Marker haplotype association with growth in German cystic fibrosis patients

The origin of Eastern European Jews revealed by autosomal, sex chromosomal and mtDNA polymorphisms

Background

This study aims to establish the likely origin of EEJ (Eastern European Jews) by genetic distance analysis of autosomal markers and haplogroups on the X and Y chromosomes and mtDNA.

Results

According to the autosomal polymorphisms the investigated Jewish populations do not share a common origin, and EEJ are closer to Italians in particular and to Europeans in general than to the other Jewish populations. The similarity of EEJ to Italians and Europeans is also supported by the X chromosomal haplogroups. In contrast according to the Y-chromosomal haplogroups EEJ are closest to the non-Jewish populations of the Eastern Mediterranean. MtDNA shows a mixed pattern, but overall EEJ are more distant from most populations and hold a marginal rather than a central position. The autosomal genetic distance matrix has a very high correlation (0.789) with geography, whereas the X-chromosomal, Y-chromosomal and mtDNA matrices have a lower correlation (0.540, 0.395 and 0.641 respectively).

Conclusions

The close genetic resemblance to Italians accords with the historical presumption that Ashkenazi Jews started their migrations across Europe in Italy and with historical evidence that conversion to Judaism was common in ancient Rome. The reasons for the discrepancy between the biparental markers and the uniparental markers are discussed.

Reviewers

This article was reviewed by Damian Labuda (nominated by Jerzy Jurka), Kateryna Makova and Qasim Ayub (nominated by Dan Graur).

Perspectives of longitudinal growth in cystic fibrosis from birth to adult age

The longitudinal growth in 139 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) was investigated from birth until the age of 19 years. Already at birth weight and length were reduced (weight: -0.83 +/- 0.13 SDS in girls, -0.44 +/- 0.13 SDS in boys; length: 0.55 +/- 0.13 SDS in girls, -0.39 +/- 0.14 SDS in boys; mean +/- SEM). Both variables showed a further decline until diagnosis was established (weight: -1.57 +/- 0.21 SDS in girls, -1.46 +/- 0.25 SDS in boys; length: -1.15 +/- 0.32 SDS in girls, -1.03 +/- 0.52 SDS in boys; mean +/- SEM). Six to 12 months after diagnosis length improved and reached the 25th percentile in both sexes. Height and weight followed the 25th percentile throughout childhood. Growth velocity was fairly normal during this period. There was a loss in percentiles of both height and weight after the age of 8 years and the pubertal growth spurt was delayed and reduced. However, the 25th percentile was reached again in the adolescent period. At the age of 19 years median height was 161.5 cm in girls and 173 cm in boys, both representing the 25th percentile. Using a sensitive statistical method for analysis of growth data we present CF specific growth curves for height, weight and growth velocity. There was no significant effect of pulmonary colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa on growth velocity.

Differentially delayed development in the hand-wrist skeletons of children with cystic fibrosis: Round versus tubular bones

From a sample of 50 cystic fibrosis patients in whom a previous study had demosntrated a lack of statistical interdependence between disease severity and significant TW2-20 bone age delays, hand-wrist radiographs for a preadolescent subsample of 30 (14 females and 16 males, 7.4 to 13.0 years of age) are reassessed using the TW2 method to (1) elucidate any significant differences in maturational delays exhibited by the carpals and the tubular bones (radius, ulna, and short bones [RUS]) of the hand-wrist complex and (2) assess the relationships between the clinically derived measure of pulmonary disease severity, anthropometric indices of nutritional status, and the bone age delays in these two regions. Female and male carpal bone age delays, pulmonary disease severity scores, and weight/height² differ significantly. However, both sexes exhibit significant mean TW2-carpal bone age delays, while mean TW2-RUS ages are either non-significantly delayed or advanced with respect to normative standards. Correlation and all-subsets multiple linear regression analyses reveal no significant interdependence or predictive relationships between clinically derived measures of pulmonary disease severity and anthropometric measures of nutritional complications and delayed skeletal maturation in either the carpals or tubular bones of the hand-wrist complex.

Genotype-phenotype correlations in cystic fibrosis patients

Genetic and biomedical data from 346 cystic fibrosis patients of German origin have been evaluated. We demonstrated an age dependent distribution of CFTR genotypes, and confirmed the previously reported association between the dF508 mutation in the CFTR gene and pancreatic insufficiency. However 3 out of 22 pancreatic sufficient patients were dF508 homozygous. When patients were grouped with respect to height development, significant differences were seen in the distribution of J3.11-MspI alleles. We conclude that genetic determinants in and around the CFTR gene contribute to the variability in the clinical course of the disease.

Gradient of distribution in Europe of the major CF mutation and of its associated haplotype. European Working Group on CF Genetics (EWGCFG)

In this collaborative European study, a total of 4871 cystic fibrosis (CF) chromosomes and 3539 normal chromosomes have been characterized for the haplotypes defined by the 2 extragenic polymorphic sequences revealed by XV2c and KM19. The association between one of these haplotypes (B haplotype) and the most frequent CF mutation, delta F508, suggests for the latter a single origin and a subsequent diffusion according to a South East-North West gradient. The linkage disequilibrium data between CF and the B haplotype in different European populations are compatible with a relatively more recent appearance of the mutation in Northern Europe whereas in Southern Europe a longer history of the same mutation would have allowed time for recombination with other haplotypes. This model is also compatible with a selective advantage of carriers but does not account for (1) the excess of B haplotypes observed among both normal and non-delta F508 CF chromosomes; (2) the correlation between the B haplotype and the severity of the phenotypic effect caused by CF mutations, as measured by pancreatic insufficiency and meconium ileus.