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Biomedical subjects

E Vamos

Publications and source records attributed to E Vamos.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Chromosomal findings in cultured melanocytes from a giant congenital nevus.

A giant congenital pigmented nevus was observed in a newborn male. A melanocyte culture was established from nevus fragments removed at age 6 days. Analysis of 136 metaphases harvested from the primary culture showed 74% normal mitoses, 22% polyploids, and 4% mitoses with chromosome rearrangements involving in particular 1p, 12q, and 19p. In addition, the culture showed a high level of HLA-DR expression. Although histology showed no sign of malignancy, these findings may illustrate one of the first events which might eventually progress toward malignancy.

Cells, Cultured↗

Congenital absence of insulin cells in a neonate with diabetes mellitus and mutase-deficient methylmalonic acidaemia.

We report on a female neonate with diabetes mellitus and methylmalonic acidaemia, who died at age 16 days. Using immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy and in situ hybridisation, we were unable to demonstrate any insulin cells in the pancreatic islets. Methylmalonic acidaemia was caused by a methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase apoenzyme defect. The metabolic crisis of the methylmalonic acidaemia aggravated the diabetes and may explain the failure of insulin therapy. Our results suggest that the infant suffered from a congenital absence of beta cells associated with a genetically transmitted mutase apoenzyme defect.

Autopsy↗

Collaborative study of the molecular epidemiology of Tay-Sachs disease in Europe.

Tay-Sachs disease is a lipidosis due to the deficiency of the lysosomal hexosaminidase A. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms of this enzyme deficiency we studied 42 patients of different ethnic origins diagnosed in Europe. The strategy used consists in HEXA cDNA amplification followed by allele-specific oligonucleotide analysis for the frequent mutations, and by chemical cleavage mismatch and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis for the detection of new mutations. 90% of alleles were clarified in this way, showing a high heterogeneity of HEXA lesions in Tay-Sachs disease. 28 different mutations were found, 20 being identified for the first time in this group of patients.

Adult↗

[Fetal cardiology: prenatal diagnosis of cardiac malformations].

Foetal cardiology is now a recognised chapter of both paediatric cardiology and foetal medicine. We describe here our experience with antenatal diagnosis of cardiac malformations and discuss both its genetic and epidemiological issues. Our experience confirms if need be that foetal medicine requires a well organised first-level foetal evaluation.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Deletion of chromosome 11p13-11p15.5 sequences in invasive human ovarian cancer is a subclonal progression factor.

In human ovarian cancer, multiple specific chromosomal deletions can be found by cytogenetic analysis or molecular techniques such as restriction fragment length polymorphism probing. This work confirms the loss of HRAS alleles in 1 out of 2 cases of invasive ovarian cancer as determined in 32 samples or cell lines derived from 19 patients. Results with other polymorphic probes indicate that a consensus deletion probably includes 11p15.5-11p13. Tumor suppressor genes might be located in the deleted area, and deletion of the gene might then play a role in disease progression. Examination of DNA from distinct tumor sites of individual patients indicates clonal heterogeneity in the malignant cell population, indicating that loss of 11p sequences is a late event in the disease progression. Loss of alternate 11p alleles at different disease sites in one patient is inconsistent with the current model of tumor suppressor gene inactivation. The 11p deletion seems to be limited to ovarian cancers in younger patients. Eight novel permanent ovarian cancer cell lines, previously not described in the literature and derived from tumor sites from five patients, were included in the current analysis.

Adult↗

Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) deficiency caused by a 21-base pair insertion mutation in the E1 alpha subunit.

We report the molecular characterization of a case of a functional PDH-E1 (E1 subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase) deficiency, a cause of severe congenital lactic acidosis. Residual PDH-E1 activity was reduced to 10% of normal values, although the subunit appeared to be quantitatively and qualitatively normal at the protein level as determined by Western blotting. The sequence of PDH-E1 alpha mRNA and the corresponding genomic DNA revealed an in-frame 21-bp insertion between codons 305 and 306 of the normal E1 alpha cDNA. The mutational insert commences with a novel GAT codon and is a nearly perfect tandem duplication of the wild type DNA sequence. A serine phosphorylation site regulating the activity of the PDH complex is altered by this insertion, which in all likelihood is responsible for the functional enzymatic deficiency leading to lactic acidosis.

Acidosis, Lactic↗

Vasopressin and gonadotropin deficiency in a boy with the ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting syndrome.

A boy presented with ectrodactyly (lobster claw deformity), bilateral cleft lip and palate, semilobar holoprosencephaly and microcephaly, associated with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and central diabetes insipidus. Other aspects of pituitary function were normal. We suggest that the ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting syndrome can be associated with a variety of hypothalamo-pituitary dysfunctions, in addition to the already described isolated growth hormone deficiency.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Mitochondrial myopathy of childhood associated with depletion of mitochondrial DNA.

We have studied five children with mitochondrial myopathy manifesting within or soon after the first year of life. Muscle biopsies showed ragged-red fibers and decreased respiratory chain activity. All five patients had a severe decrease (2 to 34% of normal) in the amount of muscle mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The depletion of mtDNA correlated with absence of mtDNA-encoded translation products and with loss of cytochrome c oxidase enzyme activity in individual muscle fibers. This mitochondrial myopathy of childhood illustrates one phenotypic expression of a novel pathogenetic mechanism in mitochondrial diseases, the specific depletion of mtDNA in affected tissues.

Blotting, Southern↗

[Collection of fetal cord blood for karyotyping].

Cordocentesis was performed in 234 pregnancies (241 fetuses) for rapid karyotyping. The indication was in 86% of cases: abnormal ultrasound. The abnormality encountered were IUGR (85 fetuses) or morphologic abnormality of the pregnancy (130 fetuses). The other indications were maternal mosaicism, mosaicism in cultured amniotic cells, maternal age (late booking), fragile X syndrome, confirmation of abnormal karyotype obtained by amniocentesis. The fetal karyotype was established in 97.5% (6 failures), 18 karyotypes were abnormal in the group "abnormal ultrasound" (208 pregnancies, 8.6%; 215 fetuses, 8.3%). No maternal complication were observed, there were 6 fetal losses (2.5%).

Blood Specimen Collection↗

[Bone marrow graft in hereditary diseases].

Since 1968, bone marrow transplantation became the first line therapy for selected metabolic and immunological hereditary disorders. Actually, advances in the supportive care in bone marrow transplantation and a better knowledge of the immunology of BMT complications has been associated with a better disease correction and an increase in long term survival. New approaches are under investigation and include: hematopoietic growth factors, enzymatic replacement and gene therapy. However at the present time BMT is still the only curative treatment for selected hereditary disorders.

Bone Marrow Transplantation↗

Two unrelated children with partial trisomy 1q and monosomy 6p, presenting with the phenotype of the Larsen syndrome.

Two unrelated children presented with similar clinical features (facial dysmorphism and multiple joint dislocations) suggesting the diagnosis of Larsen syndrome. Both carried an inherited unbalanced translocation resulting in partial trisomy 1q and partial monosomy 6p. Analysis of skin collagen from one of the probands disclosed a decreased alpha 1/alpha 2 chain ratio of collagen type I, increased thermal stability and increased hydroxylation of proline and lysine. The present findings suggest that, as a result of the chromosome rearrangements, both patients have a mutation on a gene involved in collagen production, located either on chromosome 1q or, more probably, on 6p. It is furthermore suggested that other cases of Larsen syndrome are the result of a similar mutation.

Adult↗