Survey shows genetic mutation leads to disc degeneration

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Survey shows genetic mutation leads to disc degeneration

A survey by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) shows genetic mutation is one of the causes of degenerative disc disease in Chinese people.

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A survey by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) shows genetic mutation is one of the causes of degenerative disc disease in Chinese people.

The faculty of Medicine of HKU announced on Tuesday the survey result of the genetic basis of degenerative disc disease in Chinese people. Within the past three years, the faculty has done a genetic analysis of some 1,000 individuals, aged between 18 and 55, from South China, most of them Hong Kong people.

The result shows that collagen IX mutation is present in 20 percent of those people and Vit D receptor mutation is present in 3 percent of them. When comparing with normal people, the former type of people in the survey are 3.4 times more likely to develop disc disease, while the latter type are 2.4 times easier to experience such a disease.

Based on this finding, it is estimated that about 20 percent ofthe Hong Kong population are more likely to have disc disease. Theresult also shows that disc disease is hereditable.

Associate Professor of the HKU's Department of Orthopedic Surgery Kenneth Cheung said at a press conference that old people are more prone to suffer from bone disorders. Also, the disease can be caused by a number of environmental factors including the nature of occupation, quantity of exercise and smoking, which can affect genetic mutation and increase the risk of having the disc degenerate.

Cheung said treatment for degenerative disc disease includes analgesia and rest, physiotherapy and surgery, but none of them isideal although they can help relieve pain in sufferers.

To understand fundamental processes that ensure normal growth and maintenance of the skeleton and what genetic factors underlie degenerative skeletal disorders, 18 scientists and clinicians fromHKU, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University will be cooperating in the Developmental Genomics and Skeletal Research.

Experts of the research program will employ a variety of technologies in genomics, proteomics, cell biology and transgenic animal models to find out the mechanism of disc degeneration and to develop strategies and better therapies for curing the disease.

Source:Xinhua

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