WFS1 mutations in Spanish patients with diabetes mellitus and deafness

Wolfram syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by early onset diabetes mellitus and progressive optic atrophy, as well as other clinical features such as deafness, diabetes insipida, renal tract abnormalities and diverse psychiatric illnesses. A gene responsible for WS was identified in 4p16.1 (WFS1). It encodes a putative 890 amino acid transmembrane protein expressed in a wide spectrum of tissues. Recently, a new locus for WS has been located on 4q22-24, providing additional evidence for the genetic heterogeneity of this syndrome. We have studied the presence of WFS1 variants in three groups of individuals: patients with diabetes mellitus, patients with deafness and patients with both conditions. A fourth group of healthy subjects was used as control. We have identified a total of 18 nucleotide changes in the WFS1 gene: three mutations and 15 polymorphisms. Six of these changes were previously undescribed. Four of the 15 polymorphisms studied among the patients group present statistical differences in the allelic and genotypic distribution when comparing affected vs control groups.