Examination of the SLITRK1 gene in Caucasian patients with Tourette syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether variants in the Slit and Trk-like 1 gene (SLITRK1) are present in American Caucasian population of patients with Tourette syndrome (TS).

METHODS

We sequenced the 3'-untranslated region for var321 and the whole coding region in the SLITRK1 gene in 82 Caucasian patients with TS from North America.

RESULTS

None of the 82 samples from patients with TS showed the non-coding sequence variant (var321). Only one patient with familial TS was heterozygous for a novel 708C > T (Ile236Ile) nucleotide variant.

CONCLUSIONS

The var321 and mutation(s) in the coding region of the SLITRK1 gene probably are a rare cause of TS in a Caucasian population; therefore, genetic heterogeneity of TS should be considered. Tests designed to detect variant(s) in the SLITRK1 gene probably will not have a diagnostic utility in clinical practice.