SPG15, a new locus for autosomal recessive complicated HSP on chromosome 14q.

The authors studied two families with autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) complicated by the presence of additional symptoms of pigmented maculopathy, distal amyotrophy, dysarthria, mental retardation, and further intellectual deterioration. Evidence was obtained for linkage to a locus on chromosome 14q that is distinct from the SPG3 locus for autosomal dominant HSP (D14S77: lod score of 4.20 at zero recombination). Haplotype construction of nearby markers confirms the existence of this novel HSP locus (SPG15) and narrows it to a 19-cM interval flanked by D14S1038 and D14S61.

Age-related cognitive decline in hereditary spastic paraparesis linked to chromosome 2p.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether cognitive decline is part of the phenotype of SPG4-linked hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP) and to determine whether cognitive changes are present in haplotype carriers before the onset of paraparesis. BACKGROUND: The major locus for "pure" autosomal dominant HSP is the SPG4 locus on chromosome 2p. Cognitive impairment linked to this locus has been described in two families. METHODS: The authors identified 19 families with "pure" autosomal dominant HSP. Five had linkage to the SPG4 locus (maximum lod score for D2S2374: 5.99 at zero recombination in four smaller families and 3.86 at zero recombination in the largest family). Haplotype construction identified a disease haplotype for all families; 41 individuals carried this haplotype (30 affected by HSP, 11 unaffected). All haplotype carriers and 41 matched controls underwent Cambridge Cognitive (CAMCOG) examination. Nonparametric significance tests were used comparing total and subset scores. RESULTS: Haplotype carriers affected by HSP had lower total CAMCOG scores than control subjects (85.86/107 versus 96.2/107; p < 0.0005). The subsets of orientation, memory, language expression, and comprehension were also significantly lower. Ten individuals had scores < or =80/107, indicating mild dementia. Unaffected haplotype carriers had mean total CAMCOG scores lower than control subjects (91.82/107 versus 98. 09/107; p = 0.016). In both groups cognitive decline was age-dependent and scores diverged from control subjects from age 40. All SPG4-linked families showed the effect. CONCLUSION: Mild, age-related cognitive impairment is a feature common to these families. It illustrates variable phenotypic expression at this locus and may be the first manifestation of the disease gene in individuals as yet unaffected by paraparesis.

Phenotype of AD-HSP due to mutations in the SPAST gene: comparison with AD-HSP without mutations.

BACKGROUND: "Pure" autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraparesis (AD-HSP) is clinically and genetically heterogeneous. There are at least seven genetic loci with varying ages at onset and disability. The SPAST gene at the SPG4 locus on chromosome 2p is the major disease gene for AD-HSP. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether there are distinct clinical features among families with AD-HSP due to SPAST mutations compared with families excluded from SPG4. METHODS: Nineteen families with "pure" AD-HSP were identified, and the clinical features of family members were compared using a standard protocol. With use of genetic studies, the families were divided into two groups for comparison: those with mutations in SPAST, the "mutation-positive" group, and those excluded from SPG4 on the basis of linkage studies, the "SPG4-excluded" group. RESULTS: Twenty-nine individuals from four families had mutations in SPAST, whereas 22 individuals from three families comprised the SPG4-excluded group; in 11 families, the pattern of linkage was unknown. In the one remaining family, no mutations were found despite strong linkage to SPG4. Different mutations were identified in the four SPAST pedigrees, but the clinical picture was similar in each. Comparison of the mutation-positive group with the SPG4-excluded group revealed an older age at onset (p = 0.03), more disability (p = 0.001), more rapidly progressive paraparesis (p = 0.044), and more cognitive impairment (p = 0.024) among affected individuals with SPAST mutations, not confounded by disease duration. CONCLUSION: Despite different mutations, SPAST families have a similar phenotype that can be distinguished from other genetic groups.

Linkage of AD HSP and cognitive impairment to chromosome 2p: haplotype and phenotype analysis indicates variable expression and low or delayed penetrance.

We report linkage of a family affected with autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP) and/or cognitive impairment to the HSP locus on chromosome 2p. To date all families linked to this locus have been affected with 'pure' HSP. The specific pattern of cognitive impairment in this family is characterised primarily by deficits in visuo-spatial functions. We also present genetic studies that indicate variable expression and low or delayed penetrance. We have constructed a haplotype flanked by polymorphic markers D2S400 and D2S2331 that was present in 12 individuals affected with spastic paraparesis. The severity of spasticity varied markedly among these individuals. In addition four of these individuals (aged 62-70) also had a specific form of cognitive impairment. The disease haplotype was also present in an individual (age 57) who had an identical pattern of cognitive impairment as the only sign of the disease supporting the hypothesis that spastic paraparesis and cognitive impairment are the result of variable expression of a single gene (rather than a co-incidental occurrence). Haplotype reconstruction for all participating family members revealed the presence of this disease haplotype in six individuals who had normal neurological and neuropsychological examinations. All six are below the maximal age of onset in the family--60 years. This is evidence for low or late penetrance of the AD HSP gene in this family. The identification of normal individuals carrying the disease haplotype demonstrates the importance of genetic studies in combination with clinical examination when counselling at risk family members.

Characterisation of a human serine hydroxymethyltransferase pseudogene and its localisation to 1p32.3-33.

The conversion of serine and tetrahydrofolate to glycine and 5,10 methylene tetrahydrofolate by serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT, EC 2.1.2.1) is the major route for the provision of one-carbon units for biosynthetic reactions. SHMT cDNAs have been cloned from both rabbit and man, and a human mitochondrial SHMT gene sequence has recently been reported. We have isolated phage clones containing human genomic sequences homologous to cytosolic SHMT and have found these to contain a processed pseudogene (SHMT-ps1) with a 90% identity to cloned SHMT cDNAs. SHMT-ps1 contains 2335 nt that are homologous to SHMT but it has an additional leader sequence of 203 nt of unknown origin. The complete SHMT-ps1 sequence of 2538 nt is bounded by two 16 nt direct repeats that are characteristic of retroelement insertion sites. Two phage clones containing SHMT-ps1 have been mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridisation to 1p32.3-33. In addition, an SHMT CDNA clone hybridized to the same region and to 17p11.2-12. The latter is consistent with a previous localisation of the gene for cytosolic SHMT.

Translational control of mammalian serine hydroxymethyltransferase expression.

We have investigated the role of an open reading frame upstream of and overlapping that coding for rabbit cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase in the post-transcriptional regulation of enzyme expression. Elimination of the AUG codon initiating translation of the upstream open reading frame by site-directed mutagenesis (to an AUC codon) was assessed by a transfection assay in COS-1 cells. The mutation relieves translational repression with a 100-fold increase in expressed serine hydroxymethyltransferase activity compared to control-transfected cells and in the absence of any increase in the level of serine hydroxymethyltransferase mRNA. The upstream open reading frame may play a regulatory role in changing levels of expression of serine hydroxymethyltransferase through a translational control mechanism.

The incidence of V (Rh10) and Jsa (K6) in the contemporary African American blood donor.

Following an apparent increase in the number of patients with anti- V and/or anti-Jsa who required V- and/or Js(a-) red cell units, red cells from African American blood donors negative for C, E, S, K, Fya, Fyb, and Jkb were typed for V and Jsa over a 2-year period. Of the 438 donors riped for V and Jsa, 168 (38.36%) were V+ and71 (16.44%) were Js(a+). The incidence of V (Rh10) was higher than that reported in previous studies, but no change was seen in the incidence of Jsa (K6).

Nucleotide sequence and expression of a cDNA encoding rabbit liver cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase.

A rabbit liver cDNA library in phage lambda gt10 was screened using a portion of the coding sequences for rabbit cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase (amino acids 244-420) that had been amplified by PCR, with total rabbit liver RNA as a template. A clone of 2.3 kb (pUS1203) was isolated and the nucleotide sequence showed that it contained an open reading frame of 1452 bp, which coded for serine hydroxymethyltransferase and was flanked by 155 bp at the 5' end and 653 bp at the 3' end. The full-length cDNA was cloned into an expression vector and transfected into COS-1 cells. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase activity was increased by 33% in the transfected cells and a new protein band of the appropriate size was seen by SDS/PAGE analysis of proteins extracted from transfected cells. The protein sequence for rabbit cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase derived from the cDNA nucleotide sequence was compared with three other derived or known prokaryotic and eukaryotic sequences. An overall sequence similarity of 34% was noted between all four sequences, whereas the similarity between the rabbit cytosolic and mitochondrial isoforms was 62%.

Use of a modified acid/EDTA elution technique.

A modification of the acid/EDTA elution technique was recently developed at the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory, Bristol, UK. By altering the volumes of reagents used, maximization of elution of antibody could be achieved without loss of red cell integrity.