Abstract
Mutations in the progressive external ophthalmoplegia 1 (PEO1), adenine nucleotide translocator 1 (ANT1) and DNA polymerase gamma (POLG) genes were reported in patients with progressive external ophthalmoplegia and parkinsonism. However, the genotype–phenotype correlation and pathophysiology of these syndromes are still unknown. In order to define the molecular basis of progressive external ophthalmoplegia and parkinsonism, we screened for mutations in PEO1, ANT1, POLG genes and the whole mitochondrial genome in two families. In results, we identified a compound heterozygous POLG substitutions, c.830A>T (p.H277L) and c.2827C>T (p.R943C) in one of the families. These two mutations in the coding region of POLG alter conserved amino acids in the exonuclease and polymerase domains, respectively, of the POLG protein. Neither of these substitutions was found in the 100 chromosomes of ethnically matched control subjects. In the other family, no mutations were detected in any of the three genes and the whole mitochondrial genome in the blood sample, although mitochondrial DNA deletions were observed in the muscle biopsy sample. Progressive external ophthalmoplegia and parkinsonism are genetically heterogenous disorders, and part of this syndrome may be caused by mutations in other, unknown genes.
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Acknowledgments
We thank all patients and control subjects for their active cooperation. This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for the Research Committee of CNS Degenerative Diseases of the Research on Measures for Intractable Diseases from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor, Japan, by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture, Japan.
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Sato, K., Yabe, I., Yaguchi, H. et al. Genetic analysis of two Japanese families with progressive external ophthalmoplegia and parkinsonism. J Neurol 258, 1327–1332 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-5936-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-011-5936-x