Pornsirin Chunhapimon. Identification and confirmation of unknown mutations at low density lipoprotein receptor locus . Master's Degree(Biochemistry). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2004.
Identification and confirmation of unknown mutations at low density lipoprotein receptor locus
Abstract:
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is caused by a defect in the function of the
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor and is inherited in an autosomal dominant
pattern. Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis was used to screen
for mutations at the LDL receptor locus in Thai subjects with primary
hypercholesterolemia. The abnormal SSCP patterns were subjected to direct DNA
sequencing and secondary confirmation by examination of the DNA fragment used for
sequencing, either by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) or allele
specific amplification (ASA). Four mutations and one polymorphism, 313+1 G>T,
E153K, M391T, S554L and G471A, respectively were found. Three mutations (313+1
G>T, M391T, S554L) were screened in a group of 100 normolipidemic subjects by
PCR-RFLP and ASA. From this screening, these mutations were not observed in
control DNA samples (n=100). The E153K mutation was observed in a 10 years old
Thai boy and his father. The E153K mutation was not present in the boy’s mother. It
might be a pathogenic mutation causing the hypercholesterolemic condition in the boy
and his father. Since the boy has severe hypercholesterolemia, then, boy may be a
compound heterozygous FH and has inherited another FH causing mutation from his
mother. G471A polymorphism, the abnormal SSCP pattern was observed in five
unrelated patients. Two in five of the abnormal SSCP patterns were subjected to
sequencing analysis. From amino acid sequence alignments, these mutations cause
non-conservative substitution in the relatively conserved region of the protein
molecule and thus may consequently disturb the function of the receptor protein.
These findings, including the absence of these mutations in normolipidemic subjects,
suggest that these mutations are pathogenic and could be the possible cause of the
hypercholesterolemic condition in these index subjects.