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Polymorphisms of the tumor necrosis factor receptors: no association with narcolepsy in German patients

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Abstract

Narcolepsy is a debilitating sleep disorder characterized by daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. The strong association of narcolepsy with the HLA system suggests an autoimmune cause. Tumor necrosis factor is a cytokine involved in both regulation of immune mechanisms and sleep. Several studies were undertaken to determine a contribution of tumor necrosis factor and its receptors to the pathogenesis of narcolepsy. A significant increase in the 196R allele, a functionally relevant polymorphism in the TNFR2 gene, has been found in Japanese patients, indicating altered transduction of tumor necrosis factor signals. Here we explore polymorphisms in both tumor necrosis factor receptor genes as risk factors in a German population sample. Neither the polymorphism in the TNFR1 nor that in the TNFR2 gene was associated with narcolepsy. Our findings contrast to those previously published and thus provide evidence for genetic heterogeneity between different narcolepsy populations.

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Abbreviations

SNP :

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms

TNF :

Tumor necrosis factor

TNFR :

TNF receptor

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Acknowledgements

This work contains parts of the doctoral thesis of S.W. The study was supported by DFG grant DA 370/4-1 and Forum (821906).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany

    Stefan Wieczorek, Peter Jagiello, Joerg T. Epplen & Martin Gencik

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany

    Norbert Dahmen

Authors
  1. Stefan Wieczorek
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  2. Norbert Dahmen
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  3. Peter Jagiello
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  4. Joerg T. Epplen
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  5. Martin Gencik
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Correspondence to Stefan Wieczorek.

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Wieczorek, S., Dahmen, N., Jagiello, P. et al. Polymorphisms of the tumor necrosis factor receptors: no association with narcolepsy in German patients. J Mol Med 81, 87–90 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-002-0405-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-002-0405-8

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