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K Olek

Publications and source records attributed to K Olek.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Characterization of mutations within the factor VIII gene of 73 unrelated mild and moderate haemophiliacs.

To screen for mutations within the factor VIII gene of 101 patients (85 unrelated), we used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) after DNA amplification of target regions, including all coding regions except for the middle part (amino acid 757 to amino acid 1649) of the B domain. With this method, missense mutations were identified in 86% of unrelated patients. 41 different mutations were identified: 25 of them have not been described previously. Five of the genotypes are associated with CRM+ and 26 with CRMred status. Patients who are definitely related to each other showed no differences in DNA sequence. One patient showed two different base pair alterations, the first at amino acid 469 [ala(GCA-->gly(GGA)] and the second at position 473 [tyr(TAT)-->cys(TGT)]. One patient with an amino acid change at position 1689 [arg(CGC)-->his(CAC)] has developed an inhibitor against factor VIII.

Base Sequence

Myotonic dystrophy and limb girdle muscular dystrophy in one family.

A family is reported in which a 29-year-old woman showed the clinical features of myotonic dystrophy while her 26-year-old brother presented with the clinical picture of limb girdle syndrome. In the affected female, direct genetic testing for the specific myotonic dystrophy mutation on chromosome 19 revealed abnormal expansion of a repeat unit containing the three nucleotides cytosine, thymine, and guanine (CTG)-typical for myotonic dystrophy-while her diseased brother displayed two normal alleles. This supports the hypothesis of the extremely rare occurrence of two clinically and genetically different myopathies in one family. Genetic analysis of six other family members showed that the father of the diseased siblings as well as all of his three brothers and sisters had a pathological CTG repeat expansion, and that the other two family members tested had a normal allelic pattern. The number of CTG repeats in the diseased women was approximately tenfold higher than in her asymptomatic relatives who revealed an abnormal allelic pattern. The increase in CTG repeats with transmission to a subsequent generation in this family was paralleled by a dramatic increase in the severity of myotonic dystrophy.

Adult

Haemophilia A diagnosis by automated fluorescent DNA detection of ten factor VIII intron 13 dinucleotide repeat alleles.

Haemophilia A is a recessive X linked bleeding disorder caused by deficiency or functional abnormality of coagulation factor VIII. This disease usually has no visible phenotype in female carriers; hence, great efforts are made to offer all haemophilia A families accurate carrier diagnosis. Significant progress in this direction was made with the identification of the intron 13 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR), which is hitherto the most informative single marker within the factor VIII gene. The authors have established intron 13 VNTR detection in their laboratory by adapting its analysis to an automated sequencer using different primers of which one is fluorescent dye labelled. With this method, which is more rapid and convenient than that originally described, 67 haemophilia A families of German origin were screened and two new alleles (alleles 17 and 25) were identified. The informativeness of the VNTR in these families based on the patients maternal X chromosomes (134) is about 67%.

Alleles

Identification and DNA sequence analysis of 15 new alpha 1-antitrypsin variants, including two PI*Q0 alleles and one deficient PI*M allele.

We have investigated the molecular basis of 15 new alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) variants. Phenotyping by isoelectric focusing (IEF) was used as a screening method to detect alpha 1AT variants at the protein level. Genotyping was then performed by sequence analysis of all coding exons, exon-intron junctions, and the hepatocyte-specific promoter region including exon Ic. Three of these rare variants are alleles of clinical relevance, associated with undetectable or very low serum levels of alpha 1AT:the PI*Q0saarbruecken allele generated by a 1-bp C-nucleotide insertion within a stretch of seven cytosines spanning residues 360-362, resulting in a 3' frameshift and the acquisition of a stop codon at residue 376; a point mutation in the PI*Q0lisbon allele, resulting in a single amino acid substitution Thr68(ACC)-->Ile(ATC); and an in-frame trinucleotide deletion delta Phe51 (TTC) in the highly deficient PI*Mpalermo allele. The remaining 12 alleles are associated with normal alpha 1AT serum levels and are characterized by point mutations causing single amino acid substitutions in all but one case. This exception is a silent mutation, which does not affect the amino acid sequence. The limitation of IEF compared with DNA sequence analysis, for identification of new variants, their generation by mutagenesis, and the clinical relevance of the three deficiency alleles are discussed.

Alleles

A leucine-to-proline substitution causes a defective alpha 1-antichymotrypsin allele associated with familial obstructive lung disease.

Using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and direct sequencing of amplified genomic DNA, we have identified two defective mutants of the human alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) gene associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A leucine 55-to-proline substitution causing a defective ACT allele (Bochum-1) was observed in a family with COPD in three subsequent generations. Another mutation, proline 229-to-alanine (Bonn-1), was associated with ACT serum deficiency in four patients with a positive family history. These mutations were not detected among 100 healthy control subjects, suggesting a possible pathogenetic role of ACT gene defects in a subset of patients with COPD.

Amino Acid Sequence

Recurrent mutations in the factor IX gene: founder effect or repeat de novo events. Investigation of the German haemophilia B population and review of de novo mutations.

The investigation of 114 unrelated patients, representing about half the sample of the German haemophilia B population, enabled us to delineate the causative mutation in 103 (90.4%) haemophilic factor IX genes. Of these 103 cases 84 (81.6%) turned out to be unique molecular events, the remainder being repeats. Haplotype analysis revealed that the great majority, if not all, of these recurrent observations occurred independently. This conclusion is supported by our finding that three de novo mutations could be demonstrated at two sites of frequent mutation. A further 20 de novo events could be established in an unselected sample of 37 families with sporadic haemophilia B and 37 families with a history of the disease. Altogether, the germ line of origin could be determined in 21 of these 23 cases, thereby indicating a ratio of male to female mutation rates close to 2. On the basis of the data available, it is becoming clear that rearrangements in the factor IX gene (35.4% of de novo cases) are responsible for haemophilia B at a higher frequency than has been observed today (12.3%). More than two-thirds of the de novo cases cause the severe form of the disease, thereby reflecting the deficit of these haemophilic genes in the actual gene pool because of excess mortality in the past. In addition 40% (12/30) of the de novo single-base mutations were transitions at CpG dinucleotides. Compared with the expected at-random frequency, this observation indicates an 83-fold enhancement of mutation at CpG.

DNA Mutational Analysis

The molecular basis of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin deficiency in a heterozygote with liver and lung disease.

Alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (alpha 1-ACT) is a serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) with cathepsin G, mast cell chymase and chymotrypsin as target enzymes. We present the case of a middle-aged man with low plasma levels of alpha 1-ACT, asthma with progression to emphysema, and chronic HCV positive liver disease with selective accumulation of alpha 1-ACT in hepatocytes. This secretory defect is analogous to that seen in Pi Z alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. The molecular basis of alpha 1-ACT deficiency in this patient has been characterized by direct sequencing of the alpha 1-ACT genes from the patient and his father. A C-->G transversion in exon III causing a 229Pro-->Ala substitution is proposed to cause a conformational change resulting in abnormal transport through the RER. This mutation was found in one of 20 additional tested patients with chronic obstructive lung disease, but in no control. Two additional polymorphisms of the gene have been identified in unrelated healthy individuals with normal plasma alpha 1-ACT levels. The alpha 1-ACT deficiency state may predispose to obstructive lung disease and influence the course of liver disease. Identification of a specific mutation allows identification of heterozygotes for this deficiency allowing future evaluation of its clinical significance.

Amino Acid Sequence

Mutations in haemophilia A.

In the present study DNA from 281 unrelated haemophilia A patients including 15 inhibitor patients has been analysed by Southern blotting technique. Using various restriction enzymes, cloned factor VIII cDNA probes and genomic fragments we have identified 14 mutations. Six of the mutations are novel partial factor VIII gene deletions. One deletion affects exon 1, two deletions concern exon 6, another deletion, of which breakpoints are sequenced, takes part of exon 16 and two deletions affect exon 26. Besides the deletions, eight point mutations have been found at the TaqI restriction sites of exons 18, 24 and 26. Five C-->T mutations resulted in nonsense mutations, one in exon 18, one in exon 26 and three in exon 24. Two G-->A mutations caused a missense mutation in exon 24 leading to an arginine/glutamine exchange. Although two patients showed this mutation, their clinical phenotypes were different, possibly due to an additional unidentified sequence polymorphism. A G-->T mutation in exon 26 substituted the arginine with leucine. All deletions and seven of the point mutations are associated with severe disease with a detectable inhibitor in the patient with the TaqI-point mutation in exon 18. One of the G-->A mutations is associated with mild haemophilia but the patient also has developed an inhibitor. Amongst these mutations the origin of the mutation could be determined in four kindred, one of which showed maternal mosaicism.

Base Sequence

Direct and indirect estimation of the sex ratio of mutation frequencies in hemophilia A.

Carrier detection tests were carried out in 119 families with hemophilia A by using the data obtained with current DNA techniques (e.g., RFLP analysis and direct identification of mutations), conventional carrier detection tests (e.g., factor VIII:C and von Willebrand factor antigen), and pedigree information. On the basis of this data, we estimated the sex ratio of mutation frequencies with three completely different methods and compared the results. Since the classical indirect method derived from Haldane is substantially influenced by reproductive fitness (f), the sex ratio of mutation frequencies was estimated for both f = .3 and f = .5, resulting in a male:female mutation ratio of 5.37 (95% confidence interval 2.16-13.02) and 3.26 (95% confidence interval 0.97-8.73), respectively. According to the equilibrium-independent indirect method formulated by Rosendaal et al., the male:female ratio was estimated to be 3.4 (95% confidence interval 1.18-8.81). Since current DNA techniques provide information on the grandparental origin of the patient's X chromosome, we were twice able to estimate directly the male:female mutation ratio as 15:1, by using the quotients of mutation origin (maternal grandfather/maternal grandmother and maternal grandfather/patient's mother, respectively). Application of the Fisher test shows that the male mutation rate is higher than the female rate (P = 8.55 x 10(-7). Since all three completely different approaches unequivocally showed a higher male than female mutation frequency, this should be considered to be an established fact in calculating the risk in hemophilia A families.

Adolescent

Recovery from hemophilia B Leyden: an androgen-responsive element in the factor IX promoter.

One form of the inherited, X-linked, bleeding disorder, hemophilia B, resolves after puberty. Mutations at -20 and -26 in the clotting factor IX promoter impair transcription by disrupting the binding site for the liver-enriched transcription factor LF-A1/HNF4. The -26 but not the -20 mutation also disrupts an androgen-responsive element, which overlaps the LF-A1/HNF4 site. This explains the improvement seen in patients with the -20 mutation and the failure of the -26 patient to recover.

Base Sequence

Hemophilia B caused by five different nondeletion mutations in the protease domain of factor IX.

Factor IX is a multidomain protein and is the proenzyme of a serine protease, factor IXa, essential for hemostasis. In this report, we describe the molecular basis of hemophilia B (deficiency of factor IX activity) in five patients who have neither deletions nor rearrangements of the factor IX gene. By enzymatic amplification and sequencing of all exons and promoter regions, the following causative mutation in the protease domain of factor IX was identified in each patient: IXSchmallenberg: nucleotide 31,215G----T, Ser365Ile; IXVarel: nucleotide 31,214A----G, Ser365Gly; IXMechtal: nucleotide 31,211G----C, Asp364His; IXDreihacken: nucleotide 30,864G----A, Arg248Gln; and IXMonschau: nucleotide 30,855A----T, Glu245Val. In IXVarel, nucleotide 31,213T was also replaced by C, which results in a silent mutation (GAT----GAC) at Asp-364. Thus, this patient has a double base-pair substitution of TA to CG at nucleotides 31,213 and 31,214 but only a single amino acid change of Ser-365 to Gly. This patient also developed an antibody to factor IX during replacement therapy, which suggests that deletion of the factor IX gene is not necessary for development of the antibody in hemophilia B patients. The levels of plasma factor IX antigen in the patients ranged from 40% to 100% except for IXDreihacken (Arg248Gln), in which case it was approximately 4% of normal. The Ser365Gly and Ser365Ile mutants are nonfunctional because of lack of the active site serine residue. Mutant Asp364His is inactive because it cannot form the hydrogen bond between the carboxylate group of Asp-364 and the alpha-amino group of Val-181 generated after activation. As observed in other homologous serine proteases, this hydrogen bond is essential for maintaining the correct active site conformation in normal factor IXa (IXaN). Purified Arg248Gln had approximately 41% and Glu245Val had approximately 17% of the activity of normal factor IX (IXN) in a partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) assay. In immunodot blot experiments, the isolated Glu245Val mutant did and the Arg248Gln mutant did not bind to an anti-IXN monoclonal antibody that has been shown previously to inhibit the interaction of factor VIIIa with factor IXaN. We have recently shown that a high-affinity calcium binding site exists in the protease domain of IXN; among the proposed Ca(2+)-binding ligands is the carboxyl group of Glu-245. Further, a part of the epitope for the above antibody was shown to be contained in the 231 to 265 residue segment of factor IX.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult