Anterior uveitis and congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles in a patient with Noonan syndrome

We describe a patient with Noonan syndrome who presented with Human Leukocyte Antigen B27-associated recurrent acute anterior uveitis and manifestations of congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles, which has not been reported before.     

Influence of age on iminodipropionitrile-induced vestibular and neurobehavioral toxicities in rats

A direct association between aging and drug-induced dyskinesia has been reported by several investigators. Iminiodipropionitrile (IDPN), a prototype nitrile compound produces a motor syndrome in rodents, which resembles neuroleptic drug induced dyskinesia. In this investigation attempt has been made to study the effect of age on IDPN induced vestibular hair cell degeneration and resulting dyskinetic syndrome. Male Wistar rats aged 3, 6 and 12 weeks received IDPN in the doses of 0, 200 and 400 mg/kg, intraperitoneally for 3 consecutive days. IDPN-induced dyskinesia was assessed using a behavioral testing battery on days 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The rats were sacrificed on day 28; temporal bones were excised for vestibular histopathology and sera were collected for measuring the indices of oxidative stress (glutathione and conjugated dienes). IDPN in the dose of 200 mg/kg produced dyskinesia in 12 weeks old rats, but failed to do so in 3 and 6 weeks old rats. The high dose of IDPN (400 mg/kg) caused dyskinesia in all age groups, however, its onset and severity were age-dependent. Older rats showed an early onset and significantly high incidence of dyskinesia as compared to younger rats. The susceptibility of rats to IDPN-induced behavioral deficits was proportional to oxidative stress and degeneration of sensory hair cells in the crista ampullaris.     

A completed screen for mutations of the rhodopsin gene in a panel of patients with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.

Recently it has been demonstrated that some families with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) have mutations in the rhodopsin gene while others do not. Previously we have identified six such mutations in seven adRP families in this laboratory, one of which was previously described in US patients. We now present a completed screen of the rhodopsin gene in a panel of 39 adRP families, by a rapid screening technique which will be of use for routine diagnosis. Nine different mutations were ultimately found, in a total of twelve of the 39 families. These include the six previously identified mutations, in codons 68-71, 190, 211, 255, 296 and 347, two new ones in codons 53 and 106, and another mutation first identified in a single US patient, in codon 58. Thus approximately 30% of adRP families have 'Rhodopsin RP' while the remainder probably have a defect elsewhere in the genome. Of those families in which rhodopsin mutations have been found, four have been classified D type, three as sectorial RP and the remainder are of uncertain classification. All families excluded from chromosome 3q by linkage have been classified R type. These data suggest a correlation between clinical sub-classification and the underlying rhodopsin/non-rhodopsin heterogeneity.     

Evidence for the involvement of HLA-DR antigens in restricted cytotoxicity by fetal calf serum-specific human T cells

Fetal calf serum (FCS) generated at least two distinct populations of human cytotoxic cells in vitro. One population expressed natural killer (NK) cell-like activity and lysed K562 and HSB-2 targets more effectively than autologous or allogeneic lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). The other population contained FCS-specific cytotoxic T cells which preferentially lysed the autologous LCLs and showed minimal lysis of K562. E-rosette separation and cold target competition experiments clearly established that NK cells were not involved in the self-reactive lysis. Moreover, the lytic activity of the E-rosetted T cells was reduced by up to 95% when autologous target cells were grown in human AB serum rather than FCS, showing that FCS-associated determinants on targets were essential in the cytolytic phase. Autologous LCLs grown in FCS were also considerably stronger competitors than human serum-grown LCLs. The consistent self-preferred lysis suggested that HLA antigen-related restriction was involved, but the patterns of lysis did not implicate HLA-A or B antigens, and monoclonal antibody (W6/32) to an A, B, and C monomorphic determinant failed to block FCS-specific lysis. In contrast, monoclonal antibody (DA.2) to a monomorphic determinant of DR effectively blocked FCS-specific lysis. Cytotoxicity tests with a small panel of DR-typed donors indicated that strong cross-reactions were invariably associated with sharing of DR antigens, particularly DR2, and to a lesser but significant extent DR7. Although DR antigen sharing did not always result in lysis of allogeneic targets, the overall evidence strongly suggests that FCS-specific T-cell cytotoxicity in humans is restricted by products encoded by or associated with the DR genes.     

Quantitative assessment of the biological effects of follicle regulatory protein on dihydrotestosterone-maintained spermatogenesis in hypophysectomized rat

Follicle regulatory protein (FRP) isolated from porcine ovarian follicles influences folliculogenesis through a paracrine mechanism. A similar protein has been found in the testes and seems to have some inhibitory effects on spermatogenesis when administered to intact male experimental animals. On the basis of female and male studies, it has been ascertained that the effects of FRP are at the level of gonads and not the pituitary or the hypothalamus. In the studies with intact males it was not possible to determine the exact site of FRP action on the testes. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) has been shown to maintain spermatogenesis in hypophysectomized rats. In order to determine if the inhibitory effects of FRP are at steps prior to the formation of DHT, FRP was administered to hypophysectomized rats that were injected with DHT. Groups of adult rats were hypophysectomized and treated daily with FRP, DHT, FRP + DHT, or vehicle alone for 30 days. At necropsy, body, testes, prostate glands, and seminal vesicle weights were recorded. One testis and sexual accessory glands were fixed for histological evaluation. The contralateral testis was decapsulated, six 2 mm segments of seminiferous tubules, representing defined stages of spermatogenesis, were isolated by transillumination-assisted microdissection, and spermatogenic cells were quantified by DNA flow cytometry. Histologically, the seminiferous tubules of vehicle-treated hypophysectomized controls showed advanced regression. Rats treated with FRP alone showed similar degeneration. On the other hand, rats treated with DHT showed maintenance of spermatogenesis comparable to normal controls. The testes of rats treated with FRP + DHT were indistinguishable from those treated with DHT only. Flow cytometric quantification of germinal cells from all groups confirmed the histological findings. In this study FRP did not exert deleterious effects on DHT-maintained spermatogenesis. This finding suggests that the inhibitory effects of FRP on spermatogenesis in intact animals may not be a direct effect on spermatogenic cells but may impair androgen action or production or DHT formation.     

A Novel Locus for Ectodermal Dysplasia of Hairs, Nails and Teeth Type Maps to Chromosome 18q22.1–22.3

Ectodermal dysplasias (EDs) are developmental disorders affecting tissues of ectodermal origin including hair, nails, teeth and sweat glands. Ectodermal dysplasia of hair, nails and teeth is a rare type of congenital disorder characterized by sparse and thin hair, dystrophic finger-and toenails and missing and abnormal teeth. In an effort to understand the molecular basis of this form of ED a family of Pakistani origin with an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance was ascertained from a remote region in Pakistan. The clinical features of the affected individuals included thin and fine hair on the scalp, dystrophic and flat nails, absent or sparse eyebrows and eyelashes, missing and abnormal teeth, and thin body hair. A human genome scan carried out using microsatellite markers mapped the disease locus in this family to chromosome 18q22.1–18q22.3. A maximum two-point LOD score of 2.73 (θ= 0.0) was obtained at marker D18S541. Multipoint linkage analysis resulted in a maximum LOD score of 3.42 obtained with several markers, including D18S1125, ATA82B02, D18S848, D18S488, D18S1091, and D18S485, which supported the linkage. The linkage interval is flanked by markers D18S857 and D18S815, which corresponds to a region of 17.32 cM according to Rutgers combined linkage and physical map (build 36). This region covers 8.63 Mb according to the sequence-based physical map. Three candidate genes, CDH7, CDH19 and ZNF407 , from the linkage interval were sequenced and found to be negative for functional sequence variants. This study is the first step towards the identification of a gene involved in hair, nails and teeth type ED.     

Blue spotted bladder--a manifestation of bladder amyloidosis. A case report

Bladder amyloidosis may represent a life-threatening condition, but may also be associated with milder clinical symptoms. Herein, we report two older males with a different type of apparently mild bladder amyloidosis, presenting as the "blue spotted bladder".     

Investigations of Molluscicidal Activity of Certain Sudanese Plants Used in Folk-Medicine. Part IV*

50 plants indigenous to the Sudan and of common use in Sudanese folk-medicine, were screened for their molluscicidal activity, using two local snail vectors, BULINUS TRUNCATUS and BIOMPHALARIA PFEIFFERI. At different concentrations 31 (62%) of these plant samples were found to be lethal to either one or both of the snail species. 28 (56%) proved to be lethal to BIOMPHALARIA PFEIFFERI, 22 (44%) gave 100% mortality to BULINUS TRUNCATUS; while 19 (38%) killed both snail hosts (Table I). The seven most active molluscicidal plants were phytochemically screened for their active constituents; four of them showed the presence of saponins.