Prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 1q21-qter: case report and review of literature

We report on a midtrimester fetus with multiple malformations, who was prenatally found to have pure partial trisomy 1q with duplication 1q21-qter. Prenatal ultrasound at 23 gestational weeks demonstrated craniofacial dysmorphism, ventriculomegaly, hand anomalies, and multiple visceral anomalies including cardiac defect, duodenal atresia, omphalocele, and urethral obstruction in the fetus. After pregnancy termination, external morphologic examination confirmed the sonographic characteristics, but autopsy was refused. Cytogenetic analysis (GTG banding) and subtelomeric probes (FISH) demonstrated an aberrant karyotype 46,XY,der(1)(1qter --> 1q21::1p36.3 --> 1qter) in a total of 139 amniotic fluid cells. Trisomy of the long arm of chromosome 1 is a rare condition. Large duplications of almost the entire 1q had so far been described in five mosaic cases. The present case and review of the literature suggest that duplication 1q21-qter is a serious condition with pre- or perinatal demise of all reported cases. This case further delineates the phenotype in trisomy 1q.     

Expression of Anaplasma marginale major surface protein 2 operon-associated proteins during mammalian and arthropod infection

The antigenically variant major surface protein 2 (MSP2) of Anaplasma marginale is expressed from a 3.5-kb operon that contains, in a 5'-to-3' direction, four open reading frames, opag3, opag2, opag1, and msp2. This operon structure was shown to be conserved among genotypically and phenotypically distinct A. marginale, A. ovis, and A. centrale strains. The individual OpAG amino acid sequences are highly conserved among A. marginale strains, with identities ranging from 95 to 99%. OpAG2 and OpAG3 were expressed by all examined A. marginale strains during the acute rickettsemia in the mammalian host and, like MSP2, localize to the bacterial surface. OpAG2 and OpAG3 were also expressed in an infected Ixodes scapularis tick cell line. In contrast, the same A. marginale strains expressed only OpAG2 in two different Dermacentor spp. during transmission feeding. OpAG1 expression was not detected in the infected mammalian host, the infected tick cell line, or within infected Dermacentor ticks. The differential expression of outer membrane proteins from within an operon is a novel finding in tick-transmitted bacteria, and the regulation of expression may be broadly applicable to understanding how the pathogen adapts to the mammalian host-tick vector transition.     

The effect of erroneous responses on response monitoring in patients with major depressive disorder: a study with event-related potentials

Perceived failure is reported to have detrimental effects on subsequent performance in patients with major depressive disorder. We investigated the error-related negativity (ERN)/error negativity (Ne), an electrophysiological correlate of response monitoring, using a 64-channel EEG. Sixteen patients with DSM-IV major depressive disorder and 16 matched controls participated in an Eriksen flanker task with continuous performance feedback that signaled monetary reward. Compared to controls, patients with major depressive disorder showed a less negative ERN/Ne in error trials following error trials. This result might reflect impaired response monitoring processes in major depressive disorder resulting from an underactivity in a central reward pathway and/or a deficit in strategic reasoning.     

Maturation of Peyer's patch dendritic cells in vitro upon stimulation via cytokines or CD40 triggering

In mouse Peyer's patches (PP), dendritic cells (DC) are localized in T cell areas as NLDC145⁺ CD11c+ cells, and in the dome and corona region of the follicle as NLDC145? CD11c+ cells, respectively, suggesting the presence of two different DC populations with distinct roles in antigen uptake, processing, and presentation. However, it is not clear how this relates to DC maturation. In this report, we demonstrate that freshly-isolated CD11c+ DC have the properties of immature DC since they endocytose soluble antigens, phagocytose particulate material such as latex beads, synthetize major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and invariant chain, but, at the same time, display low stimulatory activity for resting T cells, as shown in mixed-lymphocyte reaction and oxidative mitogenesis assays. When cultured for 24 h in the presence of the cytokines granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and tumor necrosis factor or anti-CD40, the cells undergo dramatic phenotypic and functional changes characteristic of DC maturation. After 24 h stimulation in vitro, CD11c+ cells lose the ability to take up proteins such as ovalbumin, and in parallel with this decline, the biosynthesis of MHC class II and invariant chain is dramatically down-regulated or eliminated. On the other hand cells treated in vitro exhibit on the cell surface higher levels of MHC class II, of co-stimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86), of adhesion molecules (CD44, intercellular adhesion molecule-1), and acquire expression of the interdigitating DC surface marker NLDC145. Concomitantly, the ability to stimulate naive T cells drastically increased after in vitro treatment with both stimuli. Taken together, our results indicate that the majority of DC in the PP are immature in terms of their antigen-uptake capacity. These sentinel antigen presenting cells are strategically positioned at the dome region of PP, where antigens are transcytosed via the M cells from the gut lumen. A second population of mature interdigitating NLDC145⁺ CD11c+ DC stimulates naive unprimed T cells in interfollicular areas by up-regulation of surface ligands and accessory signals.     

High risk HPV load estimated by Hybrid Capture II correlates with HPV16 load measured by real-time PCR in cervical smears of HPV16-infected women.

BACKGROUND: High risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) load determined by quantitative methods has already been considered as highly predictive of future development of high grade cervical lesions. Some studies also demonstrated that Hybrid Capture II (HCII) results can be considered as a reflection of HPV DNA load, while others did not. HCI assay, well suited for routine HR-HPV screening, is not especially dedicated for quantitative use. However, we have recently shown that women with high viral loads assessed by HCII were at increased risk of cervical precancer. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine if the values given by the HCII assay can be considered as quantitative. STUDY DESIGN: We used a real-time PCR allowing precise quantification of both HPV16 genome and albumin gene to normalize the measuring HPV16 load in cervical cells and to compare the data with those obtained by HCIIin a series of 40 HR-HPV positive samples. RESULTS: Reproducibility of the HPV16 real-time PCR, assessed from nine independent experiments of serial dilutions of SiHa cell DNA, was reflected in coefficients of variation for standard curves of crossing point (Cp) values below 5%. The HPV16 loads with a broad individual variability were significantly related to the cumulative load estimated by HCII and did not depend on the cellularity of samples. CONCLUSIONS: We assume that the HCII values can be used as a quantitative measure of HR-HPV DNA, so long as cervical specimens are collected using standardized protocols.     

Autistic-spectrum disorders in Down syndrome: further delineation and distinction from other behavioral abnormalities.

The present study extends our previous work characterizing the behavioral features of autistic-spectrum disorder (ASD) in Down syndrome (DS) using the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and Autism Behavior Checklist (AutBehav). We examined which specific behaviors distinguished the behavioral phenotype of DS + ASD from other aberrant behavior disorders in DS, by determining the relative contribution of ABC and AutBehav subscales and items to the diagnosis of ASD. A total of 127 subjects (aged 2-24 years; mean age: 8.4 years; approximately 70% male), comprising: a cohort of 64 children and adolescents with DS and co-morbid ASD (DS + ASD), 19 with DS and stereotypic movement disorder (DS + SMD), 18 with DS and disruptive behaviors (DS + DB), and 26 with DS and no co-morbid behavior disorders (DS + none) were examined using the aforementioned measures of aberrant behavior. We found that subjects with DS + ASD showed the most severe aberrant behavior, especially stereotypy compared to DS + none and lethargy/social withdrawal and relating problems compared to DS + SMD. Specifically, relatively simple stereotypic behavior differentiated DS + ASD from DS + DB, whereas odd/bizarre stereotypic and anxious behavior characterized DS + ASD relative to DS + SMD and DS + none. Additionally, in a subset of subjects with DS + ASD and anxiety, social withdrawal was particularly pronounced. Overall, our findings indicate that a diagnosis of DS + ASD represents a distinctive set of aberrant behaviors marked by characteristic odd/bizarre stereotypic behavior, anxiety, and social withdrawal.     

A genomewide linkage analysis for prostate cancer susceptibility genes in families from Germany

Prostate cancer is a complex disease with a substantial genetic contribution involved in the disease risk. Several genomewide linkage studies conducted so far have demonstrated a strong heterogeneity of susceptibility. In order to assess candidate regions that are particularly relevant for the German population, we performed a genomewide linkage search on 139 prostate cancer families. A nonparametric method (Zlr scores), using GENEHUNTERPLUS, was applied at 500 markers (panel P1400, deCODE), with an average spacing of 7.25 cM. In the entire family collection, linkage was most evident at 8p22 (Zlr=2.47, P=0.0068), close to the previously identified susceptibility gene MSR1. Further local maxima with Zlr>2 (P<0.025) were observed at 1q, 5q and 15q. In a subgroup of 47 families, which matched the Johns Hopkins criteria of hereditary prostate cancer, suggestive linkage was found on 1p31 (Zlr=3.37, P=0.00038), a previously not described candidate region. The remaining 92 pedigrees, with no strong disease history, revealed a maximum Zlr=3.15 (P=0.00082) at 8q13, possibly indicating a gene with reduced penetrance or recessive inheritance. Our results suggest pronounced locus heterogeneity of prostate cancer susceptibility in Germany. In the present study population, the MSR1 gene could play a significant role. Other conspicuous loci, like 1p31 and 8q13, need further investigation in order to verify their relevance and to identify candidate genes.     

Prognostic value of MMP-2, -9 and TIMP-1,-2 immunoreactive protein at the invasive front in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

In head and neck cancer as well as in other carcinomas, tumor expansion and spread to distant sites require the secretion of destructive enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix. A variety of proteases contribute to matrix destruction. Characteristics of the invasive tumor front may reflect tumor prognosis better than do other parts of the tumor. Therefore, it was the aim of the present study to (i) compare central and peripheral tumor zones for differences in the expression of matrix-metalloproteinases (MMP) -2 and -9 and their naturally occurring inhibitors (tissue inhibitor of matrix-metalloproteinases (TIMP) -1 and -2), (ii) examine the morphological potential of malignancy, and (iii) correlate these findings with clinicopathological parameters. The study population consisted of 106 surgical specimens of advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. The invasive front was graded for malignancy, and immunohistochemical staining with MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 antibodies was performed. Both MMP-2 and MMP-9 were found to be significantly overexpressed at the tumor front. The MMP-2-positive invasive front exhibited diminished overall survival times. In multivariate analysis, MMP-2 expression retained its correlation with overall survival in addition to nodal status and total malignancy score. Expression of TIMP-2 correlated with local tumor invasion. We conclude that the expression of MMP-2 at the invasive front is a marker of poor survival and appears to be associated with early recurrence in initially lymph node-negative patients.