河南地区苯丙酮尿症患者苯丙氨酸羟化酶基因突变研究

Objective To study the characteristics of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (PAH)mutations in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) in Henan province, in order to provide basic information for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis. Methods Mutations of the PAH gene were detected in exons 1-13 with flanking introns of PAH gene by PCR and DNA sequencing in 47 families with PKU. Results A total of 25 different mutations were detected in 83 out of 94 PAH alleles (88. 3%). Among them,E79fX13, H271R and D415Y have not been reported previously. It was the first time that IVS10-14C＞Gmutation was reported in Chinese PKU population. The mutations p. R243Q, EX6-96A＞G, p. Y356X,IVS4-1G＞A, p. R111X, p. V399V and p. R413P, were the prevalent mutations with relative frequencies of 20. 5 %, 12.0%, 9.6%, 9. 6%, 8. 4%, 8. 4% and 7.2% respectively. Conclusion The mutations of the PAH gene in patients with classical phenylketonuria in Henan province were similar to that in other areas of China. Prenatal gene diagnosis for PKU by PAH gene sequencing is efficient for most PKU families.     

河南地区苯丙酮尿症患者苯丙氨酸羟化酶基因突变研究

目的 了解河南地区苯丙酮尿症(phenylketonuria,PKU)患者苯丙氨酸羟化酶(phenylalanine hydroxylase,PAH)基因突变情况,以便为苯丙酮尿症产前诊断和遗传咨询提供理论依据.方法 应用PCR产物直接测序对47例PKU患者及其父母PAH基因第1～13外显子及其两侧内含子进行序列分析.结果 在94条染色体中共检测到了83个PAH基因突变位点,检出率为88.3%(83/94),共发现了25种突变,其中突变E79fX13、H271R和D415Y国内外未见报道,突变VS10-14C＞G为国内首次报道.河南地区PKU患者的PAH基因突变集中在第6、7和11外显子,常见的7种突变是p.R243Q(20.5%)、EX6-96A＞G(12.0%)、p.Y356X(9.6%)、VS4-1G＞A(9.6%)、p.R111X(8.4%)、p.V399V(8.4%)、p.R413P(7.2%).结论 河南地区PKU患者PAH基因突变与中国其他地区相似,通过PAH基因直接测序可对大部分的PKU家系进行产前诊断.

Abstract：

Objective To study the characteristics of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (PAH)mutations in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) in Henan province, in order to provide basic information for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis. Methods Mutations of the PAH gene were detected in exons 1-13 with flanking introns of PAH gene by PCR and DNA sequencing in 47 families with PKU. Results A total of 25 different mutations were detected in 83 out of 94 PAH alleles (88. 3%). Among them,E79fX13, H271R and D415Y have not been reported previously. It was the first time that IVS10-14C＞Gmutation was reported in Chinese PKU population. The mutations p. R243Q, EX6-96A＞G, p. Y356X,IVS4-1G＞A, p. R111X, p. V399V and p. R413P, were the prevalent mutations with relative frequencies of 20. 5 %, 12.0%, 9.6%, 9. 6%, 8. 4%, 8. 4% and 7.2% respectively. Conclusion The mutations of the PAH gene in patients with classical phenylketonuria in Henan province were similar to that in other areas of China. Prenatal gene diagnosis for PKU by PAH gene sequencing is efficient for most PKU families.     

Mutation screening of the F Ⅷ gene in 10 hemophilia A families

Objective To identify the F Ⅷ gene mutations of patients and suspected female carriers in 10 Hemophilia A (HA) families, and to guide the prenatal diagnosis. Methods PCR, denaturing high performance liquid chromatogramphy(DHPLC) and DNA sequencing technologies were applied to screen the FⅧ gene of 8 HA patients and 12 suspected female carriers in the 10 families. Linkage analysis was performed by using St 14 (DXS 52), intron 13 (CA)n and EX18/Bcl Ⅰ of the FⅧ gene in the HA families.In prenatal diagnosis, we screened the same mutation found in the patients. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was applied to detect the new missense mutations of F Ⅷ gene in 100 unrelated healthy individuals to exclude the possibility of polymorphism. Results (1) Five missense mutations, 3 frameshift mutations, 2 nonsense mutations and 2 single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) were identified in 10 the HA families. Among them, c. 878A＞G, c. 1015A＞G, c. 6870G＞T, c. 1282delA, c. 3072_3073insT, c. 4880_4881insA and c. 5000G＞A were novel mutations or polymorphism. No missense mutations c. 878A＞G, c.1015A＞G and c. 6870G＞T, were found in the 100 healthy unrelated controls. (2) Nine suspected female carriers were confirmed at the gene level. (3) X risk chromosome could be determined in 4 HA families by genetic linkage analysis. (4) Among the four fetuses for prenatal diagnosis, 2 were normal, 1 was carrier and the remaining 1 was a patient. Conclusion Six novel mutations, i. e. , c. 878A＞G, c. 1015A＞G, c.6870G＞T, c. 1282delA, c. 3072_3073insT and c. 4880_4881insA, were identified in this study. PCR,DHPLC and DNA sequencing could be used to screen the gene mutations of HA patients, to carry out carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of HA families efficiently, by combining with restriction endonuclease analysis and genetic linkage analysis.     

Mutation screening of the F Ⅷ gene in 10 hemophilia A families

Objective To identify the F Ⅷ gene mutations of patients and suspected female carriers in 10 Hemophilia A (HA) families, and to guide the prenatal diagnosis. Methods PCR, denaturing high performance liquid chromatogramphy(DHPLC) and DNA sequencing technologies were applied to screen the FⅧ gene of 8 HA patients and 12 suspected female carriers in the 10 families. Linkage analysis was performed by using St 14 (DXS 52), intron 13 (CA)n and EX18/Bcl Ⅰ of the FⅧ gene in the HA families.In prenatal diagnosis, we screened the same mutation found in the patients. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was applied to detect the new missense mutations of F Ⅷ gene in 100 unrelated healthy individuals to exclude the possibility of polymorphism. Results (1) Five missense mutations, 3 frameshift mutations, 2 nonsense mutations and 2 single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) were identified in 10 the HA families. Among them, c. 878A＞G, c. 1015A＞G, c. 6870G＞T, c. 1282delA, c. 3072_3073insT, c. 4880_4881insA and c. 5000G＞A were novel mutations or polymorphism. No missense mutations c. 878A＞G, c.1015A＞G and c. 6870G＞T, were found in the 100 healthy unrelated controls. (2) Nine suspected female carriers were confirmed at the gene level. (3) X risk chromosome could be determined in 4 HA families by genetic linkage analysis. (4) Among the four fetuses for prenatal diagnosis, 2 were normal, 1 was carrier and the remaining 1 was a patient. Conclusion Six novel mutations, i. e. , c. 878A＞G, c. 1015A＞G, c.6870G＞T, c. 1282delA, c. 3072_3073insT and c. 4880_4881insA, were identified in this study. PCR,DHPLC and DNA sequencing could be used to screen the gene mutations of HA patients, to carry out carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of HA families efficiently, by combining with restriction endonuclease analysis and genetic linkage analysis.     

两个新RUNX2基因突变引起家族性锁骨颅骨发育不全

Objective To identify the RUNX2 gene mutation in two unrelated Chinese families with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), and to assess the feasibility of gene diagnosis for patients with CCD. Methods Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood samples of 4 patients and 4 healthy members in the two pedigrees as well as 102 unrelated healthy controls. All 7 coding exons and their flanking intronic sequences of the RUNX2 gene were amplified by PCR, then the PCR products were sequenced bi-directionally. The sequencing results were compared with normal sequences in GenBank to identify the mutation. The mutation was confirmed by RFLP with restriction endonuclease. Results In one family, a novel heterozygous missense mutation c. 346T＞A (W116R) in exon 1 of the RUNX2 gene was detected in the two affected individuals, and the mutation was further confirmed with Bsr Ⅰ restriction endonuclease digestion. In the other family, a novel nonsense mutation c. 610A＞T (K204X) was identified in the two patients. No above sequence change was found in the 102 healthy controls. Conclusion Two novel RUNX2 mutations were found in two unrelated Chinese families with cleidoeranial dysplasia. The identification of these mutations further extended the mutation spectrum of RUNX2 gene and will facilitate prenatal diagnosis and gene diagnosis of CCD.     

两个新RUNX2基因突变引起家族性锁骨颅骨发育不全

Objective To identify the RUNX2 gene mutation in two unrelated Chinese families with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD), and to assess the feasibility of gene diagnosis for patients with CCD. Methods Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood samples of 4 patients and 4 healthy members in the two pedigrees as well as 102 unrelated healthy controls. All 7 coding exons and their flanking intronic sequences of the RUNX2 gene were amplified by PCR, then the PCR products were sequenced bi-directionally. The sequencing results were compared with normal sequences in GenBank to identify the mutation. The mutation was confirmed by RFLP with restriction endonuclease. Results In one family, a novel heterozygous missense mutation c. 346T＞A (W116R) in exon 1 of the RUNX2 gene was detected in the two affected individuals, and the mutation was further confirmed with Bsr Ⅰ restriction endonuclease digestion. In the other family, a novel nonsense mutation c. 610A＞T (K204X) was identified in the two patients. No above sequence change was found in the 102 healthy controls. Conclusion Two novel RUNX2 mutations were found in two unrelated Chinese families with cleidoeranial dysplasia. The identification of these mutations further extended the mutation spectrum of RUNX2 gene and will facilitate prenatal diagnosis and gene diagnosis of CCD.     

中国Rett综合征患儿突变基因的亲源分析

Objective To identify the parental origin of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2)gene mutations in Chinese patients with Rett syndrome. Methods Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in intron 3 of the MECP2 gene were analyzed by PCR and sequencing in 115 patients with Rett syndrome.Then sequencing of the SNP region was performed for the fathers of the patients who had at least one SNP,to determine which allele was from the father. Then allele-specific PCR was performed and the products were sequenced to see whether the allele from father or mother harbored the mutation. Results Seventy-six of the 115 patients had at least one SNP. Three hot SNPs were found in these patients. They were: IVS3+22C＞G, IVS3+266C＞T and IVS3+683C＞T. Among the 76 cases, 73 had a paternal origin of MECP2 mutations, and the other 3 had a maternal origin. There were multiple types of MECP2 mutation of the paternal origin, including 4 frame shift, 2 deletion and 67 point (56 C＞T, 6 C＞G, 2 A＞G, 2 G＞T and 1 A＞T) mutations. The mutation types of the 3 ptients with maternal origin included 2 frame shift and 1 point (C＞T) mutation. Conclusion In Chinese RTT patients, the MECP2 mutations are mostly of paternal origin.     

中国Rett综合征患儿突变基因的亲源分析

Objective To identify the parental origin of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2)gene mutations in Chinese patients with Rett syndrome. Methods Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in intron 3 of the MECP2 gene were analyzed by PCR and sequencing in 115 patients with Rett syndrome.Then sequencing of the SNP region was performed for the fathers of the patients who had at least one SNP,to determine which allele was from the father. Then allele-specific PCR was performed and the products were sequenced to see whether the allele from father or mother harbored the mutation. Results Seventy-six of the 115 patients had at least one SNP. Three hot SNPs were found in these patients. They were: IVS3+22C＞G, IVS3+266C＞T and IVS3+683C＞T. Among the 76 cases, 73 had a paternal origin of MECP2 mutations, and the other 3 had a maternal origin. There were multiple types of MECP2 mutation of the paternal origin, including 4 frame shift, 2 deletion and 67 point (56 C＞T, 6 C＞G, 2 A＞G, 2 G＞T and 1 A＞T) mutations. The mutation types of the 3 ptients with maternal origin included 2 frame shift and 1 point (C＞T) mutation. Conclusion In Chinese RTT patients, the MECP2 mutations are mostly of paternal origin.     

Secular change in menarche in women in Madrid

The age at menarche was estimated by recollection in 1617 women between the ages of 18 and 60 in Madrid and a nearby suburb, Pinto. The population of Pinto is working-class and the Madrid group, taken from residential neighbourhoods , belongs to the upper middle class. In both groups we found a diminution in average age at menarche, from 14.04 to 13.02 years in Madrid and from 14.55 to 13.16 years from about 1935 to about 1965 in Pinto. These changes have been more intense in the group which is less well-off economically, where living conditions have varied much more drastically.     

Intestinal helminthiasis in school children in Haiti in 2002

A survey on intestinal helminths in school children was conducted in Haiti in 2002. This first nationwide study involving the entire country was stratified by department according to urban and rural zones using the cluster method. Focusing on elementary school children (n=5792; age range 3 to 20 years), it involved 26 urban and 49 rural schools randomly selected. Stools were preserved in formalin and examined by the Ritchie technique. Thirty-four per cent of stools (1981/5792) tested positive for intestinal helminths with the following parasites identified: Ascaris lumbricoides (27.3%), Trichuris trichiura (7.3%), Necator americanus (3.8%), Hymenolepsis nana (2%), Taenia sp. (0.3%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (0.2%). The helminth prevalence was higher in rural (38.4%) compared to urban areas (30%). There was no significant difference in prevalence by sex and age. The importance of geohelminths changed from one department to another with the highest prevalence found in the Southern department of Grande Anse (73.7%) and the lowest prevalence in the Center department (20.6%). Five out of the country's nine departments had a similar prevalence varying from 25.5% to 28.2%. Intestinal helminthic polyparasitism was observed in a percentage of infested school children comprise between 3.4% and 28.6% according in relation to the geographical area. A program to fight against geohelminths in school children should be initiated as a public health priority. Albendazole is the drug of choice. Frequency of drug distribution should be based on the prevalence of geohelminths in each department.     

Experience in adult population in dengue outbreak in Delhi

A dengue outbreak has recently hit the Indian capital. We studied the clinical profile of adult patients. Five hundred and sixty patients of dengue infection were admitted in a specially created ward according to the criteria laid down by WHO. Haematemesis (28.28%), epistaxis (26.78%) and malena (14.28%) were some of the common presentations. Similarly lymphadenopathy, especially cervical (30.89%), palatal rashes (26.96%) and hepatomegaly (23.75%) were the most commonly encountered findings on physical examination. Most of the cases were of dengue fever with haemorrhage and only 2.5% cases were classified under dengue haemorrhagic fever or dengue shock syndrome. The average hospital stay was 3.4 days but only 9.8 hours in the eleven patients who died, suggesting their late arrival in preterminal situation giving little time for resuscitation. Thrombocytopenia was not a feature and only 12.85% patients had platelet count less than 70,000/cmm. Most of the patients who were admitted with thrombocytopenia, showed normalization in their platelet counts in next few days. Serological examination demonstrated evidence of recent dengue infection in 41.17% patients. Few patients required blood or platelet concentrate transfusion. Eleven patients died, three due to DIC, one of intracranial haemorrhage and seven due to massive gastric haemorrhage. Rest of the patients recovered completely. Thus we can conclude that recent outbreak in Delhi was of dengue fever with haemorrhage and mortality was very low in patients who came early to the hospital.     

Changes in the hypothalamic nuclei in in experimental allergy

Summary In rabbits subjected to prolonged sensitization and in which the Arthus phenomenon was induced there was a marked reaction of the hypothalamic nuclei. Staining by Gomori's method indicated a cellular swelling, loss of granules, and protoplasmic vacuolization in the supraoptic nucleus. There was a considerable increase in the size of the cross-sectional area of the cells. The same effects were much less well shown in the paraventricular nucleus. These results show that marked signs of increased neurosecretion developed in the animals at the height of the Arthus phenomenon.(Presented by Active Member AMN SSSR V. V. Parin) Translated from Byulleten Éksperimental'noi biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 55, No. 4, pp. 110–113, April, 1963.     

Development in in vitro toxicology

There are three principal pressures driving the development of in vitro toxicology: (1) the need for more efficient testing systems to cope with the large number of xenobiotics currently being developed; (2) public pressure to reduce animal experimentation; and (3) a need for a better understanding of the mechanisms of toxicity. Within this, in vitro toxicology is focused on local, systemic, and target-organ toxicity. It is becoming increasingly apparent that a step or decision-tree approach using input of a variety of experimental data (physicochemical properties, biokinetics, cytotoxicity) provides the most efficient system for predicting toxicity. Examples of the use of in vitro toxicity systems for prediction of systemic toxicity and target-organ (liver) toxicity are presented.Originally presented at ECCP 93.