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Phenotypic and transcriptomic characterization of biallelic RNU2-2 developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVE: A significant proportion of individuals with suspected genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) remain unsolved following whole genome sequencing (WGS). Here we describe biallelic RNU2-2 variants causing a recently reported, severe, recessive DEE. METHODS: We screened individuals who have received WGS analyses at the Genomic Medicine Centre Karolinska for Rare Diseases for biallelic RNU2-2 variants. Deep phenotyping was performed through reviewing entire medical histories and phenotypic traits were transcribed to their corresponding Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) term. HPO terms were used to generate pairwise phenotypic similarity scores and assess for significantly shared phenotype enrichment in the RNU2-2 sub-cohort. RNA sequencing analyses were performed in fibroblast and blood tissues to compare splicing events between RNU2-2 individuals and two independent control groups. RESULTS: We identified 14 individuals from nine families with 12 ultra-rare biallelic RNU2-2 variants clustering in the conserved 5' domains. Genotype data from 13 of 14 individuals has been reported previously as part of a larger cohort. All individuals presented with a highly concordant, severe DEE, characterized by severe to profound intellectual disability, inability to walk or communicate, hyperkinesia, and refractory seizures. Infantile spasms and tonic seizures were the predominant seizure types and a Lennox-Gastaut syndrome-like phenotype was common. These individuals had a significantly similar phenotypic signature when compared with 703 individuals with complex pediatric epilepsies (two-sided Monte Carlo permutation test, p = .005). RNA sequencing analyses showed aberrant splicing, with the most pronounced effects in fibroblast tissues in mutually exclusive exon and alternate 3' splice-site events, which were not detectable in blood. SIGNIFICANCE: We present deep phenotyping data and transcriptomic analyses that provide support for rare, 5' clustering biallelic RNU2-2 variants causing this novel, severe DEE. We propose an RNA sequencing methodology on fibroblast tissue for future validation of RNU2-2 variants.

autosomal recessive disease

The psychosocial supports and interventions accessed by family members of patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies: A systematic review.

AIM: Family members of patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) face profound emotional, social and practical challenges, yet little is known about how they access psychosocial support. We synthesised the literature on the psychosocial support accessed by family members of patients with DEEs, including evidence-based interventions. METHOD: Four databases were searched. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data, appraised study quality (QualSyst Tool), and determined certainty of evidence (GRADE-CERQual Framework). Data were synthesised using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: 28 papers comprising 27 unique studies were included and methodological quality was high overall (median = 0.91, IQR = 0.85-1.00). Most studies focused on parent experiences; only two included siblings' perspectives. Families reported high psychological needs which were rarely met by psychological support. Clinicians rarely provided adequate information, quality communication or addressed mental health. Families valued respite care, but experienced barriers to access. Peer support was the most common and valued resource. Three studies tested interventions and appeared feasible and acceptable for parents. However, evidence for intervention effectiveness is preliminary and limited to small, uncontrolled pilot studies. INTERPRETATION: Gaps exist in psychosocial support provision for families of patients with DEEs, including insufficient research on siblings' and grandparents' needs, and lack of evidence-based interventions. We propose evidence-informed research and implementation strategies to address these gaps.

Humans

Biallelic FOXRED1 mutations cause infantile mitochondrial encephalopathy with complex I disassembly and basal ganglia degeneration.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) is a severe neurological disorder. Biallelic mutations in the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial chaperone gene FOXRED1, a specific assembly factor for complex I, cause mitochondrial dysfunction; however, their role in DEE pathogenesis remains unexplored. Clinical data and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from two patients with compound heterozygous FOXRED1 mutations (c.850T>C (p.C284R)/c.1054C>T (p.R352W) and c.1054C>T (p.R352W)/c.3dup (p.I2Dfs*35) and age-matched controls. Mitochondrial phenotyping, included complex I activity, mitochondrial respiration stress test, membrane potential, intracellular ROS, and NAD+/NADH ratio, were performed. Both patients exhibited early-onset refractory seizures, basal ganglia lesions, hyperlacticemia, and developmental regression. FOXRED1 mutations resulted in 50% reduction in complex I activity, dissasembly of complex I, mitochondrial depolarization, oxidative stress, and NAD+/NADH imbalance. Niacin restored the NAD+/NADH ratio in vitro, while clinical supplementation reduced blood lactate levels, suggesting it may be a potential therapeutic option.

Humans

Individualized antisense oligonucleotides for SCN2A-related developmental epileptic encephalopathy.

SCN2A variants are among the most common genetic causes of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), which can present with uncontrolled seizures at birth and account for 1-2% of all epileptic encephalopathies. A substantial fraction of causal variants are gain-of-function or mixed-function variants associated with increased channel open probability or greater sodium current flux. Here two parallel n = 1 clinical studies were conducted in two patients (9-year-old and 14-year-old boys) with SCN2A-related DEE. Individualized allele-selective antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) were designed to target heterozygous intronic single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for decreased expression of mutant SCN2A transcript while preserving the wild-type copy. Primary endpoints included quantitative change from baseline in seizure frequency and neurodevelopment, including motor scores. Efficacy measures were also individualized to each patient's phenotype, including refractory seizures, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, choreoathetosis and gastrointestinal dysfunction. Patients experienced a reduction in seizure frequency (26% and 90% in the two patients, respectively), decreased use of concomitant medications and improvement in neurodevelopmental skills. Both ASOs were well tolerated, with no ASO-related serious adverse events. Continued long-term follow-up of these preliminary positive safety and efficacy findings is needed to confirm the disease-modifying potential of these ASOs. Haplotype phasing in a separate cohort of infants with SCN2A-related disorder (SCN2A-RD), diagnosed by rapid whole-genome sequencing, identified 16% of patients with compatible SNPs. These data provide a pathway from n = 1 to n of more patients with SCN2A-RD and other monogenic disorders. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT06314490 .

Adolescent

Dynamic exercise echocardiography.

To evaluate left ventricular (LV) reserve, we developed a method of dynamic exercise echocardiography (DEE). Forty-six healthy persons and 47 cardiac patients performed bicycle ergometer exercise in the supine position. A special table was used on which the subjects could be firmly attached at shoulder level to prevent bodily movements which might disturb the recordings. In 83% of the subjects in whom a clear echocardiogram was obtained at rest, a clear echocardiogram was also obtained during dynamic exercise. During exercise, cardiac output estimated from the echocardiogram and that from the dye-dilution method showed an excellent correlation. The changes of the mean velocity of LV circumferential shortening during exercise permitted discrimination between older and younger healthy men, and also between healthy subjects and those with either mild or severe LV dysfunction. We conclude that DEE is useful for evaluating LV reserve.

Adult

Polymeric pyelotomy (experimental studies).

A non-toxic, soluble polymeric preparation MAG with controlled period of gelation was synthetized for the extraction of stones from the pyelocalyceal system during surgery for urolithiasis. With respect to toughness the preparation proved superior to the fibrinogen-thrombin mixture, used in the so-called "fibrin pyelotomy" according to Dees. Its biologic testing in animals (rabbits, dogs and pigs) yielded excellent results.

Animals

Epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures: A scoping review of clinical features, diagnostic testing including genetics, long-term outcomes, mortality, and current and emerging therapeutic strategies.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS) is among the most severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), marked by intractable multifocal seizures migrating across both hemispheres, profound developmental arrest, and high early mortality. Advances in next-generation sequencing have revealed a heterogeneous genetic architecture dominated by KCNT1 gain-of-function variants across more than 30 implicated genes, creating opportunities for precision therapeutics. OBJECTIVE: To systematically map published evidence on the clinical, electrophysiological, neuroimaging, genetic, and therapeutic landscape of EIMFS, and to delineate critical knowledge gaps and future research priorities. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, searching PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library/CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov. RESULTS: Of 643 articles screened, 89 met inclusion criteria. Beyond confirmation of the canonical electroclinical phenotype, several gaps emerged: neonatal versus post-neonatal onset stratification by genetic etiology remains largely uncharacterized; genotype-specific EEG biomarkers are lacking except for a single small KCNT1 study; and the clinical significance of atypical EEG features-including burst suppression and hypsarrhythmia-is undefined. Neuroimaging literature documents progressive cerebral atrophy and myelination abnormalities without quantitative volumetry, diffusion tractography markers, or attribution to seizure burden, medication effects, or underlying etiology. Genetic diagnostic yield was 70-80%, with KCNT1 accounting for 30-50% of solved cases; however, genotype-outcome stratification is limited. Seizures were broadly refractory; potassium bromide, ketogenic diet, cannabidiol, and quinidine (in KCNT1-confirmed cases) showed partial efficacy. Emerging precision approaches include sodium channel blockers for SCN2A gain-of-function variants, novel small molecules, fluoxetine, antisense oligonucleotides, and divalent siRNA targeting KCNT1. Systemic-to-pulmonary collateral circulation causing severe cardiopulmonary complications was reported across multiple cases, yet no consensus screening protocol exists. CONCLUSIONS: EIMFS remains one of the most refractory epilepsy syndromes of infancy. Precision genetic diagnosis is essential to guide targeted therapy. International collaborative registries, standardized outcome measures, genotype-stratified biomarker studies, and rapid point-of-care genomic testing are urgently needed to advance evidence-based care for this highly vulnerable population.

Humans

Add-on treatment with vinpocetine reduces seizure frequency and improves comorbidities in patients with loss-of-function γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor variants.

OBJECTIVE: The semisynthetic compound vinpocetine has gained attention as a potential precision medicine for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies caused by loss-of-function (LoF) variants in γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor genes. As a positive allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors, case reports suggest that vinpocetine can reduce epileptiform activity and seizure frequency, while improving cognitive function in patients with GABAA receptor-related epilepsies. Here, we extend these observations with a retrospective observational study evaluating the response to vinpocetine in an additional seven patients. METHODS: Patients initiated treatment with vinpocetine between 2018 and 2025 at the Danish Epilepsy Centre or abroad. Clinical data were collected from medical records, seizure diaries, and neuropsychological assessments. The modulatory efficacy of vinpocetine was investigated using electrophysiological studies. RESULTS: Nine patients harboring eight GABAA receptor LoF variants were given add-on vinpocetine treatment. Electrophysiological analyses confirmed dose-dependent positive modulation by vinpocetine across tested variants. Six patients with a median age of 15.5 years (range = 6-29) continued treatment for a median of 24 months (range = 12-90), whereas three discontinued due to adverse effects (AEs) or lack of efficacy. The patients' level of function ranged from normal to moderate intellectual disability, psychiatric comorbidities, and behavioral disturbances. Four patients initiated vinpocetine due to uncontrolled seizures. One became seizure-free, and two experienced a 50%-55% reduction. Electroencephalograms demonstrated improved spike-wave indexes in four patients. Six showed improvement in nonseizure factors, and caregivers reported reduced aggressivity and better vocabulary in one. Vinpocetine was well tolerated, with only mild and reversible AEs reported. SIGNIFICANCE: Adjunctive vinpocetine shows promise as a targeted therapy for patients with GABAA receptor LoF variants, decreasing seizure frequency and positively impacting nonseizure factors, with only mild AEs reported. Vinpocetine may be a safe and effective therapy for patients with GABAA receptor-related epilepsies, which should be investigated further in future N-of-1 trials.

Humans

Role of cell-associated pathogen metabolism in infection of tracheal explants by Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

The effect of environmental conditions on the relative pathogenicity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae for hamster tracheal explants was investigated. Organisms from the early stages of the growth cycle (e.g., day 1 to 2) were more effective in the induction of ciliostasis than were older cultures. Both the degree of ciliostasis and the speed of onset were affected. The type of explant culture medium also affected pathogenic potential. M. pneumoniae infection produced significantly greater ciliostasis and cytonecrosis in a "permissive" medium, i.e., one capable of supporting mycoplasma metabolism and replication, than in a "nonpermissive" medium. However, no adenine protection effect could be detected under permissive conditions, though it was quite striking when a nonpermissive medium was used as the post-infection explant medium. This suggests that the cell damage noted under permissive conditions may result from processes distinct from those operative in the actual host-parasite cellular interaction.

Adenine

An aggressive approach to prostatic cancer.

During the last 47 years an aggressive approach to the treatment of prostatic malignancies has been maintained at the Duke University Medical Center. Radical prostatectomy, usually by the perineal route and, more recently, by the retropubic technique in conjunction with pelvic lymphadenectomy, has been vigorously applied in patients with diffuse stages A, B and even C diseases. A 5-year survival rate of 80 per cent has been documented. Hormonal therapy has been equally vigorous, most often embracing orchietomy at the time of diagnosis with immediate initiation of estrogen therapy. Patients so treated exhibited a 5-year survival rate of 49 per cent, far greater than the average survival rates usually quoted. Radiation therapy had been used primarily in conjunction with other treatment measures, and multiple drug chemotherapy is now being used in patients who demonstrate disseminated and progressive disease, refractory to other measures previously instituted. By maintaining flexible combinations of all modalities of therapy our overall 5-year survival rate of 50 per cent has been achieved with all patients exhibiting all stages and classifications of prostatic carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma

Comparative cellular analysis of motor cortex in human, marmoset and mouse.

The primary motor cortex (M1) is essential for voluntary fine-motor control and is functionally conserved across mammals1. Here, using high-throughput transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling of more than 450,000 single nuclei in humans, marmoset monkeys and mice, we demonstrate a broadly conserved cellular makeup of this region, with similarities that mirror evolutionary distance and are consistent between the transcriptome and epigenome. The core conserved molecular identities of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types allow us to generate a cross-species consensus classification of cell types, and to infer conserved properties of cell types across species. Despite the overall conservation, however, many species-dependent specializations are apparent, including differences in cell-type proportions, gene expression, DNA methylation and chromatin state. Few cell-type marker genes are conserved across species, revealing a short list of candidate genes and regulatory mechanisms that are responsible for conserved features of homologous cell types, such as the GABAergic chandelier cells. This consensus transcriptomic classification allows us to use patch-seq (a combination of whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, RNA sequencing and morphological characterization) to identify corticospinal Betz cells from layer 5 in non-human primates and humans, and to characterize their highly specialized physiology and anatomy. These findings highlight the robust molecular underpinnings of cell-type diversity in M1 across mammals, and point to the genes and regulatory pathways responsible for the functional identity of cell types and their species-specific adaptations.

Animals

Abnormal blood vessels of the prepyloric antrum in cirrhosis of the liver as a cause of chronic gastrointestinal bleeding.

Three elderly females presenting with iron deficiency anaemia and faecal loss of blood were found to have a macronodular cirrhosis of the liver and an unusual red spotty appearence of the prepyloric antral mucosa. One patient underwent antral resection and the surgical specimen revealed abnormalities of the (sub)mucosal blood vessels. Anaemia and occult faecal blood loss disappeared after operation. It is suggested that this type of antral vascular abnormality is aetiologically related to hepatic cirrhosis and may represent a gastric equivalent of cutaneous spider angiomata.

Aged

Carcinoma of the esophagus: results of treatment.

The treatment results of the Rotterdam working group on esophageal cancer during the period January 1970-January 1978 were assessed. A total number of 328 patients were treated: 230 males and 98 females. Of the 133 patients eligible for a combined treatment modality i.e. preoperative radiotherapy and surgery, 52 showed irresectable or metastatic disease during operation. The five year actuarial survival rate of the 81 patients, in whom curative surgical resection of the tumor was performed, amounted to 21%. Females fared better than males, the five year survivals being 42% and 12% respectively. This female preponderance in survival is partly explained by the considerable postoperative mortality of the male patients: 28% vs 7.4% in females. Patients who received only radiation therapy, whether curative or palliative, had a very bad prognosis. It is concluded that preoperative irradiation followed by surgical removal of the tumor should be performed in all operable-curable patients.

Adenocarcinoma

Defined and semi-defined media for the growth of amoebae of Physarum polycephalum.

Amoebae of the true slime mould Physarum polycephalum were cultured in two fully-defined liquid media containing amino acids, glucose, three vitamins and a buffered salts solution. Absolute requirements were demonstrated for methionine, haematin, thiamine and biotin, all of which were known to be specific requirements of the plasmodial stage. Methods are described for large-scale culture in three semi-defined media.

Amino Acids

Dual roles of genes required for intrinsic resistance to clarithromycin in evasion of killing by serum complement in Haemophilus influenzae.

Macrolide antibiotics are commonly prescribed to treat Haemophilus influenzae respiratory tract infections. Studies have primarily focused on emerging H. influenzae strains with acquired macrolide resistance, while the bacterium's intrinsic resistance to antibiotics has been underexamined. Here, we used a genome-wide approach of transposon insertion-site sequencing to screen an H. influenzae mutant library grown in sub-inhibitory doses of the macrolide antibiotic clarithromycin (CLR) to identify 33 genes involved in intrinsic CLR resistance. Almost half of these genes are also needed for survival in the mouse lung. We focused on candidate genes necessary for both intrinsic macrolide resistance and lung survival. Two of these genes affect the outer-membrane composition of H. influenzae, orfH and omp26. Deletions of these genes in Rd and nontypeable H. influenzae clinical isolates, Hi375 and NT127, conferred sensitivity to CLR and polymyxin B and increased membrane permeability to ethidium bromide (EtBr). The omp26 mutant was sensitive to killing by human serum. Deletions of orfH or omp26 in an acrR mutant strain overexpressing a multidrug efflux pump abrogated resistance of the acrR mutant to CLR and restored permeability to EtBr. Thus, deletion of these genes not only mitigates the effects of an acquired resistance mechanism but also remarkably overrides it. Complementation of these deletion mutations restored CLR resistance and decreased permeability to EtBr. Our results indicate that the subset of genes with dual roles in intrinsic resistance and host lung survival may provide potential novel combination antimicrobial therapeutic targets.

Animals