Biomedical subjects

María Roqué

Publications and source records attributed to María Roqué.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Development of a Premature Stop Codon-detection method based on a bacterial two-hybrid system.

BACKGROUND: The detection of Premature Stop Codons (PSCs) in human genes is very useful for the genetic diagnosis of different hereditary cancers, e.g. Familial Breast Cancer and Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC). The products of these PSCs are truncated proteins, detectable in vitro by the Protein Truncation Test and in vivo by using the living translation machinery of yeast or bacteria. These living strategies are based on the construction of recombinant plasmids where the human sequence of interest is inserted upstream of a reporter gene. Although simple, these assays have their limitations. The yeast system requires extensive work to enhance its specificity, and the bacterial systems yield many false results due to translation re-initiation events occurring post PSCs. Our aim was to design a recombinant plasmid useful for detecting PSCs in human genes and resistant to bacterial translation re-initiation interferences. RESULTS: A functional recombinant plasmid (pREAL) was designed based on a bacterial two-hybrid system. In our design, the in vivo translation of fused fragments of the Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase triggers the production of cAMP giving rise to a selectable bacterial phenotype. When a gene of interest is inserted between the two fragments, any PSC inhibits the enzymatic activity of the product, and translation re-initiation events post-PSC yield separated inactive fragments. We demonstrated that the system can accurately detect PSCs in human genes by inserting mutated fragments of the brca1 and msh2 gene. Western Blot assays revealed translation re-initiation events in all the tested colonies, implying that a simpler plasmid would not be resistant to this source of false negative results. The application of the system to a HNPCC family with a nonsense mutation in the msh2 gene correctly diagnosed wild type homozygous and heterozygous patients. CONCLUSION: The developed pREAL is applicable to the detection of PSCs in human genes related to different diseases and is resistant to translation re-initiation events. The diagnosis steps are easy, have a low cost, detect only pathologic mutations, and allow the analysis of separated alleles.

Codon, Nonsense↗

PubMed2005

[Detection of a non-standard mutation in the ret protoncogene by site directed mutagenesis].

MEN2A is an autosomic dominant disease, characterized by medullary thyroid cancer, pheochromocytoma and parathyroid hyperplasia. Mutations in the ret proto-oncogene are associated with this disease, with almost 100% of penetrance. The gene, situated on chromosome 10q11.2, codes for a transmembrane protein with a tyrosinkinase-like receptor function. Mutations that affect its extracellular domain, stimulate spontaneous homodimerization and elevate the basal tyrosinkinase activity. The codon 634 of the gene is considered a hot-spot site, since it is mutated in 85% of the MEN2A families. Our group developed in 2002 an indirect and costless strategy to detect alterations in this site. We present a family suspected of having MEN2A. We applied our PCR based indirect strategy on the DNA of the index patient and found that there was no mutation in that site. Posterior sequencing of exon 10 and 11 confirmed that the mutation affecting this family was in codon 611. Thus, we developed a new costless family-specific strategy based on mutagenic PCR and enzymatic cuts to diagnose all the family members. A seven-year old boy with this mutation was preventively thyroidectomized. In this way, combining the indirect methodology for codon 634 previously developed by our group, and a posterior family-specific mutation detection strategy, we were able to diagnose and intervene presymptomatically the family members, avoiding sending all the samples to foreign centers.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗

PubMed2002

A PCR-mutagenesis strategy for rapid detection of mutations in codon 634 of the ret proto-oncogene related to MEN 2A.

BACKGROUND: Multiple endocrine neoplasias type 2A (MEN 2A) is a dominantly inherited cancer syndrome. Missence mutations in the codon encoding cysteine 634 of the ret proto-oncogene have been found in 85% of the MEN 2A families. The main tumour type always present in MEN 2A is medullar thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Only 25% of all MTC are hereditary, and generally they are identified by a careful family history. However, some familial MTCs are not easily detected by this means and underdiagnosis of MEN 2A is suspected. METHODS: DNA samples from MEN 2A patients were amplified by PCR. The products were incubated with the restriction enzyme Bst ApI or Bgl I. The samples were loaded in non-denaturing 10% Polyacrilamyde Gel and run at 120 volts for 40 min. The gels were stained with 10 microg/ml ethidium bromide, and the bands were visualized under a UV lamp. RESULTS: We developed a PCR-mutagenic method to check the integrity of the three bases of the cysteine 634 codon. CONCLUSION: The method can be used to detect inherited mutations in MTC patients without a clear family history. The method is relatively simple to use as a routine test in these patients to decrease the underdiagnosis of MEN 2A. In addition, the assay can be used to screen affected families with any mutation in cysteine 634.

Journal Article↗