Regulación de expresión de genes de la familia de ß-globina humana, útil en la búsqueda de nuevos blancos terapéuticos para tratamiento de hemoglobinopatías / Regulation of the ß-globin gene family expression, useful in the search for new therapeutic targets for hemoglobinopathies

Durante la etapa embrionaria, el desarrollo fetal y la vida posnatal se expresan isoformas funcionalmente distintas de hemoglobina, producto de la combinación de cadenas polipeptídicas sintetizadas a partir de los distintos genes que componen las familias de α- y β-globina. En función de que la presencia de altos niveles de hemoglobina fetal (Hb F) es beneficiosa en síndromes falciformes y talasémicos graves, se plantea revisar las bases de la regulación de la expresión de los genes de la familia de β-globina, en particular los genes que codifican las cadenas de γ-globina (HBG1 y HBG2). En este trabajo se revisan los conocimientos sobre factores de transcripción y reguladores epigenéticos que gobiernan los eventos de encendido y apagado de los genes de la familia de β-globina. Se espera que la consolidación de estos conocimientos permita hallar nuevos blancos terapéuticos para el tratamiento de hemoglobinopatías.

Different hemoglobin isoforms are expressed during the embryonic, fetal and postnatal stages. They are formed by combination of polypeptide chains synthesized from the α- and β- globin gene clusters. Based on the fact that the presence of high hemoglobin F levels is beneficial in both sickle cell disease and severe thalassemic syndromes, a revision of the regulation of the β-globin cluster expression is proposed, especially regarding the genes encoding the γ-globin chains (HBG1 and HBG2). In this review we describe the current knowledge about transcription factors and epigenetic regulators involved in the switches of the β-globin cluster. It is expected that the consolidation of knowledge in this field will allow finding new therapeutic targets for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies.

Type IA isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) consistent with compound heterozygous deletions of 6.7 and 7.6 Kb at the GH1 gene locus / Deficiência isolada de hormônio do crescimento tipo IA (DIGH) consistente com deleções heterozigotas compostas de 6,7 e 7,6 Kb no locus gênico GH1

Isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) may result from deletions/mutations in either GH1 or GHRHR genes. The objective of this study was to characterize the molecular defect in a girl presenting IGHD. The patient was born at 41 weeks of gestation from non-consanguineous parents. Clinical and biochemical evaluation included anthropometric measurements, evaluation of pituitary function, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels. Molecular characterization was performed by PCR amplification of GH1 gene and SmaI digestion of two homologous fragments flanking the gene, using genomic DNA from the patient and her parents as templates. At 1.8 years of age the patient presented severe growth retardation (height 61.2 cm, -7.4 SDS), truncal obesity, frontal bossing, doll face, and acromicria. MRI showed pituitary hypoplasia. Laboratory findings confirmed IGHD. GH1 gene could not be amplified in samples from the patient while her parents yielded one fragment of the expected size. SmaI digestion was consistent with the patient being compound heterozygous for 6.7 and 7.6 Kb deletions, while her parents appear to be heterozygous carriers for either the 6.7 or the 7.6 Kb deletions. We have characterized type IA IGHD caused by two different GH1 gene deletions, suggesting that this condition should be considered in severe IGHD, even in non-consanguineous families. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2012;56(8):558-63.

A deficiência isolada do hormônio do crescimento (DIGH) pode ser resultado de deleções/mutações no gene GH1 ou no gene GHRHR. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar o defeito molecular em uma menina que apresenta DIGH. A paciente nasceu às 41 semanas de gestação de pais não consanguíneos. As avaliações clínica e bioquímica incluíram medidas antropométricas, avaliação da função pituitária e concentrações de IGF-I e IGFBP-3. A caracterização molecular foi feita por meio de amplificação do GH1 por PCR e digestão com SmaI de dois fragmentos homólogos flanqueando o gene, usando-se DNA genômico da paciente e de seus pais como padrões. Com 1,8 ano de idade, a paciente apresentou atraso grave no crescimento (altura 61,2 cm, -7.4 DP), obesidade central, protuberância frontal, face de boneca e acromicria. A RM mostrou hipoplasia pituitária. Os achados laboratoriais confirmaram a DIGH. O gene GH1 não pôde ser amplificado nas amostras da paciente, enquanto as amostras de seus pais produziram um fragmento do tamanho esperado. A digestão com SmaI foi consistente com a paciente ser heterozigota composta para deleções para 6,7 e 7,6 Kb, enquanto seus pais parecem ser carreadores heterozigotos para deleções de 6,7 ou 7,6 Kb. Caracterizamos a DIGH tipo IA causada por duas deleções diferentes no gene GH1, sugerindo que essa condição pode ser considerada na DIGH grave, mesmo em famílias não consanguíneas. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2012;56(8):558-63.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the small yellow croaker and partitioned Bayesian analysis of Sciaenidae fish phylogeny

To understand the phylogenetic position of Larimichthys polyactis within the family Sciaenidae and the phylogeny of this family, the organization of the mitochondrial genome of small yellow croaker was determined herein. The complete, 16,470 bp long, mitochondrial genome contains 37 mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding, 2 ribosomal RNA and 22 transfer RNA genes), as well as a control region (CR), as in other bony fishes. Comparative analysis of initiation/termination codon usage in mitochondrial protein-coding genes of Percoidei species, indicated that COI in Sciaenidae entails an ATG/AGA codon usage different from other Percoidei fishes, where absence of a typical conserved domain or motif in the control regions is common. Partitioned Bayesian analysis of 618 bp of COI sequences data were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships within the family Sciaenidae. An improvement in harmonic mean -lnL was observed when specific models and parameter estimates were assumed for partitions of the total data. The phylogenetic analyses did not support the monophyly of Otolithes, Argyrosomus, and Argyrosominae. L. polyactis was found to be most closely related to Collichthys niveatus, whereby, according to molecular systematics studies, the relationships within the subfamily Pseudosciaenidae should be reconsidered.

Diversidade fenotípica de polimorfismos na região controladora do locus(LCR) do gene da globina beta na anemia falcifore / Phenotypic diversity of polymorphisms in the locus control region (LCR) of the beta globin gene in sickle falcifore

Os indivíduos com anemia falciforme (AF) possuem perfil clínico heterogêneo em função de fatores variados que contribuem para a modulação da doença, como a concentração de hemoglobina fetal (HbF), presença de haplótipos (HAPLO) ligados ao grupo de genes da globina beta S, talassemia alfa (TA) e mutações em genes específicos, como as localizadas nos sítios hipersensíveis a ação da DNAse I na região controladora do lócus da globina beta (LCR). O objetivo do presente estudo foi identificar subfenótipos da anemia falciforme a partir do estudo de marcadores biológicos associados aos seus portadores. As determinações hematológicas, bioquímicas e sorológicas foram realizadas na Faculdade de Farmácia da UFBA pelo uso de Kits diagnósticos e métodos automatizados. O padrão de hemoglobina foi analisado por cromatografia líquida de alto desempenho (HPLC), os haplo por PCR-RFLP e a TA por PCR. As sequências do HS-LCR foram amplificadas através da PCR e sequenciadas no ABI Prism 3100 DNA Sequencer. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas nos programas EPI INFO versão 6.04, SPSS versão 18.0 e o Prism versão 5.0. Os valores de p<0,05 foram considerados significativos para as análises realizadas. O estudo foi aprovado pelo comitê de ética em pesquisas do CPqGM-FIOCRUZ. Foram investigados 2223 indivíduos com AF, com idade entre 1-50 anos e média de 20,86 (±11,06) anos, sendo 50,70% mulheres. Valores significativos foram encontrados para os dados hematológicos e bioquímicos entre os sexos para contagem global de linfócitos nos homens (6414,85 ± 3940,70 x106/L) e mulheres (5597,81 ± 2744,24 x106/L), p= 0,003 e a contagem de reticulócitos entre os homens (7,01 ± 4,66) e mulheres (7,74 ± 5,89), p= 0,043; o colesterol de baixa densidade (LDL-c), a aspartato e alanina aminotransferases, respectivamente com p= 0,009, p= 0,029, p= 0,038 para homens e mulheres. Ao correlacionarmos eventos clínicos entre homens e mulheres, verificamos que a STA possui razão de prevalência de 1,89 para os homens (IC: 1,52-2,36, p <0,001) e de 1,59 (IC:1,06-2,39, p= 0,023) para a ocorrência de hospitalizações nesse mesmo sexo. A talassemia alfa foi realizada em 820 pacientes com 196 (23,90%) heterozigotos e 21 (2,6%) homozigotos. O total de 1872 cromossomos beta S foram estudados, sendo que os mais frequentes foram os haplótipos CAR/CAR (20,0%); Ben/Ben (25,8%) e CAR/Ben (44,2%). A correlação entre TA e dados hematológicos demonstraram resultados significativos para hemácias (Hm) (p= 0,004), volume corpuscular médio (VCM) (p= 0,015), hemoglobina corpuscular média (HCM) (p= 0,006) e plaquetas (p= 0,016) e no perfil lipídico com triglicerídeos (p= 0,001). A consulta retrospectiva aos prontuários de acompanhamento ambulatorial de 1799 pacientes com AF demonstrou que 1368 pacientes (76.04%) apresentaram pelo menos um evento vaso-oclusivo e 1475 (81.98%) tiveram pelo menos uma internação. Destes 856 (47,6%) apresentaram crise álgica; 1268 (70,5%) crises vaso-oclusivas; 115 (6,4%) Síndrome torácica aguda (STA); 53 (2,9%) dor abdominal e 24 (1,3%) dos 924 homens apresentaram priapismo. Novecentos e dezesseis (52,3%) pacientes realizaram pelo menos uma transfusão sanguínea nos dois últimos anos. O registro de infecção foi frequente em 638 (43,5%) pacientes, sendo a pneumonia a causa mais frequente, com 347 (23,6%) relatos. Cento e quinze (6,4%) pacientes foram acometidos por pelo menos um evento de AVC e 111 (6,2%) por úlcera maleolar. Quando estratificamos a idade para menor de 21 anos, a ocorrência de dactilite (síndrome mão) foi descrita em 3,5% (40) e de sequestro esplênico em 14,3% (163) nos 1141 pacientes pediátricos. A associação entre dados hematológicos.

Sequence change in the HS2-LCR and Gg-globin gene promoter region of sickle cell anemia patients

The fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels and betaS-globin gene haplotypes of 125 sickle cell anemia patients from Brazil were investigated. We sequenced the Gg- and Ag-globin gene promoters and the DNase I-2 hypersensitive sites in the locus control regions (HS2-LCR) of patients with HbF level disparities as compared to their ßS haplotypes. Sixty-four (51.2 percent) patients had CAR/Ben genotype; 36 (28.8 percent) Ben/Ben; 18 (14.4 percent) CAR/CAR; 2 (1.6 percent) CAR/Atypical; 2 (1.6 percent) Ben/Cam; 1 (0.8 percent) CAR/Cam; 1 (0.8 percent) CAR/Arab-Indian, and 1 (0.8 percent) Sen/Atypical. The HS2-LCR sequence analyses demonstrated a c.-10.677G>A change in patients with the Ben haplotype and high HbF levels. The Gg gene promoter sequence analyses showed a c.-157T>C substitution shared by all patients, and a c.-222_-225del related to the Cam haplotype. These results identify new polymorphisms in the HS2-LCR and Gg-globin gene promoter. Further studies are required to determine the correlation between HbF synthesis and the clinical profile of sickle cell anemia patients.

Study on gene control region of mitochondrial DNA in familial breast cancer / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study on mutations in D-loop region which is gene control region of mitochondrial genome in patients with familial breast cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-three breast cancer patients came from twenty-one families of breast cancer, and eighteen healthy controls participated in the study. PCR amplification of D-loop region in mitochondrial DNA was performed and then the product was sequenced to analyze mutations.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>One hundred and twenty-six mutations in D-loop region were found in twenty-three patients with familial breast cancer, and four mutations were new. In all of twenty-three patients, thirty-seven mutations were found in D310 which was hot spot of D-loop region in mitochondrial DNA. In these mutations, T>C in 310, TC insert in 311-312, CA deletion in 522-523 and C>G in 527 were multi-presentation mutations in patients with familial breast cancer. Mutations had no difference in the same family member of breast cancer family except that occurrence in the region of D310. In the same family, mutations in D310 of patients were different from controls.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Mutations in D310 of familial breast cancer patients may enhance their susceptibility to breast cancer.</p>

XmnI polymorphism is associated with fetal hemoglobin levels in hypoplastic syndromes

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: O aumento adquirido da hemoglobina fetal (HbF) já foi implicado como fator prognóstico em distúrbios diseritropoiéticos. Nossos objetivos foram de examinar elevações adquiridas na HbF em pacientes com anemia aplástica (AA) e hemoglobinúria paroxística noturna (PNH), e de avaliar se há associação entre a presença de polimorfismos XmnI e de região de controle de locus gênico 5' (LCR-HS2) e os níveis de HbF. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo longitudinal no Serviço de Hematologia e Transfusão de Sangue da Universidade Federal de São Paulo – Escola Paulista de Medicina.MÉTODOS: Estudamos um grupo de 37 pacientes com AA e/ou PNH. Reação de polimerase em cadeia (PCR) e digestão enzimática foram usadas para analisar polimorfismos XmnI; e PCR para clonagem e sequenciamento automático dos polimorfismos HS2. RESULTADOS: O nível médio de HbF foi de 2,32%, mas não houve diferença significativa entre o nível de HbF dos pacientes AA e PNH (p = 0.46). Os níveis de HbF menores que 1,0% mostraram correlação estatisticamente significativa com ausência do polimorfismo XmnI (+) (p = 0.007). CONCLUSÕES: Ausência de polimorfismo XmnI está associado com diminuição de HbF. Mais estudos são necessários para confirmar estas observações e fazer comparações sobre tratamento, prognóstico e sobrevida.

Locus of control and personality traits of male substance abusers and nonabusers

The present study aimed to assess and compare personality traits and locus of control of substance abusers and male non-Abusers. Retrospective study. The male substance abusers were taken from two drug treatment centers of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Nijiat Markaz and sunny trust Bahara Kahu, and 50 male non- abusers were taken from general community January 2004 to April 2004. The sample consisted of 100 males, 50 male Abusers and 50 males' non-abusers. The abusers and non abusers were selected through non-probability, purposive sampling technique. Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale [1966] [Urdu Translation], 16 Personality Factor Test [16PF, 1949] [Urdu Translation] were used in study along with demographic sheet. The age range of male substance abusers and non-abusers was from 18 to 50 years, educated up to intermediate level. The age range of alcohol, opium and cannabis abusers was between 26 to 36 years, where as the heroin and poly drug-abuser ages were ranging between 37 to 50 years. Most of the substance abusers were using heroin and poly drugs. The results indicated that male substance abusers scored lower than non abusers on personality traits of Openness to change[t = 7.360,P<0.01], Self reliance[t = 12.21,df = 49,P<0.01],Perfectionism[t = 11.79,df = 49,P<0.01]and Tension [t = 16.4,df = 49,P<0.01]. Substance abusers significantly scored higher on external locus of control [t=7.50, DF=49, P=.000]. Substance abusers had accentuated specific personality traits which makes them different from non abusers. Moreover, substance abusers seem to be more influenced by environmental cues. Locus of control orientation is an important parameter which has effect on thought, behavior and actions

Analysis of beta-thalassemia mutations and beta-locus control region hypersensitive sites 2, 3 and 4 in southern Thailand.

beta-Thalassemia mutations in 221 chromosomes of unrelated southern Thai patients were analyzed. Using dot blot hybridization of PCR amplified DNA with 15 allele specific oligonucleotide probes for beta-thalassemia mutations 196/221 (89%) of the alleles were characterized. Ten mutations were identified, of which six [codon 41/42 (TTCTTT-TT), IVS1 nt5(G-C), codon 19 (AAC-AGC), codon 17 (AAG-TAG), IVS1 nt1(G-T), -28 TATA (A-G)], accounted for 85%. Among the 25 uncharacterized alleles, 15 were analyzed by automated fluorescent DNA sequencing of the whole beta-globin gene with normal results in 7 alleles. Four mutations, previously described were detected in 8 alleles. They were a G-A at IVS1 nt1 in one heterozygote, a G-T at IVS1 nt1 in one heterozygote, codon 15 (TGG-TAG) in two heterozygotes and poly A(AATAAA-AATAGA) in two homozygotes. The polyadenylation mutations, previously demonstrated in the Malaysian population have been first detected in Thailand. It is remarkable that the IVS1 nt1 (G-A) mutation, previously reported in the Mediterranean population has been found only in the south of Thailand. This mutation was probably imported from Portugal. In former times the Portuguese had settled in Phuket in southern Thailand. In order to find a causative mutation in the rest of 7 true unknowns we performed direct DNA sequencing of the core fragments of the beta-Locus Control Region Hypersensitive Sites (LCR HS) 2,3 and 4 in these 7 samples. DNA sequencing of HS2 and HS3 fragments showed normal results. The heterozygote A/G was present in the palindromic sequence of the LCR HS4 (TGGGGACCCCA) in 6 beta-thalassemia samples. The same heterozygote A/G was found in 5/12 normal subjects. The allele frequency of A (0.79) is obviously higher than that of G (0.21). This could be due to the stability of the palindromic structure. When an A is in the middle of the palindromic sequence, the hairpin structure is formed. In contrast the hairpin structure disappears when a G is in the middle of the palindromic sequence. This structure is not further symmetric and may not be so stable as the hairpin structure. beta-Thalassemia mutations in southern Thailand are very heterogeneous and their distribution is different from other parts of the country.