Genetic polymorphisms in vitamin E transport genes as determinants for risk of equine neuroaxonal dystrophy

Abstract Background Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder associated with vitamin E deficiency. In humans, polymorphisms in genes involved in vitamin E uptake and distribution determines individual vitamin E requirements. Hypothesis/Objectives Genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in vitamin E metabolism would be associated with an increased risk of eNAD/EDM in Quarter Horses (QHs). Animals Whole‐genome sequencing: eNAD/EDM affected (n = 9, postmortem [PM]‐confirmed) and control (n = 32) QHs. Validation: eNAD/EDM affected (n = 39, 23‐PM confirmed) and control (n = 68, 7‐PM confirmed) QHs. Allele frequency (AF): Publicly available data from 504 horses across 47 breeds. Methods Retrospective, case control study. Whole‐genome sequencing was performed and genetic variants identified within 28 vitamin E candidate genes. These variants were subsequently genotyped in the validation cohort. Results Thirty‐nine confirmed variants in 15 vitamin E candidate genes were significantly associated with eNAD/EDM (P < .01). In the validation cohort, 2 intronic CD36 variants (chr4:726485 and chr4:731082) were significantly associated with eNAD/EDM in clinical (P = 2.78 × 10−4 and P = 4 × 10−4, respectively) and PM‐confirmed cases (P = 6.32 × 10−6 and 1.04 × 10−5, respectively). Despite the significant association, variant AFs were low in the postmortem‐confirmed eNAD/EDM cases (0.22‐0.26). In publicly available equine genomes, AFs ranged from 0.06 to 0.1. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Many PM‐confirmed cases of eNAD/EDM were wild‐type for the 2 intronic CD36 SNPs, suggesting either a false positive association or genetic heterogeneity of eNAD/EDM within the QH breed.