cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging study. SETTING: Tertiary referral neurology clinic. PATIENTS: Twenty patients with sporadic ALS, 6 patients with homozygous D90A SOD1 ALS, and 21 healthy control subjects. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Fractional anisotropy in cerebral white matter. RESULTS: Patients with homozygous D90A SOD1 ALS showed less extensive pathologic white matter in motor and extramotor pathways compared with patients with sporadic ALS, despite similar disease severity assessed clinically using a standard functional rating scale. Fractional anisotropy correlated with clinical measures of severity and upper motor neuron involvement. CONCLUSION: In vivo diffusion tensor imaging measures demonstrate differences in white matter degeneration between sporadic ALS and a unique familial form of the disease, indicating that genotype influences the distribution of cerebral pathologic features in ALS.
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| 43. |
- Stewart, Heather G, et al.
(author)
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Corticomotoneuronal dysfunction in ALS patients with different SOD1 mutations.
- 2006
-
In: Clinical Neurophysiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1388-2457 .- 1872-8952. ; 117:8, s. 1850-1861
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To examine corticomotoneuronal function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients carrying superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutations using peristimulus time histograms (PSTH). METHODS: Six I113T, 3 A4V, one G41D and one G114A patient were studied along with 21 healthy control subjects. Analyses included comparison with previously reported data from 8 D90A homozygous and 12 sporadic ALS (SALS) patients examined by the authors using identical methodology. RESULTS: Cortical threshold was significantly reduced in A4V patients (41.3%) compared to I113T (58%), SALS (57%) and D90A (71%) patients, as well as healthy controls (49.7%). Estimated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were significantly larger in A4V patients (4.39 mV) compared to healthy controls (2.95 mV), I113T (2.71 mV) and SALS (2.39 mV) patients. Clinical features and PSTH parameters in I113T were similar to SALS, however, PSTH primary peaks (PP) were significantly more dispersed, 9.5 ms compared to 4ms in SALS. PSTHs from single G41D and G114A patients were unremarkable, apart from large EPSP amplitudes in the G114A patient. CONCLUSIONS: ALS patients with A4V and I113T SOD1 mutations have distinctive corticomotoneuronal changes that are different from those in D90A homozygous and SALS patients. SIGNIFICANCE: PSTH studies should be considered for future in vivo studies of SOD1 pathophysiology in ALS.
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| 44. |
- Turner, Martin R, et al.
(author)
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Cortical involvement in four cases of primary lateral sclerosis using [(11)C]-flumazenil PET.
- 2007
-
In: Journal of Neurology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-5354 .- 1432-1459. ; 254:8, s. 1033-6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Four PLS patients underwent cerebral [(11)C]-flumazenil PET. They were compared firstly with a group of controls, then later directly with a group of sporadic ALS patients and a familial ALS group homozygous for the 'D90A' SOD1 gene mutation. There was a similar pattern of decreased binding in PLS patients when compared to controls as that seen in a previous study of sporadic ALS patients, supporting the concept that PLS is part of the same overall spectrum of MND. However, in direct group comparisons, both sporadic and homD90A ALS patients demonstrated relative decreases in anterior and orbito-frontal binding compared to PLS patients, suggesting that there may be differences in cortical vulnerability between phenotypic groups.
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| 45. |
- Turner, Martin R, et al.
(author)
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Volumetric cortical loss in sporadic and familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
- 2007
-
In: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis : official publication of the World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1471-180X. ; 8:6, s. 343-7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Patients homozygous for the D90A mutation of the SOD1 gene (homD90A) demonstrate markedly slower progression of disease than those patients with sporadic ALS (SALS). PET studies have demonstrated a different cortical vulnerability in the two groups, reflected also in neurophysiological studies showing reduced cortical excitability in homD90A. Voxel-based morphometric analysis of magnetic resonance images (MRIs) enables the detection of regional differences in grey matter volume, and can be used to localize cortical atrophy in vivo. In this study, segmented, spatially normalized, modulated and smoothed grey matter portions of the MRIs from 23 SALS and seven homD90A patients with similar disability, were compared with those from 28 healthy control subjects. The SALS group showed bilateral areas of atrophy mainly confined to motor and pre-motor cortices. Cortical changes in the homD90A group were more pronounced within the frontal lobes when both were compared with healthy controls. This study provides further evidence for a different pattern of cortical neuronal vulnerability in homD90A versus SALS patients that may provide insight as to their slower rate of disease progression.
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| 46. |
- Van Es, Michael A, et al.
(author)
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Analysis of FGGY as a risk factor for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- 2009
-
In: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and other Motor Neuron Disorders. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1466-0822 .- 1743-4483. ; 10:5-6, s. 441-447
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A genome-wide association study (GWAS) using pooled DNA samples from 386 sporadic ALS patients and 542 controls from the USA, identified genetic variation in FGGY (FLJ10986) as a risk factor, as well as 66 additional candidate SNPs. Considering the large number of hypotheses that are tested in GWAS, independent replication of associations is crucial for identifying true-positive genetic risk factors for disease. The primary aim of this study was to study the association between FGGY and sporadic ALS in large, homogeneous populations from northern Europe. Genotyping experiments were performed using Illumina Beadchips, Sequenom iPLEX assays and Taqman technology on large case-control series from The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Ireland (total: 1883 sporadic ALS patients and 2063 controls). No significant association between sporadic ALS and the six previously reported associated SNPs in FGGY was observed: rs6700125 (p =0.56), rs6690993 (p =0.30), rs10493256 (p =0.68), rs6587852 (p =0.64), rs1470407 (p =0.28) and rs333662 (p =0.44). Screening of the additional candidate loci did not yield significant associations either, with the lowest p-value in joint analysis for rs7772593 (p =0.14). We concluded that common genetic variation in FGGY is not associated with susceptibility to sporadic ALS in genetically homogeneous populations from northern Europe.
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| 47. |
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| 48. |
- Wejse, Christian, et al.
(author)
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Vitamin D as Supplementary Treatment for Tuberculosis A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial
- 2009
-
In: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. - 1535-4970. ; 179:9, s. 843-850
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rationale Vitamin D has been shown to be involved in the host immune response toward Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Objectives: To test whether vitamin D supplementation of patients with tuberculosis (TB) improved clinical outcome and reduced mortality. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, place-bocontrolled trial in TB clinics at a demographic surveillance site in Guinea-Bissau. We included 365 adult patients with TB starting antituberculosis treatment; 281 completed the 12-month follow-up. The intervention was 100,000 IU of cholecalciferol or placebo at inclusion and again 5 and 8 months after the start of treatment. Measurements and Main Results: The primary outcome was reduction in a clinical severity score (TBscore) for all patients with pulmonary TB. The secondary outcome was 12-month mortality. No serious adverse effects were reported; mild hypercalcemia was rare and present in both arms. Reduction in TBscore and sputum smear conversion rates did not differ among patients treated with vitamin D or placebo. Overall mortality was 15% (54 of 365) at I year of follow-up and similar in both arms (30 of 187 for vitamin D treated and 24 of 178 for placebo; relative risk, 1.19 [0.58-1.95]). HIV infection was seen in 36% (131 of 359): 21% (76 of 359) HIV-1, 10% (36 of 359) HIV-2, and 5% (19 of 357) HIV-1+2. Conclusions: Vitamin D does not improve clinical outcome among patients with TB and the trial showed no overall effect on mortality in patients with TB; it is possible that the dose used was insufficient. Clinical trial registered with www.controlled-trials.com/isrctn (ISRCTN35212132).
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| 49. |
- Wuolikainen, Anna, 1980-
(author)
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Metabolomics studies of ALS : a multivariate search for clues about a devastating disease
- 2009
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Charcot’s disease, motor neuron disease (MND) and Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a deadly, adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in evolving paresis of the linked muscles. ALS is defined by classical features of the disease, but may present as a wide spectrum of phenotypes. About 10% of all ALS cases have been reported as familial, of which about 20% have been associated with mutations in the gene encoding for CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD1). The remaining cases are regarded as sporadic. Research has advanced our understanding of the disease, but the cause is still unknown, no reliable diagnostic test exists, no cure has been found and the current therapies are unsatisfactory. Riluzole (Rilutek®) is the only registered drug for the treatment of ALS. The drug has shown only a modest effect in prolonging life and the mechanism of action of riluzole is not yet fully understood. ALS is diagnosed by excluding diseases with similar symptoms. At an early stage, there are numerous possible diseases that may present with similar symptoms, thereby making the diagnostic procedure cumbersome, extensive and time consuming with a significant risk of misdiagnosis. Biomarkers that can be developed into diagnostic test of ALS are therefore needed. The high number of unsuccessful attempts at finding a single diseasespecific marker, in combination with the complexity of the disease, indicates that a pattern of several markers is perhaps more likely to provide a diagnostic signature for ALS. Metabolomics, in combination with chemometrics, can be a useful tool with which to study human disease. Metabolomics can screen for small molecules in biofluids such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and chemometrics can provide structure and tools in order to handle the types of data generated from metabolomics. In this thesis, ALS has been studied using a combination of metabolomics and chemometrics. Collection and storage of CSF in relation to metabolite stability have been extensively evaluated. Protocols for metabolomics on CSF samples have been proposed, used and evaluated. In addition, a new feature of data processing allowing new samples to be predicted into existing models has been tested, evaluated and used for metabolomics on blood and CSF. A panel of potential biomarkers has been generated for ALS and subtypes of ALS. An overall decrease in metabolite concentration was found for subjects with ALS compared to their matched controls. Glutamic acid was one of the metabolites found to be decreased in patients with ALS. A larger metabolic heterogeneity was detected among SALS cases compared to FALS. This was also reflected in models of SALS and FALS against their respective matched controls, where no significant difference from control was found for SALS while the FALS samples significantly differed from their matched controls. Significant deviating metabolic patterns were also found between ALS subjects carrying different mutations in the gene encoding SOD1.
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| 50. |
- Zetterberg, Henrik, 1973, et al.
(author)
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Association of APOE with age at onset of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
- 2008
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In: Journal of the neurological sciences. - : Elsevier BV. - 0022-510X .- 1878-5883. ; 273:1-2, s. 67-9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative syndrome with familial and sporadic forms. We conducted a study including 60 sporadic and 19 familial ALS patients, 206 reference patients with other neurological disorders and 1265 neurologically healthy controls to assess the Alzheimer-associated apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon4 gene variant as a possible risk factor for ALS. While no major influence of APOE epsilon4 on disease risk was detected, a gene dose-dependent effect with lower age at onset of sporadic ALS in epsilon4 carriers was found (p=0.027). These data support APOE epsilon4 as a subordinate contributing factor in ALS.
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