Replication linkage study for prostate cancer susceptibility genes

Abstract

Background: Since the publication of the first genome screen for prostate cancer (CaP) 5 years ago, over a dozen linkage studies have appeared. Most attention has been directed to chromosome 1, where two separate regions have been identified as harboring a prostate cancer susceptibility locus: HPC1 in the 1q24-25 interval and PCaP in the 1q42.2-43 interval. Linkage analysis of chromosome 16 has also provided evidence of harboring two loci predisposing to CaP.

Methods: We report on a replication linkage study of chromosomes 1 and 16 in 45 new and 4 expanded multiplex CaP families. Multipoint Z-scores were obtained for 30 highly polymorphic short-sequence tandem repeat markers spanning chromosome 1, and 22 markers spanning chromosome 16.

Results: The replication sample gave no evidence for a CaP susceptibility locus in the 1q24-25 interval and equivocal evidence for such a locus at 1q42.2-43. With respect to chromosome 16, positive Z-scores were obtained over a contiguous interval covering the entire p arm and the proximal half of the q arm.

Conclusions: The linkage analysis of our replication sample does not support the existence of HPC1, and the evidence for the existence of PCaP remains equivocal. Evidence of a susceptibility locus on 16p remains strong, but the evidence for a susceptibility locus on 16q is weakened.