Baboon Model for Genetics of Human Generalized Epilepsy

描述（由申请方提供）：我们建议使用位于德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的西南生物医学研究基金会（SFBR）的大型纯种狒狒群，以开发狒狒（Papio hamadryas anubis、Papio hamadryas cynocephalus及其杂交种）作为人类原发性全身性癫痫遗传学的非人灵长类动物模型。狒狒的癫痫很容易研究，因为这些动物对光刺激高度敏感，引起神经元放电和癫痫发作，这是其癫痫综合征的敏感标志。狒狒也是一种理想的遗传模型动物，因为狒狒和人类有许多遗传、解剖、生化和生理特征。狒狒和人类在进化上的接近性，以及这些物种之间基因顺序的高度保守性，意味着狒狒基因组中确定的遗传因素将与人类的遗传情况直接相关。因此，在狒狒身上发现的候选基因很可能与人类基因的识别有关。尽管红狒狒（Papio hamadryas papio）在三十多年前首次被探索为人类原发性全身性癫痫的非人灵长类动物模型，并且仍然是青少年肌阵挛性癫痫的最佳电临床动物模型之一，但红狒狒不能进一步发展为遗传模型。遗传模型的开发需要大量的样本，以及对个体之间相关性的准确了解，以便分离遗传和环境变异源。然而，这两个要求都不能用红狒狒来满足。因此，我们将使用SFBR的大型纯种狒狒群。近1500只狒狒属于同一个谱系。这些狒狒中约有1000只已经在370个或更多的多态性人类DNA微卫星标记位点进行了基因分型，狒狒连锁图可用于遗传连锁分析。利用这些资源，我们将确定基因，显着影响狒狒癫痫的临床和脑电图特征的变化，因此可能与人类癫痫相关。癫痫综合征相关基因的鉴定将涉及特定的生理和生化途径，可以作为干预的靶点，并可能有助于改善现有的癫痫治疗方法和开发新的治疗方法。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to use the large, pedigreed baboon colony at Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) in San Antonio, TX, to develop the baboon (Papio hamadryas anubis, Papio hamadryas cynocephalus, and their hybrids) as a nonhuman primate model for the genetics of primary generalized epilepsy in humans. Epilepsy is easily studied in the baboon because these animals are highly susceptible to photic stimulation to provoke neuronal discharges and seizures that are sensitive markers of their epileptic syndrome. The baboon is also an ideal animal for development as a genetic model, because baboon and human share many genetic, anatomical, biochemical, and physiological features. The evolutionary proximity of baboon and human, and the high degree of conservation of gene order between these species, imply that genetic factors identified in the baboon genome will be directly relevant to the genetic situation in the human. Candidate genes identified in the baboon are therefore likely to be relevant for identifying genes in humans. Although the red baboon (Papio hamadryas papio) was first explored more than thirty years ago as a nonhuman primate model of primary generalized epilepsy in humans, and remains one of the best characterized electroclinical animal models for juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, the red baboon cannot be developed further as a genetic model. Development of a genetic model requires large samples, and an accurate knowledge of the relatedness between individuals, in order to separate genetic and environmental sources of variation. Neither of these requirements can be met using the red baboon, however. We will therefore use the large, pedigreed baboon colony at SFBR. Nearly 1500 baboons are members of a single pedigree. About 1000 of these baboons have already been genotyped at 370 or more polymorphic human DNA microsatellite marker loci, and a baboon linkage map is available for genetic linkage analysis. Using these resources we will identify genes that significantly affect variation in the clinical and electroencephalographic features of epilepsy in baboons and are therefore likely to be relevant in human epilepsy. Identification of genes involved in the epilepsy syndrome will implicate specific physiological and biochemical pathways that can be targeted for intervention, and potentially contribute to improvements in existing treatments for epilepsy and the development of novel therapies.