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E Yunis

Publications and source records attributed to E Yunis.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Familial clustering of scleroderma spectrum disease.

This is the second case report of familial scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) in South Carolina. The family includes two cases of scleroderma meeting American Rheumatism Association criteria, one of systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma, and two other cases of undifferentiated connective tissue disease with features of scleroderma spectrum disorders; there are also two cases of Raynaud's phenomenon (one associated with rheumatoid arthritis), for a total of seven affected relatives. Evidence of scleroderma spectrum disorders was sought in six siblings of the two co-index cases and in 23 of the 35 offspring. Laboratory studies included antinuclear antibody determinations and typing for the following genetic markers: HLA (A, B, C, DR), complotypes, Gm and Km allotypes, and alpha-1 antitrypsin phenotypes. No common genetic markers restricted to affected members of this family were found, and no environmental exposures were detected that could explain this familial clustering of cases. This report should, however, add to the slowly accumulating information on the genetic characteristics of families at unusually high risk for scleroderma spectrum disorders. Positive antinuclear antibody tests at a titer of 1/40 or higher were present in 57 percent of the first-degree relatives of the affected cases.

Adult↗

Isolation and sequencing of a cDNA coding for the human DF3 breast carcinoma-associated antigen.

The murine monoclonal antibody (mAb) DF3 reacts with a high molecular weight glycoprotein detectable in human breast carcinomas. DF3 antigen expression correlates with human breast tumor differentiation, and the detection of a cross-reactive species in human milk has suggested that this antigen might be useful as a marker of differentiated mammary epithelium. To further characterize DF3 antigen expression, we have isolated a cDNA clone from a lambda gt11 library by screening with mAb DF3. The results demonstrate that this 309-base-pair cDNA, designated pDF9.3, codes for the DF3 epitope. Southern blot analyses of EcoRI-digested DNAs from six human tumor cell lines with 32P-labeled pDF9.3 have revealed a restriction fragment length polymorphism. Variations in size of the alleles detected by pDF9.3 were also identified in Pst I, but not in HindIII, DNA digests. Furthermore, hybridization of 32P-labeled pDF9.3 with total cellular RNA from each of these cell lines demonstrated either one or two transcripts that varied from 4.1 to 7.1 kilobases in size. The presence of differently sized transcripts detected by pDF9.3 was also found to correspond with the polymorphic expression of DF3 glycoproteins. Nucleotide sequence analysis of pDF9.3 has revealed a highly conserved (G + C)-rich 60-base-pair tandem repeat. These findings suggest that the variation in size of alleles coding for the polymorphic DF3 glycoprotein may represent different numbers of repeats.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Murine chromosomal regions correlated with longevity.

In this longevity analysis of 360 BXD recombinant inbred female mice (20 different strains), 2 strains had very significantly shorter survival and 1 strain had very significantly longer survival than the other 17 strains; 4 other strains had less significant lengthening of survival compared to the other 13 strains in a proportional hazards model of survival. Mean survival on the shortest lived strain was 479 days; on the longest lived strain the mean survival was almost double (904 days). Ranges of survival within strain were very large (averaging 642 days), and strain accounted for only 29% of the variation in survival, showing that there are important environmental and/or special developmental effects on longevity even in this colony housed in a single room. Each strain had been typed for markers of 141 regions on 15 chromosomes; 101 of these markers had distinguishable distributions on the 20 strains. The two shortest lived strains had the same alleles for 63% of the markers. The single region most significantly correlated with survival (marked by P450, Coh, Xmmv-35 on chromosome 7) divided the mice into two groups with survival medians which differed by 153 days (755 days for mice with a B genotype; 602 days for mice with a D genotype). Evaluated individually, 44% of the genetic markers (including some markers on 11 of 15 chromosomes with any markers typed) were found to be significantly correlated with survival (P less than 0.05) although one would only expect 5% of the markers to be significant by chance. While studies of many markers should adjust for the multiple comparisons problem, one interpretation of these crude P values is that any experiment with only one of these "significant" markers typed would be likely to conclude that the marker was a significant predictor of survival. Two types of multiple regression models were used to examine the correlation with survival of groups of genes. When a proportional hazards model for survival was done in terms of genotype regions, a six genetic region model best correlated with survival: that marked by P450, Coh, Xmmv-35 on chromosome 7 (B allele lives longer), Ly-24 on chromosome 2 (B allele lives longer), beta 2M and H-3 on chromosome 2 (D allele lives longer) Lamb-2 on chromosome 1 (D allele lives longer), Ltw-4 on chromosome 1 (B allele lives longer), and the Igh area of chromosome 12 (Igh-Sa4, Igh-Sa2, Igh-Bgl, Igh-Nbp, Igh-Npid, Igh-Gte, Odc-8, and Ox-1; D allele lives longer).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Alleles↗

A randomized study comparing high-dose methotrexate with moderate-dose methotrexate as components of adjuvant chemotherapy in childhood nonmetastatic osteosarcoma: a report from the Childrens Cancer Study Group.

Methotrexate (MTX) has demonstrated significant activity against relapsed and metastatic osteosarcoma. However, there is little published data to indicate the appropriate dose for MTX when given as a component of a multidrug regimen for the treatment of osteosarcoma. Therefore, the investigators at the Childrens Cancer Study Group undertook a randomized clinical trial that compared Adriamycin and vincristine given with either high-dose methotrexate or moderate-dose methotrexate as postoperation chemotherapy in the treatment of childhood osteosarcoma. We report here the results for 166 patients with completely resected nonmetastatic disease of an extremity. The two therapies demonstrated equivalent disease-free survival (DFS). Further, no therapy prejudices survival after relapse. Approximately 38% of patients remain disease free 4 years after diagnosis. Two relapses occurred in patients free of disease at least 36 months after initiation of treatment. Some factors found by other investigators to be prognostic of poorer DFS, namely, male sex, primary tumor in the humerus or femur, and larger primary tumors, demonstrated similar though not statistically significant trends. The presence of spontaneous necrosis in the tumor sample from the definitive surgery was associated with poor prognosis for DFS. We postulate that this feature represents rapidly growing tumors with increased potential for metastases.

Adolescent↗

Pre-type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes: common endocrinological course despite immunological and immunogenetic heterogeneity.

In an ongoing prospective study 32 individuals have been evaluated for insulin secretory dynamics, islet cell antibodies and HLA antigens, during the preclinical phase of Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Twenty-four out of the 32 subjects were islet cell antibody-positive. To date, 14 subjects (10 islet cell antibody-positive, four islet cell antibody-negative) have progressed to develop overt diabetes. Several patterns of HLA-DR expression were noted (DR3/DR4, DR3/DR3, DR3/x, DR3/DR1, DR4/x, DR4/DR7, DR5/DR7, DR1/DR7 and DR1/DR2). Irrespective of differences in islet cell antibody status or HLA-DR alleles, pre-diabetic individuals exhibited a similar slow course of progressive beta-cell dysfunction.

Adolescent↗

HLA antigens in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

We compared Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases reported from cities in the United States in 1976-1977 with spouse or associate controls to detect possible HLA associations. HLA-A11 was somewhat less common among 92 cases than among 100 controls (p = 0.04). The 38 patients and 42 controls vaccinated against A/NJ/76 differed slightly in overall distribution of B locus antigens (p = 0.06), but the individual HLA-B antigen associations were more easily explained by chance. The 54 unvaccinated cases showed no apparent relation to HLA type. These findings should encourage further immunogenetic study of etiologically related GBS cases.

Adolescent↗

The cellular and humoral basis of the immune response.

Class II molecules, called Ia molecules or DR, are expressed in macrophages, B lymphocytes, and activated T cells. Through these molecules, the B and T cells produce the immune response. Furthermore, this class of glycoproteins can serve as markers for the immune responses and their related disorders, ie, autoimmune disease. The new discoveries of the extended haplotypes, which include the genes for some proteins of the complement system and the Ia-like genes, make it possible to study the association of a chromatin section of chromosome 6 (seven centimorgans) with diseases.

Animals↗

EBV transformed B cell lines present to antigen specific T cell clones determinants different from those recognized by antibody in an HLA-DR linked restricted fashion.

Human B cells nonspecifically activated by Epstein Barr virus (EBV) can present tetanus toxoid (TT) antigen to TT specific helper T cell lines and T cell clones. Presentation of TT antigen by EBV-B cells did not require the presence of TT specific B cells and did not involve B cell surface immunoglobulins. Immunosorbent purified antibody to TT added in great excess to EBV-B cells pulsed with TT for 18 hr did not inhibit the capacity of the EBV-B cells to present TT antigen. Furthermore, EBV-B cells induced proliferation in T cells in the presence of urea denatured TT which contained less than 1% TT reactive with serum anti TT antibody. Studies of TT presentation by a panel of EBV-B cells obtained from HLA typed donors indicated that T cell recognition of TT presented by EBV-B cells was MHC restricted by products of the HLA-D region and some of which differed from serologically defined HLA-DR. These results indicate that the immunogenic moiety presented by EBV activated human B cells consists of antigenic determinants, which differ from those recognized by serum antibody, and of HLA-DR linked MHC determinants. This moiety is similar to that presented by monocytes. The implications of these findings for the amplification of the immune response by activated B cells are discussed.

Antibody Specificity↗

The location of C2, C4, and BF relative to HLA-B and HLA-D.

The loci for HLA-A,B,C,D, and DR are known to be closely linked to the structural loci for the complement components C2, BF, and the duplicated loci for C4, C4A and C4B. Conflicting evidence has been presented for the order of these genes. However, new techniques have made possible identification of markers in the HLA-D and C4 region for nearly all identified haplotypes. In our population we have confirmed five HLA-B-D crossovers and in each case informative allotypes of C2, BF, or C4A and C4B segregated with HLA-D or DR suggesting that the loci for these proteins lie close to HLA-D and DR. These findings may be of importance for resolving problems encountered in the assignment of HLA-D alleles.

Complement C2↗

Genetic transmission of serum IgE Levels.

Genetic aspects of IgE levels were studied in three large pedigrees, many of whose members had atopic sensitivities to ragweed. Data on 184 persons (80 M, 104 F) were analyzed by the methods of Elston and Stewart after logarithmic transformation and appropriate adjustment for sex and age effects. Several modes of transmission were fitted to the data. The environmental model (of equal transmission frequency for all genotypes) clearly did not fit the data (chi 2 23.03, df 3); this suggested a strong hereditary involvement in IgE distribution. High IgE levels being determined by a dominant allele gave the best fit among the hypotheses examined in pooled data. Under a pure polygenic model, the estimated heritability was 49.5%. Using a mixed model of major gene and polygenic transmission (in an analysis which approximates, but is biased toward inflating the major gene component) polygenic inheritance was found to be 11%, but has no significant improvement over the major gene model. When families are analyzed separately, there was evidence of significant heterogeneity among families. The genetic picture was blurred, with one family favoring recessive inheritance of high IgE levels, one with no clear mode, and the third leaning slightly in favor of dominant inheritance. This suggests that the mechanism is not as simple as was thought and that there may be either two alleles or one gene involved in the determination of IgE levels. The findings are consistent with IgE levels being genetically determined with heritability estimated to be about 50%.

Adolescent↗

Duplication deficiency as the result of meiotic segregation of a maternal InV (10).

In a family a large pericentric inversion involving nearly 70% of the chromosome 10 has been segregating during three generations, giving several carriers and an affected male with the karyotype 46,XY,der(10)(10pter Leads to 10q25::10p12 Leads to 10pter)mat. The patient is trisomic for 10p except for a small segment near the centromere, and monosomic for the distal 10q26. A simple diagrammatic representation explains the behavior of the inv(10) in meiosis. The study of meiotic segregation in the present case, and the reviews of previously reported duplication-deficiencies, agree with established postulates and add some principles to the understanding of duplication deficiencies resulting from the meiotic behavior of inverted chromosomes.

Adult↗

Monosomy 1pter.

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Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Ring (15) chromosome.

Cytogenetic studies on lymphocytes from a girl aged 3 years and 10 months revealed revealed a ring chromosome 15. Several banding methods showed the r(15) chromosome not to have any apparent deletion of the long arm. The silver staining technique for nucleolar organizer regions showed an NOR positive region (band p12). In only a few cells was a chromosome 15 missing. The size of the r(15) was found to be constant. Comparison with 11 previous reported cases in the literature shows that the clinical manifestations in the different patients with ring chromosome 15 are constant although not clinically identifiable and it appears likely to attribute them to a significantly retarded intrauterine and postnatal growth instead of presumed deficiency in the long arm and mosaic configurations.

Child, Preschool↗