title: The genetics of benign neutropenia.
abstract: In Israel, Yemenite Jews and other populations including Ethiopian Jews and Bedouins have a low neutrophil count. This phenomenon has been called "benign neutropenia" since it has not been associated with any increased risk of infection and has also been described in other populations around the world including Africans, African Americans and Afro-Carribeans. Here we describe the recent success in mapping the gene that underlies benign neutropenia in African American populations. We discuss the known function of the gene and consider potential mechanisms for the effect on neutropenia. We also consider the possibility that this gene underlies the same effect observed in Yemenite Jews, Ethiopian Jews and Bedouins in Israel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine B, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. zivpaz@012.net.il
authors.forename: Ziv
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nails
authors.forename: Elad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ziv
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000235:genetics; D004375:Duffy Blood-Group System / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007585:Jews / Q000235:genetics; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000235:genetics*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C473745:ACKR1 protein, human; D004375:Duffy Blood-Group System; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface