Barbara A. Fernie

The molecular basis of C6 deficiency in the western Cape, South Africa

Deficiency of the sixth component of human complement (C6) has been reported in a number of families from the western Cape, South Africa. Meningococcal disease is endemic in the Cape and almost all pedigrees of total C6 deficiency (C6Q0) have been ascertained because of recurrent disease. We have sequenced the expressed exons of the C6 gene from selected cases and have found three molecular defects leading to total deficiency: 879delG, which is the common defect in the Cape and hitherto unreported, and 1195delC and 1936delG, which have been previously reported in African-Americans. We also show that the 879delG and 1195delC defects are associated with characteristic C6/C7 region DNA marker haplotypes, although small variations were observed. The 1936delG defect was observed only once in the Cape, but its associated haplotype could be deduced. The data from the haplotypes indicate that these three molecular defects account for the defects in all the 38 unrelated C6Q0 individuals we have studied from the Cape. We have also observed the 879delG defect in two Dutch C6-deficient kindreds, but the 879delG defect in the Cape probably did not come from the Netherlands.

Complement C7 deficiency: seven further molecular defects and their associated marker haplotypes

Seven further molecular bases of C7 deficiency are described. All these new molecular defects involve single-nucleotide events, deletions and substitutions, some of which alter splice sites, and others codons. They are distributed along the C7 gene, but predominantly towards the 3′ end. All were found in compound heterozygous individuals. The C6/C7 marker haplotypes associated with most C7 defects are tabulated.

NO EVIDENCE FOR ASSOCIATION OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS WITH THE COMPLEMENT FACTORS C6 AND C7

Four genome screens in multiple sclerosis have been completed and each has identified evidence for linkage in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 5. This region encodes a number of candidate genes including those for the complement components C6, C7 and C9. We have used a multiplexed oligoligation assay (OLA) to test single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the C6 and C7 genes for evidence of association with multiple sclerosis in our sibling pair families. There was no statistically significant difference in the allele frequencies of these polymorphisms in the index cases from our families when compared with locally derived controls. No evidence for transmission distortion was seen with any of the polymorphisms, or with the haplotype built from the three SNPs from the C7 gene. Despite offering themselves as potential candidates these complement genes appear not to confer susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.

Five New Polymorphisms in the Complement C7 Gene and Their Association with C7 Deficiency

Five new polymorphisms in the C7 gene are described: 2 in intron 1, and 1 each in introns 7, 8 and 15. Four of these are single nucleotide exchanges, while the fifth is a T insertion at 10 sequential Ts. Allele frequency data are presented for intervening sequence (IVS)1+ 55 in 6 normal population groups. We present new and updated data in these populations on a previously described C7 polymorphism in exon 13 (cDNA 1792 A/T). We also report the extended haplotypes associated with C7 deficiency for which marker investigation is a useful, and in some cases vital, adjunct to the identification of the gene defects. Almost without exception, a particular haplotype is associated with a particular mutation causing the deficiency state. Haplotyping is especially useful where polymerase chain reaction failure on one chromosome could be a cause for difficulties in detecting a molecular defect due to heterozygosity for large deletions or unidentified variations at the locations of the primers.

An unusual combined insertion/deletion polymorphism in intron 10 of the human complement C6 gene

Abstract Investigation of intron 10 of the human complement C6 gene revealed an unusual combined insertion/deletion polymorphism at position 493: the subsequent 6 bp is deleted and is substituted by a different 26 bp, giving a net gain of 20 bp. The variant shows autosomal co-dominant inheritance. The 26 bp insertion is homologous to a human endogenous retrovirus-type sequence and could tentatively be ascribed to a retroposon. Alternatively, the presence of three copies of a 5 bp direct repeat, an 8 bp palindrome and a 12 bp split symmetrical element could suggest an endogenous, sequence-mediated mutational process. Polymorphisms of this type are extremely rare, although there are several examples of such mutations causing disease.