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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Targeted Next-generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Pipeline to Evaluate Genetic Determinants of Constitutional Disease
Published on: April 4, 2018
Is KIF24 a genetic risk factor for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration?
Eliana Venturelli1, Chiara Villa, Chiara Fenoglio
1Department of Neurological Sciences, Dino Ferrari Center, University of Milan, Fondazione Cà Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Linkage analysis identified a region on chromosome 9p associated with Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD). A detailed analysis of candidate genes lying in this region demonstrated an association with Ubiquitin Associated Protein (UBAP)1. The distribution of five Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the chromosome 9 haplotype identified via linkage analysis, including UBAP1 rs7018487, UBAP2 rs1785506 and rs307658, and KIF24 rs17350674 and rs10814083, has been determined in a population of 284 patients diagnosed with FTLD, including 245 with behavioural variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD), 23 with Progressive Aphasia and 16 with Semantic Dementia, compared with 318 age-matched controls. A statistically significant increased frequency of the KIF24 rs17350674 AA genotype was observed in patients compared with controls (7.4 versus 2.5%; P=0.0068, OR: 3.63, CI: 1.58-8.35). Considering each syndrome separately, similar results where obtained in bvFTD versus controls (7.7 versus 2.5%, P=0.005, OR: 3.26, CI: 1.40-7.57). Stratifying for gender, a statistically significant increased genotypic frequency was observed in female patients as compared with female controls (8.9 versus 2.5%, P=0.008, OR: 3.85, CI: 1.36-10.93). In silico analysis predicted that the substitution from W to L caused by the rs17350674 affects protein function (P<0.05). The KIF24 rs17350674 polymorphism likely acts as a risk factor for sporadic FTLD, but a replication study would be needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
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