[Hereditary hyperferritinaemia-cataract syndrome].
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S Simsek.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Paraneoplastic syndromes are the rarest neurological complications in patients with cancer. The neurological paraneoplastic syndromes that are mainly associated with breast cancer are subacute cerebellar degeneration, paraneoplastic retinopathy, opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome, lower motor neuron diseases and Stiff-man syndrome. The aim of this paper is to briefly outline these paraneoplastic neurological syndromes and consider their relation to breast carcinoma.
Acute renal failure (ARF) as a consequence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma infiltration of the kidneys (LIK) is an uncommon complication of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In literature, ARF due to LIK is reported in progressive disease. A case of non-oliguric acute renal failure secondary to relapse of large B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma primarily localized in the mediastinum is reported. LIK of both kidneys was diagnosed by ultrasonography, computer tomography scan and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. No other causes for renal failure were found. The prognosis of renal involvement in relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma is poor, as is demonstrated by our case.
Hereditary haemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder, leading to progressive iron overload, which is very common among the Caucasian population. In the vast majority of the cases, the hereditary iron overload is caused by mutations in the HFE gene. Most prominently this is the homozygous Cys282Tyr mutation. We report two Dutch families in which both propositi were found to be heterozygous for Cys282Tyr in the work-up of hyperferritinaemia. Frequent phlebotomies had no effect on the ferritin level, but led to microcytic anaemia. Finally, the family history with bilateral cataracts was the clue for the correct diagnosis. Hereditary hyperferritinaemia-cataract syndrome (HHCS) is an autosomal dominant disease characterised by elevated serum ferritin levels and bilateral cataracts in the absence of iron overload. Several point mutations and deletions within the iron-responsive element (IRE) in the 5' noncoding region of the L-ferritin gene have been found in HHCS families. In the first Dutch family a G to C transition at position 32 was found and a G to A mutation at the same location was found in the second Dutch family. In individuals with an isolated hyperferritinaemia (normal transferrin saturation), the presence of early onset (familial) cataract should raise the possibility of HHCS, even when Cys282Tyr heterozygosity is found.
We report a 51-year-old patient who developed abdominal lymphadenopathy following Hodgkin's disease seven years after she was diagnosed as having sarcoidosis. The patient had been treated with steroids, methotrexate and azathioprine. After three cycles of chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease, the patient again developed sarcoidosis in the mediastinal lymph nodes. A greater awareness of the co-existence of sarcoidosis and Hodgkin's disease could circumvent the diagnostic difficulties.
We describe a 48-year-old caucasian woman with a subacute Budd-Chiari syndrome attributed to the presence of polycythaemia vera, heterozygosity for the factor V Leiden mutation and the use of an oral contraceptive pill. Two diagnostic pitfalls were encountered. First, on CT scanning of the abdomen the still normally vascularized central part of the liver was initially judged as a hypervascular tumour. Second, there was difficulty to recognize the thrombocytosis/leukocytosis in relation with portal hypertension and hypersplenism. Our case illustrates the obstacles which can be faced during the diagnostical process in a subacute form of Budd-Chiari syndrome. Furthermore, our case illustrates the need for routinely screening of the factor V Leiden mutation in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The purpose of this randomized study was to compare the efficacy of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) plus long chain triglycerides (LCT) with LCT alone in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) solutions in patients with various hematologic malignancies who underwent a hematopoietic peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation. METHODS: Of 36 patients entering into this study, 18 received MCT + LCT (group I) and the remaining 18 received LCT alone (group II) in TPN solutions. Patients were comparable regarding age, gender, donor-recipient gender, diagnosis, body weights, blood group differences and number of infused CD34(+) cells/kg. Post - transplant parameters such as duration of platelet and neutrophil engraftment, coagulation parameters, number of days of febrile neutropenia and antibiotic administration, plasma glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol and albumin levels, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and first 100 day mortality were compared in both groups. RESULTS: Median days of neutrophil >0.5 x 10(9)/l and platelet of >20 x 10(9)/l in group I and group II were 15 (range, 8-21), 11 (10-29) and 14 (range, 9-31), 13 (9-18) respectively (P>0.05). Median days of febrile neutropenia in group I and II were 10 (range, 4-23) and 7 (2-13) respectively (P=0.01). Median days of antibiotic administration in group I and II were 12 (range, 6-22) and 8 (4-25) respectively (P=0.04). Pre, peri- and post-transplant coagulation parameters such as PT, aPTT, and fibrinogen did not differ significantly between two groups (P>0.05), as well as plasma glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, albumin levels, GVHD and first 100 day mortality. CONCLUSION: There was no difference between patients receiving MCT + LCT (group I) and LCT alone (group II) in TPN solutions regarding duration of engraftment and coagulation parameters, but numbers of median days of febrile neutropenia and days of antibiotic administration were significantly shorter in patients receiving LCT alone (group II) than those receiving MCT + LCT (P<0.01 and 0.04 respectively).
This study was intended to elucidate the diagnostic values of dermatoglyphic features on the 45 cerebral palsy (CP) patients (28 boys and 17 girls). There were 50 healthy children in the control group. Dermatoglyphic samples were obtained from the both groups by using the paper and ink method and than analysed. The types of dermal patterns of fingertips, the counts of total ridges, the counts of a-b ridges, the values of atd angles, presence or absence of dermal patterns in the hypothenar, thenar/I, II, III, IV interdigital areas, presence of absence of the palmar flexion lines, were compared between the children with CP and control group. It was found that arch, radial loop, whorl prints have increased and ulnar print has decreased in boys investigated which was significant statistically (p < 0.001). No difference was found between investigation and control groups of girls (p > 0.05). The total ridge counts in boys and girls of the investigation group were found significantly decreasing according to the control group (p < 0.001). There was an important decrease in the counts of a-b ridges of investigation group as compared to controls. It was significant in boys (p < 0.01) but not in girls (p > 0.05). The values of atd angles of the investigation group have increased in the control group (p < 0.001 in girls and p < 0.01 in boys). The dermal prints in the hypothenar, thenar/I, II, III and IV interdigital areas showed important differences in the investigation group when compared with the control group (p < 0.01). No clear distinction occurred between the two groups from the viewpoint of palmar flexion lines (p > 0.05). In conclusion, remarkable differences in comparison to controls were found in the dermatoglyphic features of CP cases. In our opinion, by undertaking more studies on the subject and examining a higher number of cases it will be possible to obtain useful data in CP cases indicative of etiologically.
We have previously described the private or family platelet antigen, Gro(a), which was identified in a case of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. The Gro(a) antigen was found to be located on the GP IIIa (beta3) subunit of the GP IIb/IIIa complex, the most prominent fibrinogen receptor of platelets. Initial experiments to characterize the Gro(a) antigen at the molecular genetic level were unsuccessful. We therefore decided to use a different strategy to unravel the molecular basis of this antigen. Platelet GP IIIa mRNA of a Gro(a+) and a Gro(a-) donor was amplified with suitable primers in a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and subjected to single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Three regions of the amplified GP IIIa cDNA derived from the Gro(a+) donor showed a different SSCP pattern when compared to that of the Gro(a-) donor. Direct nucleotide sequence analysis of these three segments revealed that two of them contained silent substitutions, A1163C, A1553G and G1565A. The first and the latter changes were described previously. In the third segment a G1996A mutation was found, predicting an arginine --> histidine substitution at position 633 of the mature glycoprotein. PCR-ASRA (allele-specific restriction enzyme analysis) performed on cDNA as well as on genomic DNA with the restriction enzyme MaeIII showed that the His633 form of GPIIIa is restricted to the Gro(a+) phenotype. The observed mutation is three amino acids upstream of the mutation underlying the HPA-8/Sr system (Arg636Cys), suggesting this region of GP IIIa to be susceptible for mutations. Moreover, the presence of a silent mutation and two low-frequency forms of the silent polymorphisms strongly suggests that the G1996A mutation did not occur in a direct ancestral allele.
The platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX-V complex, the major von Willebrand factor receptor on platelets, is absent or dysfunctional in patients with the Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS). The four single subunits of the GPIb-IX-V complex (GPIb alpha, Ib beta, IX and V) are molecular products of different genes. Several point mutations and deletions affecting the GPIb alpha gene have been identified as the cause of BSS, whilst in four BSS families a GPIX gene defect has been reported. Moreover, a single case of BSS has been associated with a genetic defect of GPIb beta. We investigated the molecular basis of another case of BSS with a deficient expression of GPIX, as detected by immunofluorescence studies. After amplification of the entire GPIX coding region, nucleotide sequence analysis showed a homozygous single point mutation predicting a phenylalanine to serine substitution at position 55 of the mature GPIX within its unique leucine-rich repeat. By allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization we confirmed the homozygosity of the patient as well as the carrier state of two out of three of his children studied. Although the parents of the patient, who were first cousins, were no longer alive and thus not available for study, we speculate that the molecular defect observed in the proband was inherited from both parents, who probably were heterozygous for this GPIX gene defect. This study confirms that BSS may be caused by many different subtle molecular defects that often prevent the assembly and expression of a functional GPIb-IX-V complex.
We show that the previously described alloantisera Ond and Mart, which recognize the alloantigens Ond(a) and Mart(a), react with polymorphic variants of alpha L and alpha M subunits of the beta 2 integrin family (CD11a and CD11b molecules). This was shown by testing the alloantisera in a monoclonal antibody-specific immobilization of leukocyte antigens, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence assay against cells from normal donors and from patients with leukocyte adhesion deficiency (beta 2 intergrin deficient). To elucidate the molecular basis of the Ond(a) and Mart(a) alloantigens, RNA was isolated from mononuclear leukocytes derived from individuals of known serologic phenotype. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to amplify the entire coding region of the alpha L and alpha M mRNAs. The Ond(a) antigen was found to be due to a G2466C substitution in the DNA coding for the alpha L subunit, which predicts an Arg766Thr amino-acid polymorphism. The Mart(a) antigen was also found to be due to a single nucleotide substitution (G302A) in the DNA coding for the alpha M subunit, which predicts an Arg61His amino acid polymorphism. Using allele-specific restriction enzyme analysis, the association between point mutations and phenotypes was confirmed. The localization of these alloantigens on integrin molecules further illustrates the polymorphic nature of this class of proteins. Whether the polymorphisms influence the adhesive capacity of the leukocyte integrins remains to be investigated.
A donor-dependent difference in electrophoretic mobility of deglycosylated released Fc gamma RIIIa derived from NK cells and macrophages was observed. We investigated whether this was based on a polymorphism of the Fc gamma RIIIA gene. Cloning and sequencing of Fc gamma RIIIa-encoding cDNA derived from an apparently heterozygous donor showed one single nucleotide substitution at position 230 (T-->G), which was responsible for a leucine (L)-->arginine (R) substitution at position 48 in the first extracellular Ig-like domain (EC1) of Fc-gamma RIIIa and caused a higher electrophoretic mobility of Fc gamma RIIIa. An allele-specific primer annealing PCR assay was developed to amplify specifically an Fc gamma RIIIA gene-derived fragment, which was digested with AciI (recognizing G230) or MnlI (recognizing T230). MnlI restriction analysis revealed the presence of a third Fc gamma RIIIa allele with a T230-->A substitution, which predicts a change of 48-leucine into 48-histidine (H). A gene frequency of 86% for the T230 (48-L) allele, 6% for G230 (48-R), and 8% for A230 (48-H) was found. A significantly different genotype distribution was found among 12 unrelated Caucasian Fc gamma RIIIB gene-deficient donors. Fc gamma RIIIa-48R and Fc gamma RIIIa-48H showed a higher binding capacity of human (h)IgG1, hIgG3, and hIgG4 compared with Fc gamma RIIIa-48L. Finally, the CD16 mAbs 1D3 and MEM154 bound more strongly and Leu11c (B73.1) bound less to the newly identified Fc gamma RIIIa isoforms.
The Rh system, the most polymorphic system on red cells, is genetically controlled by two different but highly homologous genes on chromosome 1. The RHCE gene encodes different RhCcEe polypeptides and the RHD gene encodes D antigens. It is well established that in D negative individuals the RHD gene is either absent or grossly deleted. The D antigen comprises at least nine serologically defined D epitopes. The D antigen can be divided into different partial D categories, reflecting a different pattern of specific D epitopes. In this study a newly defined partial D antigen, DDBT, was studied. D epitope mapping revealed the presence of D epitopes 6/7 and 8 and the absence of the other D epitopes. The molecular basis of this phenotype was studied by Southern blotting, by RHD typing using the polymerase chain reaction (RHD-PCR) and by sequence analysis of Rh transcripts. The DBT phenotype appeared to be encoded by a hybrid RHD gene, in which exons 5, 6 and 7 (and possibly the identical exon 8) were replaced by the corresponding exons of the RHCE gene. From this study it may be concluded that D epitopes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9 are dependent on the presence of RHD exons 5, 6, and 7.
BACKGROUND: Almost all red cells that carry D and/or C antigens also express the G antigen (Rh12). A study was conducted on the molecular background of the G epitope. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Two unrelated donors with the rare ccDEe, G- phenotype and one donor with the ccEe, G+ phenotype were studied. Genomic DNA and cDNA of these donors were studied with polymerase chain reaction, Southern blot, and sequence analysis, with special focus on exon 2, because it is only in this exon that there are supposed to be similarities between RHD and the RHC allele, but not between RHD and the RHc allele. RESULTS: In both ccDEe, G- donors, a nucleotide substitution was found in exon 2 of RHD; T307 was replaced by C307, which predicted a Ser->Pro substitution at amino acid position 103 of the D polypeptide. The ccEe, G+ donor carried the complete exon 2 of RHD. Moreover, despite the absence of all known D epitopes, this donor also carried RHD characteristics in exons 1 to 3 and exon 9 and further downstream. CONCLUSION: Ser103, encoded by exon 2 of the RH genes, is involved in G epitope formation.
BACKGROUND: A D-positive white woman was found to have produced alloanti-D leading to hemolytic disease of the newborn in her third D-positive child. The maternal D was identified as the partial D category IIIc antigen (DIIIc). The molecular basis of this phenotype was studied. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The proposita and her relatives were phenotyped for Rh system antigens with standard reagents. D(IIIc) typing of D-positive red cells was done with serum that contained anti-D from the proposita. Southern blot analysis and RHD-specific polymerase chain reactions were performed with genomic DNA. Rh transcripts were cloned and sequenced. RESULTS: Six relatives of the proposita were found to express the DIIIc phenotype, which traveled with Ce. The DIIIc phenotype was inherited in a Mendelian fashion. Southern blot analysis showed an identical digestion pattern in D(IIIc) individuals and in DD controls. Three different Rh transcripts were found. Two Rh transcripts were derived from RHCE (RHce and RHCe). The RHD-derived Rh transcript was the same as that of the published RHD sequence, apart from exon 3, which appeared to be exon 3 of RHCE. At the genomic level, RHD exon 3 was missing in all individuals expressing D(IIIc). CONCLUSION: This study shows the characteristics of a new hybrid D-CE-D allele encoding D(IIIc). It may be concluded that exon 3 of RHD is not involved in the formation of any of the D epitopes known at present, but rather encodes a new D epitope or D epitopes, as yet undefined by monoclonal anti-D reagents.
We have identified a new platelet-specific alloantigen, Max(a), responsible for a typical case of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenic purpura. The maternal serum reacted strongly with paternal platelets in the platelet immunofluorescence test, whereas platelet alloantigen typing showed that no known human platelet antigen (HPA)-system was involved. In the monoclonal antibody (MoAb)-specific immobilization of platelet antigens (MAIPA) assay, the new antigen was located on the platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa complex, but immunoprecipitation and immunoblot experiments to further localize the antigen failed. However, in the MAIPA assay, the binding of the anti-Max(a) antibodies from the maternal serum was blocked by two anti-GPIIb MoAbs. Thus, the antigen appeared to be located on GPIIb. Analysis of the family lead to the identification of six additional Max(a+) individuals. Three of these six individuals and the father were tested in the platelet aggregation test and were found to be normal. In the analysis of normal donors, three of 500 were typed positive for the new platelet-specific antigen, indicating a phenotype frequency of 0.6% in the normal population. Platelet RNA was isolated from the newborn's Max(a)+ father and from a healthy donor phenotyped as Max(a-), reverse-transcribed, and the entire GPIIb coding region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Subsequent nucleotide sequence analysis showed a single G-->A substitution at position 2,603, predicting a valine-->methionine amino acid substitution at position 837 of the mature glycoprotein. This mutation abolished a BsiYI restriction site at the cDNA level and a BstNI restriction site at genomic DNA level, respectively. The genetic association between the new antigen and this point mutation was confirmed by allele-specific restriction analysis on cDNA and on genomic DNA, as well as by allele-specific primer amplification on genomic DNA. The new mutation is 19 bp upstream of the mutation underlying the HPA-3 system. Therefore, we also evaluated the association between Mas and the HPA-3 polymorphism. So far, all Max(a+) individuals were also found to be HPA-3b, whereas 50 HPA-3a individuals were all Max(a-). This may indicate that Max(a) is a variant of the HPA-3 allele.
Rh (rhesus) D is the dominant antigen of the Rh blood group system. Recent advances in characterization of the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA(s) encoding the Rh D polypeptide allow the determination of the Rh D genotype at the DNA level. This can be of help in cases in which red blood cells are not available for phenotyping, eg, when in concerns a fetus. We have tested three independent DNA typing methods based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for their suitability to determine the Rh D genotype. DNA derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 234 Rh-phenotyped healthy donors (178 Rh D positive and 56 Rh D negative) was used in the PCR. The Rh D genotypes, as determined with a method based on the allele-specific amplification of the 3' noncoding region of the Rh D gene described by Bennett et al (N Engl J Med 329:607, 1993), were not concordant with the serologically established phenotypes in all cases. We have encountered 5 discrepant results, ie, 3 false-positive and 2 false-negative (a father and child). Rh D genotyping with the second method was performed by PCR amplification of exon 7 of the D gene with allele-specific primers. In all donors phenotyped as D positive tested so far (n = 178), the results of molecular genotyping with this method were concordant with the serologic results, whereas a false-positive result was obtained in one of the D-negative donors (also false-positive in the first method). Complete agreement was found between genotypes determined in the third method, based on a 600-bp deletion in intron 4 of the Rh D gene described by Arce et al (Blood 82:651, 1993), and serologically determined phenotypes. The Rh blood group system is complex, and unknown polymorphisms at the DNA level are expected to exist. Therefore, although genotypes determined by the method of Arce et al were in agreement with serotypes, it cannot yet be regarded as the golden standard. More experience with this or other methods is still needed.