Epidemiology of early-onset frontotemporal dementia and molecular genetics of early-onset neurodegenerative dementia

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are the most common causes of early-onset dementia (EOD). The epidemiology and genetic etiology of EOD are rather unknown. The main genetic causes of AD and FTD are mutations in the APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, MAPT and GRN genes and the hexanucleotide repeat expansion of C9orf72, which is the main genetic cause of FTD in Finland. However, autosomal dominant mutations explain only a minority of familial EOD cases, whereas rare and low-frequency gene variants related to neurodegenerative diseases increase the risk of EOD and may be involved in the etiology of EOD. The epidemiology of FTD in Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland, was determined using the hospital discharge register from Oulu University Hospital and the population statistics for 2006–2010. The genes previously associated with AD, FTD and PD were screened from the EOD patients (n=39) with familial dementia, atypical onset or rapidly progressive disease using next-generation sequencing. The presence of C9orf72 repeat expansion was excluded. The rare and low-frequency variants of genes related to PD were screened in an additional large EOD cohort (n=279). The five-year incidence of FTD was 5.5/100000 in 2006–2010, with a prevalence of 20.5/100000 (age group of 45–65 years). Two pathogenic mutations, PSEN1 p.His163Arg and MAPT p.Arg406Trp, were identified from the selected EOD cohort (n=39). The possible risk-increasing variants of PSEN1, PSEN2, TREM2, BIN1, APP, UBQLN2, GRN, MAPT, TMEM106B, LRRK2, SNCAIP, PARK2 and GBA were identified. After excluding two patients with pathogenic PSEN1 and MAPT mutations, 24% (n=9) of the remaining cohort (n=37) and 15% (n=47) of all screened EOD patients (n=316) carried rare, low-frequency variants of PD-related genes. This research adds to the literature on the epidemiology of FTD and the genetics of EOD. The incidence and prevalence of FTD in Finland are high compared to other countries worldwide. Screening for pathogenic mutations in younger, clinically selected patients would be worthwhile. Pathogenic mutations of PSEN1 and MAPT seem to be rare causes of AD and FTD in Finland. Rare variants of PD-related genes may also be involved in the etiologies of AD and FTD.Tiivistelmä Alzheimerin tauti (AT) ja otsa-ohimolohkorappeuma (frontotemporal dementia, FTD) ovat kaksi yleisintä varhain (alle 65-vuotiaana) alkavaa muistisairautta. Näiden epidemiologiaa on tutkittu vähän. Suomessa otsa-ohimolohkorappeuman yleisin tunnettu geneettinen syy on C9orf72 toistojakson laajentuma. Autosomissa dominantisti periytyvien tekijöiden lisäksi lukuisien väestössä harvinaisten geenivarianttien on viime vuosina osoitettu lisäävän muistisairauksien riskiä. Kuitenkin yhä merkittävä osa sairastuneista jää ilman geneettistä selitystä, vaikka sukuhistoriakin puoltaisi perinnöllistä sairautta. Otsa-ohimolohkorappeumien ilmaantuvuus ja esiintyvyys tutkittiin käyttäen Oulun yliopistollisen sairaalan hoidonpäättämisrekisteriä vuosilta 2006–2010. Tunnetut AT:iin, otsa-ohimolohkorappeumiin sekä Parkinsonin tautiin (PT) liitetyt geenit tutkittiin tarkkaan valikoidusta varhain alkavaa muistisairautta sairastavien potilaiden kohortista (n=39) käyttäen uuden sukupolven sekvensointia (next generation sequencing, NGS). C9orf72 toistojaksomutaation kantajat oli poissuljettu. Kohortista löydetyt PT:iin liitettyjen geenien variantit seulottiin lisäksi valikoimattomilta varhain alkavaa muistisairautta sairastavilta potilailta (n=279). Otsa-ohimolohkorappeumien viiden vuoden ilmaantuvuus 45–65-vuotiaiden ikäryhmässä oli 5.5/100000 ja esiintyvyys 20.5/100000. Valikoidusta kohortista löydettiin kaksi tautia aiheuttavaa mutaatiota (PSEN1 p.His163Arg ja MAPT p.Arg406Trp). Harvinaisia variantteja todettiin geeneissä PSEN1, PSEN2, TREM2, BIN1, APP, UBQLN2, GRN, MAPT, TMEM106B, LRRK2, SNCAIP, PARK2 ja GBA. PT:iin liitettyjen geenien variantteja ilmeni enemmän valikoiduilla kuin kaikilla seulotuilla potilailla (24 % vs. 15 %). Otsa-ohimolohkorappeumien ilmaantuvuus ja esiintyvyys Pohjois-Pohjanmaalla ovat korkeita verrattuna aiemmin maailmalla kuvattuihin tuloksiin. Tautia aiheuttavia mutaatioita löytyy nuorilta, valikoiduilta potilailta. Patogeeniset PSEN1 ja MAPT mutaatiot lienevät harvinaisia Suomessa. Tulosten perusteella harvinaiset Parkinsonin tautiin liitettyjen geenien variantit saattavat olla osa Alzheimerin taudin ja otsa-ohimolohkorappeuman etiologiaa

NDUFA1 p.Gly32Arg variant in early-onset dementia

Abstract Early-onset dementia (EOD) is highly heritable. However, in many EOD cases the genetic etiology remains unknown. Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with neurodegeneration and the complex I (CI) deficiency is the most common enzyme deficiency in diseases related to oxidative phosphorylation. The X-chromosomal NDUFA1 gene is essential for the activity of CI. Mutations in NDUFA1 are associated with mitochondrial diseases especially with Leigh syndrome. CI deficiency is also associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of NDUFA1 variants in EOD patients. Next-generation sequencing panel was used to screen NDUFA1 variants in a cohort of 37 EOD patients with a family history of dementia or an atypical or rapidly progressive course of disease. We identified a hemizygous p.Gly32Arg variant in two brothers with AD. Subsequent screening of the variant in a larger cohort of EOD patients (n = 279) revealed three additional variant carriers (one male and two heterozygote females), suggesting that NDUFA1 variant p.Gly32Arg may play a role in neurodegenerative dementia

Mutation analysis of the genes linked to early onset Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Abstract A lot of effort has been done to unravel the genetics underlying early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). However, many familial early-onset dementia (EOD) cases still show an unclear genetic background. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the known causative mutations and possible pathogenic variants associated with AD and FTLD in a Finnish EOD cohort. The cohort consisted of 39 patients (mean age at onset 54.8 years, range 39–65) with a positive family history of dementia or an atypical or rapidly progressive course of the disease. None of the patients carried the C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion. Mutations and variants in APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, MAPT, GRN, VCP, CHMP2B, FUS, TARDBP, TREM2, TMEM106B, UBQLN2, SOD1, PRNP, UBQLN1, and BIN1 were screened by using a targeted next generation sequencing panel. Two previously reported pathogenic mutations (PSEN1 p.His163Arg and MAPT p.Arg406Trp) were identified in the cohort. Both patients had familial dementia with an atypical early onset phenotype. In addition, a heterozygous p.Arg71Trp mutation in PSEN2 with an uncertain pathogenic nature was identified in a patient with neuropathologically confirmed AD. In conclusion, targeted investigation of the known dementia-linked genes is worthwhile in patients with onset age under 55 and a positive family history, as well as in patients with atypical features