Terminal deletion of chromosome 4p (4p16.3) shows a breakpoint between loci linked to Huntington disease

A 15-year-old boy with a terminal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 is described. The patient has a mild clinical phenotype that is incompatible with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Careful neurological examination including CT scan did not show any signs of Huntington disease. The chromosomal breakpoint was analyzed by means of polymorphic DNA probes localized close to the tentative Huntington (HD) locus. The breakage has occurred between D4S43 and D4S90 loci and thus deletes part of the chromosomal candidate regions for the HD locus. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

E1 Tor霍乱弧菌SM_6和江苏1d菌株

ＳＭ６是我国检测Ｅ１Ｔｏｒ霍乱弧菌是否带有溶源性噬菌体的指示菌株。江苏的６株Ｅ１Ｔｏｒ霍乱弧菌和ＳＭ６都属于噬菌体－生物分型的１ｄ型，而在噬菌体分型中ＳＭ６为１／２型，江苏的６株菌株则为１／２／３型；霍乱毒素（ＣＴ）基因测定也表明两者的不同，ＳＭ６不含ＣＴ基因，江苏的６株都含有ＣＴ基因，显示噬菌体分型可将噬菌体－生物分型的型别进一步划分，ＳＭ６的特性也为霍乱的进一步研究提供了资料。     

Gene structure and genetic localization of the PCLO gene encoding the presynaptic active zone protein Piccolo

Piccolo belongs to a family of presynaptic cytoskeletal proteins likely to be involved in the assembly and function of presynaptic active zones as sites of neurotransmitter release. Given that abnormalities in the formation of synaptic junctions are thought to contribute to cognitive dysfunction during brain development, we have analyzed and compared the gene structure of the Piccolo gene, PCLO, from humans and mice and determined their chromosomal localization. A comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of cDNA clones encoding Piccolo from human, mouse, rat and chicken reveals the presence of distinct homology domains. Only subsets of these are also present in the structurally related active zone protein Bassoon indicating that Piccolo and Bassoon perform related but distinct functions at active zones. Characterization of the PCLO gene reveals the presence of 25 coding exons spread over 380kb of genomic DNA. The human PCLO gene maps to 7q11.23-q21.3, a region of chromosome 7 implicated as a linkage site for autism and Williams Syndrome suggesting that alterations in the expression of Piccolo or the PCLO gene could contribute to developmental disabilities and mental retardation.     

缺失型DMD／BMD患者PCR快速检测的可行性与意义

应用对应于Ｄｙｓｔｒｏｐｈｉｎ基因缺失热区的二对ＰＣＲ引物和一对内对照无关引物，在同一反应体系中扩增，检测６６例ＤＭＤ／ＢＭＤ患者。发现其中２５例存在１７号或４９号外显子缺失，与同时采用ｃＤＮＡ探针杂交检测出的３５例基因缺失相比．检出率达７１．４％。说明该扩增系统能够作为快速筛查缺失型ＤＭＤ／ＢＭＤ患者的有效手段。这对指导合理选用探针，尤其在产前诊断方面，具有重要意义。     

细菌内快速构建两种用于肝纤维化基因治疗的重组复制缺陷型腺病毒

目的 :在大肠杆菌内快速构建两种分别含有人肝细胞生长因子 (hepatic growth factor,HGF)和非分泌型人尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活剂 (urokinase- type plasm inogen activator,u PA) c DNA片段的重组复制缺陷型腺病毒。方法 :分别将人 HGF和 u PA c DNA片段与穿梭载体 p Track- CMV连接 ,线性化后与骨架载体 Ad Easy- 1在大肠杆菌 BJ5 183内同源重组获得腺病毒载体 p Ad HGF和 p Adu PA,经 2 93细胞包装后得到复制缺陷型重组腺病毒 Ad HGF和 Adu PA;将 Ad HGF和 Adu PA分别体外感染肝细胞株 L0 2 ,以 Northern印迹法和 Western印迹法检测两种病毒在肝细胞中的表达。 结果 :连接、重组后通过酶切和测序法筛选出病毒质粒 p Ad HGF和 p Adu PA;经 2 93细胞包装 ,3d后均观察到绿色荧光蛋白明显表达 ,Cs Cl梯度离心纯化最终分别获得 4× 10 1 0 efu/ m l滴度的重组病毒 Ad HGF和 6× 10 1 0 efu/ ml Adu PA;两种病毒体外感染肝细胞 3d后 ,HGF和u PA表达均明显增加。结论 :细菌内同源重组制备复制缺陷型腺病毒 ,纯化过程简单 ,重组腺病毒在肝细胞中均高效表达 ,为肝细胞移植基因治疗肝纤维化提供了新的手段     

Association analysis of CA repeat polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene with essential hypertension in Japanese

The nitric oxide synthase (NOS) gene is thought to be associated with essential hypertension (EH), because NO is implicated in endothelium-mediated vasodilation. We investigated the possible association between the alleles of simple tandem repeat DNA polymorphism of the endothelial constitutive NOS (cNOS) gene and EH in Japanese subjects. In all, 100 patients with EH and 123 subjects with normal blood pressure were studied. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify the CA repeat site in the endothelial cNOS gene and alleles based on the CA repeat number were determined. The allele frequencies in the hypertensive group and normotensive group were then compared. Twenty-three alleles were identified in this study of Japanese subjects. The overall distributions of allele frequencies in the two groups were not significantly different. However, comparing the allele frequencies in the EH group without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and the normotensive group, the overall distributions were significantly different (p = 0.019). The 33-repeat allele was found more frequently in the EH group without LVH than in the normotensive group (p = 0.000047, Odds ratio = 3.71). In conclusion, the 33-repeat allele of the endothelial cNOS gene is associated with EH without LVH, and may be a genetic marker of EH in Japanese subjects.     

Multiplex PCR analysis of in vivo-arising deletion mutations in the hprt gene of human T-lymphocytes

A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was adapted for the rapid and efficient evaluation of deletions of the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) gene in human T-lymphocytes. The hprt clonal assay was used to isolate in vivo-arising hprt-deficient T-cells from six healthy males. Mutant frequencies ranged from 9-27 × 10^?6. Simple crude cellular extracts from 223 mutants were analyzed for hprt gene deletion. Sixteen (7.2%) were found to be due to total gene deletion and 22 (9.9%) were due to partial gene deletion. The relatively high frequency of total gene deletions was caused by replicate isolates of a single mutational event as shown by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of rearranged T-cell receptor (TCR)-γ genes. Eighteen of the 22 partial hprt gene deletion mutants were determined to be of independent origin based on a unique hprt mutation or SSCP-TCR-γ pattern. One-half (9/18) of the partial deletion mutants involved all or part of exon 4 alone, suggesting that this region of the hprt gene is prone to deletion. The small deletions effecting exon 1 (1 mutant), exon 2 (2 mutants), and exon 4 (6 mutants) would not have been detected by conventional Southern blot analysis and may represent a new, previously unrecognized class of mutations. The ready isolation of such intragenic deletions will allow the characterization of breakpoint junctions and may provide insights into the important processes of DNA breakage and rejoining. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

SEN病毒D亚型ORF1-C端基因的克隆、表达和鉴定

目的:获得SENV-D亚型ORF1-C端蛋白基因序列,并进行表达,为进一步研究及诊断、治疗应用奠定基础.方法:用PCR法从SENV阳性血清中获得SENV-DORF1C端基因,测序验证后,构建了pQE30-SENV-D重组表达质粒,并经过转化E.coli M15,IPTG诱导表达,Western blot分析表达结果.结果:获得了正确序列的SENV-D亚型ORF1-C端蛋白基因序列,表达出Mr约为38×103的蛋白.表达蛋白能与患者血清中相应的抗体结合,发生抗原抗体反应.结论:成功获得并表达了SENV-D-ORF1-C端蛋白,并经Western blot印迹法证实能与阳性血清中的抗体发生抗原抗体反应,有可能用于检测SENV-D抗体.为今后进一步研究有助于疫情监测及早期发现感染者的抗体奠定了坚实的基础.     

Effects of zymosan-activated plasma and phorbol myristate acetate on isolated, perfused rabbit lungs

The effects of complement activation on pulmonary vascular permeability are disputed. In rabbit lungs perfused with autologous blood, zymosan activated plasma (ZAP) induced a moderate increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), but did not detectably change the vascular permeability within 2 h. The stronger neutrophil granulocyte (PMN) activator, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), usually gave larger PVR increases and also increased pulmonary vascular permeability. Lungs from neutropenic animals, similarly perfused and given PMA, showed unchanged PVR reactions but had no apparent increase in vascular permeability. Lungs perfused with cell-free medium and given PMA displayed modest PVR increases, and no measurable permeability change. The lung preparatory procedure itself markedly influenced leukocyte circulation. Exsanguination of lung donors decreased the concentration of circulating PMN significantly, and they virtually disappeared from the perfusate within minutes after start of lung perfusion. PMN-mediated effects must therefore have been caused by cells already sequestered in the lungs. We conclude that ZAP does not induce an increased pulmonary vascular permeability in isolated, perfused rabbit lungs, in contrast to PMA. The permeability effects of PMA appear to be PMN dependent.     

Early nerve regeneration after Achilles tendon rupture — a prerequisite for healing? A study in the rat

Nerve regeneration during healing of Achilles tendon rupture in the rat was studied by immunohistochemistry including semi-quantitative assessment. Neuronal markers for regenerating and mature fibers, ie., growth associated protein 43 (GAP-43) and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), respectively, were analyzed at different time points (1-16 weeks) post-rupture. In the paratenon, both the ruptured and intact contralateral tendon (control) consistently exhibited immunoreactivity to the two neuronal markers. However, in the proper tendinous tissue only the ruptured tendon showed immunoreactivity to GAP-43 and PGP 9.5. This expression was seen already at week 1 post-rupture to reach a peak at week 6 followed by a successive drop till week 16. Also the occurrence of sensory and autonomic fibers according to immunoreactivity for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY), respectively, was analyzed. CGRP-positivity was abundantly seen from weeks 2-6 in both perivascular and sprouting free nerve endings in the proper tendon tissue undergoing healing. NPY appeared later, at weeks 6-8 post-rupture around blood vessels mainly located in the surrounding loose connective tissue. Apart from a role in vasoaction (CGRP, vasodilatory; NPY, vasoconstrictory). both neuropeptides have been implicated in fibroblast and endothelial cell proliferation required for angiogenesis. The present study shows that early healing of ruptured tendons is characterized by an orchestrated, temporal appearance of nerve fibers expressing peptides with different actions. The observed pattern of neuronal regeneration and neuropeptide expression may prove to be important for normal connective tissue healing.