Inflammatory bowel disease linkage with chromosome 3p

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of conditions having an unknown cause, but with a genetic component clearly demonstrated by epidemiological and linkage studies. A link with chromosome 3 is suggested by observations of a gene, or perhaps multiple genes, involved in regulating immune function and inflammatory response that reside in this region of the genome.

In the February issue of Gut, a team from the US, UK, Germany and the Netherlands published the results from a high resolution linkage and association study of chromosome 3p with IBD.

Hampe and colleagues used a total of 43 microsatellite markers covering chromosome 3 to genotype 353 sibling pairs with Crohn's disease and IBD. Marker order was defined by genetic and radiation hybrid techniques.

They found a significant peak single point logarithm of odds (LOD) score for Crohn's disease at D3S3591 and for IBD near D3S1304 (distal 3p) and D3S1283, providing...