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Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type C exon 4 gene mutation distribution in an Italian multiple sclerosis

Clara Ballerini1, Eleonora Rosati, Marco Salvetti

  • 1Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50134, Florence, Italy. c1ara.ballerini@unifi.it

Neuroscience Letters
|July 31, 2002
PubMed

Insights

A specific mutation in the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type C (PTPRC) gene was found in Italian multiple sclerosis (MS) patients but not in healthy controls. This suggests a potential role for this PTPRC mutation in MS genetic susceptibility.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Immunology
  • Neurology

Background:

  • The protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type C (PTPRC) gene, encoding the CD45 molecule, has been implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility.
  • Previous studies reported an association between a specific PTPRC mutation and MS in German populations, but not in US or Swedish cohorts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of a C-->G mutation at position 77 of exon 4 in the PTPRC gene in the development of MS.
  • To assess the association of this PTPRC mutation with MS in an Italian continental population.

Main Methods:

  • Case-control study design.
  • Genotyping analysis to detect the C-->G transition at position 77 of the PTPRC gene.
  • Fisher exact test used for statistical analysis of mutation frequency.

Main Results:

  • The PTPRC C-->G mutation at position 77 was identified in a small subset of Italian MS patients.
  • This specific mutation was absent in the matched group of healthy Italian controls.
  • The observed difference in mutation frequency was statistically significant (Fisher exact test, P value=0.02).

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest a potential role for the investigated PTPRC mutation in the genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.
  • This mutation may contribute to MS development in a specific patient subgroup within the Italian population.

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