1. Analysis of the genes encoding neuroligins NLGN3 and NLGN4 in Bulgarian patients with autism.
- Author
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Avdjieva-Tzavella DM, Todorov TP, Todorova AP, Kirov AV, Hadjidekova SP, Rukova BB, Litvinenko IO, Hristova-Naydenova DN, Tincheva RS, and Toncheva DI
- Subjects
- Autistic Disorder blood, Bulgaria, Carrier Proteins blood, Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal blood, Genetic Predisposition to Disease genetics, Humans, Male, Membrane Proteins blood, Nerve Tissue Proteins blood, Point Mutation genetics, Autistic Disorder genetics, Carrier Proteins genetics, Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal genetics, Membrane Proteins genetics, Mutation genetics, Nerve Tissue Proteins genetics, Polymorphism, Genetic genetics
- Abstract
Many studies have supported a genetic aetiology for autism. Neuroligins are postsynaptically located cell-adhesion molecules. Mutations in two X-linked neuroligin genes, NLGN3 and NLGN4, have been implicated in pathogenesis of autism. In order to confirm these causative mutations in our autistic population and to determine their frequency we screened 20 individuals affected with autism. We identified one patient with a point mutation in NLGN4 gene that substituted a Met for Thr 787 - c.2360C > T, p.(Thr787Met) and three patients with identical polymorphisms in the same gene: c.933C > T, p.(Thr311Thr) in combination with c.[1777C > T+1779C > G, p.(Leu593Leu)]. All patients tested for NLGN3 mutations were negative. These results indicate that mutations in these genes are responsible for at most a small fraction of autism cases.
- Published
- 2012