Family linkage study of the T-cell receptor genes in coeliac disease.
BACKGROUND
The susceptibility to coeliac disease is genetically determined by possession of certain HLA DQ alleles, together with a one or more non-HLA genes. The central role of the T-cell receptor in disease pathogenesis makes the T-cell receptor genes strong candidates as disease susceptibility genes, and previous studies had provided equivocal ambiguous results.


METHODS
A pedigree based genetic linkage study was used to determine if any of the T-cell receptor genes have a role in the genetic aetiology of coeliac disease. Intragenic microsatellite markers were used to study T-cell receptor alpha, beta, and delta, while gamma was studied using two flanking microsatellites D7S484 and D7S629.


RESULTS
Conventional linkage analysis was performed using the MLINK computer package. Model-free linkage analysis was performed using MFLINK. No evidence of linkage between coeliac disease and the T-cell receptor genes was found in these pedigrees.


CONCLUSIONS
Mutations in the T-cell receptor genes are not implicated in the genetic aetiology of coeliac disease.
Yiannakou
J Y
JY
Department of Gastroenterology, Rayne Institute, St. Thomas Hospital, London.
Brett
P M
PM
Morris
M A
MA
Curtis
D
D
Mathew
C
C
Vaughan
R
R
Rosen-Bronson
S
S
Ciclitira
P J
PJ
D001483:Base Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019672:Genes, T-Cell Receptor; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010375:Pedigree; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D005819:Genetic Markers