THE WD GENE FOR WILSONS-DISEASE LINKS TO THE HEPATITIS OF LEC RATS

LEC rats develop an autosomal recessive hepatitis and subsequently liv er cancer associated with copper accumulation in the liver similar to that of Wilson's disease. Using 71 backcross [(WKAH x LEC)x LEC] rats, linkage analysis of the hepatitis with the WD gene for Wilson's disea se revealed identical segregation and no recombination event between t hese two genes. This result indicates that the WD gene is a prime cand idate for the hts gene responsible for the hepatitis of LEC rats, and suggests that the hepatitis of LEC rats may be caused by a defect in a copper-transporting ATPase expressed in the liver.