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J C Turpin

Publications and source records attributed to J C Turpin.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

[Inborn and induced lipidosis. Differential diagnosis].

The drugs used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders sometimes produce neurological symptoms (drug-induced lipidosis) similar to those found in subjects with genetic disorders of lipid metabolism. We report the case of a young man with Niemann-Pick disease first treated for behavioural disorders. As the family accused the Medical Department to be responsible for a disease caused by excess of medication, a detailed study of the patient's biochemical features was used to refute the complaint.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

DNA analysis of distinct populations suggests multiple origins for the mutation causing Huntington disease.

Results of association studies can be significantly biased if the ancestry of the control population is not similar to that of the affected population. One approach to overcome such a bias is to use distinct populations where controls and affected individuals are likely to be of similar descent. We have examined homogeneous populations of French, Danish and Swedish ancestry for nonrandom allelic association between Huntington disease (HD) and several markers previously shown to be in association with HD. No evidence for nonrandom allelic association between HD and these markers was shown in these populations. The demonstration of association in a United Kingdom (UK) sample of similar size, and lack of significant differences in allele frequencies between the French, Danish, Swedish and UK populations suggested that the absence of association was not predominantly a consequence of allele frequencies or sample size. To investigate further the number of potential HD chromosomes, DNA haplotypes were constructed for the Danish, French, Swedish and UK populations. The minimum of two HD haplotypes observed in each of the French, Danish and Swedish populations, compared to the one haplotype in the UK population of a similar size, is an important factor accounting for the absence of association between HD and the DNA markers in these populations. Furthermore, these data are in favour of multiple independent origins for the mutation causing HD.

Alleles↗
PubMed1993

A transthyretin variant (alanine 71) associated with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy in a French family.

A transthyretin (TTR) mutation is described in a 44 year old French woman from Caen who presented at the age of 40 with neuropathy in all four extremities, diarrhoea, and orthostatic hypotension. Her father died with a similar syndrome including vitreous opacities. A nerve biopsy from the proband showed amyloid deposits which stained with anti-transthyretin. Direct genomic DNA sequencing of TTR exon 3 showed both thymine and cytosine in the position corresponding to the second base of codon 71. This codes for a variant alanine (GCG) as well as the normal valine (GTG), indicating that the proband is heterozygous for the substitution. Since this substitution does not result in the creation or abolition of a restriction endonuclease recognition site, a new technique (PCR-IMRA) was used to create an RFLP. Using a 24 bp nucleotide mutagenesis primer in the PCR reaction, a new NspBII site is created on amplification of the variant allele. With this method a 170 bp TTR exon 3 PCR product was generated for both the normal and the variant allele. On digestion of the PCR product with NspBII, DNA from a heterozygous subject showed both the 170 bp undigested product from the normal allele and a 146 bp digestion product from the variant allele. By PCR-IMRA, two of five children of the proband were positive for the variant allele. This non-radioactive technique gives a rapid method for testing subjects at risk for this mutation.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

High residual arylsulfatase A (ARSA) activity in a patient with late-infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy.

We identified a patient suffering from late-infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) who has a residual arylsulfatase A (ARSA) activity of about 10%. Fibroblasts of the patient show significant sulfatide degradation activity exceeding that of adult MLD patients. Analysis of the ARSA gene in this patient revealed heterozygosity for two new mutant alleles: in one allele, deletion of C 447 in exon 2 leads to a frameshift and to a premature stop codon at amino acid position 105; in the second allele, a G-->A transition in exon 5 causes a Gly309-->Ser substitution. Transient expression of the mutant Ser309-ARSA resulted in only 13% enzyme activity of that observed in cells expressing normal ARSA. The mutant ARSA is correctly targeted to the lysosomes but is unstable. These findings are in contrast to previous results showing that the late-infantile type of MLD is always associated with the complete absence of ARSA activity. The expression of the mutant ARSA protein may be influenced by particular features of oligodendrocytes, such that the level of mutant enzyme is lower in these cells than in others.

Alleles↗
PubMed1993

Prenatal diagnosis of hereditary amyloidosis in a Portuguese family living in France.

Portuguese type amyloidosis is an autosomal dominant condition caused by a mutation in the transthyretin gene. This mutation can be detected directly by the presence of a restriction site for NsiI. We report here our first prenatal diagnosis for this condition performed by chorionic villus sampling, polymerase chain reaction, and restriction enzyme digestion.

Amyloid Neuropathies↗
PubMed1993

[Huntington chorea in children].

BACKGROUND: The onset of Huntington's disease, a dominantly inherited degeneration of the basal ganglia, usually occurs in middle age; cases of childhood onset are rare. CASE REPORTS: Case 1. A boy from a family including several cases of Huntington's disease gradually developed behavior disorders from the age of 5 years. He had learning and language disorders at 7 years of age and at 11 years he suffered from generalized seizures and progressive rigidity. The disease led to dementia at 17 years and the patient died a few months later. CT scan showed diffuse cortical atrophy. Case 2. A girl aged 5 years, was first examined for gait disorders. At that time she had dystonia and spasticity. Rigidity gradually developed, and 2 months later several cases of Huntington's disease were identified in her father's family. Case 3. A boy developed gait disorders from the age of 5 years. He gradually developed dystonia, rigidity, learning disorders, and finally mental retardation. The CT scan showed cortical atrophy and atrophy of the caudate nucleus. His father and others members of the paternal family had Huntington's disease that appeared in the adulthood. CONCLUSION: The clinical manifestations of Huntington's disease in childhood are different from those seen in adults. Progressive alteration of mental development and dementia can occur. Diagnosis may be difficult except when a parent has the fully developed disease.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Improved synthesis of [1-14C]acyl-sphingosine-galactose-3-sulfate (sulfatide) for diagnosis of metachromatic leukodystrophy: usefulness of radioscanning.

We report an improved method for the radiolabelling of [1-14C 00acyl-sphingosine-galactose-3-sulfate (sulfatide), requiring preparation of lysosulfatide (sulfogalactosyl-sphingosine) by alkaline hydrolysis of sulfatide and reacylation of the sphingosine amino group with a [1-14C]stearoyl chloride. We found that the yield of labeled sulfatide could be considerably increased using stringent chromatographic conditions for the preparation of lysosulfatide and strict anhydrous conditions for the formation of the acylchloride and its coupling to lysosulfatide. Radioscanning was used at different steps to check the purity of the labeled compounds. Radioscanning was also used to determine the formation of cerebroside when measuring cerebroside sulfate sulfatase activity and sulfatide metabolism in intact fibroblasts in controls and patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy. It could demonstrate and measure with accuracy the cerebroside sulfate storage characteristic of the disease.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗
PubMed1991

Adult forms of metachromatic leukodystrophy: clinical and biochemical approach.

The clinical and biochemical characteristics of metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), true adult forms and late juvenile forms which are still living at adulthood, are reviewed as they both are observed in adult Neurology and Psychiatry departments. Mental deterioration is often the first symptom, evolving progressively; and dementia finally occurs. The latency before the appearance of neurological objective symptoms may be long and extend for several years. In many cases, the behavioral abnormalities are the first symptoms. Some of these forms have been diagnosed as schizophrenia. Very seldom, neurological symptoms, especially ataxia, occur without cognitive or psychiatric disturbances. Most of these cases have pyramidal and cerebellar symptoms, at diverse degrees. Seizures can also occur which is some cases can be early symptoms associated to mental deterioration. The association of central and peripheral neurological symptoms is very characteristic of MLD. The peripheral neuropathy is not generally clinically evidenced, but is rarely missing electrophysiologically. Arylsulfatase A determination should be performed for diagnosis as a first step, and confirmed by the accumulation of sulfatide, either by quantitative determinations in urine or by the sulfatide loading test. It is as yet not clear why certain forms have a rather rapid evolution in 5 years, and others have a very protracted course during decades.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Clinical aspects of Niemann-Pick type C disease in the adult.

Niemann-Pick type C disease diagnosed in adult neurology departments may be infantile or juvenile forms with prolonged life span or forms starting at adolescence or adulthood. The evolution is generally slower compared to the infantile cases. Psychomotor retardation is practically constant. Cerebellar ataxia and extrapyramidal manifestations are often found in opposition to pyramidal symptoms. Supranuclear ophthalmoplegia with a down-gaze failure is nearly constant. Cataplexy and other types of seizures may be found during the evolution of the disease. In some cases a psychosis may be the only manifestation for several years; the treatment by psychotropic drugs raises the question of a superimposition of a drug-induced lipidosis. Hepatosplenomegaly is often discrete, contrary to infantile cases. Foam cells or sea-blue histiocytes are a general feature of the disease. Although the primary defect is unknown, diagnosis must be confirmed by the defect in cholesterol esterification from exogenous cholesterol.

Cerebellar Ataxia↗
PubMed1991

[Evaluation of the prevalence of side effects of phenobarbital in patients in the Champagne-Ardenne region].

Side effects were compared in 454 patients under phenobarbital and in 133 patients under other antiepileptic agents. Prevalence of adverse effects was 12% and 4% in these two groups, respectively. The fairly low prevalence of untoward reactions to phenobarbital in this study as compared with previously published reports is due to the methodology used. Despite unquestionable drawbacks, especially in patients above 50 years of age at first use, phenobarbital is a valuable therapeutic alternative in some cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Type C Niemann-Pick disease: supranuclear ophthalmoplegia associated with deficient biosynthesis of cholesterol esters].

We report a familial case of Niemann-Pick disease type C which lasted until adulthood, and which had the characteristic deficiency in cholesterol esterification from exogenous cholesterol. A review of the literature was performed concerning cases which were seen in adults and were characterized biochemically. This study showed the frequency of supranuclear ophthalmoplegia affecting essentially vertical movements and convergence and of lipid-laden cells in bone marrow which are often sea-blue histiocytes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Adult sphingomyelinase deficiency: report of 2 patients who initially presented with psychiatric disorders.

We studied 2 unrelated adult patients under neuroleptic treatment who met all phenotypic and biochemical criteria for Niemann-Pick disease type B. In addition, they had chronic psychiatric disorders and low blood levels of HDL cholesterol. The marked and persistent deficiency of acid sphingomyelinase and the disturbance of sphingomyelin metabolism in skin fibroblast subcultures ruled out a pure drug-induced lipidosis. The association of Niemann-Pick disease type B with psychiatric disorders and with low levels of HDL cholesterol could be a chance association of 2 diseases, a new phenotype of Niemann-Pick type B, or the revelation by the neuroleptic treatment of a subclinical inborn sphingomyelinase deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Use of polymorphous DNA probes in the study of French families with Huntington's chorea].

Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an autosomal dominantly inherited defect. The discovery of DNA polymorphisms genetically linked to the HD locus provided the possibility of an early presymptomatic test. The first marker locus described (G-8) had an approximately 5% recombination rate with the HD locus, and the subsequent discovery of some more tightly linked marker loci, notably D 495, has greatly improved the accuracy of presymptomatic testing. We describe here the preliminary results obtained and the difficulties encountered in a French predictive testing program on presymptomatic subjects belonging to choreic families.

DNA Probes↗