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Biomedical subjects

E Vamos

Publications and source records attributed to E Vamos.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Prenatal diagnosis in Belgium.

Prenatal diagnoses (PND) in Belgium are performed exclusively in licensed centres of medical genetics linked to university hospitals. These centres of genetics provide comprehensive genetic services which include, in addition to genetic tests, genetic counselling and moral support. These services are accessible to all residents in Belgium through coverage by the social security. PND has become a widely accepted procedure by the public and the health professionals, and has achieved significant prevention of birth defects, mainly chromosome abnormalities. The main problems involved in PND in Belgium are (1) the lack of regulations about indications for PND and (2) insufficient education in medical genetics in medical schools. It is hoped that the basic organisation of PND in Belgium will prevail in the future, with the proposed improvements.

Belgium↗

Clinical and cytogenetic studies of two cases of Klinefelter syndrome with hereditary retinoblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma.

Two children with Klinefelter syndrome (KS), one associated with bilateral hereditary retinoblastoma (RB) and the other with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) are reported. Both were boys and chromosomally mosaic for KS. The hereditary retinoblastoma case yielded 46,XY,del(13)(q12q14.2)/47, XXY(c),del(13)(q12q14.2) in PHA-stimulated lymphocytes. The rhabdomyosarcoma case yielded 46,XY/ 47,XXY(c) in peripheral blood cells whereas tumor revealed trisomy 8, trisomy 7, and t(7;13)(q33;q32) in addition to 46,XY/47,XXyc mosaicism.

Child, Preschool↗

A detailed investigation of two cases exhibiting characteristics of the 6p deletion syndrome.

Deletions of the short arm of chromosome 6 are relatively rare, only 16 cases having been described in the literature so far. Here we present a detailed investigation by fluorescence in situ hybridisation of two further cases with different but overlapping interstitial deletions involving 6p22, 6p23 and 6p24. The main features involved are craniofacial malformations, heart and kidney defects, mental retardation/developmental delay, hypotonia and hydrocephalus. By using 36 yeast artificial chromosome and cosmid clones from a contig covering 6p22.3-6p25 and other probes with defined cytogenetic locations within 6p21-6p22 we have precisely localised the breakpoints involved in each of the cases, estimated the sizes of the deleted regions and defined the region that is hemizygously deleted in both cases.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

[Leukemia lymphoma T-cell as first manifestation of ataxia-telangiectasia].

BACKGROUND: Variable degrees of T cell deficiency in ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) progressively worsen with time and death from malignant lymphoma is a common terminal event. T-cell lymphoma as the first manifestation of AT has never been reported. CASE REPORT: A 22 month-old girl born to consanguineous parents, was treated for a thoracic T-cell lymphoma and remained in first complete remission, with a follow-up of 4 years. Prior to chemotherapy, cytogenetic studies on blood showed clonal rearrangements including t(7p;14q), T(2p;7q) and inv (7), while karyotype showed 6q- and 1p-mitoses on bone marrow blasts. Hypotonia became evident at 3 years. One year later, the neurological status deteriorated. The patient presented also severe respiratory tract infections. At that time, immunological investigations showed hypo IgG2, very low T4 lymphocytes level, all harbouring the CD45 RO phenotype. Increase in alpha-foetoprotein level, the ocular movements and the study of DNA synthesis after exposure to gamma-rays confirmed the diagnosis of AT. CONCLUSION: In cases of childhood lymphoid neoplasia, AT should be considered whenever parental consanguinity, T-cell proliferation and/or unexpected toxic therapeutic responses are noted.

Ataxia Telangiectasia↗

Hyperphosphatasemia in early diagnosed infantile GM1 gangliosidosis presenting as transient hydrops fetalis.

The authors report a case of unsuspected fetal storage disorder initially diagnosed by placental examination performed because of a transient ascites at 28 weeks of gestation. At birth mild dysmorphic features and gradual neurological deterioration were observed. Highly elevated alkaline phosphatase levels were repeatedly noticed. Deficiency of beta-galactosidase was documented confirming GM1 gangliosidosis. Previous reports described the placental pathology after positive prenatal diagnoses of lysosomal diseases. In the present case, the postnatal diagnosis was made in view of the placental pathologic findings. Our observation indicates the need for thorough investigations in hydrops fetalis, in search for metabolic diseases.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Frequent deletion of chromosome 19 and a rare rearrangement of 19p13.3 involving the insulin receptor gene in human ovarian cancer.

Human ovarian cancer cells usually have multiple specific chromosomal deletions which can be detected by cytogenetic analysis or molecular techniques. Tumour suppressor genes might be located in these deleted chromosomal segments. The importance of these different loci is usually estimated from the frequency with which they are deleted. Here we report a 59% loss of heterozygosity for chromosome 19 in the DNA of human invasive epithelial ovarian cancer from a series of 37 patients. In all cases informative on both chromosomal arms a subchromosomal loss is observed. Analysis of the same tumours for chromosome 17p and 11p loss suggests that loss of chromosome 19p/q is less important than 17p loss, but more important than 11p loss. The deletion of chromosome 19q seems to be associated with distant, hematogeneous metastasis (stage IV). In two patients with high grade tumours, the deletion involves a rearrangement of the insulin receptor locus (19p13.3). This suggests that some of the previously described frequent cytogenetic 19p+ markers and 19p13.3 breaks observed in high grade ovarian cancers, might actually occur in the insulin receptor gene.

Adolescent↗

Severe Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome with prolonged survival and lipid abnormalities.

We have studied a girl with multiple congenital anomalies, growth and mental deficiency, characteristic facial anomalies, cataracts, cerebellar atrophy, and severe hypocholesterolemia. Death occurred at age 7 years. After excluding several syndromes, i.e., peroxisomal disorders, mevalonic acidaemia, and Marinesco-Sjögren syndrome, it is concluded that this girl had severe Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS) with exceptionally long survival. This diagnosis was confirmed through assay of 7-dehydrocholesterol in cultured fibroblasts.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Multiple clonal chromosome aberrations in a case of childhood focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver.

A case of focal nodular hyperplasia is described that was accompanied by intense reactive stromal changes giving rise to a pseudosarcomatous appearance. Cytogenetic study revealed complex karyotypic abnormalities including five partially identifiable clonal aberrations and one marker chromosome. The composite karyotype was interpreted as: 45-46,XY,add(4)(q21-25)[24], add(11)(p14)[24], add (19)(p13)[15], der(20)t(1;20)(q25;p12)[31], add(21) (q22)[13],-22[3], +mar[2][cp31]. In addition, quadriradial or complex figures, telomeric associations tas, unidentified ring chromosomes, chromosome breaks, and markers were seen in some cells. Such cytogenetic findings, although suggestive of malignancy, could most likely be related to a nonneoplastic condition, i.e., the unusual florid reactive changes associated with this focal nodular hyperplasia.

Child, Preschool↗

Phosphaturia, glycosuria and aminoaciduria associated with idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia.

Idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia is not a common disease. We studied the renal tubular function in such patients. Patients have lower calcium than controls (8.46 mg/dl +/- 0.59 vs 9.16 +/- 0.53). We have highlighted the multiple renal anomalies observed in patients with this type of hemopathy. The serum phosphate levels are lower in patients than in controls (2.73 +/- 0.36 vs 3.3 +/- 0.55 mg/dl, p = 0.0048). We found higher glycosuria (21:43 +/- 42.58 vs 0.0 +/- 0.0 mg/dl), total aminoaciduria (6280 +/- 3943 vs 4138 +/- 2269 microMol/g creatinine, p = 0.19) and lower maximum capacity for phosphate reabsorption by the renal tube (TmPO4) (2.11 +/- 0.38 vs 2.9 +/- 0.73 mg/100 ml GFR, p = 0.0027) in the patients. The association between idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia and the multiple tubular anomalies corresponding to the syndrome initially described by Fanconi has not been reported to date. The underlying mechanism is not understood, but, taken separately, these two anomalies commonly present heme metabolic anomalies in the mitochondria. We hypothesize that this syndrome could represent the clinical expression of a mitochondrial cytopathology.

Aged↗

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma of true histiocytic origin in an infant: unusual clinical, hematological, and cytogenetic features.

We report here the case of a 7-month-old boy who developed anaplastic large cell lymphoma of true histiocytic origin or malignant histiocytosis, with fever, bone and bone marrow infiltration. Usual clinical features were absent. The neoplastic nature of the disease was supported by the presence of clonal chromosomal abnormalities [t(6;8)(p23;p21),der(8)del(8)(q11aq13), der(22) t(11;22) (q13;13)]. Neither B nor T lineage could be demonstrated here. Morphology, ultrastructural analysis, surface antigens expression, and cytogenetics were more specific for the monocyte-macrophage lineage.

Bone Marrow↗

Granulocytic sarcoma showing chromosomal changes other than the t(8;21).

Cytogenetic analysis of a granulocytic sarcoma showed a 46,XX,der(X)t(X;1) (q28;q22), inv(3)(p21q27), inv(9)(p13q22),t(12;22)(p11;q11) karyotype. In addition, bone marrow aspirate disclosed the presence of cells with a 46,XX,inv(3)(p21q27),inv(9)(p13q22)(p11;q11) chromosomal pattern while the patient was clinically aleukemic. This case demonstrates that chromosomal abnormalities other than the classical t(8;21) can also be associated with granulocytic sarcoma.

Chromosome Aberrations↗

Isodisomy of chromosome 6 in a newborn with methylmalonic acidemia and agenesis of pancreatic beta cells causing diabetes mellitus.

Isodisomy (ID) is a genetic anomaly defined as the inheritance of two copies of the same genetic material from one parent. ID in an offspring is a rare cause of recessive genetic diseases via inheritance of two copies of a mutated gene from one carrier parent. We studied a newborn female with a mut(o) of methylmalonic acidemia and complete absence of insulin-producing beta cells in otherwise normal-appearing pancreatic islets, causing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The patient died 2 wk after birth. Serotyping of the HLA antigens, DNA typing of HLA-B and HLA class II loci, study of polymorphic DNA markers of chromosome 6, and cytogenetic analysis demonstrated paternal ID, involving at least a 25-centiMorgan portion of the chromosome pair that encompasses the MHC. ID probably caused methylmalonic acidemia by duplication of a mutated allele of the corresponding gene on the chromosome 6 inherited from the father. It is also very likely that ID was etiologically related to the agenesis of beta cells and consequent insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in our patient. We thus speculate on the existence of a gene on chromosome 6 involved in beta cell differentiation.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗