Next-generation sequencing reveals substantial genetic contribution to dementia with Lewy bodies

Joshua T. Geiger; Jinhui Ding; Barbara Crain; Olga Pletnikova; Christopher Letson; Ted M. Dawson; Liana S. Rosenthal; Alexander Pantelyat; J. Raphael Gibbs; Marilyn S. Albert; Dena G. Hernandez; Argye E. Hillis; David J. Stone; Andrew B. Singleton; John A. Hardy; Juan C. Troncoso; Sonja W. Scholz

Neurobiology of Disease (Oct 2016)

Next-generation sequencing reveals substantial genetic contribution to dementia with Lewy bodies

Joshua T. Geiger,
Jinhui Ding,
Barbara Crain,
Olga Pletnikova,
Christopher Letson,
Ted M. Dawson,
Liana S. Rosenthal,
Alexander Pantelyat,
J. Raphael Gibbs,
Marilyn S. Albert,
Dena G. Hernandez,
Argye E. Hillis,
David J. Stone,
Andrew B. Singleton,
John A. Hardy,
Juan C. Troncoso,
Sonja W. Scholz

Affiliations

Joshua T. Geiger: Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Jinhui Ding: Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Barbara Crain: Department of Pathology (Neuropathology), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Olga Pletnikova: Department of Pathology (Neuropathology), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Christopher Letson: Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Ted M. Dawson: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Solomon H. Synder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Neuroregeneration Program, Institute of Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Liana S. Rosenthal: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Alexander Pantelyat: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
J. Raphael Gibbs: Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Marilyn S. Albert: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Dena G. Hernandez: Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Argye E. Hillis: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
David J. Stone: Genetics and Pharmacogenomics, Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA, USA
Andrew B. Singleton: Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
John A. Hardy: Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
Juan C. Troncoso: Department of Pathology (Neuropathology), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Sonja W. Scholz: Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Corresponding author at: Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, 35 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-3707, USA.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 94
pp. 55 – 62

Abstract

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Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Although an increasing number of genetic factors have been connected to this debilitating condition, the proportion of cases that can be attributed to distinct genetic defects is unknown. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the frequency and spectrum of pathogenic missense mutations and coding risk variants in nine genes previously implicated in DLB, we performed exome sequencing in 111 pathologically confirmed DLB patients. All patients were Caucasian individuals from North America. Allele frequencies of identified missense mutations were compared to 222 control exomes. Remarkably, ~25% of cases were found to carry a pathogenic mutation or risk variant in APP, GBA or PSEN1, highlighting that genetic defects play a central role in the pathogenesis of this common neurodegenerative disorder. In total, 13% of our cohort carried a pathogenic mutation in GBA, 10% of cases carried a risk variant or mutation in PSEN1, and 2% were found to carry an APP mutation. The APOE ε4 risk allele was significantly overrepresented in DLB patients (p-value <0.001). Our results conclusively show that mutations in GBA, PSEN1, and APP are common in DLB and consideration should be given to offer genetic testing to patients diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.

Published in Neurobiology of Disease

ISSN: 0969-9961 (Print); 1095-953X (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/neurobiology-of-disease

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