A search for a mutation in the tumour necrosis factor-alpha gene in narcolepsy

The discovery of almost 100% association of narcolepsy with human leukocyte antigens (HLA) DR2 antigen prompted molecular biological research of this disorder. In the HLA class II gene cluster, the gene for tumour necrosis fa ctor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which plays a role in the regulation of normal huma n sleep, is located. The present study searched for a mutation in the TNF-a lpha gene by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP) in pat ients with narcolepsy. No mutation was detected in exons and introns of the TNF-alpha gene by SSCP and sequencing.