[Frequency analysis of autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxias in Han population in the Chinese mainland and clinical and molecular characterization of spinocerebellar ataxia type 6].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the frequency of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), including the subtypes of SCA1, SCA2, SCA3/Machado-Joseph disease(MJD), SCA6, SCA7, SCA8, SCA10, SCA12, SCA14, SCA17 and dentatorubro-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) in Han population in the Chinese mainland, and to specifically characterize the mainland Chinese patients with SCA6 in terms of clinical and molecular features.


METHODS
Using a molecular approach, the authors investigated SCA in 120 families with dominantly inherited ataxias and in 60 patients with sporadic ataxias. Clinical and molecular features of SCA6 were further characterized in 13 patients from 4 families.


RESULTS
SCA3/MJD was the most common type of autosomal dominant SCA in the Han population, accounting for 83 patients from 59 families(49.2%), followed by SCA2(8, 6.7%), SCA1(7, 5.8%), SCA6(4, 3.3%), SCA7(1,0.8%), SCA8 (0), SCA10 (0), SCA12(0), SCA14 (0), SCA17(0) and DRPLA(0). The genes responsible for 41(34.2%) of dominantly inherited SCA families remained undetermined. Among the 60 patients with sporadic ataxias in the present series, 3(5.0%) were found to harbor SCA3 mutations while none were found to harbor SCA6 mutations. In the 4 families with SCA6, significant anticipation was found with no genetic instability on transmission.


CONCLUSIONS
The present authors firstly found and reported a geographic cluster of families with SCA6 subtype in the Chinese mainland, which were initially identified in Hans reported of the Chinese mainland.
Jiang
Hong
H
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008 PR China.
Tang
Beisha
B
Xu
Bo
B
Zhao
Guo-hua
GH
Shen
Lu
L
Tang
Jian-guang
JG
Li
Qing-hua
QH
Xia
Kun
K
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002681:China; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020754:Spinocerebellar Ataxias / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D018911:Trinucleotide Repeats / Q000235:genetics