Biomedical subjects

C Sobacchi

Publications and source records attributed to C Sobacchi.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Association between a polymorphism affecting an AP1 binding site in the promoter of the TCIRG1 gene and bone mass in women.

The TCIRG1 gene encodes a component of the osteoclast vacuolar proton pump and previous work has shown that inactivating mutations of the TCIRG1 cause autosomal recessive osteopetrosis. In order to determine whether allelic variation in TCIRG1 contributes to the regulation of bone mineral density (BMD) in normal individuals, we studied the relationship between polymorphisms of TCIRG1 and BMD in a population-based cohort of 739 perimenopausal women. Five common polymorphisms were identified: two in the promoter, a conservative change within exon 4, one within intron 4 and one within intron 11. One of the promoter polymorphisms (G-1102A) lay within a consensus recognition site for the AP1 transcription factor. There was a significant association between the G-1102A genotype and BMD at the lumbar spine ( P = 0.01) and femoral neck ( P = 0.03). The association remained significant after correcting for age, weight, height, menopausal status/HRT use and smoking ( P = 0.008 for spine BMD and P = 0.03 for hip BMD), and homozygotes for the -1100 "G" allele had BMD values significantly higher than individuals who carried the -1100 "A" allele at both spine ( P = 0.007) and hip ( P = 0.047). Subgroup analysis showed that the association between G-1102A and BMD was restricted to premenopausal women who comprised 50.6% of the study group. None of the other polymorphisms or haplotypes were significantly associated with BMD in the study group as a whole or in any subgroup. Functional studies will need to be performed to determine the mechanisms that underlie this association, but we conclude that, in this relatively large population, allelic variation at the G-1102A site of TCIRG1 accounts for part of the heritable component of BMD in Scottish women, possibly by affecting peak bone mass.

Alleles↗

PubMed2001

The mutational spectrum of human malignant autosomal recessive osteopetrosis.

Human malignant infantile osteopetrosis (arOP; MIM 259700) is a genetically heterogeneous autosomal recessive disorder of bone metabolism, which, if untreated, has a fatal outcome. Our group, as well as others, have recently identified mutations in the ATP6i (TCIRG1) gene, encoding the a3 subunit of the vacuolar proton pump, which mediates the acidification of the bone/osteoclast interface, are responsible for a subset of this condition. By sequencing the ATP6i gene in arOP patients from 44 unrelated families with a worldwide distribution we have now established that ATP6i mutations are responsible for approximately 50% of patients affected by this disease. The vast majority of these mutations (40 out of 42 alleles, including seven deletions, two insertions, 10 nonsense substitutions and 21 mutations in splice sites) are predicted to cause severe abnormalities in the protein product and are likely to represent null alleles. In addition, we have also analysed nine unrelated arOP patients from Costa Rica, where this disease is apparently much more frequent than elsewhere. All nine Costa Rican patients bore either or both of two missense mutations (G405R and R444L) in amino acid residues which are evolutionarily conserved from yeast to humans. The identification of ATP6i gene mutations in two families allowed us for the first time to perform prenatal diagnosis: both fetuses were predicted not to be affected and two healthy babies were born. This study contributes to the determination of genetic heterogeneity of arOP and allows further delineation of the other genetic defects causing this severe condition.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

V(D)J recombination defects in lymphocytes due to RAG mutations: severe immunodeficiency with a spectrum of clinical presentations.

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) comprises a heterogeneous group of primary immunodeficiencies, a proportion of which are due to mutations in either of the 2 recombination activating genes (RAG)-1 and -2, which mediate the process of V(D)J recombination leading to the assembly of antigen receptor genes. It is reported here that the clinical and immunologic phenotypes of patients bearing mutations in RAGs are more diverse than previously thought and that this variability is related, in part, to the specific type of RAG mutation. By analyzing 44 such patients from 41 families, the following conclusions were reached: (1) null mutations on both alleles lead to the T-B-SCID phenotype; (2) patients manifesting classic Omenn syndrome (OS) have missense mutations on at least one allele and maintain partial V(D)J recombination activity, which accounts for the generation of residual, oligoclonal T-lymphocytes; (3) in a third group of patients, findings were only partially compatible with OS, and these patients, who also carried at least one missense mutation, may be considered to have atypical SCID/OS; (4) patients with engraftment of maternal T cells as a complication of a transplacental transfusion represented a fourth group, and these patients, who often presented with a clinical phenotype mimicking OS, may be observed regardless of the type of RAG gene mutation. Analysis of the RAG genes by direct sequencing is an effective way to provide accurate diagnosis of RAG-deficient as opposed to RAG-independent V(D)J recombination defects, a distinction that cannot be made based on clinical and immunologic phenotype alone.

Alleles↗

PubMed2001

Recombination activating gene and its defects.

Mutations in recombination activating genes cause a spectrum of severe immunodeficiencies ranging from T-B severe combined immunodeficiency to Omenn syndrome (a particular type of severe combined immunodeficiency presenting a T+ B- profile). Although environmental factors and genetic background could also contribute to the genesis of this pathological condition, a residual recombination activating gene activity allowing for a few recombinational events to occur, is the first determinant of this variability in the clinical picture.

DNA Nucleotidyltransferases↗

PubMed2000

N-terminal RAG1 frameshift mutations in Omenn's syndrome: internal methionine usage leads to partial V(D)J recombination activity and reveals a fundamental role in vivo for the N-terminal domains.

Omenn's syndrome is an autosomal recessive primary immunodeficiency characterized by variable numbers of T lymphocytes of limited clonality, hypereosinophilia, and high IgE levels with a paradoxical absence of circulating B lymphocytes. We have previously attributed this disorder to missense mutations that render the RAG1/RAG2 recombinase only partially active. Here we report seven Omenn's patients with a novel class of genetic lesions: frameshift mutations within the 5' coding region of RAG1. Interestingly, we demonstrate in transient expression experiments that these frameshift deletion alleles remain partially functional for both deletional and inversional recombination and can hence explain the partial rearrangement phenotype observed in these patients. The rearrangement activity is mediated by truncated RAG1 proteins that are generated by alternative ATG usage 3' to the frameshift deletion and that demonstrate improper cellular localization. Taken together, our results suggest a novel mechanism for the development of immunodeficiency in a subset of Omenn's syndrome patients.

Alleles↗

PubMed2000

The genetic and biochemical basis of Omenn syndrome.

Omenn syndrome (OS) is a peculiar, autosomal recessive severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) associated with early-onset, generalized, exudative erythrodermia; lymphoadenopathy; hepato- and splenomegaly; hypereosinophilia; elevated serum IgE; and normal to high activated, yet non-functional, oligoclonal T cells. Recent investigations have shown that the primum movens of all these puzzling features lies in a defect of the lymphoid-specific V(D)J recombination process. Abnormalities in both alleles of either Rag-1 or -2 genes are found in all OS patients. At variance with T B- SCID, whose Rag mutations represent null alleles, OS mutations maintain a residual recombination activity, allowing limited T-cell receptor gene rearrangements to occur in the thymus. The gene rearrangements are subsequently expanded in the periphery after environmental antigen exposure. Missense mutations detected in OS have been examined in a number of biochemical assays and have contributed to dissect the various functional domains of both Rag-1 and Rag-2 proteins. The examination of a set of mutations occurring in the Rag-1 N-terminal portion has demonstrated that this region plays a fundamental role in vivo. The elucidation of the molecular basis of OS has allowed us to perform early prenatal diagnosis and could be the basis for trials of in utero bone marrow transplantation or gene therapy approaches.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Defects in TCIRG1 subunit of the vacuolar proton pump are responsible for a subset of human autosomal recessive osteopetrosis.

Osteopetrosis includes a group of inherited diseases in which inadequate bone resorption is caused by osteoclast dysfunction. Although molecular defects have been described for many animal models of osteopetrosis, the gene responsible for most cases of the severe human form of the disease (infantile malignant osteopetrosis) is unknown. Infantile malignant autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (MIM 259700) is a severe bone disease with a fatal outcome, generally within the first decade of life. Osteoclasts are present in normal or elevated numbers in individuals affected by autosomal recessive osteopetrosis, suggesting that the defect is not in osteoclast differentiation, but in a gene involved in the functional capacity of mature osteoclasts. Some of the mouse mutants have a decreased number of osteoclasts, which suggests that the defect directly interferes with osteoclast differentiation. In other mutants, it is the function of the osteoclast that seems to be affected, as they show normal or elevated numbers of non-functioning osteoclasts. Here we show that TCIRG1, encoding the osteoclast-specific 116-kD subunit of the vacuolar proton pump, is mutated in five of nine patients with a diagnosis of infantile malignant osteopetrosis. Our data indicate that mutations in TCIRG1 are a frequent cause of autosomal recessive osteopetrosis in humans.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed2000

Mutations in conserved regions of the predicted RAG2 kelch repeats block initiation of V(D)J recombination and result in primary immunodeficiencies.

The V(D)J recombination reaction is composed of multiple nucleolytic processing steps mediated by the recombination-activating proteins RAG1 and RAG2. Sequence analysis has suggested that RAG2 contains six kelch repeat motifs that are predicted to form a six-bladed beta-propeller structure, with the second beta-strand of each repeat demonstrating marked conservation both within and between kelch repeat-containing proteins. Here we demonstrate that mutations G95R and DeltaI273 within the predicted second beta-strand of repeats 2 and 5 of RAG2 lead to immunodeficiency in patients P1 and P2. Green fluorescent protein fusions with the mutant proteins reveal appropriate localization to the nucleus. However, both mutations reduce the capacity of RAG2 to interact with RAG1 and block recombination signal cleavage, therefore implicating a defect in the early steps of the recombination reaction as the basis of the clinical phenotype. The present experiments, performed with an extensive panel of site-directed mutations within each of the six kelch motifs, further support the critical role of both hydrophobic and glycine-rich regions within the second beta-strand for RAG1-RAG2 interaction and recombination signal recognition and cleavage. In contrast, multiple mutations within the variable-loop regions of the kelch repeats had either mild or no effects on RAG1-RAG2 interaction and hence on the ability to mediate recombination. In all, the data demonstrate a critical role of the RAG2 kelch repeats for V(D)J recombination and highlight the importance of the conserved elements of the kelch motif.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2000

Prenatal diagnosis of RAG-deficient Omenn syndrome.

Mutations in recombination activating genes (RAG) 1 and 2 have been found to cause Omenn syndrome (OS), a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) with a peculiar phenotype. Here we report the prenatal diagnosis performed in three OS patients. Mutations were detected in the probands as well as in their parents by genomic sequencing of the complete coding regions of both RAG 1 and RAG 2, which are contained in a single exon. All the three probands had RAG 1 mutations in both alleles, at least one of which was a missense substitution. Of the three fetuses tested, one had a wild type sequence on both alleles, while the other two had one mutated allele. None of the three patients were predicted to be affected and this was confirmed at birth. Detection of RAG genes mutations on fetal samples by direct sequencing is an easy and effective way to investigate fetuses from families affected with RAG-dependent SCID and OS families affected by RAG-dependent SCID and OS.

Amniocentesis↗

PubMed1999

The RAG1/RAG2 complex constitutes a 3' flap endonuclease: implications for junctional diversity in V(D)J and transpositional recombination.

During V(D)J recombination, processing of branched coding end intermediates is essential for generating junctional diversity. Here, we report that the RAG1/ RAG2 recombinase is a 3' flap endonuclease. Substrates of this nuclease activity include various coding end intermediates, suggesting a direct role for RAG1/ RAG2 in generating junctional diversity during V(D)J recombination. Evidence is also provided indicating that site-specific RSS nicking involves RAG1/RAG2-mediated processing of a localized flap-like structure, implying 3' flap nicking in multiple DNA processing reactions. We have also demonstrated that the bacterial transposase Tn10 contains a 3' flap endonuclease activity, suggesting a mechanistic parallel between RAG1/RAG2 and other transposases. Based on these data, we propose that numerous transposases may facilitate genomic evolution by removing single-stranded extensions during the processing of excision site junctions.

Animals↗