A focus on dominant negative variants in a series of 170 heterozygous FXI-deficient patients.

INTRODUCTION: Dominant-negative effects have been described for 10 F11 variants in the literature. AIM: The current study aimed at identifying putative dominant-negative F11 variants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This research consisted in a retrospective analysis of routine laboratory data. RESULTS: In a series of 170 patients with moderate/mild factor XI (FXI) deficiencies, we identified heterozygous carriers of previously reported dominant-negative variants (p.Ser243Phe, p.Cys416Tyr, and p.Gly418Val) with FXI activities inconsistent with a dominant-negative effect. Our findings also do not support a dominant-negative effect of p.Gly418Ala. We also identified a set of patients carrying heterozygous variants, among which five out of 11 are novel, with FXI activities suggesting a dominant-negative effect (p.His53Tyr, p.Cys110Gly, p.Cys140Tyr, p.Glu245Lys, p.Trp246Cys, p.Glu315Lys, p.Ile421Thr, p.Trp425Cys, p.Glu565Lys, p.Thr593Met, and p.Trp617Ter). However, for all but two of these variants, individuals with close to half normal FXI coagulant activity (FXI:C) were identified, indicating an inconstant dominant effect. CONCLUSION: Our data show that for some F11 variants recognized has having dominant-negative effects, such effects actually do not occur in many individuals. The present data suggest that for these patients, the intracellular quality control mechanisms eliminate the variant monomeric polypeptide before homodimer assembly, thereby allowing only the wild-type homodimer to assemble and resulting in half normal activities. In contrast, in patients with markedly decreased activities, some mutant polypeptides might escape this first quality control. In turn, assembly of heterodimeric molecules as well as mutant homodimers would result in activities closer to 1:4 of FXI:C normal range.

The natural occurrence of human fibrinogen variants disrupting inter-chain disulfide bonds (A{alpha}Cys36Gly, A{alpha}Cys36Arg and A{alpha}Cys45Tyr) confirms the role of N-terminal A{alpha} disulfide bonds in protein assembly and secretion.

Analyses of site-directed fibrinogen mutants expressed in several recombinant models have previously shown that both inter- and intra-chain disulfide bonds are critical for fibrinogen assembly and secretion. Four naturally occurring mutations on AαCys36 and AαCys45 residues are reported here to be associated with decreased fibrinogen levels. This confirms the main role of the AαCys36-BßCys65 and AαCys45-γCys23 disulfide bonds in reaching a normal fibrinogen plasma level. Decreased coagulant/antigen ratios indicate abnormal species secretion in heterozygous subjects which varies between individuals. However, in contrast to overexpression in experimental models, disruption of the AαCys36-BßCys65 disulfide bond did not result in the appearance of Aα-Bß-γ moieties in vivo. A 188 kDa molecule reacting only with anti Aα and anti Bß chains was found in the plasma of the AαCys45Tyr variant. Heterozygous carriers of Aα chain mutations usually have normal fibrinogen levels, in contrast to the AαCys36Gly, AαCys36Arg and AαCys45Tyr variants that are shown here to cause hypofibrinogenemia.

Prospective analysis of factor XI deficiencies in the Marseilles area identified four novel mutations among 12 consecutive unrelated families.

Hereditary factor XI (FXI) deficiency is an autosomal bleeding disorder of variable severity but without a clear relationship between bleeding and FXI levels or mutation location or both. In the present study, the molecular basis of FXI deficiency in 16 patients from 12 families originating from the Marseilles area in the south of France was studied. FXI defect was evidenced by routine laboratory tests showing prolonged activated partial thromboplastin times and decreased factor XI activities. The promotor region, exons 1-15, and the exon-intron boundaries of the FXI gene were sequenced. Four novel mutations were found; three were missense mutations (Cys212Ser, Gly350Arg and Thr381Leu resulting from heterozygote mutation in exon 7, 10 and 11, respectively), and one was a one base deletion in exon 4 that induces a frameshift creating a stop codon four residues later (Thr57Ile fsX4). Eight previously reported mutations were also found. Contrarily to the Jewish, Basques or Briton populations, no recurrent mutation was identified. This cohort also illustrates that bleeding events occur not exclusively and not systematically in severe FXI deficiency but also in patients characterized by a mild FXI deficiency.

Four novel FXI gene mutations in three factor XI- deficient patients.

Hereditary factor XI deficiency is a mild bleeding disorder, which is highly prevalent among Ashkenazi Jews, but has been reported in all populations. In Ashkenazi Jews, two factor XI gene mutations Glu 117X (type II) and Phe283Leu (type III) are particularly common. In other ethnic groups, factor XI deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder and is related to a variety of mutations throughout the factor XI gene. Three cases of quantitative factor XI deficiency in relation with four novel missense mutations are reported: a compound heterozygosity for two novel mutations (Ala 181 Val and Ala 412 Thr) with a severe factor XI deficiency and two missense mutations (His 388 Pro and Trp 407 Cys) in heterozygous patients with partial factor XI deficiency.

Identification of five novel mutations in the factor XI gene (F11) of patients with factor XI deficiency.

Factor XI (FXI) deficiency is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder associated with bleeding of variable severity. However, many cases of dominant disease transmission have been recently described. This disorder is rare in the general population, whereas it is commonly found in individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry. This study reports the molecular genetic analysis of FXI deficiencies in 11 unrelated families of different origin. Five novel mutations have been identified. Severe FXI deficiency of two unrelated patients resulted from two novel mutations: one deletion (960-961delGT) in exon 9 predicting a frameshift, and a Ser-4Leu mutation located in the signal peptide. In addition, three novel missense mutations associated with partial FXI deficiency have been identified: Cys122Tyr, Glu297Lys and Glu579Lys.

Factor XI deficiency: identification of six novel missense mutations (P23L, P69T, C92G, E243D, W497C and E547K).

Factor XI (FXI) deficiency is a rare coagulation disorder associated with bleeding of variable severity but without a clear relationship between bleeding and FXI levels. This study reports the molecular genetic analysis of FXI deficiencies in thirteen patients. Six novel missense mutations were identified: P23L, P69T, C92G, E243D, W497C and E547K.

Direct in vitro effects of androgens and estrogens on ob gene expression and leptin secretion in human adipose tissue.

In the present study, we have explored, in vitro, the possibility that short exposure to androgens and estrogens for 24 h may directly influence leptin expression (ARNm and secretion) in sc adipose tissue from men and women. In men, only dihydrotestosterone at high concentration (100 nM) induced a reduction in leptin secretion and ob mRNA level. In women, 17beta-estradiol (10-100 nM) increased ob mRNA expression (+180 to +500%) and leptin release (+75%). Moreover, in adipose tissue of women, the estrogen precursors testosterone (100 nM) and dehydroepiandrosterone (1 microM) also induced an increase in leptin secretion (+84 and +96%, respectively), an effect that was prevented by the aromatase inhibitor letrozole. Finally, the stimulatory effect of 17beta-estradiol observed in women was antagonized by the antiestrogen ICI182780. Altogether, these results suggest that the sexual dimorphism of leptinemia in humans is mainly owing to the estrogen receptor-dependent stimulation of leptin expression in adipose tissue by estrogens and estrogen precursors in women.

Leptin mediates a proliferative response in human MCF7 breast cancer cells.

Obesity is a risk factor of breast cancers. As leptin, a hormone mainly secreted by white adipocytes, elicits proliferative effects in some cell types, we tested the hypothesis that leptin could influence human breast cancer MCF-7 cell growth. Here we show that MCF-7 cells express leptin receptors and respond to human recombinant leptin by STAT3 and p42/p44 MAPkinase activations and by increased proliferation. These findings suggest that leptin could act in vivo as a paracrine/endocrine growth factor towards mammary epithelial cells thus contributing to explain why obesity is a risk factor of developing breast cancers.