Increased (CTG/CAG)(n) lengths in myotonic dystrophy type 1 and Machado-Joseph disease genes in idiopathic azoospermia patients

BACKGROUND: An increase in CAG trinucleotide repeat length in the androgen receptor (AR) gene has been linked to idiopathic azoospermia. METHODS: In order to test whether other (CAG/CTG)(n) loci are also affected, the (CAG/CTG)(n) frequency distribution at myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA8) loci, in addition to the AR gene, was investigated in 48 azoospermia patients and 47 controls. RESULTS: The median CAG repeat length in the AR gene was significantly longer in azoospermia patients than in controls (23 versus 21, P < 0.001). Significant differences were also noted in the upper tails of trinucleotide repeat length distributions at both DM1 and MJD loci between the two populations. At the DM1 locus, alleles of more than 18 repeats were observed only in azoospermia patients, and not in controls (P = 0.014). At the MJD locus, the frequency of normal alleles (ANs) with 29 or more CAG repeats was also much higher in azoospermia patients (29.2 versus 7.4%; P = 0.0001). However, the repeat length distribution at DRPLA and SCA8 loci did not differ in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that, at least in a subset of azoospermia patients, there was an increase in the number of trinucleotide repeats in some disease loci. Thus, it is noteworthy to evaluate whether offspring of these azoospermia patients, if born by assisted reproductive technologies, have an increased risk of trinucleotide repeat diseases.     

Mutation screening and CAG repeat length analysis of the androgen receptor gene in Klinefelter's syndrome patients with and without spermatogenesis

BACKGROUND: Mutations of the androgen receptor (AR) gene give rise to a wide array of phenotypic abnormalities. A systematic analysis of the AR gene in patients with 47,XXY has not previously been performed. METHODS: Mutations of the AR gene and expansion of the CAG repeats in exon 1 of the AR gene were studied in 13 patients with Klinefelter's syndrome either with (n = 1) or without (n = 12) spermatogenesis. RESULTS: No abnormalities in the AR gene were detected by single strand conformational polymorphism analysis. The CAG lengths ranged from 17 to 27 (mean +/- SD 22.8 +/- 3.3, median 23) for Klinefelter patients or from 17 to 28 (mean +/- SD 23.2 +/- 2.6, median 23) for control subjects. X-inactivation analysis for the methylation status of the AR gene was performed in seven patients who were heterozygous for CAG repeats of different length, showing that the longer CAG repeat alleles underwent random but more frequent inactivation in five patients and skewed inactivation in two. CONCLUSIONS: An AR gene abnormality does not constitute an important factor for impaired spermatogenesis in patients with Klinefelter's syndrome.     

CAG repeat contraction in the androgen receptor gene in three brothers with mental retardation.

We report on three brothers with mental retardation and a contracted CAG repeat in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. It is known that expansion of the CAG repeat in this gene leads to spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA or Kennedy disease); however, contracted repeats have not yet been implicated in disease. As the range of the length of CAG repeats in the AR gene, like those of other genes associated with dynamic mutations, follows a normal distribution, the theoretical possibility of disease at both ends of the distribution should be considered.     

Difference between Swedish and Japanese men in the association between AR CAG repeats and prostate cancer suggesting a susceptibility-modifying locus overlapping the androgen receptor gene

Previous studies have shown that short CAG repeats in the androgen receptor (AR) gene are associated with increased risk of prostate cancer. It is unclear if this association is due to linkage disequilibrium with a susceptibility locus or directly linked to the possible functional impact of the length of the CAG repeats. In this study, the number of the AR CAG repeats was determined in prostate cancer patients, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients, and controls in both Swedish and Japanese men. Prostate cancer patients included 59 Swedish hereditary, 59 Swedish sporadic and 33 Japanese sporadic cases. BPH patients included 38 Swedish and 33 Japanese cases. Controls included 98 Swedish healthy men and 43 Japanese men without either prostate cancer or BPH. No significant difference in AR CAG repeats was found in comparison between BPH patients and controls. In contrast, both Swedish hereditary and sporadic prostate cancer patients had shorter AR CAG repeats than Swedish controls, but Japanese prostate cancer patients had longer repeats than controls. These differences between the two populations in the association of prostate cancer and the AR CAG repeats may suggest that the AR CAG repeats are in linkage disequilibrium with a prostate cancer susceptibility locus localized in a small region flanking or overlapping the AR gene at Xq12.1.     

South Indian men with reduced CAG repeat length in the androgen receptor gene have an increased risk of prostate cancer

The androgen receptor (AR) gene possesses polymorphic CAG tandem repeats and the repeat length has been inversely related to the risk of prostate cancer (PCa). The distinct ethnic variation in the CAG repeat length may be correlated to differences in PCa risk in different populations. To evaluate the CAG repeat length in the AR gene and the implications for PCa, we screened 87 PCa patients and 120 control subjects from South India. The mean CAG repeat length in PCa patients was significantly smaller than that of controls (17.0 vs 20.7; P<0.001). Men with 19 CAG repeats had a significantly increased risk of cancer compared to those with >19 CAG repeats (age-adjusted OR=7.01; 95% CI=3.52–13.94; P<0.001). However, no significant association was observed between CAG repeats and age of onset or prostate-specific antigen levels. Although there was a trend towards shorter CAG repeat length in high grades of cancer, it was not significant (P=0.085). Thus, our results suggest an association between short CAG repeats in the AR gene and PCa risk in South Indian men. Further, we propose that CAG repeats could be used as a prognostic marker for PCa diagnosis.     

Androgen receptor CAG polymorphism (Xq11-12) status and human spermatogenesis: a prospective analysis of infertile males and their offspring conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm injection

We determined the association of androgen receptor (AR) (CAG)n lengths among fertile and infertile males and offspring conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Assessment of (CAG)n repeats in the AR was performed in a Caucasian population by gene sequencing in fertile men (n=13), infertile men (n=64), boys conceived after ICSI (n=21), and boys conceived naturally (n=11). In the AZF region of the Y chromosome, a total of 22 STSs were analyzed by multiplex PCR; selected spermatozoa were also analyzed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) for chromosomes 18, 21, X, and Y. The average age was 43.7+/-7 yr for infertile, 44.8+/-7 yr for fertile men, and 5.0+/-0.5 yr for the children. The mean (CAG)n was 22.2+/-3 for the infertile men and 19.3+/-5 for fertile controls. There was a significant difference in CAG repeat length in the severely oligo-/azoo-spermic men vs. controls (p=0.02). An inverse correlation was evident between CAG length and semen parameters. For ICSI male children, the AR (CAG)n lengths were 21.4+/-3.2 vs. 20.8+/-3.4 for boys conceived naturally. While all peripheral karyotypes of fertile and infertile men were normal, de novo gonosomal abnormalities were observed in the ICSI offspring. The incidence of Y microdeletions was 1.6% in infertile men; all the ICSI sons had an intact Y chromosome. In conclusion, severely oligo- and azoospermic men had longer CAG repeat length than fertile controls, suggesting that certain AR gene mutations may have a negative effect on spermatogenesis. An increased incidence of de novo gonosomal abnormalities was found in the ICSI offspring when compared to children conceived naturally. Our assessment of the polymorphic region of the AR gene, in the absence of other specific genomic abnormalities, suggests that the fertility of children conceived by ICSI may be conserved.     

SCA6 is caused by moderate CAG expansion in the alpha1A-voltage- dependent calcium channel gene

Recently, moderate (CAG)>20 repeat expansions in the alpha1A-voltage- dependent calcium channel gene (CACNL1A4) have been identified in a previously unmapped type of SCA which has been named SCA6. We investigated the (CAG)n repeat length of the CACNL1A4 gene in 733 patients with sporadic ataxia and in 46 German families with dominantly inherited SCA which do not harbor the SCA1, SCA2, or MJD1/SCA3 mutation, respectively. The SCA6 (CAG)n expansion was identified in 32 patients most frequently with late manifestation of the disease. The (CAG)n stretch of the affected allele varied between 22 and 28 trinucleotide units and is therefore the shortest trinucleotide repeat expansion causing spinocerebellar ataxia. The (CAG)n repeat length is inversely correlated with the age at onset. In 11 parental transmissions of the expanded allele no repeat instability has been observed. Repeat instability was also not found for the normal allele investigating 431 meioses in the CEPH families. Analyzing 248 apparently healthy octogenerians revealed one allele of 18 repeats which is the longest normal CAG repeat in the CACNL1A4 gene reported. The SCA6 mutation causes the disease in approximately 10% of autosomal dominant SCA in Germany. Most importantly, the trinucleotide expansion was observed in four ataxia patients without obvious family history of the disease which necessitates a search for the SCA6 (CAG)n expansion even in sporadic patients.      

Predictive testing for Huntington disease: interpretation and significance of intermediate alleles

Direct mutation analysis for Huntington disease (HD) became possible in 1993 with the identification of an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat as the mutation underlying the disease. Expansion of CAG length beyond 35 repeats may be associated with the clinical presentation of HD. HD has never been seen in a person with a CAG size of <36 repeats. Intermediate alleles are defined as being below the affected CAG range but have the potential to expand to >35 CAG repeats within one generation. Thus, children of intermediate allele carriers have a low risk of developing HD. Currently, the intermediate allele range for HD is between 27 and 35 CAG repeats. In this study, we review the current knowledge on intermediate alleles for HD including the CAG repeat range, the intermediate allele frequency, and the clinical implications of an intermediate allele predictive test result. The factors influencing CAG repeat expansion, including the CAG size of the intermediate allele, the sex and age of the transmitting parent, the family history, and the HD gene sequence and haplotype, will also be reviewed.     

中国男性雄激素受体基因(CAG)n重复多态性的初步研究

目的 研究正常中国男性雄激素受体（androgen receptor,AR)基因（CAG）n重复序列的多态性。方法 应用DNA测序基础上的[α-^32P]dCTP掺入不对称PCR-变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis,PAGE)方法,对107名正常男性AR基因的（CAG）n重复数进行测定。结果 AR基因（CAG）n序列在正常男性人群中呈现重复多态性,其重复范围为11-29,集中于20-24,以22最多。结论 AR基因（CAG）n序列在正常男性人群中呈现重复多态性,为今后进一步研究其病理学及遗传学意义打下基础。     

一个遗传性共济失调3型家系中致病ATXN3中间类型等位基因分析

目的 研究遗传性共济失调3型中间类型等位基因致病表型的临床表现与基因突变特点.方法 应用PCR、毛细微管电泳、分子克隆及测序等方法 对1个临床诊断为遗传性共济失调家系进行ATXN3基因检测,对异常片段进行分子克隆测序.结果 证实该家系为遗传性共济失调3型家系,先证者异常片段CAG重复次数为43次;患者两个儿子异常片段重复分别为41、64次.结论 中间类型等位基因在两代间遗传是不稳定的,重复次数的改变是双向的,43次CAG重复是目前报道的遗传性共济失调3型发病患者最小不稳定重复次数.本家系的研究结果 进一步缩短了正常CAG重复次数与异常重复次数之间的差距.     

Is reduced CAG repeat length in androgen receptor gene associated with risk of prostate cancer in Indian population?

Shorter CAG repeats in androgen receptor (AR) gene have been found to be associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (CaP). Ethnic variations in CAG repeat length may contribute to varying risks in different populations. To evaluate the prognostic significance of androgen receptor (AR) CAG repeats in Indian population for CaP, genomic DNA from 113 CaP, 57 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) patients and 133 normal healthy controls were examined by using a PCR-based GeneScan analysis. The mean number of CAG repeat in CaP was significantly lower as compared to the healthy controls (20.26 vs 22.98; p = 0.016). The odds ratio for CaP was 2.96 (p < 0.01), when individuals with short CAG repeat (< or =22) were compared with those having longer repeats (>22). A significant association was also observed between short CAG repeat and young age at diagnosis (OR 2.18; p = 0.04). The mean CAG repeat was not significantly different in BPH and healthy controls; however, BPH patients showed a tendency towards short CAG repeats. Thus, our results show that CAG repeat polymorphism in AR gene is significantly associated with CaP risk, suggesting that AR CAG polymorphism may act as a risk modifier to CaP in Indian population.     

一个遗传性共济失调3型家系中致病ATXN3中间类型等位基因分析

目的 研究遗传性共济失调3型中间类型等位基因致病表型的临床表现与基因突变特点.方法 应用PCR、毛细微管电泳、分子克隆及测序等方法 对1个临床诊断为遗传性共济失调家系进行ATXN3基因检测,对异常片段进行分子克隆测序.结果 证实该家系为遗传性共济失调3型家系,先证者异常片段CAG重复次数为43次;患者两个儿子异常片段重复分别为41、64次.结论 中间类型等位基因在两代间遗传是不稳定的,重复次数的改变是双向的,43次CAG重复是目前报道的遗传性共济失调3型发病患者最小不稳定重复次数.本家系的研究结果 进一步缩短了正常CAG重复次数与异常重复次数之间的差距.     

一个遗传性共济失调3型家系中致病ATXN3中间类型等位基因分析

目的 研究遗传性共济失调3型中间类型等位基因致病表型的临床表现与基因突变特点.方法 应用PCR、毛细微管电泳、分子克隆及测序等方法 对1个临床诊断为遗传性共济失调家系进行ATXN3基因检测,对异常片段进行分子克隆测序.结果 证实该家系为遗传性共济失调3型家系,先证者异常片段CAG重复次数为43次;患者两个儿子异常片段重复分别为41、64次.结论 中间类型等位基因在两代间遗传是不稳定的,重复次数的改变是双向的,43次CAG重复是目前报道的遗传性共济失调3型发病患者最小不稳定重复次数.本家系的研究结果 进一步缩短了正常CAG重复次数与异常重复次数之间的差距.     

Longer polyglutamine tracts in the androgen receptor are associated with moderate to severe undermasculinized genitalia in XY males

The androgen receptor (AR) is essential to the normal development of the male internal and external genitalia. Consequently, impairment of AR function can result in undermasculinized genitalia that vary from a completely female appearance to isolated hypospadias. Since in vitro studies demonstrate that AR function is reduced by expansion of the polyglutamine tract within the receptor [AR(Gln)(n)]; this study examined whether longer AR(Gln)(n) repeats are associated with moderate to severe undermasculinization. The average AR(Gln)(n) length of the undermasculinized group (n = 78, median 25, interquartile range 23-26) was significantly greater than that of the control population (n = 850, median 23, inter-quartile range 22-26, P = 0.002). The odds ratio of having >/=23 repeats (as opposed to 相似文献   

Somatic instability of the androgen receptor CAG repeat in a normal female

The polyglutamine repeat disorders represent a family of degenerative neurological diseases which are characterized by expansions of tandemly repeated CAG repeats. Investigations have demonstrated that in Huntington disease, dentatorubral pallidoluysian atrophy, and the spinocerebellar ataxias type 1, 2, and 3, the polyglutamine expansions show both meiotic and mitotic instability. However, previous studies have suggested that the polyglutamine motif within exon 1 of the androgen receptor gene (AR) which expands in cases of spinobulbar muscular atrophy differs in that it is apparently mitotically stable. During linkage analysis in a family with FG syndrome, a rare condition mapped to Xq12-q22.1, we detected the presence of an unusually small AR allele segregating within the pedigree. Sequencing, cytogenetic analysis, and PCR of flanking markers indicate that this allele arose by a somatic contraction of seven CAG repeats in the proband's mother, representing the first report of mitotic instability of an AR CAG repeat of normal size.     

The role of sex hormone-binding globulin and androgen receptor gene variants in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may be programmed in utero by androgen excess. Our aim was to examine the role of the sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and androgen receptor (AR) gene polymorphisms, in the phenotypic expression of PCOS. METHODS: A cohort of 180 women with PCOS and 168 healthy women of reproductive age were investigated. BMI was recorded and the hormonal profile was determined on Day 3-5 of menstrual cycle. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes and the SHBG(TAAAA)n and AR(CAG)n polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR. RESULTS: Genotype analysis revealed six SHBG(TAAAA)n alleles with 6-11 repeats and 19 AR(CAG)n alleles with 6-32 repeats, present in both PCOS and control women. Long SHBG(TAAAA)n alleles (>8 repeats) were at greater frequency in PCOS than normal women (P = 0.001), whereas short AR(CAG)n alleles (相似文献