Exclusion of p75NGFR and other candidate genes in a family with hereditary sensory neuropathy type II.
Hereditary sensory neuropathy Type II (HSN II) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the loss of peripheral sensory modalities in individuals with otherwise normal development. Patients with HSN II often have chronic ulceration of the fingers and toes, autoamputation of the distal phalanges, and neuropathic joint degeneration associated with loss of pain sensation. Recent descriptions of a similar phenotype in mice carrying a targeted mutation in the low affinity nerve growth factor receptor, p75NGFR, suggested the possibility that mutations in this gene or other members of the nerve growth factor (NGF) family of genes and their receptors might be responsible for this human disorder. In this study candidate genes were evaluated by their inheritance pattern in two sisters affected with HSN II, their unaffected sister and mother in a consanguineous family. The segregation of polymorphic alleles at and around loci for p75NGFR, TRKA, TRKB, BDNF, and familial dysautonomia (another hereditary sensory neuropathy having features in common with HSN II) virtually excluded these genes as the cause of HSN II in this family. Further evaluation of loci for other neurotrophic factors and their receptors, which will be possible when mapping information on their loci becomes available, may permit the identification of the gene responsible for HSN II.
Molecular Genetics Unit, Neurology Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Gudarz
G
Davar
Christo
C
Shalish
Anat
A
Blumenfeld
Xandra O
XO
Breakefield
D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000235:genetics; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005260:Female; D005796:Genes; D009477:Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010375:Pedigree; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000235:genetics; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D020917:Receptor, trkA