title: Could the 185delAG BRCA1 mutation be an ancient Jewish mutation?
abstract: A predominant mutation within the BRCA1 predisposition gene, 185delAG, has been detected in about 1% of the Ashkenazi population, considered a high-risk group for breast and ovarian cancers. We examined 639 unrelated healthy Jews of Iraqi extraction, a presumed low-risk group, for the existence of this mutation. Three individuals were identified as 185delAG mutation carriers, and haplotype analysis of the Iraqi mutation carriers revealed that 2 of the Iraqis shared a common haplotype with 6 Ashkenazi mutation carriers, and 1 had a haplotype which differed by a single marker. This study suggests that the BRCA1 185delAG mutation also occurs in populations considered at low-risk for breast and ovarian cancers, and that it might have occurred prior to the dispersion of the Jewish people in the Diaspora, at least at the time of Christ.
authors.affiliation: Susanne Levy Oncogenetics Unit, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Bar-Sade
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Theodor
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gak
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kruglikova
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hirsch-Yechezkel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Modan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kuperstein
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seligsohn
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rechavi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1 / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006239:Haplotypes; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007585:Jews / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers