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Biomedical subjects

N Kamatani

Publications and source records attributed to N Kamatani.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

[Genotype and genetic diagnosis of APRT deficiency].

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency is one of the most common genetic diseases among the Japanese and is transmitted in an autosomal recessive manner. Urolithiasis is a typical symptom of this disease. Molecular analysis of the deficient APRT alleles revealed that 96% of disease-causing genes among the Japanese was accounted for only three alleles. Therefore, genetic diagnosis can be performed on most of the patients without determining the mutant sequence in each family. The ASO-PCR hybridization method differentiated all of these alleles. Linkage analysis using neighboring RFLP markers revealed that each of the three mutant APRT alleles had a common ancestral origin.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗

Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase in human erythrocytes: assay and kinetic studies using high-performance liquid chromatography.

A method using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for determination of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) synthetase activity in human erythrocytes has been developed and PRPP synthetase activity on purine and pyrimidine metabolic disorders has been studied. Kinetic properties of erythrocyte PRPP synthetase of patients with gout and of a patient with pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase deficiency were compared with those of healthy subjects. The mean of PRPP synthetase activity of gouty patients was a little higher (P less than 0.01) than that of healthy subjects. The response of the enzyme for ATP of gouty patients was different from that of healthy subjects. The shapes of activation curve of the enzyme for inorganic phosphate were hyperbolic in gouty patients and in a patient with pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase deficiency.

5'-Nucleotidase↗

Detection of the most common mutation of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency among Japanese by a non-radioactive method.

About 79% of all the Japanese patients with adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency have been estimated to possess at least one APRT*J allele with a substitution of ACG for ATG at codon 136. We developed a non-radioactive method for diagnosing genotypes of this disease. Part of the genomic DNA including the mutation site of the APRT*J allele was amplified using polymerase chain reaction and the amplified product was dot-blotted onto nylon membranes and then hybridized with either APRT*J-specific or non-APRT*J-specific synthetic oligonucleotides labelled at the 5' termini with biotin in the presence of non-labelled competitive synthetic sequences. The temperature was gradually decreased during the hybridization. When competitive sequences were omitted, difference in the intensity of the hybridization between APRT*J-containing and non-containing samples was not sufficiently clear to differentiate the genotypes. When an excess amount of competitive sequences was added in addition to biotin-labelled oligonucleotides, this method effectively differentiated samples containing only APRT*J alleles from those containing only non-APRT*J alleles. The present method was also useful to differentiate samples with both APRT*J and non-APRT*J alleles from those having only either of the alleles. An equivalent procedure using competitive sequence for hybridization and gradually decreasing the temperature will be useful for detecting point mutations in other genes.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗

Disturbance in the metabolism of 5'-methylthioadenosine and adenine in patients with neoplastic diseases, and in those with a deficiency in adenine phosphoribosyltransferase.

5'-Methylthioadenosine (MTA) produced during the synthesis of polyamines is degraded to adenine by MTA phosphorylase. This pathway is considered to be the main source of endogenous adenine. We determined the concentrations of MTA and adenine in control subjects and in those with a pathological disorder. In patients with active leukemias, as well as with other types of malignancies, the concentrations of MTA and adenine in the urine were elevated. These changes seemed to be the result of an accelerated production of MTA due to an accelerated biosynthesis of polyamine. In patients with adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency, the concentrations of adenine in the urine were elevated, presumably due to a disturbance in the catabolism of adenine. Although adenine is a potent inhibitor of MTA phosphorylase, APRT-deficient patients did not excrete MTA into urine in concentrations significantly larger than noted for control subjects. However, the amount of MTA excreted positively correlated with that of adenine in these patients, hence that accumulated adenine probably had a slight, but positive, inhibitory effect on the degradation of MTA.

Adenine↗

A mutant allele common to the type I adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency in Japanese subjects.

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency is a genetic disorder which causes 2,8-dihydroxy-adenine urolithiasis. The estimated incidence of heterozygosity in Caucasian and Japanese populations is 1%. Mutant alleles responsible for the disease have been classified as APRT*Q0 (type I) and APRT* (type II). In our previous study, we demonstrated in APRT*J a single common base change which accounts for 70% of the Japanese mutants. The present report describes the analysis of an APRT*Q0 mutation in Japanese subjects. Two nucleotide substitutions common to all seven affected alleles from four unrelated subjects (three homozygotes and a heterozygote) were identified: G----A at nucleotide position 1453 and C----T at 1456. The G----A altered the amino acid Trp98 to a stop codon. The C----T did not alter Ala99. These point mutations were demonstrated by sequence analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified genomic DNA and cDNA. The G----A change at 1453 results in the elimination of a PflMI site in the APRT gene. PflMI digests, which were used to confirm the G----A transition, can be useful in screening for this specific mutation.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗

Diagnosis of heterozygous states for adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency based on detection of in vivo somatic mutants in blood T cells: application to screening of heterozygotes.

An accurate diagnosis of heterozygotes for autosomal recessive disorders with unknown mutations can be difficult. Using a unique phenomenon occurring in vivo, we designed a method for the diagnosis of heterozygotes for adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency which makes way for a qualitative distinction between normal and heterozygous subjects. We cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells with 2,6-diaminopurine, an APRT-dependent cytotoxin, to search for in vivo mutational cells. Fifteen putative heterozygotes examined were found to possess such mutant cells at rather high frequencies; thus, a false negative diagnosis is unlikely. The analysis of genomic DNA in 82 resistant clones from two of the heterozygotes clarified that 64 (78%) had lost the germinally intact alleles. Thirteen members of APRT-deficient families were examined; eight proved to be heterozygotes. Among 425 individuals from two separate residential areas of Japan, two heterozygotes were found. The authenticity of the heterozygosity was validated by two separate methods for the two heterozygotes; hence, a false positive diagnosis can be ruled out. Our data showed a calculated heterozygote frequency of 0.47% (95% confidence limits; 0.05%-1.7%), a value compatible with that (1.2%) calculated from data concerning the incidence of 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis. This novel genetic approach for identifying heterozygotes is now being tested to search for other enzyme deficiencies in humans.

2-Aminopurine↗

Identification of a membrane glycoprotein overexpressed in murine lymphoma sublines resistant to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II).

A series of murine thymic lymphoma cell sublines was selected in vitro for resistance to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP). The level of CDDP resistance correlated with reduced drug accumulation in these cells. A rabbit antiserum was raised against the plasma membrane of a CDDP-resistant subline and used in Western blot analyses. Increased expression of a surface antigen of approximately 200 kDa was observed and found to correlate with the degree of resistance. Further biochemical and immunological studies demonstrated that this is a plasma membrane glycoprotein. However, it is different from the multidrug resistance-associated P-glycoprotein with a molecular weight of about 170,000. We have called this unique CDDP resistance-associated membrane protein CPR-200.

Animals↗

Homozygous deficiency at autosomal locus aprt in human somatic cells in vivo induced by two different mechanisms.

Associations between germinal and somatic mutations at autosomal loci play an important role in the development of some tumors, including retinoblastoma. In an attempt to determine whether equivalent events occur in vivo at other loci, we cloned and enumerated somatic T-cells with mutations at the aprt locus, by taking advantage of both the presence of a human disease caused by genetic defects at this locus and an effective selection procedure for the deficient mutants. T-cells homozygously deficient at this locus (aprt-/-) were found in all four heterozygotes (aprt+/-) studied, at an average frequency of 1.3 x 10(-4). From 310 normal individuals, we identified only one aprt-/- clone, and the calculated frequency of aprt-/- T-cells in aprt+/+ individuals was 5.0 x 10(-9). These results confirm that a two-step process (aprt(+/+)----aprt(+/-)----aprt-/-) is functional through two different mechanisms (germinal-somatic and somatic-somatic) in vivo. Our data suggest that the two-step mutations leading to homozygous deficiencies at the somatic cell level, as proposed for the carcinogenic mechanisms for retinoblastomas and other human tumors, generally occur at rather high frequencies at various autosomal loci in humans.

2-Aminopurine↗

Measurement of 5'-methylthioadenosine in patients with neoplasms.

The amount of polyamines in urine from patients with various neoplasms is larger than in normal subjects. We have determined the concentration of 5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA), a by-product of the polyamine biosynthesis, in patients with malignancies as well as normal subjects. Our studies indicate that the amount of MTA in urine from patients with leukemias and malignant lymphomas was higher than in normal subjects (p less than 0.005). Urine samples from patients with other malignancies contained normal amounts of MTA. The levels of blood MTA in patients with leukemias before treatment or in relapse was higher than in control subjects (p less than 0.005), while in patients with other malignancies and leukemia in remission, the levels were not different from control subjects. Peripheral blood MTA levels clearly decreased after effective chemotherapy. The measurement of MTA levels in urine and blood may not be as useful as polyamine assays for the detection of malignancies, but blood levels of MTA may be useful as an indicator of the efficacy of chemotherapy in leukemic patients.

Adenosine↗

Crossovers within a short DNA sequence indicate a long evolutionary history of the APRT*J mutation.

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency causing 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis and renal failure is present at a high frequency among the Japanese but not other ethnic groups. A special type of mutant allele, designated APRT*J, with a nucleotide substitution at codon 136 from ATG (Met) to ACG (Thr) is carried by approximately 79% of all Japanese 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis patients. We analyzed mutant alleles of 39 APRT deficient patients using a specific oligonucleotide hybridization method after in vitro amplification of a part of the genomic APRT sequence. We found that 24 had only APRT*J alleles. Determination of the haplotypes of 194 APRT alleles from control Japanese subjects and of the 48 different APRT*J alleles indicated that normal alleles occur in four major haplotypes, whereas all APRT*J alleles occur in only two. These results suggest that all APRT*J alleles have a single origin and that this mutant sequence has been maintained for a long period, as calculated from the frequency of the recombinant alleles.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗

Identification of a compound heterozygote for adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency (APRT*J/APART*Q0) leading to 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis.

Homozygous deficiency of a purine salvage enzyme, adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT), causes urolithiasis and renal failure. There are two known types of homozygous APRT deficiencies; type I patients completely lack APRT activity while type II patients only partially lack such activity. All type II patients possess at least one APRT*J allele with a substitution from ATG (Met) to ACG (Thr) at codon 136. Type I patients are considered to possess two alleles (APRT*Q0) both of which code for complete deficiencies. Thus, some patients with type II APRT deficiencies may have a genotype of APRT*J/APRT*Q0. As no individuals with such a genotype have previously been identified, we performed extensive analysis on four members of a family by (1) the T-cell method for the identification of a homozygote, (2) the B-cell method for the identification of heterozygotes, and (3) oligonucleotide hybridization after in vitro amplification of a part of genomic APRT sequence for the identification of APRT*J and non-APRT*J alleles. We report here the first evidence that 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis developed in a boy aged 2 years with a genotype of APRT*J/APRT*Q0.

Adenine↗

Hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency: nucleotide substitution causing Lesch-Nyhan syndrome identified for the first time among Japanese.

A previously undescribed nucleotide substitution at codon 51 (CGA to TGA) has been identified using the polymerase chain reaction technique in hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) cDNA; this is the first molecular evidence for a point mutation in a Japanese patient with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. The present mutation is the 19th nucleotide substitution identified as a germ-line mutation at this locus and the second mutation generating a stop codon. The position of the nucleotide substitution is exactly the same as a previously described mutation HPRTToronto, indicating for the first time that nucleotide substitutions at the same position in the sequence of HPRT can generate different mutant alleles, one causing a partial deficiency and the other a complete deficiency. Although the type of nucleotide substitution is different between the two cases, a single base position has twice become the target of a mutation. However, the calculation of the probability of finding substitution mutations at the same base position in the coding region of hprt indicates that there is no evidence for the presence of a hot spot for substitution mutations in the human hprt germ line.

Adolescent↗

Clonal analysis of T cell infiltrates in synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

To investigate the possibility of the presence of disease-relevant, antigen-specific immune reactions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), clonal diversity of the T cells in the synovial tissue was examined. T cells were directly cloned by in vitro stimulation with phytohemagglutin and interleukin 2 from both the peripheral blood and inflammatory synovial tissue. Their clonotypes were defined by analyzing rearrangement patterns of T cell receptor (TCR) beta and gamma chain genes using Southern blotting. In total, 111 clones from the synovial tissue (four patients) and 45 from the peripheral blood (one patient) were studied. Although most of the clones were unique in their TCR gene rearrangement patterns, 2 clones from the synovial tissue of one patient had identical patterns. These 2 clones were CD3+, 4-, 8+. Since phenotypic analysis of 82 clones from the synovial tissues revealed that CD8+ T cell clones were less frequent (24%) than CD4+ clones, the clonal identity observed here in 2 clones may not be negligible. Furthermore, 1 CD8+ clone from the peripheral blood of the same patient also had the same clonotype. These results may suggest selective trafficking or proliferation of CD4-, CD8+ T cells in RA synovial tissue.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗