Analysis of the frequent R1141X mutation in the ABCC6 gene in pseudoxanthoma elasticum.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the ABCC6 R1141X nonsense mutation, which is implicated in more than 25% of a cohort of patients from The Netherlands with pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE).


METHODS
A combination of single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP), PCR, sequencing, and Southern blot analysis was used to identify mutations in the ABCC6 gene in 62 patients. Haplotypes of 16 patients with the R1141X mutation were determined with eight polymorphic markers spanning the ABCC6 locus. The effect of the R1141X mutation on the expression of ABCC6 was studied in leukocytes and cultured dermal fibroblasts from affected skin in patients heterozygous or homozygous for the R1141X mutation. ABCC6 expression was analyzed by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry with ABCC6-specific monoclonal antibodies.


RESULTS
The ABCC6 R1141X mutation was found on 19 alleles in 16 patients with PXE and occurred in heterozygous, homozygous, or compound heterozygous form. All R1141X alleles were associated with a common haplotype, covering at least three intragenic ABCC6 markers. None of the patients or healthy control subjects had a similar ABCC6 haplotype. Furthermore, the results showed that the expression of the normal allele in R1141X heterozygotes was predominant, whereas no detectable, or very low, ABCC6 mRNA levels were found in R1141X homozygotes. Immunocytochemical staining of cultured dermal fibroblasts with ABCC6-specific monoclonal antibodies showed no evidence of the presence of a truncated protein in patients with PXE who were homozygous for R1141X.


CONCLUSIONS
A specific founder effect for the R1141X mutation exists in Dutch patients with PXE. The R1141X mutation induces instability of the aberrant mRNA. Functional haploinsufficiency or loss of function of ABCC6 caused by mechanisms, such as nonsense-mediated decay (NMD), may be involved in the PXE phenotype.
Hu
Xiaofeng
X
Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Peek
Ron
R
Plomp
Astrid
A
ten Brink
Jacoline ten
Jt
Scheffer
George
G
van Soest
Simone
S
Leys
Anita
A
de Jong
Paulus T V M
PT
Bergen
Arthur A B
AA
D000483:Alleles; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018389:Codon, Nonsense; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D027425:ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family C Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D010375:Pedigree; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011561:Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018389:Codon, Nonsense; D027425:ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family C Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C102029:ABCC6 protein, human