Clinical variability and onset age modifiers in an extended Belgian GRN founder family

Abstract: We previously reported a granulin (GRN) null mutation, originating from a common founder, in multiple Belgian families with frontotemporal dementia. Here, we used data of a 10-year follow-up study to describe in detail the clinical heterogeneity observed in this extended founder pedigree. We identified 85 patients and 40 unaffected mutation carriers, belonging to 29 branches of the founder pedigree. Most patients (74.4%) were diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, while others had a clinical diagnosis of unspecified dementia, Alzheimer's dementia or Parkinson's disease. The observed... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Wauters, Eline
Van Mossevelde, Sara
Sleegers, Kristel
van der Zee, Julie
Engelborghs, Sebastiaan
Sieben, Anne
Vandenberghe, Rik
Philtjens, Stéphanie
Van den Broeck, Marleen
Peeters, Karin
Cuijt, Ivy
De Coster, Wouter
Van Langenhove, Tim
Santens, Patrick
Ivanoiu, Adrian
Cras, Patrick
De Bleecker, Jan L.
Versijpt, Jan
Crois, Roeland
De Klippel, Nina
Martin, Jean-Jacques
De Deyn, Peter Paul
Cruts, Marc
Van Broeckhoven, Christine
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2018
Schlagwörter: Biology / Human medicine
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-29292403
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://hdl.handle.net/10067/1503320151162165141

Abstract: We previously reported a granulin (GRN) null mutation, originating from a common founder, in multiple Belgian families with frontotemporal dementia. Here, we used data of a 10-year follow-up study to describe in detail the clinical heterogeneity observed in this extended founder pedigree. We identified 85 patients and 40 unaffected mutation carriers, belonging to 29 branches of the founder pedigree. Most patients (74.4%) were diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, while others had a clinical diagnosis of unspecified dementia, Alzheimer's dementia or Parkinson's disease. The observed clinical heterogeneity can guide clinical diagnosis, genetic testing, and counseling of mutation carriers. Onset of initial symptomatology is highly variable, ranging from age 45 to 80 years. Analysis of known modifiers, suggested effects of GRN rs5848, microtubule-associated protein tau H1/H2, and chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 G4C2 repeat length on onset age but explained only a minor fraction of the variability. Contrary, the extended GRN founder family is a valuable source for identifying other onset age modifiers based on exome or genome sequences. These modifiers might be interesting targets for developing disease-modifying therapies.