Genetic variants in the IMPA2 gene do not confer increased risk of febrile seizures in Caucasian patients

Abstract

Pathogenesis of febrile seizures (FS), causing the most common of types of seizures in children, remains unknown. Genetic factors appear to play a pivotal role and FS can be inherited as a monogenic or genetically complex disorder. Several risks factors have been proposed but many of the previously reported genetic associations were not replicated. Non-coding polymorphisms in the myo-inositol monophosphatase 2 gene (IMPA2) have been suggested as a susceptibility factor for FS in Japanese patients. It is unknown whether genetic variants in the same gene constitute a risk factor for FS in other ethnic groups because the frequency of FS is significantly higher in Japanese children than in Caucasian patients. We investigated the role of the IMPA2 gene in a cohort of 96 unrelated Caucasian subjects with a history of FS. We did not identify any significant differences in genotypes of cases and matched controls; no mutations or non-synonymous polymorphisms were detected in these individuals. Our data suggest that the genetic variants in the IMPA2 gene are not associated with a risk of FS in Caucasian patients and patients from various genetic groups are likely to have different genetic causes of FS.