Environmental factors modulated ancient mitochondrial DNA variability and the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in the Basque Country.

ABSTRACT: Among the factors that would explain the distribution of mitochondrial lineages in Europe, climate and diseases may have played an important role. A possible explanation lies in the nature of the mitochondrion, in which the energy generation process produces reactive oxygen species that may influence the development of different diseases. The present study is focused on the medieval necropolis of San Miguel de Ereñozar (13^th-16^th centuries, Basque Country), whose inhabitants presented a high prevalence of rheumatic diseases and lived during the Little Ice Age (LIA). Our results indicate a close relationship between rheumatic diseases and mitochondrial haplogroup H, and specifically between spondyloarthropathies and sub-haplogroup H2. One possible explanation may be th

SUBMITTER: Laza IM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6938509 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature