ABSTRACT
We analysed the mitochondrial genome of one patient with chronic and progressive bilateral ophthalmoplegia. This patient also had abnormal EKG showing cardiac conduction defects and pigmentary retinopathy, suggestive of the Kearns-Sayre syndrome. On muscle biopsy, with Gomori trichrome stain, the fibers showed an increase in red-staining material in the intermyofibrillary network and the subsarcolemmal region. On electron microscopy, aggregations of abnormal mitochondria were demonstrated, confirming the diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from the patient and her mother showed no deleted mtDNA.
Subject(s)
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics , Female , Humans , Kearns-Sayre Syndrome/genetics , Muscle, Skeletal/pathology , Point Mutation , Restriction Mapping , Sequence DeletionABSTRACT
The human growth hormone gene (GH gene) from nine members of a family with familial growth hormone deficiency was examined. The patients were diagnosed as having growth hormone deficiency clinically and by response to hormonal treatment. PCR amplification was carried out using total DNA extracted from leukocytes. The flanking regions of the GH gene which are highly homologous were amplified by one pair of primers. PCR products of 1900 bp and 1919 bp were obtained. By using the combination of restriction enzymes BgII, HaeII and SmaI to digest these PCR products, the various sizes of GH gene deletion can be detected. None of the possible deletions was found in these patients and their relatives by either PCR or Southern blot analysis.
Subject(s)
Blotting, Southern , Child, Preschool , Female , Gene Deletion , Growth Disorders/drug therapy , Growth Hormone/deficiency , Humans , Male , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Restriction MappingABSTRACT
Fasting bile acid, two-hour post prandial bile acid and other liver function tests (Bili, AST, ALT, ALB, Glob, ALP) were measured in 22 normal and 28 liver diseased patients. In normal volunteers, the mean value of fasting total serum bile acid (FTBA) and postprandial serum bile acid (PTBA) were 3.08 mumole/L (S.D. 1.65) range 0.21-6.26 mumol/L, and 8.07 mumole/L (S.D. 2.99) range 4.06-15.65 mumole/L. Comparison between FTBA, PTBA and other liver function tests in various liver diseases from this study the PTBA was not statistically significant superior to FTBA. Therefore, it is not necessary to do the PTBA at this time until more data is available.