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Biomedical subjects

J de Grouchy

Publications and source records attributed to J de Grouchy.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The malignant primate?

Speciation and carcinogenesis result from genomic instability at the gametic or at the somatic levels. After an infinity of trials they occur, by chromosome rearrangements, in single individuals or in single cells and evolve by similar chromosomal or clonal evolutions. Loss of heterozygosity for the first event is essential in both processes: in evolution, a chromosomal rearrangement, a pericentric inversion or a Robertsonian fusion, must become homozygous to ensure a reproductive barrier for a new species; Knudson's two-event sequence is a similar situation in cancer. Position effect is equally important: we have shown overexpression of the SOD1 gene in the orangutan phylum probably by an intrachromosomal rearrangement; the t(9;22) in CML acts by typical position effect. Parental imprinting underlies the evolution of genome function and the unset of certain cancers. Evolution and malignancy are interweaved by viruses and oncogenes since the dawn of life. Cancer uses its intelligence to expand and to destroy the other tissues, using subtle metabolic pathways and a variety of tricks to metastasize other cells. It always wins but saws the branch on which it sits. Mankind also grows exponentially, killing thousands of other species, poisoning the oceans and soft waters, polluting the atmosphere, all for his egoistic needs. Man also travels and metastasizes other Earths. He modifies his genome or that of other species, and develops new technologies for his reproduction. He can destroy the planet in an eyeblink. To be or not to be the malignant primate, that will be the dilemma for the 21st Century.

Animals

[Localization of the gene for phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP) on the chromosome 16 by interspecific hybridization (author's transl)].

Eight primary man-mouse (C11D/TK-) hybrids, twenty three primary and seven secondary man-hamster (CH/HGPRT-) were analyzed for human phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP) and for human chromosomes. The following results were obtained: 1. A positive correlation is observed between the chromosome 16 and PGP. 15 hybrids are chr.16+PGP+, 14 hybrids are chr.16-PGP- and 4 hybrids are chr.16-PGP+. 2. The percentage of dissociation between PGP and the chr.16 is low (12%) in comparison with the high percentage of dissociation between PGP and the other autosomes (between 37% and 65%). 3. Excepted the chromosome 16, the other autosomes are observed in hybrids PGP-. These different results indicate the localization of the gene for human PGP on the chromosome 16. The dissociation results chr.16-PGP+ are explained by the breakage of the chr.16 in the hybrids.

Animals

Monosomy 10qter.

An 11-year-old girl with 10q26qter deletion is described and compared with another patient reported in the literature. The most characteristic features of monosomy 10qter seem to be: severe mental retardation; growth retardation; microcephaly; and facial dysmorphism with a long and triangular facies, a broad and prominent nasal bridge, a poorly developed tip of the nose, a short philtrum, and flattened angles of the mandible. Several of these features are opposed in type and countertype to features of trisomy 10qter.

Child

Cytogenetic investigation in 413 couples with spontaneous abortions.

413 couples with one or more spontaneous miscarriages were karyotyped. Observed chromosomal rearrangements were classified as major rearrangements, i.e. Robertsonian and reciprocal translocations, pericentric and paracentric inversions, supernumerary small metacentrics, and minor rearrangements, i.e. pericentric inversions of chromosome 9, and constitutional fragility of particular chromosome sites. 2.30% of the individuals were carriers of a major rearrangement, which represents a ten-fold increase when compared to the general population. The contribution of each type of rearrangement is unequal, the most important being pericentric inversions (36 times more frequent than in the general population). Contrary to data from the literature, the probability of finding a rearrangement does not seem to increase with the number of miscarriages.

Abortion, Spontaneous

Distal trisomy 17q.

A 3-year-old, male patient with trisomy 17q231qter due to a paternal t(5;17)(p151;q231) is compared to three other patients reported in the literature who are trisomic for the same segment due to a familial t(17;21)(q23;q22). The features common to the four patients are: profound mental retardation; dwarfism; frontal bossing and temporal retraction; narrow squinty eyes; thin lips with overlapping of the lower lip by the upper lip; very low-set and abnormal ears; cleft palate; and hyperlaxity of the ligaments. It thus seems possible to delineate a new cytogenetic syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple

[46,XX/46,XX,del (10) (p13)/47,XX,+r/47,XX,del (10) (p13), + r mosaicism and partial trisomy 10p phenotype (author's transl)].

The mosaicism 46,XX/46,XX,del(10)(p13)/47,XX, +r/47,XX,del(10)(p13), +r was found in the lymphocytes and the fibroblasts of a patient with the following : profound mental retardation; craniofacial dysmorphism with frontal bossing, fine eyebrows, a large hypoplastic nasal bridge, prognathism of the upper jaw, thick lips; a long and thin neck; congenital heart disease; skeletal malformations, with club feet; and hypotonia and lax ligaments. These malformations, compatible with the trisomy 10p syndrome, suggest that the supernumerary ring chromosome was composed of 10p material. An increase of HK1 and GOT1 activities was found. This is in favour of a partial trisomy of chromosome 10. The relative frequencies of the clones constituting the mosaic vary from tissue to tissue and with time.

Abnormalities, Multiple

[Sex linked mental deficiency, unusual facies, macroorchidism and fragile site on chromosome X (author's transl)].

The association of mental deficiency, macroorchidism, and a fragile site on chromosome X [fra (X)(q28) is reported in a 13-year-old boy who also exhibits a peculiar facies reminescent of trisomy 8. This particular facies is considered part of the clinical syndrome associated with the fra(X)(q28). The fra(X)(q28) was not found in the mother nor in two normal sibs of the propositus. The significance of the marker is discussed in view of two hypotheses, close linkage between pathological gene(s) and the fra(X)(q28) and faulty transcription of the gene(s) beyond the tra(X)(q28).

Adolescent

[Monosomy 7qter (author's transl)].

A de novo terminal del (7)(q35) was found in a 3-month-old girl referred because of a peculiar cry. This observation, with seven others from the literature permit the delineation of a syndrome characterized by severe microcephaly with a flattened occiput, a bulbous nose, a "double chin", and a broad thorax with widely spaced nipples, without internal organ malformations. Assays of Hageman factor (XII) revealed normal values. The proposita is heterozygous Jk (a + b +). The parents and the proposita are iny-1.

Abnormalities, Multiple

[Anomaly of the nuclear maturation in vitro of golden hamster oocytes].

Nuclear anomalies were observed during maturation in vitro of golden hamster oocytes, as follows: 1) In 33 p. cent of oocytes, the axis of the first meiotic division spindle was oriented incorrectly. This leads either to the formation of "large" polar bodies or to non-expulsion of the polar body if the spindle occupied a central instead of peripherical position. 2) Triploidy was observed in 0.3 p. cent of the oocytes which accomplished their maturation and fertilization in vitro. 3) Two rare anomalies--reconstitution of the nucleus after expulsion of the first polar body and formation of two second division spindles--appeared to be due to degenerescence of the oocytes in culture.

Animals

[Assignment of alpha-Fuc to1p in man and the chimpanzee and to chromosome 4 in the African green monkey].

Analysis of cellular hybrids confirms the assignment of alpha-L-fucosidase (alpha-FUC) to 1p in man. Discordant results are in favour of the following gene order: 1pter (ENO-1, alpha-FUC,AK2) PGM1 centromere Pep-C but give no information on the relative positions of ENO-1,alpha-FUC, and AK2. The assignments of alpha-FUC to chromosome 1 in the chimpanzee and to chromosome 4 in the African green monkey are demonstrated (chromosome nomenclature by Finaz et al, 1976). These results confirm the homology of chromosome 4 of the African green monkey and 1p of man and the chimpanzee.

Animals

[Intercalary deletions of 9q].

Two interstitial deletions of different segments of 9q are reported. The first deletion (9/11q22) was seen in an 8-year-old boy with severe psychomotor retardation and descrete facial dysmorphism. The second deletion (9q32q34) was seen in a 5-month-old boy with a very peculiar cranio-facial dysmorphism including brachycephaly, frontal bossing, a deep nasal bridge, a short nose, and absence of triradii b, c and d.

Abnormalities, Multiple

[Satellited Y chromosome (Yqs) and nucleolar organizer occurring de novo].

A satellited Y chromosome (Yqs) occurred de novo in a boy born to first cousins. The child had severe mental retardation, facial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, and amaurosis, and died at 6 months and of age. The chromosome rearrangement was confirmed by R-, G-, C-, Q-, and Ag-NOR banding. Its significance and the difficulty of genetic counseling are discussed.

Cell Nucleolus