Genetic mapping studies of familial juvenile hyperuricemic nephropathy on chromosome 16p11-p13.

Familial juvenile hyperuricemic nephropathy (FJHN), which is inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder, is characterized by hyperuricemia, a low fractional renal excretion of urate, and chronic renal failure that is associated with interstitial fibrosis. Studies in 4 families (3 European and 1 Japanese) have mapped the gene causing autosomal dominant FJHN to chromosome 16p11-p13. To refine this location we have pursued linkage studies in 7 European families with autosomal dominant FJHN and used 11 chromosome 16p11-p13 polymorphic loci whose order has been established as 16pter-D16S3069-D16S3060-D16S3041-D16S3036-D16S3046-[D16S403,D16S417]-D16S420-D16S3113-D16S401-D16S3133-16cen. Cosegregation between these polymorphic loci and FJHN was observed in 5 of the families, and linkage was established between FJHN and 6 loci (peak LOD score, 5.32 with D16S417, at 0% recombination), with the most likely location of FJHN being within a 22-centimorgan interval flanked centromerically by D16S401 and telomerically by D16S3069. Furthermore, FJHN in 2 families was found not to be linked to chromosome 16p11-p13, thereby demonstrating genetic heterogeneity. Thus, 5 additional families with FJHN showing linkage to chromosome 16p11-p13 loci have been identified, and genetic heterogeneity has been demonstrated in more than 25% of FJHN families. These results will facilitate the characterization of this gene regulating urate metabolism.

Comparison of human chromosome 19q13 and syntenic region on mouse chromosome 7 reveals absence, in man, of 11.6 Mb containing four mouse calcium-sensing receptor-related sequences: relevance to familial benign hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia type 3.

Familial benign hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FBHH) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder that consists of three designated types, FBHH1, FBHH2 and FBHH3, whose chromosomal locations are 3q21.1, 19p and 19q13, respectively. FBHH1 is caused by mutations of a calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), but the abnormalities underlying FBHH2 and FBHH3 are unknown. FBHH3, also referred to as the Oklahoma variant (FBHH(Ok)), has been mapped to a 12cM interval, flanked by D19S908 and D19S866. To refine the location of FBHH3, we pursued linkage studies using 24 polymorphic loci. Our results establish a linkage between FBHH3 and 17 of these loci, and indicate that FBHH3 is located in a 4.1 Mb region flanked centromerically by D19S112 and telomerically by rs245111, which in the syntenic region on mouse chromosome 7 contains four Casr-related sequences (Gprc2a-rss). However, human homologues of these Gprc2a-rss were not found and a comparative analysis of the 22.0 Mb human and 39.3 Mb mouse syntenic regions showed evolutionary conservation of two segments that were inverted with loss from the human genome of 11.6 Mb that contained the four Gprc2a-rss. Thus, FBHH3 cannot be attributed to Gprc2a-rss abnormalities. DNA sequence analysis of 12 other genes from the interval that were expressed in the parathyroids and/or kidneys did not detect any abnormalities, thereby indicating that these genes are unlikely to be the cause of FBHH3. The results of this study have refined the map location of FBHH3, which will facilitate the identification of another CaSR or a mediator of calcium homeostasis.

Gata3-deficient mice develop parathyroid abnormalities due to dysregulation of the parathyroid-specific transcription factor Gcm2.

Heterozygous mutations of GATA3, which encodes a dual zinc-finger transcription factor, cause hypoparathyroidism with sensorineural deafness and renal dysplasia. Here, we have investigated the role of GATA3 in parathyroid function by challenging Gata3+/- mice with a diet low in calcium and vitamin D so as to expose any defects in parathyroid function. This led to a higher mortality among Gata3+/- mice compared with Gata3+/+ mice. Compared with their wild-type littermates, Gata3+/- mice had lower plasma concentrations of calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) and smaller parathyroid glands with a reduced Ki-67 proliferation rate. At E11.5, Gata3+/- embryos had smaller parathyroid-thymus primordia with fewer cells expressing the parathyroid-specific gene glial cells missing 2 (Gcm2), the homolog of human GCMB. In contrast, E11.5 Gata3-/- embryos had no Gcm2 expression and by E12.5 had gross defects in the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches, including absent parathyroid-thymus primordia. Electrophoretic mobility shift, luciferase reporter, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that GATA3 binds specifically to a functional double-GATA motif within the GCMB promoter. Thus, GATA3 is critical for the differentiation and survival of parathyroid progenitor cells and, with GCM2/B, forms part of a transcriptional cascade in parathyroid development and function.