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Biomedical subjects

J Charrow

Publications and source records attributed to J Charrow.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Uncombable hair (pili trianguli et canaliculi): evidence for dominant inheritance with complete penetrance based on scanning electron microscopy.

Uncombable or spun-glass hair (pili trianguli et canaliculi) is an uncommon condition in which the hair is "unmanageable" and has a distinct appearance on scanning electron microscopy. The hair is usually grossly abnormal in infancy and childhood, but may become normal later in life. Although dominant inheritance has been observed, most cases have been sporadic. Both recessive and dominant transmission with incomplete penetrance have been suggested as modes of inheritance. We report the occurrence of this condition in a young girl, her brother, and her father. Although the proposita and her brother had characteristically uncombable hair, their father appeared normal and denied any history of hair abnormality. However, the characteristic hair morphology was observed on scanning electron microscopy in all 3 relatives, documenting dominant transmission and complete penetrance of the gene in this family.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1986

Ganglioside loading of cultured fibroblasts: a provocative method for the diagnosis of the GM2 gangliosidoses.

Confirmation of deficient beta-hexosaminidase activity in suspected cases of GM2 gangliosidosis may be difficult with available assay systems if the residual activity is high (as in many juvenile cases and genetic compounds). Hexosaminidase activity is normal in the AB-variant (activator protein deficiency), although GM2-ganglioside (GM2) catabolism is severely impaired. We therefore examined ganglioside degradation in intact fibroblasts in culture. Intracellular ganglioside levels were determined in cultured human skin fibroblasts grown in standard tissue culture medium or medium supplemented with mixed bovine brain gangliosides. Cellular uptake and catabolism of the added gangliosides were manifested by modest increases in the intracellular concentrations of gangliosides GT + GD and GM1 in all cells tested, and marked accumulation of GM2 in fibroblasts from patients with GM2 gangliosidoses. Intracellular GM2 increased five- to fifteen-fold in all of the GM2 gangliosidosis cell lines tested, including those from patients with infantile Tay-Sachs disease (TSD), Sandhoff disease, late infantile and juvenile variants of TSD with high residual enzyme activity, adult onset GM2 gangliosidosis, and the AB-variant. Significant GM2 accumulation did not occur in fibroblasts from patients with GM2 gangliosidosis grown in standard medium, or in normal fibroblasts grown in ganglioside enriched medium. Our method of ganglioside feeding employs commercially available materials and no special equipment. It should be useful for the confirmation of impaired GM2 catabolism in a variety of settings.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1985

Late onset GM2 gangliosidosis: an alpha-locus genetic compound with near normal hexosaminidase activity.

A non-Jewish child with late onset GM2 gangliosidosis is described. Tissues from the patient had near normal hexosaminidase A (hex A) activity using 4-methylumbelliferyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside (MU-glcNAc) as substrate, and deficient activity when assayed with the 6-sulphate derivative of MU-glcNAc (MU-glcNAcS) or GM2 in the presence of activator. We present evidence that this patient is a genetic compound for different alpha-subunit mutations. The father's tissues have hex A activity in the heterozygote range when assayed with MU-glcNAcS, but normal activity using MU-glcNAc; the mother's tissues have activities toward both substrates in the heterozygote range. These results emphasize the pitfalls of using only MU-glcNAc for the diagnosis of unusual variants of GM2 gangliosidosis.

Acetylglucosamine↗
PubMed1984

The Jansen type of metaphyseal chondrodysplasia: confirmation of dominant inheritance and review of radiographic manifestations in the newborn and adult.

We describe a mother and infant girl with the Jansen type of metaphyseal chondrodysplasia. The transmission of the syndrome from mother to daughter in this family establishes this as a dominant condition. Characteristic radiographic manifestations of the disorder were obvious at birth. The mother and infant illustrate the two extremes of age where the radiographic manifestations are less characteristic than in middle childhood, since the marked metaphyseal calcifications are absent.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Translocations in Prader-Willi syndrome.

The Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) has frequently been associated with chromosomal anomalies involving the region 15q11-q12. The first case of this syndrome associated with a de novo translocation involving chromosomes 11 and 15 is reported. The breakpoints were identified as 11q25 and 15q11 or q12[45, XX,t(11;15)(q25;q11-12)], resulting in the deletion of 15pter leads to 15q11-q12. Previously reported cases of PWS associated with translocations are reviewed in relation to the "deletion hypothesis."

Child↗
PubMed1983

Partial trisomy 14 (q23 leads to qter) via segregation of a 14/X translocation.

An infant with delayed development and multiple congenital anomalies was found to possess a duplication of 14q23 leads to qter. This imbalance arose through segregation of a maternal 14/X translocation, observed in only 28% of the mother's cells. Although the X-chromosome-derived portion of the translocation was late replicating in the proposita, the autosomal segment was not inactivated, leading to functional trisomy for distal 14q. Phenotypic comparison to cases with similar duplications does not allow the clinical description of a partial trisomy syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1982

Apparently normal extracellular acidic alpha-mannosidase in fibroblast cultures from patients with mannosidosis.

Fibroblasts from patients with mannosidosis, cultured in medium supplemented with fetal calf serum from which acidic alpha-mannosidase (alpha-D-mannoside mannohydrolase, E.C.3.2.1.24) has been removed, secreted a normal amount of apparently unaffected acidic alpha-mannosidase into fetal calf serum-free medium. Both the intracellular and extracellular acidic alpha-mannosidase activities were completely precipitated by antiserum to placenta alpha-mannosidase B. In contrast to the heat-lability of the intracellular acidic alpha-mannosidase and its low affinity for artificial mannoside substrate, the extracellular enzyme exhibited both normal thermostability and normal kinetics. Mixing experiments with the intercellular enzymes suggested that the decreased activity in the patients' fibroblasts is not the effect of an inhibitor or absence of an activator. However, incubation of the mannosidosis extracellular enzyme with either normal or patient cell lysate resulted in a partial loss of activity, whereas an additive value was observed with the normal extracellular enzyme. In contrast to normal culture medium, the medium from mannosidosis cell culture was unable to enhance the rate of reduction of intracellular radioactivity in mucolipidosis type II fibroblasts precultured in the presence of radiolabeled mannose. These findings suggest that the defect in mannosidosis is expressed only after the enzyme has been delivered to lysosomes and presumably undergone some form of processing there.

Carbohydrate Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗
PubMed1981

Duplication 3p syndrome: report of a new case and review of the literature.

A review of the 17 previously reported cases of duplication 3p and study of a new patient who has a duplication of the chromosome segment 3p21 leads to pter show a remarkably consistent phenotype among these patients and suggest some generalizations about prognosis. The manifestations include low birth weight, short stature, microcephaly, characteristic "square" face with temporal indentations, hypertelorism and/or telecanthus, epicanthus with a broad nasal bridge and large nasal tip, and down-turned corners of the mouth. Cleft lip/palate and eversion of the lips are common. The jaw is typically small and receding and the neck short. Congenital heart disease, gastrointestinal malformations, abnormalities on intravenous urography, and defective masculinization of the male infants are frequently observed. A predominance of whorls is present on the fingers. Nearly half of the cases died before 6 months. All affected children surviving beyond 1 year have been mentally retarded.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗