Somatic mosaicism in the central nervous system in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and machado-joseph disease

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and Machado-Joseph disease are two autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias caused by expansions of unstable CAG repeats in the coding region of the causative genes. The selectivity of cell death and the resulting characteristic neuropathological features in each of these diseases are not explained by the gene expression patterns. Since the repeat size correlates with age at onset and severity of these diseases, somatic mosaicims, the result of mitotic instability of the CAG repeat, could be the basis for specificity of neurodegeneration; brain structures with larger expanded repeats would be more severely affected. To study the association between neuropathological changes and somatic mosaicism of the CAG repeat size in the central nervous system of patients with these two ataxias, we determined the size of the (CAG)n expansion in 20 different regions of the brain, brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord from 3 patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and 3 with Machado-Joseph disease; these regions were selected for their differential neuropathological involvement in the two disorders. We observed a considerable homogeneity of repeat size ranges in all but 1 of the 20 regions examined: The cerebellar cortex showed slightly smaller (CAG)n tracts in all specimens from both groups of patients. Our results suggest that the pattern of repeat size mosaicism, similar in spinocereballar ataxia type 1 and Machado-Joseph disease, reflects the developmental pathways and cell composition of different central nervous system regions and is not the cause of selective cell death in these disorders.     

马查多-约瑟夫病/脊髓小脑型共济失调Ⅲ型患者(CAG)n拷贝数与临床特征

目的探讨马查多约瑟夫病基因１（ＭＪＤ１）ＣＡＧ三核苷酸动态突变及其拷贝数与ＭＪＤ／脊髓小脑型共济失调Ⅲ型（ＳＣＡ３）患者临床特征的相关关系。方法应用聚合酶链式反应、变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和银染技术,对９个ＭＪＤ／ＳＣＡ３家系１０９名成员进行ＭＪＤ１基因（ＣＡＧ）ｎ拷贝数分析。结果发现异常扩增的（ＣＡＧ）ｎ拷贝数与发病年龄呈负相关,并在一定程度上影响病情严重程度;主要临床症状、体征与异常扩增的（ＣＡＧ）ｎ拷贝数无关,而是受病程影响。同时发现１７例症状前患者。结论异常扩增的（ＣＡＧ）ｎ拷贝数对疾病表型有影响,但不能完全作为临床特征的预测指标     

Clinical features and ATTCT repeat expansion in spinocerebellar ataxia type 10

BACKGROUND: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 10, an autosomal dominant disease characterized by ataxia and seizures, is caused by a large expansion of an unstable ATTCT pentanucleotide repeat. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the phenotypic expression of spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 and to examine the genotype-phenotype correlations in 2 large families. DESIGN: Clinical characterization and genotype-phenotype correlation. SETTING: Studies at 2 medical schools with private practice referral. PATIENTS: Twenty-two affected individuals from 2 large Mexican American pedigrees. RESULTS: Of the 22 individuals, ataxia was the initial symptom in 21; seizure disorders developed in 11, mostly within several years following the onset of ataxia. The seizure frequency was different in the 2 families: 3 (25%) of 12 had seizures in family 1, and 8 (80%) of 10 had seizures in family 2 (P =.01). A brain magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic scan showed cerebellar atrophy in all patients examined. An electroencephalogram demonstrated epileptiform discharges in 4 of 8 patients studied. Although anticipation was apparent in both families, only family 1 showed a strong inverse correlation between age of onset and repeat number (r(2) = 0.79, P =.001). In family 1, 8 transmissions, of which 7 were paternal, resulted in an average gain of 1940 repeats. In contrast, despite anticipation, 2 affected male subjects transmitted their expanded alleles to 8 progenies, with an average loss of 755 repeats, in family 2. CONCLUSIONS: Seizure is an integral part of the spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 phenotype, with documented morbidity and mortality. Family-dependent factors may alter the frequency of the seizure phenotype and the pattern of intergenerational repeat size changes, making the genotype-phenotype correlation complex.     

Molecular genetics of hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia: mutation analysis of spinocerebellar ataxia genes and CAG/CTG repeat expansion detection in 225 Italian families

BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias are a clinical and genetically heterogeneous group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases, at present associated with 22 loci (spinocerebellar ataxia [SCA] 1-SCA8, SCA10-SCA19, SCA21, SCA22, fibroblast growth factor 14 [FGF14]-SCA, and dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy [DRPLA]). The relevant gene has been identified in 12 cases (SCA1-3, SCA6-8, SCA10, SCA12, FGF14, and DRPLA), and in all but the recently identified SCA14, SCA17, PRKCG and FGF14 genes, the defect consists of the expansion of a short nucleotide repeat. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relative prevalence of SCA1-3, SCA6-8, SCA10, SCA12, and SCA17 gene expansions in Italian families with hereditary ataxia, specifically to verify the occurrence of SCA10, SCA12, and SCA17 in Italy; and to analyze samples from probands with negative test results at the initial screening by means of the repeat expansion detection technique to identify CAG/CTG expansions in novel loci.Patients Two hundred twenty-five unrelated Italian index cases with hereditary ataxia, most (n = 183) of whom presented with a clear dominantly transmitted trait. RESULTS: We found that SCA1 and SCA2 gene mutations accounted for most cases (21% and 24%, respectively). We found SCA3, SCA6, SCA7, SCA8, and SCA17 to be very rare (approximately 1% each), and no case of SCA10 or SCA12 was identified. Half of the index cases (113/225) were negative for expansions in the known SCA genes. Repeat expansion detection analysis performed on 111 of these cases showed a CAG/CTG repeat expansion of at least 50 triplets in 22 (20%). Twenty-one of 22 expansions could be attributed to length variation at 2 polymorphic loci (expanded repeat domain CAG/CTG 1 [ERDA1] or CTG repeat on chromosome 18q21.1 [CTG18.1]). In 1 patient, the expansion was assigned to the DRPLA gene. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of SCA1-3 and SCA6-7 gene mutations is peculiar in Italy. We found a relatively high frequency of SCA1 and SCA2 gene expansions; SCA3, SCA6, and SCA7 mutations were rare, compared with other European countries. No SCA10 or SCA12 and only a few SCA8 (2/225) and SCA17 (2/225) families were detected. In patients negative for defects in known SCA genes, repeat expansion detection data strongly suggest that, at least in our population, CAG/CTG expansions in novel genes should be considered an unlikely cause of the SCA phenotype.     

Meiotic CAG repeat instability in spinocerebellar ataxia type 6: maternally transmitted elongation in a presumed sporadic case

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder characterized by cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria and nystagmus. The molecular background for the disorder is a CAG repeat expansion in the CACNA1A gene located on chromosome 19. The size of SCA6 expanded alleles is usually stable, and variation in repeat size over successive generations is rare. We report a Danish family with one case of SCA6 resembling a sporadic case of spinocerebellar ataxia. Analysis of the CACNA1A gene showed meiotic CAG repeat instability in the transmission from a 70-year-old woman with no subjective symptoms to her symptomatic son. The CAG repeat size expanded from 22 repeats in the mother to 23 repeats in the proband. This case demonstrates maternal repeat instability and clinical anticipation in a family with SCA6.     

Dominantly inherited ataxias: lessons learned from Machado-Joseph disease/spinocerebellar ataxia type 3

To date, nearly 30 distinct genetic forms of dominantly inherited ataxia are known to exist. Of these, Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), is perhaps the most common in many regions of the world including the United States. This article discusses MJD/SCA3 as a paradigm example of the dominant ataxias, which are collectively known as the spinocerebellar ataxias. Using MJD/SCA3 as a starting point, the article reviews common clinical and genetic features of the SCAs and highlights new insights into molecular mechanisms, especially of the SCAs caused by polyglutamine expansion. Also discussed are current and future therapeutic opportunities for MJD/SCA3 in particular, many of which have relevance to other SCAs.     

Genetic and clinical analysis of spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 repeat expansion in Italy.

BACKGROUND: The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are clinically heterogeneous disorders caused by triplet repeat expansions in the sequence of specific disease genes. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA8), originally described in a family characterized by pure cerebellar ataxia with slow disease progression, presents with expansion of combined CTA/CTG repeats. OBJECTIVE: To perform SCA8 repeat expansion analysis in a heterogeneous group of ataxic patients, to determine the prevalence of this mutation in our patients and establish the frequency of expanded CTA/CTG repeats in a large group of control subjects. PATIENTS: One hundred sixty-seven patients affected by sporadic, autosomal dominant and recessive hereditary ataxia were clinically examined and analyzed for SCA8 expansion. We further studied 161 control subjects and 125 patients with psychiatric disorders. RESULTS: We found abnormally expanded CTA/CTG repeats in 5 ataxic patients, 3 of them characterized by pure cerebellar ataxia. One patient had vitamin E deficiency and 1 patient with a sporadic case was affected by gluten ataxia. No evidence of expanded alleles was found in healthy control subjects and in patients with psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the evidence that CTG expansions may be linked to SCA8, since the pathogenic expansions have been found only among patients with genetically unidentified forms of hereditary and sporadic ataxia. Patients carrying expanded alleles present peculiar phenotypic features, thus suggesting that unknown additional factors could probably predispose to the disease.     

Unstable triplet repeat and phenotypic variability of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1

A Siberian kindred with spinocerebellar ataxia genetically linked to the SCA1 locus on chromosome 6p has been screened for the CAG triplet expansion within the coding region of the SCA1 gene. The kindred includes 1,484 individuals, 225 affected and 656 at risk, making this collection the largest spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) pedigree known. Each of the studied 78 SCA1 patients carried an expanded allele containing a stretch of 39 to 72 uninterrupted CAG repeats. Normal alleles had 25 to 37 trinucleotide repeats. Expanded alleles containing 40 to 55 repeats were found in 26 atrisk relatives. The number of CAG repeats in the mutated allele was inversely correlated with age at disease onset. Cerebellar deficiency was present in each patient and its severity was moderately affected by the number of CAG repeats. In contrast, the associated signs, dysphagia, diffuse skeletal muscle atrophy with fasciculations, and tongue atrophy were absent or mild in patients with low CAG repeat numbers, but severely complicated the course of illness in patients with a larger number of repeat units. One female mutation carrier was asymptomatic at age 66, more than 2 standard deviations beyond the average age of risk, suggesting incomplete penetrance. In 2 symptomatic individuals who had an expanded number of CAG repeats on both chromosomes, age at onset, rate of progression, and clinical manifestation corresponded to the size of the larger allele.     

Clinical and genetic findings in Finnish ataxia patients with the spinocerebellar ataxia 8 repeat expansion

Spinocerebellar ataxia 8 (SCA8) is caused by a CTG repeat expansion in an untranslated region of a recently cloned gene on 13q21. The pathogenic role of this trinucleotide repeat was evaluated by examining 154 Finnish ataxia patients and 448 controls. Expansions ranging from 100 to 675 repeats were present in 9 (6%) unrelated patients and in 13 (3%) controls. There was a threefold excess of shorter expansions (<204 repeats) in the ataxia series, and the expansions tended to cluster in patients with a family history for the disease. Clinical and genetic data were subsequently collected from 15 patients. Common initial symptoms included gait instability, dysarthria, and tremor. A marked cerebellar atrophy in magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography was found in all patients. Pyramidal affection was often seen, and various kinds of cognitive impairment were evident in 40% of patients. Disease progression was slow, and fluctuation of symptoms was commonly observed. A maternal penetrance bias was not seen, nor was there any clear-cut negative correlation between age of onset and repeat number. Meiotic but not mitotic instability of the repeat expansion was evident. Haplotype analysis suggests multiple origins for the Finnish spinocerebellar ataxia 8 repeat expansions.     

Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy: Clinical features are closely related to unstable expansions of trinucleotide (CAG) repeat

Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by various combinations of ataxia, choreoathetosis, myoclonus, epilepsy, and dementia as well as a wide range of ages at onset. A specific unstable trinucleotide repeat expansion in a gene on the short arm of chromosome 12 was recently identified as the pathogenic mutation for this disease. We investigated how the degree of expansion of the CAG repeat affects the clinical manifestations of dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy. The size of the expanded alleles was well correlated with the age at onset (r = -0.696, p < 0.001). Patients with the progressive myoclonus epilepsy phenotype had larger expansions (62-79 repeats) and an earlier age at onset (onset before age 21). Furthermore, most of the patients with the progressive myoclonus epilepsy phenotype inherited their expanded alleles from their affected fathers. On the other hand, patients with the non-progressive myoclonus epilepsy phenotype showed smaller expansions (54-67 repeats) and a later age at onset (onset at or after age 21). Detailed analyses of clinical features demonstrated that ataxia, involuntary movement of either myoclonus or choreoathetosis, and intellectual decline are cardinal features of dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy, with myoclonus and epilepsy being observed more frequently in patients with an earlier age at onset. Thus the wide variation in clinical manifestations of dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy can now be clearly explained based on the degree of CAG repeat expansion, which strongly indicates that the expanded alleles are intimately involved in the neuronal degeneration in dentatofugal and pallidofugal systems.     

Refinement of the spinocerebellar ataxia type 4 locus in a large German family and exclusion of CAG repeat expansions in this region

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 4 (SCA4) is an autosomal dominant disorder mapped to chromosome 16q22.1 in a large Utah kindred. The clinical phenotype is characterized by cerebellar ataxia with sensory neuropathy. We describe a five-generation family from northern Germany with similar clinical findings linked to the same locus. Haplotype analyses refined the gene locus to a 3.69 cM interval between D16S3019 and D16S512. Analysis of nine CAG/CTG tracts in this region revealed no evidence for a repeat expansion. Received: 28 October 2002, Received in revised form: 16 December 2002, Accepted: 19 December 2002 Correspondence to: Dr. Yorck Hellenbroich     

Spinal cord atrophy in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 and 6

Objective   

To quantify spinal cord atrophy and its impact on clinical disability in spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) type 3 and 6.     

Anticipation and intergenerational repeat instability in spinocerebellar ataxia type 17

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) is caused by expansion of a CAG/CAA repeat in the TBP gene. Most pathogenic alleles are interrupted and are stably transmitted from parent to offspring without anticipation. We identified three SCA17 families with expansion of uninterrupted alleles, thus greatly increasing the number of known intergenerational transmissions of such alleles. We found that uninterrupted SCA17 alleles are unstable, associated with anticipation, and show a paternal expansion bias that increases with age. Even small increments in repeat length resulted in inordinate increases in anticipation. Anticipation was also associated with childhood presentation. Sequencing of all SCA17 alleles is required for effective genetic counseling.     

Coincident trinucleotide repeat expansions in a patient with myotonic dystrophy type 1 and spinocerebellar ataxia

This is a case report of a patient with confirmed myotonic dystrophy type 1 and spinocerebellar ataxia type 6. The coexistence of two trinucleotide repeat expansions in this family illustrates the importance of continued and vigilant diagnostic inquiry when a patient with a confirmed genetic abnormality has an atypical presentation. The coincidence of two trinucleotide repeat expansions in this patient may suggest an underlying error in DNA metabolism.     

Relative frequencies of CAG expansions in spinocerebellar ataxia and dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy in 116 Italian families

Two hundred and forty-eight patients from 116 Italian families with dominant ataxia were studied for CAG expansion within SCA1, 2, 3, 6, 7 (spinocerebellar ataxia) and DRPLA (dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy) genes. Fifty-six percent of the families originated from Southern, 19% from Central and 25% from Northern Italy. SCA2 was the commonest mutation, accounting for 47% of the families, followed by SCA1 (24%), SCA6 (2%), SCA7 (2%) and DRPLA (1%). No SCA3 family was found. Twenty-four percent of the families carried a still unidentified mutation. When occurrence of mutations was evaluated according to the geographic origin, SCA1 was the commonest in Northern (72%), whereas SCA2 was prevalent (63%) in Southern Italy. The number of CAG repeats in SCA1 normal alleles was higher in Northern than in Central-Southern Italy.