Biomaterial Database

Sandhoff disease heterozygote detection: a component of population screening for Tay-Sachs disease carriers. II. Sandhoff disease gene frequencies in American Jewish and non-Jewish populations. 1987

R M Cantor, and C Roy, and J S Lim, and M M Kaback

Carrier frequencies for the allele(s) causing Sandhoff disease have been estimated for the U.S. Jewish and non-Jewish populations. The estimates have been made directly, with data from 22,043 Jewish and 32,342 non-Jewish individuals measured for total serum hexosaminidase activity and the heat-labile fraction. These values have been shown to identify potential carriers of the Sandhoff allele(s) with 95% sensitivity. Subsequent leukocyte assays of total hexosaminidase activity and the heat-labile fraction in those identified in serum tests have been shown to provide a much finer discrimination between those who carry the allele(s) and those who do not. Results from such assays were used to generate these carrier frequency estimates. Carrier frequency estimates have also been made indirectly from Sandhoff disease incidence data collected during the period 1979-84. These estimates are in agreement with data for the Jewish population under analysis, but in the non-Jewish population the estimate derived from data on screened individuals is greater than the estimate derived from incidence figures. The possible causes for such a difference are discussed. In a study of non-Jewish individuals each of whose grandparents derives from a single country of origin, the distribution of countries among Sandhoff disease carriers differs significantly from that in the non-Jewish sample under analysis, indicating possible ethnic groups with increased or decreased carrier frequencies. These analyses suggest an increased Sandhoff disease carrier frequency among Mexican and Central-American populations and a decreased carrier frequency among non-Jewish German populations.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007585	Jews	An ethnic group with historical ties to the land of ISRAEL and the religion of JUDAISM.	Jew
D007962	Leukocytes	White blood cells. These include granular leukocytes (BASOPHILS; EOSINOPHILS; and NEUTROPHILS) as well as non-granular leukocytes (LYMPHOCYTES and MONOCYTES).	Blood Cells, White,Blood Corpuscles, White,White Blood Cells,White Blood Corpuscles,Blood Cell, White,Blood Corpuscle, White,Corpuscle, White Blood,Corpuscles, White Blood,Leukocyte,White Blood Cell,White Blood Corpuscle
D005787	Gene Frequency	The proportion of one particular in the total of all ALLELES for one genetic locus in a breeding POPULATION.	Allele Frequency,Genetic Equilibrium,Equilibrium, Genetic,Allele Frequencies,Frequencies, Allele,Frequencies, Gene,Frequency, Allele,Frequency, Gene,Gene Frequencies
D006580	Genetic Carrier Screening	Identification of individuals who are heterozygous at a GENETIC LOCUS for a recessive PHENOTYPE.	Carriers, Genetic, Detection,Genetic Carriers, Detection,Heterozygote Detection,Carrier Detection, Genetic,Detection, Genetic Carrier,Genetic Carrier Detection,Heterozygote Screening,Carrier Screening, Genetic,Detection, Heterozygote,Screening, Genetic Carrier,Screening, Heterozygote,Screenings, Genetic Carrier
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001619	beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidases	A hexosaminidase specific for non-reducing N-acetyl-D-hexosamine residues in N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminides. It acts on GLUCOSIDES; GALACTOSIDES; and several OLIGOSACCHARIDES. Two specific mammalian isoenzymes of beta-N-acetylhexoaminidase are referred to as HEXOSAMINIDASE A and HEXOSAMINIDASE B. Deficiency of the type A isoenzyme causes TAY-SACHS DISEASE, while deficiency of both A and B isozymes causes SANDHOFF DISEASE. The enzyme has also been used as a tumor marker to distinguish between malignant and benign disease.	beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidase,N-Acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase,beta-Hexosaminidase,beta-N-Acetyl-D-hexosaminidase,beta-N-Acetyl-hexosaminidase,N Acetyl beta D hexosaminidase,beta Hexosaminidase,beta N Acetyl D hexosaminidase,beta N Acetyl hexosaminidase,beta N Acetylhexosaminidase,beta N Acetylhexosaminidases
D012497	Sandhoff Disease	An autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by an accumulation of G(M2) GANGLIOSIDE in neurons and other tissues. It is caused by mutation in the common beta subunit of HEXOSAMINIDASE A and HEXOSAMINIDASE B. Thus this disease is also known as the O variant since both hexosaminidase A and B are missing. Clinically, it is indistinguishable from TAY-SACHS DISEASE.	G(M2) Gangliosidosis, Type II,Gangliosidosis G(M2), Type II,Hexosaminidase A and B Deficiency Disease,Adult Sandhoff Disease,Deficiency Disease, Hexosaminidase A and B,GM2 Gangliosidosis, Type 2,GM2 Gangliosidosis, Type II,GM2-Gangliosidosis, Type II,Gangliosidosis GM2, Type II,Hexosaminidases A And B Deficiency,Infantile Sandhoff Disease,Juvenile Sandhoff Disease,Sandhoff Disease, Adult,Sandhoff Disease, Adult Type,Sandhoff Disease, Infantile,Sandhoff Disease, Infantile Type,Sandhoff Disease, Juvenile,Sandhoff Disease, Juvenile Type,Sandhoff's Disease,Sandhoff-Jatzkewitz-Pilz Disease,Total Hexosaminidase Deficiency,beta-Hexosaminidase-beta-Subunit Deficiency,Deficiency, Total Hexosaminidase,Deficiency, beta-Hexosaminidase-beta-Subunit,Disease, Sandhoff-Jatzkewitz-Pilz,GM2-Gangliosidoses, Type II,Hexosaminidase Deficiency, Total,Sandhoff Jatzkewitz Pilz Disease,Sandhoffs Disease,Total Hexosaminidase Deficiencies,Type II GM2-Gangliosidoses,Type II GM2-Gangliosidosis,beta Hexosaminidase beta Subunit Deficiency,beta-Hexosaminidase-beta-Subunit Deficiencies
D013661	Tay-Sachs Disease	An autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the onset in infancy of an exaggerated startle response, followed by paralysis, dementia, and blindness. It is caused by mutation in the alpha subunit of the HEXOSAMINIDASE A resulting in lipid-laden ganglion cells. It is also known as the B variant (with increased HEXOSAMINIDASE B but absence of hexosaminidase A) and is strongly associated with Ashkenazic Jewish ancestry.	G(M2) Gangliosidosis, Type I,Gangliosidosis G(M2), Type I,Gangliosidosis GM2, B Variant,Hexosaminidase A Deficiency Disease,Tay-Sachs Disease, B Variant,Amaurotic Familial Idiocy,B Variant GM2 Gangliosidosis,B Variant GM2-Gangliosidosis,Deficiency Disease Hexosaminidase A,Familial Amaurotic Idiocy,GM2 Gangliosidosis, B Variant,GM2 Gangliosidosis, Type 1,GM2 Gangliosidosis, Type I,GM2-Gangliosidosis, Type I,Gangliosidosis GM2 , Type 1,Gangliosidosis GM2, Type I,HexA Deficiency,Hexosaminidase A Deficiency,Hexosaminidase alpha-Subunit Deficiency (Variant B),Sphingolipidosis, Tay-Sachs,Amaurotic Idiocy, Familial,B Variant GM2-Gangliosidoses,Deficiency, Hexosaminidase A,Deficiency, Hexosaminidase alpha-Subunit (Variant B),GM2-Gangliosidosis, B Variant,Hexosaminidase alpha Subunit Deficiency (Variant B),Sphingolipidosis, Tay Sachs,Tay Sachs Disease,Tay Sachs Disease, B Variant,Tay-Sachs Sphingolipidosis,Type I GM2-Gangliosidosis
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.