Mutations in the alpha-synuclein gene in Parkinson's disease among Indians.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of G88C, G209A and any other mutation(s) in exons 3 and 4 of the alpha-synuclein gene in Indian patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).


METHODS
A total of 169 PD patients comprising 18 familial, 3 juvenile, 48 early onset and 100 sporadic cases were included in this study. Genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using primers specific for Exons 3 and 4. Mutations at G88C and G209A were screened following restriction enzyme digestion of the PCR product. Direct PCR product sequencing of entire exons 3 and 4 was carried out for at least one proband each from the 10 familial cases.


RESULTS
Neither G88C and G209A mutations nor any other mutation in exons 3 and 4 was found in the PD patients analysed.


CONCLUSIONS
The G88C and G209A mutations do not seem to be the predominant genetic determinant of PD among Indians.
Nagar
S
S
Department of Genetics, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Juyal
R C
RC
Chaudhary
S
S
Behari
M
M
Gupta
M
M
Rao
S N
SN
Thelma
B K
BK
D000328:Adult; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein
D017931:DNA Primers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C497604:SNCA protein, human; D051843:Synucleins; D051844:alpha-Synuclein