title: A novel linkage to generalized vitiligo on 4q13-q21 identified in a genomewide linkage analysis of Chinese families.
abstract: Generalized vitiligo is a common, autoimmune, familial-clustering depigmentary disorder of the skin and hair that results from selective destruction of melanocytes. Generalized vitiligo is likely a heterogeneous disease, with five susceptibility loci reported so far--on chromosomes 1p31, 6p21, 7q, 8p, and 17p13--in white populations. To investigate vitiligo susceptibility loci in the Chinese population, we performed a genomewide linkage analysis in 57 multiplex Chinese families, each with at least two affected siblings, and we identified interesting linkage evidence on 1p36, 4q13-q21, 6p21-p22, 6q24-q25, 14q12-q13, and 22q12. Subsequently, to extract more linkage information, we investigated our initial genomewide linkage findings in a follow-up analysis of 49 new families and additional markers. Our initial genomewide linkage analysis and our subsequent follow-up analysis have identified a novel linkage to vitiligo on 4q13-q21, with highly significant linkage evidence (a nonparametic LOD score of 4.62 [P=.000003] and a heterogeneity LOD score of 4.01, under a recessive inheritance model), suggesting that 4q13-q21 likely harbors a major susceptibility locus for vitiligo in the Chinese population. We observed a minimal overlap between the linkage results of our current genomewide analysis in the Chinese population and the results of previous analyses in white populations, and we thus hypothesize that, as a polygenic disorder, vitiligo may be associated with great genetic heterogeneity and a substantial difference in its genetic basis between ethnic populations.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology and Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jin-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Sen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Fu-Sheng
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Quan-Geng
authors.initials: QG
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Hong-Bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jin-Xian
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kai-Lin
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Wen-Tao
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Shi-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002894:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 4; D018740:Genetic Heterogeneity; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D008126:Lod Score; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009679:Nuclear Family; D010375:Pedigree; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers