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Biomedical subjects

P A Jacobs

Publications and source records attributed to P A Jacobs.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Characterization and molecular analysis of nondisjunction in 18 cases of trisomy 21 and leukemia.

We recently began a cytogenetic and molecular study of nondisjunction in leukemic Down syndrome individuals to determine whether the mechanism by which the extra chromosome 21 originates predisposes the individual to leukemia. In the present report, we summarize our observations on 18 patients with trisomy 21 and acute or transient leukemia, including 11 patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia, three with acute myeloid leukemia, one with B-cell lymphoma, one with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, and two with transient leukemia. Results of DNA marker studies of the parental origin of the extra chromosome 21 indicated that 16 of the 18 cases (89%) were maternally derived, a percentage similar to that seen among nonleukemic Down syndrome patients. We noted that most leukemic Down syndrome patients had one locus or more in which parental heterozygosity was maintained in the trisomic individual, indicating a meiotic rather than a mitotic origin for the trisomy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Metabolic and immune effects of enteral ascorbic acid after burn trauma.

A burned guinea-pig model (30 per cent BSA) was used to study the effect of vitamin C on immune and metabolic responses following burn trauma. Thirty-six guinea-pigs received identical enteral diets (175 kcal/kg) except for the amount of vitamin C. Groups I, II, III and IV were given formulae delivering no vitamin C, (1 RDA) 15 mg/kg/day, 75 mg/kg/day or 375 mg/kg/day, respectively. Resistance to infection was evaluated by injecting each animal with 0.1 ml of 1 x 10(9) Staph. aureus 502A subcutaneously on day 10. On day 14, Staph. aureus abscesses were excised and the numbers of viable colonies were determined. Results showed no statistical differences between groups in the clearance of Staph. aureus. From days 2 to 12, animals in groups I, II and III had body weights of approximately 97 per cent of preburn body weight. Animals in group IV, however, had a body weight gain, 102 per cent of preburn body weight on day 12. Animals in group IV also had significantly lower metabolic rates on day 12 as compared to the animals in the other groups. These results suggest that large amounts of vitamin C have beneficial effects on the maintenance of body weight and metabolic rate following burn trauma.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

A non-isotopic in situ hybridisation study of the chromosomal origin of 15 supernumerary marker chromosomes in man.

Fifteen patients presenting with mosaic or non-mosaic karyotypes containing a distamycin-DAPI negative de novo or familial supernumerary marker chromosome were studied with non-isotopic in situ hybridisation using a library of alphoid centromere specific and satellite II/III probes. The in situ hybridisation studies showed that seven markers were derived from satellited autosomes (three chromosome 13/21, two chromosome 14, two chromosome 22), six from non-satellited autosomes (two chromosome 4, one chromosome 12, one chromosome 16, two chromosome 19), and one from the Y chromosome. One non-mosaic marker was negative for all the alphoid and satellite II/III probes used.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1992

Frequent small amplifications in the FMR-1 gene in fra(X) families: limits to the diagnosis of 'premutations'.

In five of 40 fra(X) families reinvestigated using the new intragenic probe StB12.3, small amplifications of the DNA fragment appeared unexpectedly in addition to the mutations found in the probands. This suggests that enlargements of the FMR-1 gene detectable by Southern blotting using this probe must be present at an appreciable frequency in the general population. A proportion of these may be classifiable as 'premutations', or precursors of the much amplified, hypermethylated, and somatically unstable fragment associated with the fragile X syndrome, while others will merely represent stable polymorphisms in fragment length. Hence, accurate diagnosis of some fra(X) carriers will depend upon a more precise measurement of insert size than is currently provided by the newly available molecular probes.

DNA↗
PubMed1992

Estimates of the frequency of chromosome abnormalities detectable in unselected newborns using moderate levels of banding.

Data on structural chromosome abnormalities identified during prenatal diagnosis were used to estimate the number of such abnormalities that would be detectable in an unselected series of newborns using moderate levels of banding (400 to 500 bands). These estimates were compared with the rates detected in nonbanded surveys of newborns. Between 1976 and 1990 prenatal diagnosis using banding techniques was carried out in our laboratory on 14,677 women aged 35 and over. Among these, we detected 112 structural rearrangements, 32 unbalanced and 80 balanced. These figures were adjusted by two methods to give an estimate of the frequency of structural abnormalities in the newborn. Our data suggest that the use of moderate levels of banding increases the frequency of unbalanced structural abnormalities from 0.052 to 0.061% and of balanced structural abnormalities from 0.212 to 0.522%. Thus, the total number of chromosome abnormalities detectable in the newborn is increased from 0.60% in unbanded preparations to 0.92% in banded preparations.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The chromosome complement of human gametes.

The comparisons of observed and predicted rates of chromosomally abnormal gametes for two major classes of abnormality and for three specific trisomies are summarized in Table 2.10. As can be seen there is not very good agreement between the two sets of data. For sperm the observed abnormality rates are, with the exception of polyploidy, all in excess of those predicted. For structural abnormalities the excess is absurd and suggests that most structural abnormalities seen in sperm chromosomes may be preparation artefacts. On the other hand, it could be argued that the excess of hyperhaploidy among sperm is real and represents those trisomic conceptuses lost in the early stages of pregnancy. However, both chromosome 21 and the sex chromosomes are represented more often than any other chromosomes. Recent observations among all clinically recognized pregnancies do not suggest an excess of trisomy 21 conceptions arising from non-disjunction in spermatogenesis. As can be seen from Table 2.10, the observed frequencies of trisomy 21 is 10 times greater than that predicted, a difference that seems too great to be accounted for by early pregnancy wastage. While the X chromosome does appear to undergo non-disjunction much more frequently than the autosomes during spermatogenesis, the increase is restricted to non-disjunction of the XY bivalent at the first male meiotic division. In this class the observed and predicted frequencies are rather similar and it is even possible that the observed excess in sperm is accounted for by early post-zygotic loss. However, with the exception of the 24, XY class, the distribution of individual chromosomes among the hyperhaploid sperm bears little relation to that predicted. The most likely explanation for this is that banding of sperm chromosomes is of such poor quality that there are many errors in the identification of individual chromosomes. Most authors use some form of Q banding and this technique should give unequivocal identification of the highly-fluorescent Y chromosome even when other chromosomes are not clearly distinguishable. An increased accuracy of Y-chromosome identification may account for the relative concordance between observed and predicted rates of 24, XY sperm. By the same argument, 24, YY sperm might be expected to be accurately enumerated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1991

Physical mapping across the fragile X: hypermethylation and clinical expression of the fragile X syndrome.

The most common genetic cause of mental retardation after Down's syndrome, the fragile X syndrome, is associated with the occurrence of a fragile site at Xq27.3. This X-linked disease is intriguing because transmission can occur through phenotypically normal males. Theories to explain this unusual phenomenon include genomic rearrangements and methylation changes associated with a local block of reactivation of the X chromosome. Using microdissected markers close to the fragile site, we have been able to test these hypotheses. We present evidence for the association of methylation with the expression of the disease. However, there is no simple relationship between the degree of methylation and either the level of expression of the fragile site or the severity of the clinical phenotype.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1991

Trisomy 21: association between reduced recombination and nondisjunction.

To assess the association between recombination and nondisjunction of chromosome 21, we analyzed cytogenetic and DNA markers in 104 trisomy 21 individuals and their parents. Our DNA marker studies of parental origin were informative in 100 cases, with the overwhelming majority (94) being maternal in origin. This value is significantly higher than the 75%-80% maternal nondisjunction rate typically observed in cytogenetic studies of trisomy 21 and illustrates the increased accuracy of the molecular approach. Using the maternally derived cases and probing at 19 polymorphic sites on chromosome 21, we created a genetic map that spans most of the long arm of chromosome 21. The map was significantly shorter than the normal female linkage map, indicating that absence of pairing and/or recombination contributes to nondisjunction in a substantial proportion of cases of trisomy 21.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

XY chromosome nondisjunction in man is associated with diminished recombination in the pseudoautosomal region.

To assess the possible association between aberrant recombination and XY chromosome nondisjunction, we compared pseudoautosomal region recombination rates in male meiosis resulting in 47,XXY offspring with those resulting in 46,XY and 46,XX offspring. Forty-one paternally derived 47,XXYs and their parents were tested at six polymorphic loci spanning the pseudoautosomal region. We were able to detect crossing-over in only six of 39 cases informative for the telomeric DXYS14/DXYS20 locus. Subsequently, we used the data to generate a genetic linkage map of the pseudoautosomal region and found it to be significantly shorter than the normal male map of the region. From these analyses we conclude that most paternally derived 47,XXYs result from meiosis in which the X and Y chromosomes did not recombine.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed1990

Nondisjunction of chromosome 21.

Chromosome heteromorphisms and restriction fragment length polymorphisms were used to study the origin of the extra chromosome in 54 trisomy 21 conceptuses. The parental origin was determined in 43 cases, with 39 (91%) being maternally and 4 (9%) parentally derived. Analysis of recombination demonstrated the presence of one or two cross-overs in most cases for which sufficient information was available, suggesting that failure to pair/exchange at meiosis I is relatively unimportant in the genesis of trisomy 21.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The role of chromosome abnormalities in reproductive failure.

The frequency of chromosome abnormalities in spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, livebirths and among all clinically recognized pregnancies is given. Data on the parental origin of sex chromosome abnormalities and certain autosomal trisomies determined using molecular probes are presented and the proportion of sperm and eggs that are nullisomic or disomic for a sex chromosome to an autosome 16, 18 or 21 is calculated.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1990

A centromere map of the X chromosome from trisomies of maternal origin.

A centromere map is derived from XXX and XXY trisomies of maternal origin. Preliminary data suggest reduced recombination in the tetrads giving rise to mei I nondisjunction, but an excess of recombination in the pericentric region. As in Drosophila, multichiasmate tetrads may be more at risk of nondisjunction than nullochiasmate tetrads.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

A cytogenetic and molecular reappraisal of a series of patients with Turner's syndrome.

The results of a cytogenetic and molecular reinvestigation of a series of 52 patients with Turner's syndrome are reported. No evidence of Y chromosome material was found among the patients with a 45,X constitution but two patients were found to have a cell line with a r(Y) chromosome which was previously thought to be a r(X). The parental origin of the single X in the 45,X patients was maternal in 69% and paternal in 31%, a similar ratio to that seen among spontaneously aborted 45,X conceptuses. This suggests that X-chromosome imprinting is not responsible for the two grossly different phenotypes associated with a 45,X chromosome constitution. Approximately half of the structurally abnormal X chromosomes were maternal in origin and half paternal. This observation is consistent with either a meiotic or post-zygotic mitotic origin and at variance with the predominantly paternal origin reported for autosome structural abnormalities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Fragile Xq27.3 in female heterozygotes for the Martin-Bell syndrome.

X inactivation studies have been carried out on lymphocytes from eight unrelated females heterozygous for the Martin-Bell syndrome. Four of these carriers were of normal IQ and four were mentally handicapped. When BrdU was used to differentiate between the active and inactive X chromosome an average of 55% of fra(X) were active in the retarded subjects, but only 27% were active in those of normal IQ. When 3H thymidine was used to differentiate between the active and inactive X chromosome, an average of 58% of mitoses from handicapped subjects and 33% of mitoses from normal subjects showed an active fra(X) in informative cells. These results are compared with previously published studies and it is concluded that the number of inactive fra(X) chromosomes calculated as a proportion of all cells scored is the same in mentally normal and mentally retarded subjects. However, the number of active fra(X) chromosomes is consistently higher in the retarded than in the normal females.

Bromodeoxyuridine↗
PubMed1990

The parental origin of the missing or additional chromosome in 45,X and 47,XXX females.

We used X-linked DNA polymorphisms to study the parental origin of the missing or additional X chromosome in conceptuses with 45,X or 47,XXX chromosome constitutions. Fifty-three (80.3%) of 66 cases of sex chromosome monosomy had a maternal X, demonstrating that paternal sex chromosome loss is the most common error leading to this condition. In contrast, 29 (93.5%) of 31 47,XXX cases resulted from maternal nondisjunction. In studies of parental age, we detected no obvious parental age effect for sex chromosome monosomy. For the 47,XXXs, there was an apparent association between increasing maternal age and errors at maternal meiosis I, but not maternal meiosis II. In other analyses, we detected no obvious effect of parental origin on the phenotype of either 45,X or 47,XXX conceptuses, at least as measured by comparing the ratio of paternal:maternal errors among different ascertainment categories.

Aneuploidy↗
PubMed1990

The parental origin of 47,XXY males.

We report the results of our investigation using DNA markers, of the parental origin of 61 XXY males ascertained during cytogenetic studies of consecutive liveborn babies and compare our results with those obtained from a study of 50 XXY males ascertained through clinical referral or amniocentesis. In the former group 44% of newborn XXY males obtained the additional X chromosome from their father and 56% from their mother, while in the latter "referral" group the additional X chromosome was paternally derived in 54% and maternally derived in 46% of the cases. The precise maternal cell division at which nondisjunction occurred was determined in 39 cases of maternal origin. Twenty eight (72%) resulted from an error in the first meiotic division and 11 (28%) from an error in the second meiotic division. There was no evidence of an origin due to a postzygotic mitotic error. There was no significant difference in the parental age at birth between those patients who received the additional X from their father and those who received it from their mother. However, those patients who received the additional X chromosome as a result of a maternal meiotic I error had a higher maternal age than any other category, but the difference reached a level of formal significance only for the clinically referred patients.

Age Factors↗