Linkage analysis of chromosome 2q in osteoarthritis

Background. In independent linkage studies chromosome 2q11-q24 and chromosome 2q23-35 have previously been implicated as regions potentially harbouring susceptibility loci for osteoarthritis (OA), Objective. To test chromosome 2q for linkage to idiopathic osteoarthritis. Methods. Using a cohort of 481 OA families that each contained at least one affected sibling pair with severe end-stage disease (ascertained by hip or knee joint replacement surgery), we conducted a linkage analysis of chromosome 2q using 16 polymorphic microsatellite markers at an average spacing of one marker every 8.5 cM. Results. Our results provide suggestive evidence for a locus at 2q31 with a maximum multipoint logarithm of the odds score (MLS) of 1.22 which increased to 2.19 in those families concordant for hip-only disease (n = 311). This suggestive linkage was greater in male-hip families (MLS = 1.57, n = 71) than in female-hip families (MLS = 0.71, n = 132). Conclusions. Chromosome 2q is likely to contain at least one susceptibility locus for OA.