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Abstract: Gaucher disease, the most prevalent lysosomal storage disease characterized by a remarkable degree of clinical variability, results from deleterious mutations in the β-glucosidase gene. Although >200 mutations in the gene for human β-glucosidase have been described, most genotype/phenotype studies have focused on screening for a few common mutations. In the present study, whole gene sequencing analysis was performed. We sequenced eight patients with type 1, five patients with type 2, and six patients with type 3 Gaucher disease in Taiwan. A total of 37 Gaucher chromosome were identified. The detection rate is 97%. For types 1 and 3 Gaucher disease, 1448 T > C (L444P) account for 53.5% Gaucher chromosome and the recombinant allele [1448 T > C, 1483 T > G, 1497 G > C] (RecNciI) has 25% prevalence rate among those patients. For type 2 Gaucher disease, all five patients carry L444P mutation, and RecNciI is found in two of the six patients. Because L444P is also present in the RecNciI mutation, all the patients in this study have a L444P mutation in their Gaucher chromosomes. The third most common mutation of type 1 Gaucher disease is 475 C > T (R120W). L444P homozygote and R120W/RecNciI genotypes are associated with non-neuronopathic Gaucher disease. RecNciI is related to neuronopathic disease, while R120W is represented as a mild mutation in Taiwan. The mutation profile of Gaucher disease in Taiwan is limited. Only four different alleles were identified in types 1 and 3 as well as in type 2 Gaucher disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Interleukin-2 (IL-2), one of the crucial immunoregulatory cytokines required for T lymphocyte activation, plays an important role in autoimmune diseases. An IL-2 genetic G/T polymorphism (rs2069763) has been linked with multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. We tested a hypothesis that this polymorphism confers systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility. Study participants were Han Chinese SLE patients and a healthy control group in Taiwan. Our results indicate (a) a significantly higher G allele frequency in SLE patients (P =1.91×10−14; OR=3.94; 95% CI=2.74–5.66), (b) a significantly higher G allele frequency in SLE patients with antinuclear antibodies (ANA) (P =0.033; OR=4.21; 95% CI=1.01–17.51) and (c) a significantly lower G allele frequency in SLE patients with discoid rash (P =0.019; OR=0.41; 95% CI=0.19–0.88). Our results suggest that this polymorphism may be involved in the genetic background of Taiwanese SLE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]