The frequency of the C9orf72 expansion in a Brazilian population

Vívian Pedigone Cintra, Luciana Cardoso Bonadia, Helen Maia T. Andrade, Milena de Albuquerque, Mayara Ferreira Eusébio, Daniel Sabino de Oliveira, Rinaldo Claudino, Marcus Vinicius Magno Gonçalves, Antônio Lúcio Teixeira, Laura de Godoy Rousseff Prado, Leonardo Cruz de Souza, Mario Emilio Teixeira Dourado, Acary Souza Bulle Oliveira, Vitor Tumas, Marcondes C. França, Wilson Marques

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

G4C2 hexanucleotide repeat expansions in the C9orf72 gene seem to be the cause of numerous cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and/or frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In this study, we investigated the presence of the G4C2 repeat expansion in 463 Brazilian probands, of whom 404 had ALS/motor neuron disease and 67 FTD, and in 63 healthy controls in the southeastern region of Brazil. The highest frequencies of the C9orf72 mutation were in the ALS-FTD group (50% of familial and 17.6% of sporadic cases), although it was also present in 5% of pure ALS/motor neuron disease patients (11.8% of familial and 3.6% of sporadic cases) and in 7.1% of pure familial FTD. Among G4C2 repeat mutation carriers, 68.8% of the subjects who developed dementia symptoms were females. This frequency was significantly higher than the percentage reached by men with C9orf72 expansion who had this phenotype (p = 0.047). No abnormal repeat expansion was found in control groups. Inclusion of the C9orf72 genetic test in the molecular panels for Brazilian populations with these neurodegenerative diseases should be strongly considered.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)179.e1-179.e4
JournalNeurobiology of Aging
Volume66
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
  • C9orf72
  • Frequency
  • Frontotemporal dementia
  • GC repeat expansion
  • Neurodegenerative diseases

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Aging
  • Developmental Biology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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