We propose an international multi-center, multidisciplinary study consortium, GLIOGENE, to identify susceptibility genes in high-risk familial brain tumor pedigrees using the most sophisticated genetic analysis methods available. To address our hypothesis, we propose the following specific aims:
Aim 1: Establish a cohort of 400 high-risk pedigrees for genetic linkage analysis. To date, we have identified and collected biologic samples from 20 high-risk families that have met our criteria of 2 or more relatives diagnosed with a brain tumor. From the 15 centers in the United States and Europe, we will screen and obtain epidemiologic data from approximately 17,080 gliomas cases to identify a target of 400 families for genetic analysis. We will establish a cohort of the first and second-degree relatives from these glioma cases to obtain new knowledge about how cancer aggregates in glioma families. We will also acquire biospecimens (blood and tumor tissue), and risk factor data from relevant family members.
Aim 2: Identify candidate regions linked to familial brain tumors. To strengthen evidence of linkage to regions found in our preliminary analysis and to identify additional regions linked to brain tumors, we will genotype informative glioma pedigrees identified in aim 1 using Affymetrix 10K GeneChip with markers spaced throughout the genome, and conduct a genome-wide multipoint linkage scan with these markers.
Aim 3: Fine map the regions established in Aim 2 by genotyping selected SNPs from genome databases. We will attempt to further refine the regions identified in Aim 2 to less than 1cM by using approximately 1,500 – 2,000 carefully selected SNPs. The prioritization of regions will be based on a combination of the strength of evidence for linkage from families of various ethnic backgrounds and the presence of obvious candidate genes. |