title: Molecular analysis of survival motor neuron (SMN) and neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) genes of spinal muscular atrophy patients and their parents.
abstract: We have assayed deletions of two candidate genes for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the survival motor neuron (SMN) and neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) genes, in 101 patients from 86 Chinese SMA families. Deletions of exons 7 and 8 of the telomeric SMN gene were detected in 100%, 78.6%, 96.6%, and 16.7%, in type I, II, III, and adult-onset SMA patients, respectively. Deletion of exon 7 only was found in eight type II and one type III patient. One type II patient did not have a deletion of either exon 7 or 8. The prevalence of deletions of exons 5 and 6 of the NAIP gene were 22.5% and 2.4% in type I and II SMA patients, respectively. We also examined four polymorphisms of SMN genes and found that there were only two, SMN-2 and CBCD541-2, in Chinese subjects. In our study, analysis of the ratio of the telomeric to centromeric portion (T/C ratio) of the SMN gene after enzyme digestion was performed to differentiate carriers, normals, and SMA patients. We found the T/C ratio of exon 7 of the SMN gene differed significantly among the three groups, and may be used for carrier analysis. An asymptomatic individual with homozygous deletion of exons 7 and 8 of the SMN gene showed no difference in microsatellite markers in the SMA-related 5q11.2-5q13.3. In conclusion, SMN deletion in clinically presumed child-onset SMA should be considered as confirmation of the diagnosis. However, adult-onset SMA, a heterogeneous disease with phenotypical similarities to child-onset SMA, may be caused by SMN or other gene(s).
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Taipei Municipal Jen-Ai Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jong
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Soong
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002503:Centromere / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009134:Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / Q000235:genetics*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051616:Neuronal Apoptosis-Inhibitory Protein; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D055532:SMN Complex Proteins; D017384:Sequence Deletion / Q000235:genetics*; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; C496800:NAIP protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051616:Neuronal Apoptosis-Inhibitory Protein; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D055532:SMN Complex Proteins