Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing is increasingly available from clinical laboratories. However, only a limited number of quality control and other reference materials (RMs) are currently available to support clinical testing. To address this need, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) based Genetic Testing Reference Material Coordination Program (GeT-RM), in collaboration with members of the pharmacogenetic testing community and the Coriell Cell Repositories, has characterized 137 genomic DNA samples for 28 genes commonly genotyped by PGx testing assays (CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP4F2, DPYD, GSTM1, GSTP1, GSTT1, NAT1, NAT2, SLC15A2, SLC22A2, SLCO1B1, SLCO2B1, TPMT, UGT1A1, UGT2B7, UGT2B15, UGT2B17, VKORC1). 137 Coriell cell lines were selected based on ethnic diversity and partial genotype characterization from previous testing. DNA samples were coded and distributed to volunteer testing laboratories for targeted genotyping using a number of commercially available and laboratory developed tests. Through consensus verification, we confirmed the presence of at least 108 variant PGx alleles. These samples are also being characterized by other PGx assays, including next-generation sequencing, which will be reported separately. Genotyping results were consistent among laboratories, with the majority of differences in allele assignments attributed to assay design and variability in reported allele nomenclature, particularly for CYP2D6, UGT1A1, and VKORC1. These publicly available samples will help assure the accuracy of pharmacogenetic testing.

Objective: To study the possible association of founder mutations in the lysosomal storage disorder genes HEXA, SMPD1, and MCOLN1 (causing Tay-Sachs, Niemann-Pick A, and mucolipidosis type IV diseases, respectively) with Parkinson disease (PD).Methods: Two PD patient cohorts of Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) ancestry, that included a total of 938 patients, were studied: a cohort of 654 patients from Tel Aviv, and a replication cohort of 284 patients from New York. Eight AJ founder mutations in the HEXA, SMPD1, and MCOLN1 genes were analyzed. The frequencies of these mutations were compared to AJ control groups that included large published groups undergoing prenatal screening and 282 individuals matched for age and sex.Results: Mutation frequencies were similar in the 2 groups of patients with PD. The SMPD1 p.L302P was strongly associated with a highly increased risk for PD (odds ratio 9.4, 95% confidence interval 3.9-22.8, p , 0.0001), as 9/938 patients with PD were carriers of this mutation compared to only 11/10,709 controls. Conclusions:The SMPD1 p.L302P mutation is a novel risk factor for PD. Although it is rare on a population level, the identification of this mutation as a strong risk factor for PD may further elucidate PD pathogenesis and the role of lysosomal pathways in disease development.