The 208delG mutation in FSCN2 does not associate with retinal degeneration in Chinese individuals.
OBJECTIVE
The 208delG (c.72delG, p.Thr25GlnfsX120) mutation in the FSCN2 gene was reported to cause autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP) and autosomal dominant macular degeneration (ADMD). The purpose of this study was to detect the 208delG mutation in Chinese individuals, with or without hereditary retinal degeneration.


METHODS
DNA fragments encompassing the 208delG mutation were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplicons were analyzed by sequencing or/and heteroduplex- single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. An ophthalmic evaluation was conducted in those individuals with the 208delG mutation.


RESULTS
The 208delG mutation was detected in 8 of 242 unrelated probands: 175 with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), 20 with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), and 47 with cone-rod dystrophy (CORD). Of the eight, the retinal diseases were RP in six probands, LCA in one proband, and CORD in one proband. The disease was transmitted as an autosomal dominant (one family), autosomal recessive (two families), or sporadic (five families) trait. The mutation did not cosegregate with retinal degeneration in three families, whereas five normal family members also had the mutation. In addition, this mutation was also detected in 13 of 521 unrelated control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
The 208delG mutation in FSCN2 is not associated with hereditary retinal degeneration in the Chinese individuals examined, which contradicts the original report about mutation in FSCN2 as a cause of ADRP and ADMD. This finding reminds us that great care is needed in making mutation-disease associations.
Zhang
Qingjiong
Q
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. qingjiongzhang@yahoo.com
Li
Shiqiang
S
Xiao
Xueshan
X
Jia
Xiaoyun
X
Guo
Xiangming
X
D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D010375:Pedigree; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000235:genetics*
D000199:Actins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C020324:fascin