Examination of ELN as a candidate gene in the Utah intracranial aneurysm pedigrees

Background and Purpose - A study of intracranial aneurysm (IA) sibpairs suggested association of an ELN haplotype with IA risk. Subsequent linkage analysis of the ELN region on chromosome 7q11 in high-risk Utah IA pedigrees significantly confirmed linkage between IA and the ELN region. Methods - We have investigated the ELN gene as a potential candidate gene for IA in Utah pedigrees. One IA case from each pedigree, who shared an ELN region haplotype segregating in the pedigree, was screened for mutation. The promoter region, 34 exons, and the 3' UTR (UnTranslated Region) of the ELN gene were screened for variants using DHPLC. Results - Variants were observed in the promoter region, exons 4 and 6, and the 3' UTR. Variants in exon 6 and in one 3' UTR position were unique to Utah. The remaining variants were absent in the controls. There was no evidence for segregation of the ELN variants found in IA cases with the hypothesized chromosome 7 haplotypes segregating in pedigrees. Conclusion - Our analysis does not support ELN as the gene responsible for familial IA in the linked Utah IA pedigrees.