The analysis of gene expression profile and related signal pathways in focal cortical dysplasia / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the potential pathogenesis of Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), we performed cDNA microarray analysis to obtain gene expression profile of FCD. Methods Three FCD samples and three normal controls were enrolled. Total RNA of the brain tissues were extracted. The difference gene expressions between FCD group and control group was detected using Affymetrix gene chip. The up and down-regulated genes were confirmed by Real-time PCR. Further, the related signal pathways involved in the pathogenic mechanisms of FCD were predicted by bioinformatics. Result In FCD, two up-regulated genes C21orF2 and AU152162 and 5 down-regulated genes ENPP2, ANLN, IP6K3, UGT8, and AZGP were found. Compared the FCD samples with the normal controls , there were significantly different in all down-regulated genes (P 0.05). Using bioinformatics analysis, the ENPP2 , UGT8 , and AZGP1 protein which located in the cell membrane or secreted into the extracellular matrix may be involved in the formation of the myelin sheath and the development of the nervous system by the lipid metabolism and LPA signaling pathway. Conclusion ENPP2, UGT8 and AZGP1 may be involved in pathogenesis of FCD through the process of myelin sheath formation and LPA signal pathway , which warrants further study to know their roles in the pathogenesis of FCD.

Correlation analysis of clinic and SCN1A mutation in febrile seizures plus with autism / 实用医学杂志

Objective To study the clinical characteristics of autism in febrile seizures plus (FS+) and the relationship between autism and SCN1A mutation. Methods Clinical data of 103 patients with FS+ treated in epilepsy centre of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University were collected and analyzed. According to the international criteria, generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+), partial seizures with febrile seizures plus (PEFS+), Dravet syndrome (DS) and autism were diagnosed. Genomic DNA was obtained from blood samples. SCN1A were PCR amplified and mutations were detected by DHPLC and sequencing. Result Mental retardation was found in 53.8%of patients with GEFS+, 69.2%of patients with PEFS+, and all patients with DS, respectively. One in GEFS+, one in PEFS+and nine in DS patients were accompanied with autism (P<0.01). Among FS+patients with autism, one SCN1A mutation was found in PEFS+patients, while six SCN1A mutations were found in DS patients. Conclusions Majority of GEFS+and PEFS+patients showed mental retardation, while all the DS patients were accompanied with retardation. The occurrence of autism with DS is higher than GEFS+and PEFS+. No definite relationship between autism and SCN1A mutation was indicated.

Genetic analysis of 5'-untranslated region of voltage-gated sodium channel alpha 1-subunit gene in Dravet syndrome / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To screen and analyze nucleotide variants in 5'-untranslated region(5'-UTR)in voltage-gated sodium channel α1-subunit gene(SCN1A)in patients with Dravet syndrome and to evaluate the association of the variants with disease.Methods Peripheral blood of 24 patients with Dravet syndrome and 100 unrelated normal persons were collected and genomic DNA was extracted.PCR-sequencing of SCN1 A 5'-UTR in these DNA was performed.To evaluate the possibility of mutation inducing disease,bioinformatics analysis was applied to analyze the conservation of the sequences around the mutation site and predict the potential transcription elements.Results The nucleotide variant of 166.642.520G→A in exon 2 was identified in two patients,but not in normal controls.The mutation was a de novo mutation in a patient with early-onset.In the second proband,the mutation was also carried by his clinically asymptomatic mother.The nucleotide site 166.642.520 was moderately conserved in mammals(62.5%).The average nucleotide identity rate between human and other mammals species in the region adjacent to 166.642.520 was 88.5%.Two potential transcription regulatory elements were predicted on the sequence with the mutation of 166.642.520G>A,and only one on the sequence with wild-type.Conclusions The mutation 166.642.520G>A may be associated with Dravet syndrome and further studied should be performed to verify it and demonstrate its pathogenic mechanisms.

De novo sodium channel αl-subuult mutation of monozygotic twins with borderland severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To study the sodium channel α1-subunit (SCN1A) gene in a pair of monozygotic twins with borderland severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEB) and its characteristic of clinical manifestations. Methods The clinical features of 2 monozygotic twins were summarized. All 26 exons of SCNIA genes were screened with denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC), and direct sequence analysis was performed on those with abnormal elution peak. Results The proband and her sister showed typical clinical features of SMEB. The same heterozygous mutations on exon 26 which caused the related amino acid change were found among them (c. 5348C > T, A1783E). Conclusion Monozygotic twins with similar clinical phenotype of SMEB have same SCN1A gene mutation.

Genetic characteristics of SCN1A gene in familial severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To explore the inheritance characteristics of SCN1A gene in familial severe myoclome epilepsy in infancy.Methods The clinical information and blood of the patients and their relatives who had febrile seizure(FS)or epilepsy history were collected.Blood genome DNA were extracted.All exons of SeN1A gene were PCR amplified and screened with denaturing high Performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC)technology,and sequence analysis was performed.Results Fourteen SME patients had FS or epilepsy family history.Five were found positive history in first class relatives and 2 of them had inherited mutations of SCN1A(C.4284+2T>C and e.1216G>T):Other9 were found positive history in second class relatives and 2 of them had de novo mutations of SCN1A.Condusions SCN1A is the pathogenic gene for SME.The same muatation of SCN1A gene can be related to different clinical phenotypes.SME patients whose first class relatives with FS or epilepsy history should be taken as the focus of SCN1A inherited mutation screening.

Mosaic SCN1A mutation in a family with partial epilepsy with febrile seizures plus / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To study the SCN1A gene in a family with partial epilepsy with febrile seizures plus ( PEFS+ ) and its characteristics of inheritance. Methods The clinical features of the 2 patients and their father were summarized. All 26 exons of SCN1A gene were screened with denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC), and direct sequence analysis was pedormed on those with abnormal elution peak. Pyrosequencing was subsequently performed in those without abnormality in direct sequence analysis. Results The proband and his sister had the phenotype of PEFS+ . The same heterozygous mutations (AS768G) on exon 26 which caused the related amino acid change (Q1923R) were found among them. Their father had frequent febrile seizures (FS) in childhood, and seizures stopped spontaneously. No abnormality was found in direct sequence but mosaic mutation in the same site was discovered with pyrosequencing (mutation quantity was 25% ). Conclusions The mutatin of SCN1A could cause partial epilepsy. PEFS+ could be inherited, the relatives carrying the affected gene may have mild clinical symptoms, possibly resulting from the low concentration of the mutated gene due to mosaic mutation.

The structure, expression and function prediction of DAZAP2, a down-regulated gene in multiple myeloma / 基因组蛋白质组与生物信息学报·英文版

In our previous studies, DAZAP2 gene expression was down-regulated in untreated patients of multiple myeloma (MM). For better studying the structure and function of DAZAP2, a full-length cDNA was isolated from mononuclear cells of a normal human bone marrow, sequenced and deposited to Genbank (AY430097). This sequence has an identical ORF (open reading frame) as the NM_014764 from human testis and the D31767 from human cell line KG-1. Phylogenetic analysis and structure prediction reveal that DAZAP2 homologues are highly conserved throughout evolution and share a polyproline region and several potential SH2/SH3 binding sites. DAZAP2 occurs as a single-copy gene with a four-exon organization. We further noticed that the functional DAZAP2 gene is located on Chromosome 12 and its pseudogene gene is on Chromosome 2 with electronic location of human chromosome in Genbank, though no genetic abnormalities of MM have been reported on Chromosome 12. The ORF of human DAZAP2 encodes a 17-kDa protein, which is highly similar to mouse Prtb. The DAZAP2 protein is mainly localized in cytoplasm with a discrete pattern of punctuated distribution. DAZAP2 may associate with carcinogenesis of MM and participate in yet-to-be identified signaling pathways to regulate proliferation and differentiation of plasma cells.