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Molecular genetic analysis of autosomal dominant late-onset cataract in a Chinese Family

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Summary

Congenital cataract is a highly heterogeneous disorder at both the genetic and the clinical-phenotypic levels. A unique cataract was observed in a 4-generation Chinese family, which was characterized by autosomal dominant inheritance and late-onset. Mutations in the 13 known genes (CRYAA, CRYAB, CRYBB1, CRYBB2, CRYGC, CRYBA1/A3, CRYGD, Connexin50, Connexin46, intrinsic membrane protein LIM2, cytoskeletal protein BFSP2, the major intrinsic protein-MIP and the heat shock factor HSF4) have previously been demonstrated to be the frequent reason for isolated congenital cataracts, but the exact molecular basis and underlying mechanisms of congenital cataract still remain unclear. This study was designed to find whether these 13 genes developed any mutation in the family members and to identify the disease-causing gene. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct DNA sequence analysis were carried out to detect the 13 genes. The results showed that no mutation causing amino acid alternations was found in these potential candidate genes among all patients in the family, and only several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. A transitional mutation in the fourth intron of CRYBB2 and some silent mutations in the first exon of BFSP2 and CRYGD were found in the cataract family, but further study showed that these mutations could also be found in normal controls. It was concluded that some unidentified genes may underlie the occurrence of late-onset cataract in this family. A genome-wide screening will be carried out in the next study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China

    Guohua Yang  (杨国华) & Hua Xu  (徐 华)

  2. Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medical Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China

    Guohua Yang  (杨国华), Shan Zhong  (钟 山), Xianrong Zhang  (张先荣), Biwen Peng  (彭碧文) & Jun Li  (黎 俊)

  3. Center for Human Genome Research, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Tie Ke  (柯 铁)

Authors
  1. Guohua Yang  (杨国华)
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  2. Shan Zhong  (钟 山)
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  3. Xianrong Zhang  (张先荣)
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  4. Biwen Peng  (彭碧文)
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  5. Jun Li  (黎 俊)
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  6. Tie Ke  (柯 铁)
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  7. Hua Xu  (徐 华)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hua Xu  (徐 华).

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Both authors contributed equally to this work.

This study was supported by a grant from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 30700455).

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Yang, G., Zhong, S., Zhang, X. et al. Molecular genetic analysis of autosomal dominant late-onset cataract in a Chinese Family. J. Huazhong Univ. Sci. Technol. [Med. Sci.] 30, 792–797 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-010-0660-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-010-0660-9

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