Genetic Control of Experimentally Induced Reproductive Autoimmune Phenotypes
Additional studies identified phenotypic-specific effects of QTL on AOD. Interaction analysis showed that multiple loci may affect a particular phenotype including loci linked to other phenotypes and suggested that some genes may be important only to a single phenotype while others may affect multiple autoimmune diseases. Sequencing of candidate genes for Aod2 and Aod5 showed polymorphisms between resistant and susceptible strains. Multiple congenic strains of mice encompassing Aod1 were constructed and demonstrated that Aod1 primarily influences susceptibility to oophoritis and comprises two regions: Aod1a on telomeric chromosome 16 that engenders susceptibility, and the more centromeric Aod1b that overrides this susceptibility to give resistance to oophoritis. This work reveals QTL with phenotype-specific genetic control, complex interactions between QTL, and the importance of epistatic interactions between genes in reproductive autoimmunity and immunoregulation.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign