Human adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency. Demonstration of a single mutant allele common to the Japanese.

Complete adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency causes 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis. In previous reports, analysis of the kinetic properties of APRT from APRT-deficient Japanese subjects revealed strikingly similar abnormalities suggesting a distinct "Japanese-type" mutation. In this paper, we report studies of 11 APRT-deficient lymphoblast cell lines. Nucleotide sequence analysis of APRT genomic DNA from WR2, a Japanese-type homozygote, identified a T to C substitution in exon 5, giving rise to the substitution of threonine for methionine at position 136. RNase mapping analysis confirmed this mutation in WR2 and revealed that six other Japanese-type homozygotes carry the same mutation on at least one allele. The remaining Japanese subject, who does not express the Japanese-type phenotype, did not demonstrate this mutation. Southern blot analysis showed that all seven Japanese-type subjects were confined to one TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) haplotype. These studies provide direct evidence for the nature of the mutation in the Japanese-type APRT deficiency.     

Homozygous deletion mutations in the plectin gene (PLEC1) in patients with epidermolysis bullosa simplex associated with late-onset muscular dystrophy

In a distinct autosomal recessive variant of epidermolysis bullosa, EB- MD, life-long skin blistering is associated with late-onset muscular dystrophy of unknown etiology. Electron microscopy of these patients' skin suggests that tissue separation occurs intracellularly at the level of the hemidesmosomal inner plaque, which contains plectin, a high molecular weight cytoskeletal associated protein, also expressed in the sarcolemma of the muscle. In this study, we report two patients with EB-MD, each with a homozygous deletion mutation in the plectin gene, PLEC1. In the first case, the proband and her similarly affected sister had a homozygous 9 bp deletion mutation, designated as 2719de19, which resulted in elimination of three amino acids, QEA, in a sequence of 23 amino acids entirely conserved between the mouse and human sequences. The proband in the second family demonstrated a single nucleotide deletion at position 5866, designated as 5866delC, which resulted in frameshift and a premature termination codon for translation 16 bp downstream from the site of deletion. The absence of plectin in the hemidesmosomes, as reflected by negative immunofluorescence with an anti-plectin antibody (HD-1), associated with fragility of basal keratinocytes, implicates plectin as critical for binding of intermediate keratin filament network to hemidesmosomal complexes. The function of plectin as a putative attachment protein also in the muscle would explain the clinical phenotype consisting of cutaneous fragility and muscular dystrophy in EB-MD.      

甘草素与异甘草素的合成

甘草素与异甘草素的合成杨立，沈凤嘉（兰州大学化学系，兰州７３００００）甘草（Ｇｌｙｃｙｒｒｈｉｚａｕｒａｌｅｎｓｉｓｆｉｓｃｈ．）为我国一项宝贵的中药资源，历来受到人们重视。甘草素（ｌｉｑｕｉｒｉｔｉｇｅｎｉｎ）和异甘草素（ｉｓｏｌｉｑｕｉｒｉｔｉｇ...     

云南甘草中新三萜成分的研究

自云南甘草(Clycyrrhiza yunnanensis)根中分离出10个化合物,经化学方法和光谱解析,鉴定9个为五环三萜类化合物:3β,21α,24-三羟基-齐墩果-12-烯-29-羧酸(Ⅰ)、3β,21α-二羟基-齐墩果-12-烯(Ⅱ)、3β,21α,24-三羟基-齐墩果-12-烯(Ⅲ)、桦木酸(Ⅳ)、23-羟基桦木酸(Ⅴ)、齐墩果酸(Ⅵ)、3β-羟基-16-氧-11,13(18)-二烯-3O-羧酸(Ⅶ)、24-羟基甘草内酯(Ⅷ)和21α-乙酰氧基木栓烷-3-酮(Ⅸ);另一个为β-胡萝卜甙(Ⅹ)。其中Ⅰ和Ⅱ为新化合物,分别命名为云南甘草皂甙元B1和B2。其余7个是已知物,但Ⅴ和Ⅸ首次得自甘草属植物,Ⅳ,Ⅵ和Ⅷ首次自云南甘草中分离得到。     

Automated sequencing detects all mutations in Northern Irish patients with phenylketonuria and mild hyperphenylalaninaemia

In the first phase of the Northern Ireland PKU Study, we used automated sequencing to identify the spectrum of mutations in a random group of 32 unrelated phenylketonuria (PKU) families. We also investigated 7 Northern Irish patients with mild hyperphenylalaninaemia not requiring dietary intervention (MHP, previously referred to as non-PKU HPA). Disease-causing mutations were identified on all 78 investigated chromosomes. We found 23 different mutations, including 20 missense, 1 nonsense and 2 splice site mutations. All mutations were located within exons or at intronexon boundaries of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene. Seven mutations occurred at CpG sites, confirming these sites as mutation hot-spots in PKU. Mutations R408W and I65T are the two commonest PKU mutations in the Northern Irish population. Two mutations (T380M and V245A) can be characterized as MHP mutations; they are quasi dominant markers for MHP since they cause mild hyperphenylalaninaemia even when occurring in conjunction with the most severe PKU mutations. The results have proven valuable for the development of a routine PKU mutation analysis system in Northern Ireland.     

HIV viral exposure and mortality in a multicenter ambulatory HIV adult cohort,United States, 1995–2016

The aim of this study was to identify viral exposure (VE) measures and their relationship to mortality risk among persons with HIV.Prospective multicenter observational study to compare VE formulae.Eligible participants initiated first combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) between March 1, 1995 and June 30, 2015. We included 1645 participants followed for ≥6 months after starting first cART, with cART prescribed ≥75% of time, who underwent ≥2 plasma viral load (VL) and ≥1 CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell (CD4) measurement during observation. We evaluated all-cause mortality from 6 months after cART initiation until June 30, 2016. VE was quantified using 2 time-updated variables: viremia copy-years and percent of person-years (%PY) spent >200 or 50 copies/mL. Cox models were fit to estimate associations between VE and mortality.Participants contributed 10,453 person years [py], with median 14 VLs per patient. Median %PY >200 or >50 were 10% (interquartile range: 1%–47%) and 26% (interquartile range: 6%–72%), respectively. There were 115 deaths, for an overall mortality rate of 1.19 per 100 person years. In univariate models, each measure of VE was significantly associated with mortality risk, as were older age, public insurance, injection drug use HIV risk history, and lower pre-cART CD4. Based on model fit, most recent viral load and %PY >200 copies/mL provided the best combination of VE factors to predict mortality, although all VE combinations evaluated performed well.The combination of most recent VL and %PY >200 copies/mL best predicted mortality, although all evaluated VE measures performed well.     

Arterial disease in lupus and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome: association with anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies but not with antibodies against oxidized low-density lipoprotein

The prevalence and clinical significance of antibodies against beta2- glycoprotein I (anti-beta2GPI) and antibodies against oxidized low- density lipoprotein (anti-ox-LDL) were evaluated as potential indicators of arterial disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and SLE with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). IgG anti-beta2GPI and IgG anti-ox-LDL were measured by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum samples from 118 patients with SLE, including 40 with secondary APS. IgG anti-beta2GPI were positive in 17% (20/118) of SLE patients. The presence and titres of IgG anti-beta2GPI were strongly associated with a history of arterial thrombosis. Haemolytic anaemia was also significantly associated with the presence of IgG anti-beta2GPI. The prevalence of IgG anti-ox-LDL was 53% (63/118), but there was no association with arterial thrombosis. No correlation between the values of anti-ox-LDL and those of anti-beta2GPI was found. These results suggest that IgG anti- beta2GPI could be a marker for arterial thrombosis in SLE patients, while IgG anti-ox-LDL were not associated with arterial disease in this group of lupus patients.      

Higher risk of AIDS or death in patients with lower CD4 cell counts after virally suppressive HAART

Background The clinical implications of a failure to achieve high CD4 cell counts while receiving virally suppressive highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are uncertain.
Methods We analysed data from HIV-infected men participating in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) to elucidate associations between CD4 cell counts achieved during virally suppressive HAART and risks of AIDS or death. Inclusion criteria were: CD4 cell count <200 cells/μL before HAART initiation; ≥2 viral load (VL) determinations after HAART initiation; and sustained viral suppression, defined as all VL <50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL, but allowing a single VL of 50–1000 copies/mL.
Results One hundred and twenty-one men were included; median age was 42 years. After first VL <50 copies/mL, six participants had a new AIDS diagnosis and seven died. The median CD4 cell count change/year (cells/μL) after first VL <50 copies/mL was zero among patients who either developed AIDS or died vs . 39 among those who did not meet either endpoint ( P =0.119). After controlling for time from HAART initiation to first VL <50 copies/mL, age at first VL <50 copies/mL, history of AIDS and antiretroviral therapy (ART) experience before HAART, the hazard ratio for AIDS or death at CD4 cell count of ≤200 vs . >350 cells/μL was 10.7 ( P =0.013), and at CD4 cell count of 201–350 vs . >350 cells/μL was 8.54 ( P =0.014).
Conclusion In this cohort, lower CD4 cell count at the time of viral suppression was associated with increased risk of AIDS or death.     

Protein C deficiency in a controlled series of unselected outpatients: an infrequent but clear risk factor for venous thrombosis (Leiden Thrombophilia Study) [see comments]

A deficiency of protein C (PC), antithrombin, or protein S is strongly associated with deep-vein thrombosis in selected patients and their families. However, the strength of the association with venous thrombosis in the general population is unknown. This study was a population-based, patient-control study of 474 consecutive outpatients, aged less than 70 years, with a first, objectively diagnosed, episode of venous thrombosis and without an underlying malignant disease, and 474 healthy controls who matched for age and sex. Relative risks were estimated as matched odds ratios. Based on a single measurement, there were 22 (4.6%) patients with a PC deficiency (PC activity, less than 0.67 U/mL or PC antigen, less than 0.33 U/mL when using coumarins). Among the controls, the frequency was 1.5% (seven subjects). Thus, there is a threefold increase in risk of thrombosis in subjects with PC levels below 0.67 or 0.33 U/mL [matched odds ratio, 3.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4 to 7.0]. When a PC deficiency was based on two repeated measurements, the relative risk for thrombosis increased to 3.8 (95% CI, 1.3 to 10); when it was based on DNA-confirmation, the relative risk increased further to 6.5 (95% CI, 1.8 to 24). In addition, there was a gradient in thrombosis risk, according to PC levels. The results for antithrombin are similar to those for PC, although less pronounced (relative risk, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.0 to 4.7). We could not find an association between reduced total protein S (relative risk, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.3 to 1.8) or free protein S levels (relative risk, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.6 to 4.0) and thrombosis risk. Although not very frequent, PC and antithrombin deficiency are clearly associated with an increase in thrombosis risk.     

三维超声心动图测定左心耳容量及其收缩功能的初步研究

目的　观察三维超声心动图测定左心耳容量的可行性。方法　对 10名患者行多平面经食管超声心动图 (TEE)检查。应用三维超声心动图采取圆盘总和方法 (disksummation)测定左心耳舒张末期容量 (EDV)和左心耳收缩末期容量 (ESV)。用二维超声心动图测定左心耳舒张末期面积 (EDA)和左心耳收缩末期面积(ESA)。上述左心耳容量和面积的测定均在二个独立的观察者之间以及同一观察者两次观察间重复进行。由三维超声心动图容量测定结果计算出左心耳的射血分数 (EFv) ,由二维超声心动图的面积测定结果计算出左心耳射血分数 (EFa)。结果　三维超声心动图测定左心耳EDV为 ( 19.5± 10 .9)ml,ESV为 ( 13 .5± 9.5 )ml ,EFv为0 .3 5± 0 .14。二维超声心动图测定左心耳EDA为 ( 8.7± 2 .2 )cm2 ,ESV为 ( 5 .9± 3 .5 )cm2 ,EFa为 0 .3 5± 0 .2 2。以上测量内容在观察者之间及观察者内的重复性检验中均未见显著性差异 ,EFv与EFa之间亦无显著性差异。但无论在观察者间或观察者内的重复性检验中EFa的范围和两测量数值之差均大于EFv的相应值。结论　三维超声心动图测量左心耳容量和评价其收缩功能是可行的 ,这种测定方法可能有助于改善二维超声心动图评价左心耳功能的准确性。