Brain volumes in familial and non-familial schizophrenic probands and their unaffected relatives

Structural brain abnormalities are consistently reported in schizophrenic subjects but the etiology of these abnormalities remains unclear. We tested the contribution of genetic predisposition and obstetric complications to the structural brain abnormalities found in schizophrenic probands and their relatives. MRI scans were carried out on 35 schizophrenic probands from families multiply affected with the disorder, and 63 of their unaffected relatives, including 10 parents who appeared to transmit genetic risk to their children; as well as 31 schizophrenic probands from families with no other affected members, 33 of their unaffected relatives; and finally 68 controls. Volumetric measurements of whole brain, lateral ventricles, third ventricle, cerebellum, and temporal lobes were completed for each subject. The impact of obstetric complications on brain structure was assessed across the gradient of presumed genetic predisposition. Both groups of schizophrenic probands displayed enlargement of the lateral and third ventricles, and there was a gradient of ventricular enlargement amongst the unaffected relatives in proportion to their likelihood of carrying schizophrenic genes. Ventricular enlargement was largely confined to males in both probands and unaffected relatives. Obstetric complications were associated with ventricular enlargement only in the familial probands. Non-familial probands displayed reduced volume of the temporal lobes bilaterally. In families with several schizophrenic members, ventricular enlargement is a marker for genetic liability, particularly in males. Individuals inheriting the susceptibility to schizophrenia appear particularly prone to develop ventricular enlargement in response to obstetric complications.     

PCR based mutation screening of the laminin alpha2 chain gene (LAMA2): application to prenatal diagnosis and search for founder effects in congenital muscular dystrophy.

Classical congenital muscular dystrophy with merosin deficiency is caused by mutations in the laminin alpha2 chain gene (LAMA2). Extended sequencing of the introns flanking the 64 LAMA2 exons was carried out and, based on these sequences, oligonucleotide primers were designed to amplify the coding region of each exon separately. By PCR-SSCP analysis, we identified eight new mutations in nine families originating from various countries. All induced a premature truncation of the protein, either in the short arm or in the globular C-terminal domain. A 2 bp deletion in exon 13, 2098delAG, was found in three French non-consanguineous families and a nonsense mutation of exon 20, Cys967stop, in two other non-consanguineous families originating from Italy. Determination of rare intragenic polymorphisms permitted us to show evidence of founder effects for these two mutations suggesting a remote degree of consanguinity between the families. Other, more frequent polymorphisms, G to A 1905 (exon 12), A to G 2848 (exon 19), A to G 5551 (exon 37), and G to A 6286 (exon 42), were used as intragenic markers for prenatal diagnosis. This study provides valuable methods for determining the molecular defects in LAMA2 causing merosin deficient congenital muscular dystrophy.     

Laminin 5 gamma 2 chain expression: a marker of early invasiveness in colorectal adenomas.

AIM: Polyps of the colon and rectum are considered to be premalignant lesions in the development of colorectal cancer. However, knowledge of how normal epithelial cells gain invasive properties is limited. Laminin 5 gamma 2 chain expression was investigated to determine the role of laminin 5 as a marker of potential invasiveness in colorectal polyps. MATERIAL/METHODS: Sixty seven polyps of different types (15 hyperplastic polyps, 12 serrated adenomas, 16 tubular adenomas, and 24 adenomas with a villous component) were assessed for gamma 2 chain expression of laminin 5 by immunohistochemistry on archival, paraffin wax embedded sections. RESULTS: Ten polyps stained positive and the number of polyps expressing the laminin 5 gamma 2 chain increased significantly as the phenotype of the adenomas became more atypical: none of the 15 hyperplastic polyps, two of the 16 tubular adenomas (12.5%), and six of the 24 adenomas with a villous component (25%) were positive. Two of 12 (17%) serrated adenomas, regarded as a distinct form of colorectal neoplasia, showed gamma 2 chain expression. Furthermore, laminin 5 gamma 2 chain expression correlated with lesion size. Polyps smaller than 10 mm expressed the gamma 2 chain less frequently than did those equal to or larger than 10 mm. CONCLUSION: Laminin 5 gamma 2 chain expression was found to increase progressively towards a more atypical phenotype of adenoma. The results suggest that, in the future, laminin 5 gamma 2 chain expression may be used as an indicator of incipient malignant transformation of a benign colorectal adenoma.     

Type IV collagenases in invasive tumors

Summary The matrix metalloproteinases appear to be elevated in tumors with metastatic potential, and may well be involved in penetration of the basement membrane and degradation of extracellular proteins including type IV collagen. An imbalance between the 72 kDa and 92 kDa type IV collagenases and the associated tissue inhibitors of these metalloproteinases (TIMPs) may therefore have a role in the invasive phenotype. Cultured tumor cells with invasive potential secrete both type IV collagenases, though in tumors there is some evidence that the 72 kDa form at least may be produced by stromal cells at the invading tumor front rather than primarily by the tumor cells themselves, while the 92 kDa form may be synthesized in macrophages near the front. These collagenases are elevated in invasive as compared within situ tumor components, but their specific roles and prognostic significance are not yet established.     

Laminin-5 γ2-chain expression and DNA ploidy as predictors of prognosis in endometrial carcinoma

Expression of the laminin-5 γ2-chain in carcinoma cells has been implicated in tumor invasion. The aim was to investigate the expression and prognostic significance of the In-5 γ2-chain compared with clinicopathological factors and tumor cell DNA ploidy in endometrial carcinoma. Histological specimens from 80 endometrial carcinomas were examined with respect to immunohistochemical In-5 γ2-chain expression and correlated to the clinicopathological characteristics, DNA ploidy, and survival. Sixty-eight of 80 investigated cases were judged to be positive for the In-5 γ2-chain. Ln-5 γ2-chain did not show any correlation to stage, histopathological subtype, grade, and DNA ploidy. In univariate analyses, advanced stage (p<0.001), nonendometrioid carcinoma (p=0.030), low grade (p<0.001), aneuploid tumors (p<0.001), and In-5 γ2-chain expression (p=0.017) were highly associated with poor survival. Aneuploid tumors in combination with strong In-5 γ2-chain expression were significant predictors (p<0.001) of poor prognosis. In multivariate analyses including stage, histopathological subgroup, grade, DNA ploidy, and In-5 γ2-chain expression, all lost their significant prognostic information except for stage (p<0.001) and grade (p<0.05). Ln-5 γ2-chain expression and DNA ploidy both as a single parameter and in combination were demonstrated to be significant prognostic factors in univariate analysis. However, stage and grade provided more useful clinical information beyond histopathological subgroup, DNA ploidy, and In-5 γ2-chain expression. The results also indicate that In-5 γ2-chain expression is upregulated during the progression of endometrial carcinoma.     

Delayed Tooth Eruption in Membrane Type-1 Matrix Metalloproteinase Deficient Mice

Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is expressed highly in mineralizing tissues including bones and teeth. Mice deficient in MT1-MMP ( &#109 / &#109 ) display severe defects in skeletal development including dwarfism, osteopenia, and craniofacial abnormalities. Death occurs in these mice by about 3 weeks of age. Since MT1-MMP is expressed by the ameloblasts of the enamel organ and by the odontoblasts of the dental papilla, we asked if the developing teeth were adversely affected in the knockout animals. Molars from MT1-MMP &#109 / &#109 mice and controls were examined by histological, X-ray, and SEM analysis at 4, 18-20, and 25 days of postnatal development. At 4 days of development the molars from the &#109 / &#109 mice appeared histologically normal. At 18-20 days of development, the first molars of the &#109 / &#109 mice had apparently normal tooth crowns with normal dentin and enamel; however, the roots were truncated and the teeth had not yet erupted. In contrast to the &#109 / &#109 mice, the first molars of the 18-20-day control animals had erupted. SEM analysis of a &#109 / &#109 first molar and incisor revealed a normal enamel prism pattern. However, X-ray analysis demonstrated that tooth eruption was delayed by approximately 5 days and that the tooth roots were abnormally short in the knockout animals. Since MT1-MMP-deficient mice have been demonstrated to display a generalized increase in bone resorption, these data suggest that inefficient growth of bone surrounding the tooth root complex causes a delay in tooth eruption.     

Linkage of essential hypertension to chromosome 18q

We performed a genomewide scan with 904 microsatellite markers using 120 extended Icelandic families with 490 hypertensive patients. The families were identified by cross-matching a list of hypertensive patients from the Hypertension Clinic of the University Hospital (Landspitalinn) in Iceland with a genealogy database of the entire Icelandic nation. After adding 5 markers, we found linkage to chromosome 18q with an allele-sharing LOD score of 4.60 (P=2.1x 10(-6)). These results provide evidence for a novel susceptibility gene for essential hypertension on chromosome 18q and show that it is possible to study the genetics of essential hypertension without stratifying by subphenotypes.     

Novel INF2 mutation p. L77P in a family with glomerulopathy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy

Background

Mutations in inverted formin, FH2, and WH2 domain containing (INF2) are common causes of dominant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. INF2 encodes a member of the diaphanous-related formin family, which regulates actin and microtubule cytoskeletons. Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy (CMT) is a group of inherited disorders affecting peripheral neurons. Many reports have shown that glomerulopathy can associate with CMT. However, it has been unclear whether these two processes in the same individual represent one disorder or if they are two separate diseases.

Case diagnosis/treatment

Recently, INF2 mutations were identified in 12 of 16 patients with CMT-associated glomerulopathy, suggesting that these mutations are a common cause of the dual phenotype. In this study, we report two cases of CMT-associated glomerulopathy that both showed INF2 mutations. A novel INF2 mutation, p. L77P, was identified in a family in which the dual phenotype was inherited in a dominant fashion. The pathogenic effect of p. L77P was proposed using a structural homology model. In addition, we identified a patient with a sporadic CMT-associated glomerulopathy carrying a known INF2 mutation: p. L128P.

Conclusions

Our study confirms the link between INF2 mutations and CMT-associated glomerulopathy and widens the spectrum of pathogenic mutations.     

Alpha4 chain laminins are widely expressed in renal cell carcinomas and have a de-adhesive function

Laminin (Lm) alpha4 chain, a constituent of Lm-411 and Lm-421, is mainly localized to mesenchyme-derived tissues, and is suggested to have a role in formation and function of endothelium, transmigration of inflammatory cells through endothelium, and invasion of certain tumors. In this study, we evaluated the distribution of alpha4 chain Lms in 33 conventional (clear cell) renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) (31 primary tumors, two metastases), two papillary RCCs, and two oncocytomas by immunohistochemistry. In all tumors, immunoreactivity for Lm alpha4 chain was found in vasculature and stroma. Basement membranes were detected around tumor cell islets in 34/37 tumors. They showed immunoreactivity for Lm alpha4 chain in 28/34 cases. Northern blotting, inhibition of protein secretion with monensin, and immunoprecipitation combined with Western blotting showed that Caki-2, ACHN, and Caki-1 renal carcinoma cell lines produce alpha4 chain Lms. In cell adhesion assay, recombinant human Lm-411 did not promote adhesion of renal carcinoma cells but inhibited adhesion to fibronectin (Fn). In cell migration assay, the cells migrated more on Lm-411 than on Fn. The results suggest that alpha4 chain Lms have a de-adhesive function and could thus play a role in detachment, migration and invasion of renal carcinoma cells in vivo.