Search

25 of a group of 87 White men had Msp 1 restriction site polymorphism within an Alu sequence 3' to the human apo AII gene. Homozygosity for the polymorphism in 8 men was associated with a significant increase in serum apo AII levels (35.4 +/- 1.70 mg/dl, mean +/- SEM) and altered HDL composition, compared with heterozygotes (31.7 +/- 1.29; n = 17) and normal subjects (29.4 +/- 0.64; n = 62). This is the first account of a common variant of an HDL apoprotein gene that affects HDL composition. In view of its association with a high apo AII concentration homozygosity may protect against atherosclerosis.

Linkage markers at or close to the genes encoding the three major fibrillar collagens were used to analyze the segregation of these loci in six pedigrees with dominantly inherited Marfan syndrome. Four pedigrees were discordant at one of the Type I collagen loci (COL1A2), and, of these, two were discordant at the other Type I locus (COL1A1). The Marfan syndrome also segregated independently of the structural loci for Type II and Type III collagen in these two families. This is evidence against the Marfan syndrome being, in general, due to mutations in the major fibrillar collagen genes.

The complete nucleotide sequence of the human apolipoprotein All gene together with 911 bases of 5' flanking sequence and 687 bases of 3' flanking sequence have been determined. The mRNA coding region is interrupted by three introns of 169, 293 and 395bp. The Intro-exon structure of the apo All gene is similar to that of the apo AI, apo CIII and apo E genes: three introns separate 4 coding sequences specifying the 5' untranslated region, pre-peptide, a short N-terminal domain and a C-terminal domain composed of a variable number of lipid-binding amphipathic helices. Intron II carries a 33bp dG-dT repetitive element adjacent to the 3' splice junction which has the potential to adopt the Z-DNA conformation. The 5' and 3' terminuses of the mRNA have been identified by primer extension and S1 nuclease mapping. A number of short direct repeats are found in the 5' flanking region and an inverted repeat occurs between the CAAT and TATA boxes. Downstream of the the gene is an Alu family repeat containing a polymorphic MspI site, the deletion of which is associated with increased circulating levels of apoAII. ApoAII gene expression was demonstrated in adult human liver and HepG2 cells but not in human small intestine. Of ten Rhesus monkey tissues examined apo All mRNA was detected only in liver.

Seventy-seven persons with a variety of heritable chondrodysplasias were screened for gross rearrangements of the structural gene encoding the major cartilage collagen, collagen II. None was found. Segregation of the locus (COL2A1) was studied in 19 pedigrees using three restriction site dimorphisms (shown by PvuII, HindIII, and BamHI) and a length polymorphism as linkage markers. Discordant segregation between COL2A1 and the mutant locus was seen in pedigrees with multiple epiphyseal dysplasia, autosomal recessive spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda, hypochondroplasia, pseudoachondroplasia, diaphyseal aclasis, and trichorhinophalangeal syndrome. One pedigree with diastrophic dysplasia was weakly concordant. Autosomal dominant spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda and metaphyseal chondrodysplasia (type Schmid) were not informative. We conclude that mutations of the collagen II gene are not a common feature of the heritable chondrodysplasias. Since the chondrocyte binding protein, chondrocalcin, is also encoded at COL2A1 our conclusions apply equally to this gene.

Wilms' tumour (nephroblastoma) is an embryonal neoplasm occurring in hereditary and spontaneous forms. Both types show rearrangements of the short arm of chromosome 11. The germ line of children with the rare inherited triad of aniridia, genito-urinary abnormality and mental retardation carry a chromosome 11 that has a deletion in its short arm (band 11p13) and these children are at increased risk of developing Wilms' tumour. Neonates with the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, in which there may be duplication of the 11p13-11p15 region, are similarly predisposed. In the spontaneous form of the tumour a deletion of the 11p14 band in tumour cells, but not in normal cells, has been reported, and the development of homozygosity for recessive mutations in the 11p region is implicated in the aetiology of Wilms' tumour. In view of these chromosomal rearrangements and because Wilms' tumour is histologically indistinguishable from the early stages of kidney development, we have now examined the expression of genes localized to 11p in Wilms' tumour and human embryonic tissue. In 12 sporadic tumours examined, the expression of the gene coding for insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), localized to the 11p15 region, was markedly increased relative to adult tissues, but was comparable to the level of expression in several fetal tissues including kidney, liver, adrenals and striated muscle. This may reflect the stage of tumour differentiation, but could also contribute to the malignant process, as IGF-II is an embryonal mitogen.