Neuropsychiatric conditions among patients with dyskeratosis congenita: a link with telomere biology?

Background: Dyskeratosis congenita (DC), an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (IBMFS), is caused by defects in telomere biology, which result in very short germline telomeres. Telomeres, long nucleotide repeats and a protein complex at chromosome ends, are essential for chromosomal stability. Several association studies suggest that short telomeres are associated with certain psychiatric disorders, including mood disorders and schizophrenia.

Genetic variation at chromosome 8q24 in osteosarcoma cases and controls.

Osteosarcoma is a primary bone malignancy that typically occurs during the pubertal growth spurt. Only a few small association studies have evaluated common germ line variation in individuals with osteosarcoma. The 8q24 chromosomal region contains several loci that are associated with risk of many different cancers.