ABSTRACT
Several cohort studies have investigated the molecular basis of von Willebrand disease (VWD); however, these have mostly focused on European and North American populations. This study aimed to investigate mutation spectrum in 26 index cases (IC) from Turkey diagnosed with all three VWD types, the majority (73%) with parents who were knowingly related. IC were screened for mutations using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and analysis of all von Willebrand factor gene (VWF) exons and exon/intron boundaries. Selected missense mutations were expressed in vitro. Candidate VWF mutations were identified in 25 of 26 IC and included propeptide missense mutations in four IC (two resulting in type 1 and two in recessive 2A), all influencing VWF expression in vitro. Four missense mutations, a nonsense mutation and a small in-frame insertion resulting in type 2A were also identified. Of 15 type 3 VWD IC, 13 were homozygous and two compound heterozygous for 14 candidate mutations predicted to result in lack of expression and two propeptide missense changes. Identification of intronic breakpoints of an exon 17-18 deletion suggested that the mutation resulted from non-homologous end joining. This study provides further insight into the pathogenesis of VWD in a population with a high degree of consanguineous partnerships.
Subject(s)
Mutation , von Willebrand Diseases/genetics , von Willebrand Factor/genetics , Base Sequence , Codon, Nonsense , Cohort Studies , Consanguinity , DNA Mutational Analysis , Female , Heterozygote , Humans , Male , Molecular Sequence Data , Mutagenesis, Insertional , Mutant Proteins/genetics , Mutation, Missense , Phenotype , Recombinant Proteins/genetics , Sequence Deletion , Turkey , von Willebrand Disease, Type 1/genetics , von Willebrand Disease, Type 2/genetics , von Willebrand Disease, Type 3/geneticsABSTRACT
Two-pore-domain K(+) (K(2)P) channels are highly expressed in neurons and cardiac myocytes. In this study we investigated the potency of the antidepressant fluoxetine to inhibit brain and cardiac K(2)P channels, TREK-1, TASK-1 and THIK-1. Maximal sensitivity was detected for TREK-1, which was inhibited by 77% when expressed in HEK-293 cells and Xenopus oocytes. Alternative translation initiation (ATI) generates two different protein products from a single transcript of TREK-1. Electrophysiological analysis of two polypeptides engineered by mutagenesis (TREK-1[M53I], TREK-1[ΔN52]) revealed reduced current amplitude and K(+) selectivity of the truncated TREK-1 isoform. The sensitivity of TREK-1[ΔN52] to fluoxetine decreased by 70%, indicating that the first 52 amino acids are essential for TREK-1 sensitivity to this drug.
