Expression and DNA methylation analysis of SNRPN in Prader-Willi patients

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · American Journal of Human Genetics

OSTI ID:134211

Glenn, C C; Jong, M T.C.; Driscoll, D J ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); and others

The human SNRPN gene is one of a gene family that encode proteins involved in pre-mRNA splicing and maps to the Prader-Willi syndrome critical region in 15q11-q13. We have previously demonstrated functional imprinting of SNRPN, with absent expression in PWS skin fibroblasts and lymphoblasts. We now show a similar lack of expression in blood of PWS patients, which appear to correlate with DNA methylation of NotI sites in the 5{prime} region of the gene. RNA and DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and Angelman syndrome (AS) deletion patients to be used for RT-PCR with SNRPN gene-specific primers and DNA methylation analysis. Either no or highly reduced levels of SNRPN RT-PCR product were detected in nine PWS samples but was present in normals, AS patients, and one clinically typical PWS patient. Parent-of-origin DNA methylation imprints are also present within the SNRPN gene. PWS patients having only a maternal contribution of SNRPN have several NotI restriction sites near the transcription start site which are methylated, while these same sites are unmethylated on the paternal chromosome (i.e., AS samples). Several CpG sites approximately 22 kb downstream of the transcription start site are methylated preferentially on the paternal allele. These observations for human SNRPN are similar to those of the mouse imprinted gene Igf2r, which exhibits DNA methylation of a CpG island 27 kb from the transcription start site on the expressed allele, and DNA methylation in the promoter region of the repressed allele. We suggest that RT-PCR and/or DNA methylation analysis from blood of PWS patients may be the most accurate means of diagnosing classical PWS. These results further indicate a role for SNRPN in the pathogenesis of PWS, and may serve as a model to study other human imprinted genes.

• OSTI ID: 134211
• Report Number(s): CONF-941009--
• Journal Information: American Journal of Human Genetics, Journal Name: American Journal of Human Genetics Journal Issue: Suppl.3 Vol. 55; ISSN AJHGAG; ISSN 0002-9297
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
DNA
GENE REGULATION
GENES
GENETIC MAPPING
GENETICS
HEREDITARY DISEASES
HUMAN CHROMOSOME 15
MESSENGER-RNA
METHYLATION
PATHOGENESIS
PATIENTS
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION
PROTEINS
SPLICING
TRANSCRIPTION