Clinical features and management of hereditary spastic paraplegia / Aspectos clinicos e manejo das paraplegias espasticas hereditarias

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a group of genetically-determined disorders characterized by progressive spasticity and weakness of lower limbs. An apparently sporadic case of adult-onset spastic paraplegia is a frequent clinical problem and a significant proportion of cases are likely to be of genetic origin. HSP is clinically divided into pure and complicated forms. The later present with a wide range of additional neurological and systemic features. To date, there are up to 60 genetic subtypes described. All modes of monogenic inheritance have been described: autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked and mitochondrial traits. Recent advances point to abnormal axonal transport as a key mechanism leading to the degeneration of the long motor neuron axons in the central nervous system in HSP. In this review we aim to address recent advances in the field, placing emphasis on key diagnostic features that will help practicing neurologists to identify and manage these conditions.

Paraplegias espásticas hereditárias (PEH) constituem um grupo de desordens geneticamente determinadas caracterizadas por espasticidade e paraparesia de progressão insidiosa. Paraplegia espástica aparentemente esporádica de início no adulto constitui problema frequente na prática neurológica. Evidências recentes sugerem que uma proporção significativa destes casos é geneticamente determinada. O grupo das PEH é dividido clinicamente em formas puras e complicadas de acordo com a concomitância de outras manifestações clinicas e neurológicas. Até o momento 60 tipos genéticos foram identificados. Todos os modos de herança monogênica já foram descritos: autossômica dominante, autossômica recessiva, ligada ao X e mitocondrial. Avanços recentes indicam que alterações do transporte axonal estão implicadas na degeneração dos longos axônios motores no sistema nervoso central na PEH. Nesta revisão abordamos recentes avanços na área com ênfase nos aspectos clínicos chave que ajudam o neurologista geral no diagnóstico e manejo correto deste grupo de doenças.

Split-hand/feet malformation in three tamilian families and review of the reports from India.

Split‑hand/foot malformation (SHFM) is a rare condition which can be either syndromic or nonsyndromic. We report three unrelated pedigrees, one with autosomal dominant (AD) inheritance and the other two with autosomal recessive (AR) pattern. We also briefly review the published reports from India.

Autosomal-dominant osteopetrosis: An incidental finding.

Osteopetrosis is a descriptive term that refers to a group of rare, heritable disorders of the skeleton. Osteopetrotic conditions vary greatly in their presentation and severity, from just as an incidental finding on radiographs to causing life-threatening complications such as bone marrow suppression. It is caused by failure of osteoclast development and function. Osteopetrosis can be inherited as autosomal-recessive, autosomal-dominant or as X-linked traits, with the most severe forms being the autosomal-recessive ones. The severity of the disease is mild to moderate in the autosomal-dominant forms, with normal life expectancy. Diagnosis is largely based on clinical and radiographic evaluation. The present paper reports a case of autosomal-dominant osteopetrosis complicated by osteomyelitis with a short review of the condition.

Autosomal dominant familial neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus caused by a novel mutation in arginine-vasopressin gene in a Brazilian family / Diabetes insípido neuro-hipofisário familial causado por uma nova mutação no gene da arginina-vasopressina em uma família brasileira

Autosomal dominant familial neurohypophyseal diabetes insipidus (adFNDI) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by polyuria and polydipsia due to deficiency of arginine vasopressin (AVP). More than 50 mutations causing adFNDI have been already reported in the AVP gene. The aim of the present study is to analyze the AVP gene in four generations of one Brazilian kindred with adFNDI. The proband was a 31-year old female with huge hypotonic polyuria (10 L/day) dated from childhood. Molecular analysis included amplification of all exons and exon-intron regions of the AVP gene by PCR and direct sequencing. Sequencing analysis showed a novel point mutation in heterozygous: G88V (GGC>GTC). All affected patients presented the same mutation also in heterozygous, while it was absent in four normal members. We expand the repertoire of mutations in AVP describing the novel G88V mutation in one Brazilian kindred with adFNDI.

Diabetes insípido neuro-hipofisário com herança autossômica dominante (adFNDI) é uma doença autossômica dominante rara, caracterizada por poliúria e polidipsia devido à deficiência de arginina-vasopressina (AVP). Mais de 50 mutações causando adFNDI foram descritas no gene AVP. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o gene AVP em quatro gerações de uma família brasileira com DINF. O caso-índice é de uma paciente de 31 anos, com volumosa poliúria hipotônica desde a infância (10 L/dia). A análise molecular incluiu amplificação por PCR e seqüenciamento automático dos éxons e regiões éxon-íntron do gene AVP. A análise do seqüenciamento mostrou uma nova mutação de ponto em heterozigose: G88V (GGC>GTC). Todos os pacientes afetados apresentaram a mesma mutação, que não foi encontrada em quatro indivíduos normais da família. Expandimos a lista de mutações no gene AVP, descrevendo a nova mutação G88V em uma família brasileira com adFNDI.

Dentinogenesis imperfecta: a review and case report of a family over four generations.

Dentinogenesis imperfecta (DGI) is one of the most common hereditary disorders of dentin formation. It follows an autosomal dominant pattern of transmission, affecting both the formation and mineralization of dentin. Either or both primary and permanent dentition is affected by it. This paper briefly reviews the manifestations of DGI Type II (DGI1) and presents a case report of a family affected with DGI1 over four generations.

Witkop's tooth and nail syndrome: a multifaceted approach to dental management.

Witkop's tooth and nail syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder of ectodermal dysplasia characterized by hypodontia and nail dysplasia. Mutations in MSX-1 have been shown to be associated with this syndrome. There is failure of development and eruption of the dentition. Tooth shape may vary; the most common forms are conical and narrow crowns. The nails may be spoon shaped and slow growing and affect both finger and toe nails. The nail involvement is more severe in childhood. The present case describes a 14-year-old boy who showed the characteristic features of Witkop's syndrome. A multifaceted approach to the dental management of the patient is discussed.

Biomphalaria tenagophila: dynamics of populations of resistant and susceptible strains to Schistosoma mansoni, with or without pressure of the parasite

Resistant (Taim, RS) and susceptible albino (Joinville, SC) Biomphalaria tenagophila populations were kept together, at different proportions, throughout a 18-month-period. Some of the snail groups were submitted to Schistosoma mansoni infection. The targets of this study were (a) to analyze the populational dynamics among resistant and susceptible individuals to S. mansoni; (b) to study the resistance phenotype in descendants of cross-breeding; (c) to observe whether the parasite could exert any kind of selection in those snail populations. Throughout the experiment it could be observed that the susceptible B. tenagophila strain (Joinville) underwent a selective pressure of the parasite that was negative, since the individuals showed a high mortality rate. Although B. tenagophila (Taim) population presented a higher mortality rate without pressure of the parasite, this event was compensated by a reproductive capacity. B. tenagophila Taim was more fecund than B. tenagophila Joinville and was able to transmit the resistance character to their descendants. F1 generation obtained by cross-breeding between resistant and susceptible lineages was completely resistant to S. mansoni infection, irrespective of the Taim proportion. Moreover, less than 5 percent of F2 progeny were susceptible to S. mansoni infection.

Manifestação clínica familiar em pacientes com defeito neuromesoectodérmico / Familial clinical manifestation in patients with neuromesoectodermic defect

Relatamos a associação de dois casos distintos de neuromesoectodermose ocorridos em uma mesma família, um manifestado através da neurofibromatose tipo 1 e outro através da esclerose tuberosa. O encontro de dois distúrbios entre primos de primeiro grau, ocasionados por diferentes mutações genéticas e transmitidos por herança autossômica dominante, sugere uma possível correlação entre eles. Também são descritas as manifestações clínicas, suas conseqüências e os critérios diagnósticos das duas doenças, visando ressaltar a importância do diagnóstico precoce.

We relate the association of two distinct cases of neuromesoectodermosis occurred in a family, one manifested as neurofibromatosis type 1 and the other as tuberous sclerosis. The two anomalies at cousins, caused by different genetic mutations and transmitted by autosomal dominant inheritance, suggest a possible relation between them. Also, clinical manifestations are described, their consequences and the diagnostic criteria of both illnesses, emphatizing the importance of the precocious diagnosis.

Biomphalaria tenagophila: dominant character of the resistance to Schistosoma mansoni in descendants of crossbreedings between resistant (Taim, RS) and susceptible (Joinville, SC) strains

The aim of the present work was to study parasitological, molecular, and genetic aspects in descendants of crossbreedings between a totally resistant Biomphalaria tenagophila strain (Taim, RS) and another one highly susceptible (Joinville, SC) to Schistosoma mansoni. Descendants F1 and F2 were submitted to S. mansoni infection (LE strain). The susceptibility rates for individuals from Group F1 were 0 to 0.6 percent, and from Group F2 was 7.2 percent. The susceptible individuals from Group F2 discharged a lower number of cercariae, when compared with the susceptible parental group, and in 2 out of 9 positive snails the cercarial elimination was discontinued. In order to identify genetic markers associated with resistance the genotype of parental snails and their offspring F1 and F2 were analyzed by means of the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA method. Nevertheless, it was not possible to detect any marker associated to resistance, but the results showed that in the mentioned species the resistance character is determined by two dominant genes.

Profile of major congenital malformations in neonates in Al-Jahra region of Kuwait

We investigated major congenital abnormalities in babies born in Al Jahra Hospital, Kuwait from January 2000 to December 2001. Of 7739 live and still births born over this period, 97 babies had major congenital malformations [12.5/1000 births]: 49 [50.6%] babies had multiple system malformations, while 48 [49.4%] had single system anomalies. Of the 49 babies with multiple malformations, 21 [42.8%] had recognized syndromes, most of which were autosomal recessive and 17 had chromosomal aberrations. Isolated systems anomalies included central nervous system [12 cases], cardiovascular system [9 cases], skeletal system [7 cases] and gastrointestinal system [6 cases]. Of the parents, 68% were consanguineous. Genetic factors were implicated in 79% of cases. Genetic services need to be provided as an effective means for the prevention of these disorders

Mason diabetes--report of a family.

A 48-year-old Hindu housewife was presented with increased appetite, thirst, frequency of micturition, weakness, cramps in the legs, tingling in the fingers, decline in bladder-bowel control and dimness of vision. She was a patient of diabetes. On investigations and history, she was diagnosed as a case of type 2 diabetes transmitted in three generations as an autosomal dominant trait.

Mutation identification in a 5-generation pedigree with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

An extended 5-generation family has been investigated in which 32 of the 111 family members were diagnosed as having retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The proband was a 58-year old male in whom night-blindness was first observed in early childhood, with almost loss of vision by 52 years of age. The symptoms observed in other family members included night-blindness, impaired vision and visual field loss. Dementia, digital abnormalities, deaf-mutism and mental retardation were variously diagnosed in a number of individuals with RP. The affected and unaffected family members were tested for mutations in a range of candidate genes. The 8 exons of three candidate genes have been analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and DNA sequencing techniques. A novel mutation was identified in the rhodopsin gene at codon 52 of exon 1 (TTC-TAC) that resulted in a substitution of Phe to Tyr.

Hipoplasia dérmica focal en un paciente del sexo masculino: análisis de los mecanismos hereditarios implicados / Focal derman hypoplasia in a male: case report and genetic mechanisms analysis

Introducción. La hipoplasia dérmica focal o síndrome de Goltz es una displasia que afecta tejidos de origen ectodérmico y mesodérmico; muestra herencia dominante ligada al cromosoma X con latelidad in utero para los varones y en las mujeres presenta expresividad variable. Los varones afectados han correspondido a los primeros casos en la familia, por lo que se ha postulado una mutación de media cromátide en estadios tempranos de la embriogénesis con el fin de explicar el mosaico somático y germinal presente en los pacientes. Caso clínico. Se describe el caso de un varón afectado con una genodermatosis caracterizada por hipoplasia de dermis que sigue las líneas de blaschko, talla baja, microcefalia, asimetría facial, microftalmía derecha, persistencia de membrana pupilar, camptodactilia, sindactilia cutánea, hipotricosis, displasia ungueal e hipoplasia de esmalte. Se discuten los mecanismos hereditarios implicados con fines de asesoramiento genético en varones afectados. Conclusión para fines de asesoramiento genético, los riesgos para hipoplasia dérmica focal, sobre todo en casos esporádicos, deben establecerse en base a herencia dominante ligada al cromosoma X, a menos que el árbol genealógico sugiera otro patrón de transmisión hereditaria