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The serotonergic (5-HT) neuronal system has important and diverse physiological functions throughout development and adulthood. Its dysregulation during development or later in adulthood has been implicated in many neuropsychiatric disorders. Transgenic animal models designed to study the contribution of serotonergic susceptibility genes to a pathological phenotype should ideally allow to study candidate gene overexpression or gene knockout selectively in serotonergic neurons at any desired time during life. For this purpose, conditional expression systems such as the tetsystem are preferable. Here, we generated a transactivator (tTA) mouse line (TPH2-tTA) that allows temporal and spatial control of tetracycline (Ptet) controlled transgene expression as well as gene deletion in 5-HT neurons. The tTA cDNA was inserted into a 196 kb PAC containing a genomic mouse Tph2 fragment (177 kb) by homologous recombination in E. coli. For functional analysis of Ptet-controlled transgene expression, TPH2-tTA mice were crossed to a Ptet-regulated lacZ reporter line (Ptet-nLacZ). In adult double-transgenic TPH2-tTA/Ptet-nLacZ mice, TPH2-tTA founder line L62-20 showed strong serotonergic b-galactosidase expression which could be completely suppressed with doxycycline (Dox). Furthermore, Ptet-regulated gene expression could be reversibly activated or inactivated when Dox was either withdrawn or added to the system. For functional analysis of Ptet-controlled, Cre-mediated gene deletion, TPH2-tTA mice (L62-20) were crossed to double transgenic Ptet-Cre/R26R reporter mice to generate TPH2-tTA/Ptet-Cre/R26R mice. Without Dox, 5-HT specific recombination started at E12.5. With permanent Dox administration, Ptet-controlled Cre-mediated recombination was absent. Dox withdrawal either postnatally or during adulthood induced efficient recombination in serotonergic neurons of all raphe nuclei, respectively. In the enteric nervous system, recombination could not be detected. We generated a transgenic mouse tTA line (TPH2-tTA) which allows both inducible and reversible transgene expression and inducible Cremediated gene deletion selectively in 5-HT neurons throughout life. This will allow precise delineation of serotonergic gene functions during development and adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the rationale, the background and the structure for version 2.0 of the GENESTAT information portal (www.genestat.org) for statistical genetics. The fast methodological advances, coupled with a range of standalone software, makes it difficult for expert as well as non-expert users to orientate when designing and analysing their genetic studies. The ultimate ambition of GENESTAT is to guide on statistical methodology related to the broad spectrum of research in genetic epidemiology. GENESTAT 2.0 focuses on genetic association studies. Each entry provides a summary of a topic and gives links to key papers, websites and software. The flexibility of the internet is utilised for cross-referencing and for open editing. This paper gives an overview of GENESTAT and gives short introductions to the current main topics in GENESTAT, with additional entries on the website. Methods and software developers are invited to contribute to the portal, which is powered by a Wikipedia-type engine and allows easy additions and editing.European Journal of Human Genetics (2009) 17, 533–536; doi:10.1038/ejhg.2008.216; published online 12 November 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the great strengths of the Framingham Heart Study data, provided for the Genetic Analysis Workshop 13, is the long-term survey of phenotypic data. We used this unique data to create new phenotypes representing the pattern of longitudinal change of the provided phenotypes, especially systolic blood pressure and body weight. We performed a linear regression of body weight and systolic blood pressure on age and took the slopes as new phenotypes for quantitative trait linkage analysis using the SOLAR package. There was no evidence for heritability of systolic blood pressure change. Heritability was estimated as 0.15 for adult life "body weight change", measured as the regression slope, and "body weight gain" (including only individuals with a positive regression slope), and as 0.22 for body weight "change up to 50" (regression slope of weight on age up to an age of 50). With multipoint analysis, two regions on the long arm of chromosome 8 showed the highest LOD scores of 1.6 at 152 cM for "body weight change" and of >1.9 around location 102 cM for "body weight gain" and "change up to 50". The latter two LOD scores almost reach the threshold for suggestive linkage. We conclude that the chromosome 8 region may harbor a gene acting on long-term body weight regulation, thereby contributing to the development of the metabolic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D has been shown to exert manifold immunomodulatory effects. Because type 1 diabetes is regarded to be immune-mediated and vitamin D prevents the development of diabetes in the NOD mouse, we investigated the role of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene as a candidate for type 1 diabetes susceptibility. A total of 152 Caucasian families with at least one affected offspring were genotyped for four VDR restriction-site polymorphisms (FokI, BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI). Whereas the BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI polymorphisms are in strong linkage disequilibrium with each other, no significant linkage disequilibrium with the FokI site was observed. Extended transmission disequilibrium testing (ETDT) was used to detect preferential transmission of allelic combinations to affected offspring. We found significant haplotype-wise ETDT results for the BsmI/ApaI/TaqI (chi2 = 18.886, df = 7, P = 0.0086), the BsmI/TaqI (chi2 = 8.373, df = 3, P = 0.0389), and theApaI/TaqI (chi2 = 17.182, df = 3, P = 0.0006) haplotypes. The "At" and "Bt" alleles confer an increased risk, whereas "AT" and "at" are protective. The combination with the strongest susceptibility was the "BAt" haplotype (64% transmitted, P = 0.0106). Analysis of the FokI site does not provide more information on susceptibility (FokI/BsmI/ApaI/TaqI [chi2 = 24.702, df = 15, P = 0.0541]). These findings suggest a linkage of VDR itself or a nearby gene with type 1 diabetes susceptibility in Germans, confirming respective observations previously made in Indian Asians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]