OBJECTIVEChildhood absence epilepsy (CAE), a common form of idiopathic generalized epilepsy, accounts for 8% - 15% of all childhood epilepsies. A positive family history of epilepsy, a hereditary factor being one of the pathogeneses, is found in 15% - 44% of children with absence seizures. The phenotype of CAE is specific (including seizure forms and EEG), therefore it is suitable for genetic study. The purpose of this study was to confirm the linkage of childhood absence epilepsy to chromosome 8q24 in China.

METHODSTwenty-nine trios families (a patient and his/her parents) as patient group and 10 normal trios families as control group were investigated for chromosome 8q24 by haplotype analysis with 5 microsatellite DNA markers (D8S554, D8S534, D8S1100, D8S1783, D8S1753). Genomic DNA was isolated from 4 ml human peripheral blood by using the conventional procedure, and then was treated using the PCR method. PCR products were analyzed by gene scan. Statistical methodology included haplotype-based haplotype relative risk (HHRR) and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT).

RESULTSIn this study, the polymorphism information content (PIC) of 5 microsatellite DNA markers were: 0.519, 0.828, 0.528, 0.654 and 0.772. HHRR showed D8S554(4) (chi(2) = 5.939, P < 0.05), D8S1100(3) (chi(2) = 5.081, P < 0.05), D8S1783(6) (chi(2) = 4.308, P < 0.05). TDT showed D8S554(4) (chi(2) = 4.46, P < 0.05), D8S1783(6) (chi(2) = 4, P < 0.05). In order to exclude false association results, the authors analyzed every family in detail. Four trios families transmitted allele D8S1783(6) to their offspring, and the same allele hasn't been found in controls. The further work showed that locus D8S1783 had transmission disequilibrium with CAE, the other two loci were a false association.

CONCLUSION(1) Childhood absence epilepsy in the Chinese population may be linked to chromosome 8q24, the CAE gene is transmitted disequilibrium on locus D8S1783. Combined with other research results, we suppose that CAE gene may be in the ECA1 area on chromosome 8q24. (2) The CAE gene perhaps has a genetic heterogeneity in the population of different areas and different races. (3) HHRR and TDT seem to be the best statistical methods to do linkage disequilibrium study in the trios family.