Clinical and genetic analysis of a distinct autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize a distinct form of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) clinically and genetically. BACKGROUND: The SCAs are a genetically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders affecting the cerebellum and its connections. The mutations for SCA1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 have been identified and shown to be due to expansion of a CAG repeat in the coding region of these genes. Two additional SCA loci on chromosomes 16 and 11 have been designated SCA4 and SCA5. However, up to 20% of individuals with autosomal dominant forms of ataxias cannot be assigned any of these genotypes, implying the presence of other unidentified genes that may be involved in the development of ataxia. METHODS: We ascertained and clinically characterized a six-generation pedigree segregating an autosomal dominant trait for SCA. We performed direct mutation analysis and linkage analysis for all known SCA loci. RESULTS: The mutation analysis excludes SCA1, 2, 3, 6, and 7, and genetic linkage analysis excludes SCA4 and SCA5 (multipoint location scores < -2 across the candidate region). Clinical analysis of individuals in this family shows that all affected members have dysarthria, gait and limb ataxia, and nystagmus. No individuals have major brainstem or long-tract findings. Analysis of age at disease onset through multiple generations suggests anticipation. CONCLUSION: This pedigree represents a genetically distinct form of SCA with a phenotype characterized by predominantly cerebellar symptoms and signs.

Cerebral uric acid increases following experimental traumatic brain injury in rat.

Following traumatic brain injury (TBI), cortical and thalamic areas were analyzed histologically and by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection for uric acid at various survival times. Following TBI, cortical uric acid was elevated by ten-fold at 24 and 48 h, but not at 1 h post-TBI. Histological evidence of neurodegeneration was found not only in cortex but also in the anteroventral thalamus. These data suggest that as in stroke, uric acid measurements may be a convenient and sensitive method for measuring peroxidative status in TBI.

Rat striatum contains pure population of ETB receptors.

In most organs of the body, endothelin acts on endothelin ETA and ETB receptors that co-exist (albeit often on different cell types). Although virtually pure endothelin ETA receptors have been identified in some tissues (e.g., lung), no essentially pure endothelin ETB receptor tissue has been reported to date. [125I]Endothelin-1 bound to striatal membrane preparations with a Kd of 19.4 +/- 0.2 pM and Bmax of 496 +/- 8 fmol/mg protein. Endothelin-1 displaced [125I]endothelin-1 receptor binding with an IC50 of 23 pM. The endothelin ETB-selective antagonist BQ788 (N-cis-2,6-dimethylpiperidinocarbonyl-L-gamma -methyl-leucyl-D-1-methoxycarbonyltryptophanyl-D-norleucine) and agonist sarafotoxin 6C displaced [125I]endothelin-1 monophasically with IC50 values of 25 nM and 110 pM, respectively, whereas that of the endothelin ETA-selective antagonist BQ123 (cyclo(D-Trp-D-Asp-Pro-D-Val-Leu)) was 24 microM, values agreeing with cloned human endothelin ETB but not ETA receptors. Receptor autoradiography confirmed that rat striatum (but not white matter) contains essentially exclusively endothelin ETB receptors.