Familial distal arthrogryposis with craniofacial abnormalities: a new subtype of type II?

We report on 5 relatives in 3 generations with an apparent new type of distal arthrogryposis. These individuals have manifestations of type I distal arthrogryposis, but in addition, have craniofacial anomalies that include facial asymmetry, hypertelorism, downslanting palpebral fissures, high nasal bridge, malar hypoplasia, micrognathia, highly arched palate, notched chin, and posteriorly angulated ears. Their intelligence is normal. Although these manifestations preclude us from placing this family in the type I (isolated) distal arthrogryposis category, we also are unable to place them in any of the recognized subtypes of type II distal arthrogryposis. Thus, we think this family may have a previously undescribed form of autosomal dominant type II distal arthrogryposis.     

Envelope proteins of vesicular stomatitis virions: accessibility to iodination

The glycoprotein and, to a lesser extent, the matrix membrane protein of intact vesicular stomatitis virions were specificially iodinated by oxidation with lactoperoxidase or chloramine T. The virion envelope provided an effective barrier against iodination of nucleocapsid proteins. Selective removal of glycoprotein by trypsin or Triton X-100 exposed the membrane matrix protein to somewhat more extensive iodination but the nucleocapsid N protein became only slightly more accessible to iodination; the nucleocapsid L and NS proteins remained unlabeled.     

Ocular counterrolling induced by centrifugation during orbital space flight

During the 1998 Neurolab mission (STS-90), four astronauts were exposed to interaural centripetal accelerations (Gy centrifugation) of 0.5g and 1g during rotation on a centrifuge, both on Earth and during orbital space flight. Subjects were oriented either left-ear out or right-ear out, facing or back to motion. Binocular eye movements were measured in three dimensions using a video technique. On Earth, tangential centrifugation that produces 1g of interaural linear acceleration combines with gravity to tilt the gravitoinertial acceleration (GIA) vector 45° in the roll plane relative to the head vertical, generating a summed vector of 1.4g. Before flight, this elicited mean ocular counterrolling (OCR) of 5.7°. Due to the relative absence of gravity during flight, there was no linear acceleration along the dorsoventral axis of the head. As a result, during in-flight centrifugation, gravitoinertial acceleration was strictly aligned with the centripetal acceleration along the interaural axis. There was a small but significant decrease (mean 10%) in the magnitude of OCR in space (5.1°). The magnitude of OCR during postflight 1g centrifugation was not significantly different from preflight OCR (5.9°). Findings were similar for 0.5g centrifugation, but the OCR magnitude was approximately 60% of that induced by centrifugation at 1g. OCR during pre- and postflight static tilt was not significantly different and was always less than OCR elicited by centrifugation on Earth for an equivalent interaural linear acceleration. In contrast, there was no difference between the OCR generated by in-flight centrifugation and by static tilt on Earth at equivalent interaural linear accelerations. These data support the following conclusions: (1) OCR is generated predominantly in response to interaural linear acceleration; (2) the increased OCR during centrifugation on Earth is a response to the head dorsoventral 1g linear acceleration component, which was absent in microgravity. The dorsoventral linear acceleration could have activated either the otoliths or body-tilt receptors that responded to the larger GIA magnitude (1.4g), to generate the increased OCR during centrifugation on Earth. A striking finding was that magnitude of OCR was maintained throughout and after flight. This is in contrast to most previous postflight OCR studies, which have generally registered decreases in OCR. We postulate that intermittent exposure to artificial gravity, in the form of the centripetal acceleration experienced during centrifugation, acted as a countermeasure to deconditioning of this otolith-ocular orienting reflex during the 16-day mission. Electronic Publication     

An IFN-beta-albumin fusion protein that displays improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties in nonhuman primates.

The long half-life and stability of human serum albumin (HSA) make it an attractive candidate for fusion to short-lived therapeutic proteins. Albuferon (Human Genome Sciences [HGS], Inc., Rockville, MD) beta is a novel recombinant protein derived from a gene fusion of interferon-beta (IFN-beta ) and HSA. In vitro, Albuferon beta displays antiviral and antiproliferative activities and triggers the IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) signal transduction pathway. Array analysis of 5694 independent genes in Daudi-treated cells revealed that Albuferon beta and IFN-beta induce the expression of an identical set of 30 genes, including 9 previously not identified. In rhesus monkeys administered a dose of 50 microg/kg intravenously (i.v.) or subcutaneously (s.c.) or 300 microg/kg s.c., Albuferon beta demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Subcutaneous bioavailability was 87%, plasma clearance at 4.7-5.7 ml/h/kg was approximately 140-fold lower than that of IFN-beta, and the terminal half-life was 36-40 h compared with 8 h for IFN-beta. Importantly, Albuferon beta induced sustained increases in serum neopterin levels and 2',5' mRNA expression. At a molar dose equivalent to one-half the dose of IFN-beta, Albuferon beta elicited comparable neopterin responses and significantly higher 2',5'-OAS mRNA levels in rhesus monkeys. The enhanced in vivo pharmacologic properties of IFN-beta when fused to serum albumin suggest a clinical opportunity for improved IFN-beta therapy.     

The Drosophila projectin mutant,bent D,has reduced stretch activation and altered indirect flight muscle kinetics

Projectin is a ca. 900 kDa protein that is a member of the titin protein superfamily. In skeletal muscle titins are involved in the longitudinal reinforcement of the sarcomere by connecting the Z-band to the M-line. In insect indirect flight muscle (IFM), projectin is believed to form the connecting filaments that link the Z-band to the thick filaments and is responsible for the high relaxed stiffness found in this muscle type. The Drosophila mutant bent ^D (bt ^D ) has been shown to have a breakpoint close to the carboxy-terminal kinase domain of the projectin sequence. Homozygotes for bt ^D are embryonic lethal but heterozygotes (bt ^D /+) are viable. Here we show that bt ^D /+ flies have normal flight ability and a slightly elevated wing beat frequency (bt ^D /+ 223 ± 13 Hz; +/+203 ± 5 Hz, mean ± SD; P < 0.01). Electron microscopy of bt ^D /+ IFM show normal ultrastructure but skinned fiber mechanics show reduced stretch activation and oscillatory work. Although bt ^D /+ IFM power output was at wild-type levels, maximum power was achieved at a higher frequency of applied length perturbation (bt ^D /+ 151 ± 6 Hz; +/+ 102 ± 14 Hz; P < 0.01). Results were interpreted in the context of a viscoelastic model of the sarcomere and indicate altered cross-bridge kinetics of the power-producing step. These results show that the bt ^D mutation reduces oscillatory work in a way consistent with the proposed role of the connecting filaments in the stretch activation response of IFM.     

Fetal anticonvulsant syndrome and mutation in the maternal MTHFR gene

Around 6% of infants born to mothers taking anticonvulsants have malformations, including neural tube defects, and a further proportion show developmental delay in later childhood. Three commonly used anticonvulsants, carbamazepine, phenytoin and sodium valproate, interfere with folic acid metabolism. We investigated the common 677 C>T mutation in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene in samples from 57 patients and their parents and 152 controls to determine its contribution to the risk of fetal anticonvulsant syndrome. The 677 C>T mutation frequency was significantly higher in the mothers than in the controls, but there was no significant difference in 677 C>T frequency in the patients or in the fathers. Genotype frequencies in the mothers were significantly different from controls, there being an excess of 677 C>T homozygotes. Amongst the patients, there was an apparent excess of heterozygotes (not statistically significant), and the fathers were not significantly different from controls. Mutation in the MTHFR gene in a mother taking sodium valproate, phenytoin or carbamazepine during pregnancy is associated with fetal anticonvulsant syndrome in her offspring. The skewed distribution of genotypes in the affected children probably reflects the association of fetal anticonvulsant syndrome with the maternal genotype.     

Purification of P-selectin (CD62P) from human platelets

Summary A method is described for immunoaffinity purification of P-selectin from outdated human platelets.     

Use of the Doppler flowmeter in stroke prevention.

The directional Doppler flowmeter can be used to identify collateral patterns of extracanial arterial blood flow that are associated with hemodynamically significant lesions of the internal carotid artery. The use of this non-invasive technique can identify accurately those patients who are candidates for angiographic confirmation.