Mutation screening of the CHRNA4 and CHRNB2 nicotinic cholinergic receptor genes in Alzheimer's disease.
Potential genomic changes leading to decreased nicotine binding, crucial for cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD), have not yet been studied. A search for mutations of the genes coding for the most widely distributed nicotinic receptor subtype alpha4beta2 (CHRNA4/CHRNB2) has been performed in AD patients by screening the coding regions of both genes by single strand conformation analysis and heteroduplex analysis of fibroblast-derived genomic DNA. Polymorphisms in CHRNA4, none of which led to amino acid changes in the predicted sequence, were found in three patients. Although the other receptor subunits have yet to be screened, it appears likely that the reduction of nicotine binding sites in AD is not due to genomic changes.
Steinlein
O K
OK
Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Germany.
Stoodt
J
J
de Vos
R A
RA
Steur
E N
EN
Wevers
A
A
Schütz
U
U
Schröder
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004247:DNA; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic