PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Battistuzzi

Publications and source records attributed to G Battistuzzi.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

delta-Aminolevulinate dehydrase: a new genetic polymorphism in man.

A method has been developed for the electrophoretic and quantitative analyses of human red cell delta-aminolevulinate dehydrase (ALADH). The enzyme is under the control of an autosomal gene, with two common codominant alleles. ALADH1 and ALADH2, with frequencies of 0.89 and 0.11, respectively, in the Italian population. Mean phenotypic enzyme activities are nearly identical: 52,. 49 and 55 mIU/g Hb for ALADH 1, 2-1 and 2 phenotypes respectively.

Alleles↗

Genetic heterogeneity of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Sardinia.

Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity was assayed quantitatively in red cells from 100 consecutive G6PD-deficient newborn male babies born in a city hospital in Sassari, Sardinia. In four cases G6PD activity was between 30% and 45% of normal: these appeared on electrophoresis to be identical with G6PD Seattle-like. In 65 cases G6PD activity ranged from 2% to 14% of normal, while in the remaining 31 samples no activity could be detected in crude hemolysates. G6PD was partiall purified from 39 samples having activity below 14% of normal (including 20 with zero activity). G6PD activity could now be determined in all, and it was fully characterized in nine samples. These were shown to belong to two distinct classes on grounds of the Michaelis constant for glucose 6-phosphate and the elution profile from DEAE-Sephadex columns. These properties were compared with those of G6PD-deficient samples from Greece and from Israel. We conclude that there are at least three polymorphic G6PD-deficient variants in Northern Sardinia: G6PD Seattle-like, G6PD Mediterranean, and a new variant, which we designate G6PD Sassari. The GdMediterranean and GdSassari genes have been shown to breed true in family studies. We also produce evidence that the definition of G6PD Mediterranean must be carefully reassessed.

Genes↗

Genetic heterogeneity of "normal" human erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase: an isoelectrophoretic polymorphism.

Quantitative determination of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD; D-glucose-6-phosphate: NADP+ 1-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.49) activity was carried out in 214 male Nigerian children of 84 mothers with known Gd genotype. The relative intrasibship difference in G6PD activity (normalized to the lowest value within the sibship) was below 0.18 in all cases but one when the children were known to have the same Gd+ allele (identical by descent); whereas it was higher than 0.18 in 18 out of 33 sibships in which children might have had either of the two maternal (electrophoretically identical) Gd+ alleles. G6PD from 10 (8 G6PD B and 2 G6PD A) children belonging to four of the sibships possessing high quantitative variation in G6PD activity was partially purified and extensively characterized. The 8 G6PD type B samples fell unambiguously into two classes on the basis of Km values for glucose 6-phosphate (determined at variuos pH values), and KCl gradient elution from DEAE-Sephadex columns. The two types of G6PD B were resolved from an artificial mixture on a DEAE-Sephacel column. The two G6PD type A samples were also different from each other by the same criteria. We conclude that "normal" G6PD is genetically heterogeneous and that the structural Gd alleles concerned are all polymorphic in the Nigerian population. In this instance, a human enzyme polymorphism, not associated with enzyme deficiency, is revealed by an approach other than electrophoresis.

Alleles↗

Comparison of GdA and GdB activities in Nigerians. A study of the variation of the G6PD activity.

We report a comparison between G6PD enzyme activities in lysates from GdA and GdB Nigerian healthy males. We confirm the previously reported higher mean activity of G6PD B. An analysis of the enzyme activity variation has been performed: the relative amount of variation found to be associated with this polymorphism is about 8%. A comparison has been made with other genetic polymorphisms.

Child↗

Migration pattern and genetic marker distribution of the Afro-American population of Bluefields, Nicaragua.

On a sample of the population of mixed African ancestry living in Bluefields, Nicaragua, the pattern of migration and the distribution of red cell and serum genetic markers have been studied. It is concluded that, in spite of a considerable level of internal and external migration, a distinctive genetic structure is maintained by the population. Moreover, a strongly negative assortative mating can be observed between people inhabiting the western and eastern areas of Nicaragua. It is estimated that most, if not all, of the genetic pool of the population is accounted for by a process of admixture between African and Indian peoples.

Anthropology, Cultural↗

Genetic linkage analysis and presymptomatic testing in Huntington's disease. First report in Italy.

Since 1979 data about Huntington's Disease (HD) in Campania, a region of Southern Italy, has been collecting. The prevalence of HD in this sample is 30.3 x 10(-6) (115 pedigrees, 1470 individuals). Mean age at onset was 38.67 years and the juvenile (onset before 20 years) accounted for 5.8%. Genetic linkage analysis in 4 unrelated pedigrees with D4S10 and D4S95 DNA probes has been performed. The absence of genetic heterogeneity--already proposed in a cooperative study for one pedigree--has been confirmed in this study.

Adult↗

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in southern Italy: a case of G6PD A(-) associated with favism.

During a routine screening for G6PD deficiency in the Province of Matera (Southern Italy), an eleven-year-old boy was brought to our attention who had fever obviously caused by a viral infection, but who also had hepatosplenomegaly and haemoglobinuria. The boy had previously experienced two severe haemolytic attacks. At the age of six months severe haemolysis occurred after the ingestion of cooked fava beans. At the age of seven years, the haemolytic episode was very likely triggered by oral administration of co-trimoxazole. The G6PD activity level in erythrocyte lysate was clearly defective (25% of normal). The electrophoretic mobility of G6PD was 110% of normal. These data together with those obtained from biochemical and molecular characterisation allowed the variant to be identified as G6PD A(-). This is the first report of an association between the African type G6PD deficiency variant and favism.

Adolescent↗