Author/Editor     Sykiotis, Gerasimos P; Pitteloud, Nelly; Seminara, Stephanie B; Kaiser, Ursula B; Crowley, William F
Title     Deciphering genetic disease in the genomic era: the model of GnRH deficiency
Type     članek
Source     Sci Transl Med
Vol. and No.     Letnik 2, št. 32
Publication year     2010
Volume     str. 32rv2
Language     eng
Abstract     Isolated gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency is a treatable albeit rare form of reproductive failure that has revealed physiological mechanisms controlling human reproduction, but despite substantial progress in discovering pathogenic single-gene defects, most of the genetic basis of GnRH deficiency remains uncharted. Although unbiased genetic investigations of affected families have identified mutations in previously unsuspected genes as causes of this disease in some cases, their application has been severely limited because of the negative effect of GnRH deficiency on fertility; moreover, relatively few of the many candidate genes nominated because of biological plausibility from in vitro or animal model experiments were subsequently validated in patients. With the advent of exciting technological platforms for sequencing, homozygosity mapping, and detection of structural variation at the whole-genome level, human investigations are again assuming the leading role for gene discovery. Using human GnRH deficiency as a paradigm and presenting original data from the screening of numerous candidate genes, we discuss the emerging model of patient-focused clinical genetic research and its complementarities with basic approaches in the near future.
Descriptors     GENETIC MARKERS
ANIMALS
COOPERATIVE BEHAVIOR
FERTILITY
INFERTILITY
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
MUTATION
PEDIGREE
PHENOTYPE