Methylation profile of disorder attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) carriers by MLPA(Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification) and arrays

Abstract

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood brain disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood affects approximately 5.3% of children worldwide. Despite the prevalence and heritability ADHD, biological markers do not exist. Behavioral genetic studies have demonstrated conclusively that genetic influences play a role in the etiology of ADHD. Similarly, environmental factors also play an important role in the etiology of ADHD. DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mechanism associated with transcriptional silencing of genes in CpG islands. Therefore, it is essential to investigate whether the genetic alterations of ADHD are related to the activation or inactivation of genes by DNA methylation. For the study, individuals (n=30) up to 16 years of age with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD and their parents will be recruited in the Unit of Genetics of the Institute of Child, Hospital das Clínicas of the FMUSP (HC-FMUSP). Blood samples will be collected, and the extraction of lymphocyte DNA will be performed. Methylation assays will be carried out through technical MLPA (Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification) and array to verify the methylation status of CpG islands in several regions of the genome. In addition, the SNP array in order to better understanding of the findings will be performed. The data will be analyzed by specific software and checked in genetic databases. Finally, the relationships between the data obtained and epigenetic phenotype of individuals with ADHD will be made in order to obtain a methylation profile of at CpG islands in individuals with ADHD. (AU)