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J Cappuccio

Publications and source records attributed to J Cappuccio.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Asymptomatic hemochromatosis subjects: genotypic and phenotypic profiles.

Screening for hereditary hemochromatosis (HHC) by means of transferrin saturation (TS) levels has been advocated and will identify many patients who are asymptomatic. The purposes of this study were (1) to determine HFE genotypes among asymptomatic HHC patients and correlate this profile with the degree of iron overload and (2) to evaluate the relationship between mobilized iron (mob Fe), age, serum ferritin (SF), and quantitative hepatic iron (QHI) in this population. One hundred twenty-three asymptomatic HHC patients were evaluated; all had quantitative phlebotomy to determine mob Fe and genotyping for C282Y and H63D mutations. Liver biopsies with QHI determinations were performed on 72 of the 123 patients. Of the entire group, 60% were homozygous for C282Y, and 13% were compound heterozygotes (C282Y/H63D). Among asymptomatic patients, the prevalence of homozygous C282Y is lower compared with previous studies that include clinically affected patients. Of those patients with more than 4 g mob Fe, 77% were homozygous C282Y. Asymptomatic patients with lower iron burdens frequently had genotypes other than homozygous C282Y. There was no correlation between age and mob Fe in these patients; however, there was a correlation between mob Fe and both SF (r = 0.68) and QHI (r = 0.75). In conclusion, asymptomatic patients with moderate iron overload had a different genotypic profile than was seen in advanced iron overload. The significance of identifying patients with modest degrees of iron loading, who may not be homozygous for C282Y, must be addressed if routine TS screening is to be implemented. (Blood. 2000;96:3707-3711)

Adult↗

Patterns of cytokine production in psoriatic synovium.

OBJECTIVE: To determine patterns of cytokine production and mRNA expression in synovium from patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and to compare the profile of cytokine production in PsA explants with those derived from rheumatoid (RA) and osteoarthritic (OA) synovia and psoriatic skin. METHODS: Cytokine levels were measured in supernatants from synovial and dermal explant cultures at Day 10 by ELISA. Cytokine mRNA expression in PsA whole tissue was determined by multi-gene assay. Cytokine levels in explant supernatants were compared between PsA, RA and OA, and psoriatic skin. Synovial tissues were scored histologically by a pathologist blinded to the clinical diagnosis. RESULTS: PsA explants released elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-2, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, but not IL-4 or IL-5. A similar pattern of gene expression was detected in whole synovial tissue. These cytokine levels were greater in PsA than RA, despite higher histopathologic scores in RA explants. Production of IL-1beta, IFN-gamma, and IL-10 were strongly correlated. Levels of IFN-gamma, IL-1beta, and IL-10 were higher in psoriatic synovium than psoriatic dermal plaques. CONCLUSION: The cytokine profile in PsA is characterized by the presence of Th1 cytokines and the monokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and very elevated levels of IL-10. The higher levels of these cytokines in PsA compared to RA suggest the presence of different underlying mechanisms.

Adult↗

Correlation between genotype and phenotype in hereditary hemochromatosis: analysis of 61 cases.

This report assesses the degree of iron overload in a cohort of patients in relationship to the presence or absence of the recently described 845 G-->A (C282Y) and 187 C-->G (H63D) mutations in the HFE (HLA-H) gene. Sixty-one patients with hereditary hemochromatosis diagnosed either with liver biopsy or on clinical grounds were included in this analysis. Forty-one patients were homozygous for C282Y, the genotype considered to be characteristic of hereditary hemochromatosis. At the time of this analysis, 37 of these 41 patients had achieved a state of iron depletion and mobilizable iron was calculated: 19 had less than 4 grams. Twenty-five of these 41 patients had liver biopsies; 4 of these patients had a hepatic iron index less than 1.9. Of the 4 patients with a normal hepatic iron index, 3 had a quantitative hepatic iron of greater than 50 micromol/g dry weight, and one had an inadequate biopsy sample. These findings support our suspicion that individuals may have hereditary hemochromatosis and homozygous C282Y despite relatively low body iron stores. Five patients were compound heterozygotes for C282Y and H63D. Four of these patients underwent liver biopsy; two had a hepatic iron index greater than 1.9. a third patient had a hepatic iron index of 1.3 but a quantitative hepatic iron of 90.6 micromol/g dry weight. All patients were phlebotomized to a state of iron depletion and only one of these patients had a mobilizable iron greater than 4 grams. Three patients were homozygous for H63D; these patients had either a hepatic iron index >1.9 or greater than 4 grams of mobilizable iron. Patients with homozygous H63D and significant iron overload are not well described. Seven patients were heterozygous for either C282Y or H63D; 4 had significant iron overload but three did not. Five patients had no HFE mutations; one of these patients unequivocally has iron overload with a hepatic iron index of 4.4 We conclude that: (1) Identification of HFE mutations will be clinically useful in identifying patients with hereditary hemochromatosis, (2) Patient genotyping will help confirm a diagnosis of hereditary hemochromatosis in some patients with relatively low body iron stores, (3) Significant iron loading can occur in the absence of homozygous C282Y, adding to the evidence that genes other than HFE may be involved in iron loading, and (4) Homozygous H63D can be associated with significant iron overload.

Adult↗