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Biomedical subjects

D Valverde

Publications and source records attributed to D Valverde.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Mutation profile of the MYO7A gene in Spanish patients with Usher syndrome type I.

Usher syndrome type I is the most severe form of Usher syndrome. It is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by profound congenital sensorineural deafness, retinitis pigmentosa, and vestibular abnormalities. Mutations in the myosin VIIA gene (MYO7A) are responsible for Usher syndrome type 1B (USH1B). This gene is thought to bear greatest responsibility for USH1 and, depending on the study, has been reported to account for between 24% and 59% of USH1 cases. In this report a mutation screening of the MYO7A gene was carried out in a series of 48 unrelated USH1 families using single strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP) and direct sequencing of those fragments showed an abnormal electrophoretic pattern. Twenty-five mutations were identified in 23 out of the 48 families studied (47.9%). Twelve of these mutations were novel, including five missense mutations, three premature stop codons, three frameshift, and one putative splice-site mutation. Based on our results we can conclude there is an absence of hot spot mutations in the MYO7A gene and that this gene plays a major role in Usher syndrome.

DNA Mutational Analysis↗

Analysis of the changes in the 1H NMR spectral pattern of perchloric acid extracts of C6 cells with growth.

The aim of this work was to identify spectral markers of cell proliferation that could be of use in clinical MRS. Cultured C6 ATCC rat glioma cells were used as models for this purpose and metabolites were extracted with perchloric acid at three different growth curve stages: log, confluence and post-confluence. 1D and 2D in vitro(1)H NMR spectra were recorded at 9.4 T. Statistically significant changes in myo-inositol and glutamine concentrations between log phase and post-confluence were found when normalized to the creatine ratio. The myo-inositol/creatine ratio was 2.76 +/- 0.82 at log phase increasing to 7.43 +/- 1.34 at post-confluence, while the glutamine/creatine ratio decreased from 0.22 +/- 0.03 to 0.10 +/- 0.02. No significant differences were recorded for other metabolites investigated. The fact that both myo-inositol and glutamine are detectable by in vivo MRS at clinical fields makes their changes relevant as potential astrocytic tumour proliferation rate markers in clinical MRS.

Animals↗

Identification of 14 novel mutations in the long isoform of USH2A in Spanish patients with Usher syndrome type II.

Mutations in USH2A gene have been shown to be responsible for Usher syndrome type II, an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by hearing loss and retinitis pigmentosa. USH2A was firstly described as consisting of 21 exons, but 52 novel exons at the 3' end of the gene were recently identified. In this report, a mutation analysis of the new 52 exons of USH2A gene was carried out in 32 unrelated patients in which both disease-causing mutations could not be found after the screening of the first 21 exons of the USH2A gene. On analysing the new 52 exons, fourteen novel mutations were identified in 14 out of the 32 cases studied, including 7 missense, 5 frameshift, 1 duplication and a putative splice-site mutation.

Adolescent↗

Clinical and genetic studies in Spanish patients with Usher syndrome type II: description of new mutations and evidence for a lack of genotype--phenotype correlation.

Patients with Usher syndrome type II (USH2) show moderate-to-severe hearing loss (HL), retinitis pigmentosa and normal vestibular function. The progression of HL remains controversial. To evaluate whether a phenotype-genotype correlation exists regarding the issue of progression of HL, only USH2 patients with a defined genotype were selected. Ophthalmologic, vestibular and audiometric examination along with a mutation analysis of the USH2A gene (exons 1--21) was performed in twenty-eight Spanish USH2 patients. Ten different pathogenic mutations and 17 sequence variants not associated with the disease were found. Six of the 10 mutations are novel. Disease alleles were identified in 13 of the 28 families tested. Eight of these 13 families had a mutation found in both alleles. In the other five families, only one mutation was identified. The phenotypic data provide evidence for the existence of phenotypic differences between patients with the same genotype. These differences were observed at both the interfamilial and intrafamilial levels.

Adult↗

Evaluation of RLBP1 in 50 autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa and 4 retinitis punctata albescens Spanish families.

Defects in retinal vitamin A metabolism or in genes expressed in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are related to nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The RLBP1 gene encodes the cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein which, in the RPE and Müller cells of the retina, is thought to play a role in retinoid metabolism and visual pigment regeneration. We describe a study of the involvement of the RLBP1 gene in 50 autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) and four retinitis punctata albescens Spanish families. Cosegregation and homozygosity studies using an intragenic polymorphism and three close markers (D15S116, D15S127, and D15S130) ruled out RLBP1 as the cause of ARRP in 26 pedigrees. In the remaining families, SSCP analysis of the coding region and sequencing of the abnormal migrating bands did not detect any disease-causing mutation. These results indicate that mutations in the RLBP1 gene are not responsible for the ARRP or retinitis punctata albescens in this set of Spanish families. We did, however, identify two frequent polymorphisms (3'UTR + 167 G > T, T: 0.23 and G: 0.77; IVS6 + 20 T > C, T: 0.36 and C: 0.64), a silent substitution (S218S), and a rare variant (5'UTR-101 G > A).

Carrier Proteins↗

[Identification of 2 allelic mutations of the gene of the phosphodiesterase beta subunit in a Spanish family with recessive autosomic retinitis pigmentosa].

BACKGROUND: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited eye disorders that affect photoreceptor and pigment epithelial function. Mutations in different genes involved in the phototransduction process have been described in patients with autosomal recessive RP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined the gene coding the beta subunit of the phosphodiesterase (PDEB) in a ARRP family with two affected sisters. SSCP (single stand conformational polymorphism) analysis of the coding region of the gene showed abnormal bands in two different exons. PCR products showing SSCP aberrant patterns were subsequently sequenced. RESULTS: The two affected sisters had inherited from their father a PDEB gene with a known mutation (Gln298X) and a rare variant and from their mother a PDEB gene with a new mutation: Asp600Asn. CONCLUSIONS: The nature of the mutations in the PDEB gene and their pattern of inheritance indicate that the lack of activity of the phosphodiesterase (PDE), a key enzyme in the visual phototransduction process, account for the RP phenotype in these patients.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Analysis of the IRBP gene as a cause of RP in 45 ARRP Spanish families. Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. Interstitial retinol binding protein. Spanish Multicentric and Multidisciplinary Group for Research into Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) is a degenerative disorder of photoreceptors. Mutations in several genes encoding different proteins of the visual cascade are described. The inheritance of two intragenic markers within the interstitial retinol binding protein (IRBP) gene was established in 45 Spanish families with a history of ARRP. Homozygosity mapping and cosegregation analyses were positive in 19 families. Only one heterozygous T-C transition at position 3024 (exon 1) was detected in one consanguineous family. This variant was identified as a rare polymorphism and was present in 5% of the chromosomes analyzed.

Chromosome Segregation↗

Two novel mutations in the retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) gene in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (RP3). Mutations in brief no. 172. Online.

Recently a new gene called RPGR (retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator) was isolated in Xp21.1 and found to be mutated in patients with RP3 type X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. Two new mutations, the first a single base pair deletion and the other a two base pairs deletion, have been found in one Spanish and one Italian family.

Carrier Proteins↗

Putative association of a mutant ROM1 allele with retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous form of retinal degeneration. Several genes and loci have been shown to be involved in the disease, although each of them only accounts for a few cases. Mutations in the gene encoding ROM1, a rod-specific protein, have been putatively associated with several forms of RP. Here we describe a double-mutant allele of this gene, P60T and T108M, present in two affected sibs and also in two healthy members of a Spanish RP family. The same double-mutant allele was previously considered to be responsible for autosomal dominant RP in one family. We now report data that question the potential pathogenicity of these two ROM1 mutations.

Adolescent↗

AluI in situ digestion of human alphoid and classical satellite DNA regions: high-resolution digital image analysis of FISH signals from condensed and extended chromatin.

Human lymphocyte chromatin either extended or condensed in interphase nuclei and chromosomes was in situ digested by the restriction endonuclease AluI and then hybridized with alphoid probes specific for chromosome 1 (D1Z5 locus), for chromosome X (DXZ1 locus), and with a classical satellite DNA probe specific for chromosome 9 (D9Z1 locus). Fluorescent hybridization signals were quantified by digital analysis of high-resolution images obtained by a Photo-CD system in an attempt to analyze the differential DNA removal produced by AluI in specific repetitive DNA sequences with known restriction site frequency and distribution. The analysis of area and average pixel grey count of hybridization signals suggests that the greater the degree of chromatin stretching, the higher the accessibility of the probe and/or reporter molecules to the target. Nevertheless, this greater hybridization efficiency does not result in a higher fluorescence intensity due to dispersion of individual signals. Specific repetitive DNA at D9Z1 locus (classical) remained impervious to digestion, while that at DXZ1 (alphoid) was extensively removed, according to the frequency and distribution of restriction sites. Nevertheless, though the restriction sites were at least as frequent as at the DXZ1 locus, DNA at the D1Z5 locus (alphoid) was only partially removed. This indicates that chromatin organization within the C-band partially prevents extraction of alphoid sequences, supporting the hypothesis that alphoid DNA sequences are differentially organized among chromosomes. Overall, the same results were obtained from condensed and extended chromatin, suggesting that higher-order chromatin organization does not influence the in situ DNA cleavage and removal by AluI.

Cells, Cultured↗

[Identification of Arg-135-Leu mutation in the rhodopsin gene in a family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa].

Mutations in the rhodopsin gene have been sought in a family with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Screening for mutations in the rhodopsin gene was carried out by polimerase chain reaction and denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis. Direct DNA sequencing was performed for the characterization of punctual mutations. A base substitution in the exon 2 of the rhodopsin gene was detected. Direct DNA sequencing revealed a CGC to CTG change in codon 135, that substitutes arginine for leucine residue in rhodopsin. The mutation segregates with the disease phenotype in the family. The mutation Arg-135-Leu causes the retinitis pigmentosa phenotype in the family, where the disease is inherited following an autosomal dominant pattern.

Adult↗

A novel mutation in exon 17 of the beta-subunit of rod phosphodiesterase in two RP sisters of a consanguineous family.

We report the molecular analysis of the beta subunit of the rod phosphodiesterase (PDEB) gene in a consanguineous autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa family that shows homozygosity for polymorphisms in the genomic region comprising this gene, and positive linkage between a PDEB marker and the disease. The two affected sisters are homozygous for a T to G transversion in codon 699 of the PDEB gene, leading to the substitution of a leucine by an arginine residue. This change, enclosed in the catalytic domain of the PDEB, could result in a modification of the protein structure preventing the physiological hydrolysis of cGMP.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa in Spain: evaluation of four genes and two loci involved in the disease.

Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) is a genetically heterogeneous form of retinal degeneration. The genes for the beta-subunit of rod phosphodiesterase (PDEB), rhodopsin (RHO), peripherin/RDS (RDS) and the rod outer segment membrane protein 1 (ROM1), as well as loci at 6p and 1q, have previously been reported as the cause of ARRP. In order to determine whether they are responsible for the disease in Spanish pedigrees, linkage and homozygosity studies using markers at these loci were carried out on 47 Spanish ARRP families. SSCP analysis was performed to search for mutations in the genes cosegregating with the disease in particular pedigrees. Three homozygous mutations in the PDEB gene were found, thus accounting for 6% of the cases. No other disease-causing mutation was observed in the other genes analysed, nor was significant evidence found for the involvement of the loci at 6p or 1q. On the basis of these data, it is unlikely that these genes and loci account for a considerable proportion of ARRP cases.

Calcium-Binding Proteins↗