Autosomal-dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR) mutations stabilize FGF-23.

BACKGROUND: The gene for the renal phosphate wasting disorder autosomal-dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR) is FGF23, which encodes a secreted protein related to the fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). We previously detected missense mutations R176Q, R179W, and R179Q in FGF23 from ADHR kindreds. The mutations replace R residues within a subtilisin-like proprotein convertase (SPC) cleavage site 176RHTR-179 (RXXR motif). The goal of these studies was to determine if the ADHR mutations lead to protease resistance of FGF-23. METHODS: The ADHR mutations were introduced into human FGF-23 cDNA clones with or without an N-terminal FLAG tag by site-directed mutagenesis and were transiently transfected into HEK293 cells. Protein expression was determined by Western analyses. RESULTS: Antibodies directed toward the C-terminal portion of FGF-23 revealed that the native FGF-23 protein resolved as 32 kD and 12 kD species in HEK293 conditioned media; however, the three mutated proteins were detected only as the 32 kD band. An N-terminal FLAG-tagged native FGF-23 resolved as two bands of 36 kD and 26 kD when detected with a FLAG antibody, whereas the R176Q mutant resolved primarily as the 36 kD protein species. Cleavage of FGF-23 was not enhanced by extracellular incubation of FGF-23 with HEK293 cells. Native and mutant FGF-23s bound heparin. CONCLUSIONS: FGF-23 proteins containing the ADHR mutations are secreted, and produce polypeptides less sensitive to protease cleavage than wild-type FGF-23. Therefore, the ADHR mutations may protect FGF-23 from proteolysis, thereby potentially elevating circulating concentrations of FGF-23 and leading to phosphate wasting in ADHR patients.

The autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR) gene is a secreted polypeptide overexpressed by tumors that cause phosphate wasting.

The gene mutated in autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR), a phosphate wasting disorder, has been identified as FGF-23, a protein that shares sequence homology with fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). Patients with ADHR display many of the clinical and laboratory characteristics that are observed in patients with oncogenic hypophosphatemic osteomalacia (OHO), a disorder thought to arise by the secretion of a phosphate wasting factor from different mesenchymal tumors. In the present studies, we therefore investigated whether FGF-23 is a secreted factor and whether it is abundantly expressed in OHO tumors. After transient transfection of OK-E, COS-7, and HEK293 cells with the plasmid encoding full-length FGF-23, all three cell lines efficiently secreted two protein species into the medium that were approximately 32 and 12 kDa upon SDS-PAGE and subsequent Western blot analysis using an affinity-purified polyclonal antibody to FGF-23. Furthermore, Northern blot analysis using total RNA from five different OHO tumors revealed extremely high levels of FGF-23 mRNA, and Western blot analysis of extracts from a sixth tumor detected the 32 kDa FGF-23 protein species. In summary, FGF-23, the gene mutated in ADHR, is a secreted protein and its mRNA is abundantly expressed by several different OHO tumors. Our findings indicate that FGF-23 may be a candidate phosphate wasting factor, previously designated "phosphatonin".

A 356-Kb sequence of the subtelomeric part of the MHC Class I region.

The subtelomeric part of the MHC Class I region contains 11 of the 21 genes described on chromosome 6 at position 6p21.3. The general organization of those and other genes resident in the region was revealed by determining a 356,376 bp sequence. Potential exons for new genes were identified by computer analysis and a large number of ESTs were selected by testing the sequence by the BLAST algorithm against the GenBank nonredundant and EST databases. Most of the ESTs are clustered in two regions. In contrast, the whole HLA-gene region is crammed with LINE and SINE repeats, fragments of genes and microsatellites, which tends to hinder the identification of new genes.

Structural analysis of the HLA-A/HLA-F subregion: precise localization of two new multigene families closely associated with the HLA class I sequences.

Positional cloning strategies for the hemochromatosis gene have previously concentrated on a target area restricted to a maximum genomic expanse of 400 kb around the HLA-A and HLA-F loci. Recently, the candidate region has been extended to 2-3 Mb on the distal side of the MHC. In this study, 10 coding sequences [hemochromatosis candidate genes (HCG) I to X] were isolated by cDNA selection using YACs covering the HLA-A/HLA-F subregion. Two of these (HCG II and HCG IV) belong to multigene families, as well as other sequences already described in this region, i.e., P5, pMC 6.7, and HLA class 1. Fingerprinting of the four YACs overlapping the region was performed and allowed partial localization of the different multigene family sequences on each YAC without defining their exact positions. Fingerprinting on cosmids isolated from the ICRF chromosome 6-specific cosmid library allowed more precise localization of the redundant sequences in all of the multigene families and revealed their apparent organization in clusters. Further examination of these intertwined sequences demonstrated that this structural organization resulted from a succession of complex phenomena, including duplications and contractions. This study presents a precise description of the structural organization of the HLA-A/HLA-F region and a determination of the sequences involved in the megabase size polymorphism observed among the A3, A24, and A31 haplotypes.

Cloning of a human homologue of the mouse Tctex-5 gene within the MHC class I region.

Using a positional cloning strategy to identify the hemochromatosis gene (HFE), we isolated seven cDNAs by cDNA selection from a region of 400 kilobases (kb) located near the HLA-A and HLA-F loci. In this paper, we report the study of one of the corresponding genes, referred to as HCG V (hemochromatosis candidate gene), localized 150 kb centromeric to HLA-A. This gene was found to be expressed ubiquitously in the form of a 1.8 kb transcript, and to be apparently well conserved during evolution. The gene spanned 3.1 kb and is organized in three exons and two introns. The cDNA of 1620 base pairs (bp) showed an open reading frame of 378 bp, encoding for a 126 amino acid polypeptide which displayed a strong identity with the predicted product of a mouse Tctex-5 gene (t complex, testis expressed) localized in the t complex on chromosome 17. The HCG V gene was assessed as a potential candidate for hemochromatosis in regard to its localization in the linkage disequilibrium area between HFE and polymorphic markers. The study of deletions and point mutations in hemochromatosis patients revealed a single bp polymorphism within the coding region; however, no associated disease changes were found. Therefore we conclude that HCG V is unlikely to be involved in the pathogenesis of hemochromatosis.

A new non-HLA multigene family associated with the PERB11 family within the MHC class I region.

In an effort to initiate steps designed to characterize the idiopathic hemochromatosis disease gene, the HLA-A/HLA-F region where this gene is in disequilibrium linkage with some polymorphic markers has been overlapped by a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) contig. In order to achieve the physical mapping of these YACs and of the corresponding genomic region, we subcloned one of the YACs involved. A computer-assisted analysis of the sequence of one subclone led to the isolation of a potential exon that proved to belong to a new expressed messenger named HCGIX. After Southern blot analysis, the corresponding cDNA clone was found to belong to a new multigene family whose members are dispersed throughout the HLA class I region and are closely associated with members of another recently described multigene family designated PERB11. The data reported here suggest that these two multigene families form a cluster that have been dispersed together throughout the telomeric part of the major histocompatibility complex and have been involved in the genesis of this human class I region.

Physical map of the HLA-A/HLA-F subregion and identification of two new coding sequences.

As part of an effort to characterize the hemochromatosis gene, we selected three non-chimeric yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) overlapping with the YAC B30 previously described and forming an 800 kilobase contig covering the HLA-A/HLA-F region. The precise physical map of these YACs and of the corresponding genomic region were established. Nine concentrated sites of CpG cutter elements, potentially HTF islands, were mapped. In addition, several probes have been generated as tools for mapping and examining transcripts produced in the region. This allowed for the characterization and localization of two new coding sequences, provisionally named HCG (for hemochromatosis candidate gene) and numbered VIII and IX.