No evidence for association of autism with rare heterozygous point mutations in Contactin-Associated Protein-Like 2 (CNTNAP2), or in Other Contactin-Associated Proteins or Contactins

PLoS Genet. 2015 Jan 26;11(1):e1004852. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004852. eCollection 2015 Jan.

Abstract

Contactins and Contactin-Associated Proteins, and Contactin-Associated Protein-Like 2 (CNTNAP2) in particular, have been widely cited as autism risk genes based on findings from homozygosity mapping, molecular cytogenetics, copy number variation analyses, and both common and rare single nucleotide association studies. However, data specifically with regard to the contribution of heterozygous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) have been inconsistent. In an effort to clarify the role of rare point mutations in CNTNAP2 and related gene families, we have conducted targeted next-generation sequencing and evaluated existing sequence data in cohorts totaling 2704 cases and 2747 controls. We find no evidence for statistically significant association of rare heterozygous mutations in any of the CNTN or CNTNAP genes, including CNTNAP2, placing marked limits on the scale of their plausible contribution to risk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Autistic Disorder / genetics*
  • Autistic Disorder / pathology
  • Codon, Nonsense
  • Contactins / genetics*
  • DNA Copy Number Variations
  • Genetic Association Studies*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Point Mutation
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Deletion

Substances

  • CNTNAP2 protein, human
  • Codon, Nonsense
  • Contactins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins