A homozygous ABHD16A variant causes a complex hereditary spastic paraplegia with developmental delay, absent speech, and characteristic face.

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous genetic disease characterized by progressive weakness and spasticity predominantly affecting the lower limbs. Complex HSP is a subset of HSP presenting with additional neuronal and/or non-neuronal phenotypes. Here, we identify a homozygous ABHD16A nonsense variant in two affected children in a Chilean family. Very recently, two groups reported patients with biallelic ABHD16A whose clinical presentation was similar to that of our patients. By reviewing the clinical features of these reports and our patients, ABHD16A-related HSP can be characterized by early childhood onset, developmental delay, intellectual disability, speech disturbance, extrapyramidal signs, psychiatric features, no sphincter control, skeletal involvement, thin corpus callosum, and high-intensity signals in white matter on T2-weighted brain MRI. In addition, our affected siblings showed a characteristic face, sleep disturbance, and nodular and hyperpigmented skin lesions, which have not previously been reported in this condition.

Enhancing the Endocytosis of Phosphatidylserine-Containing Liposomes through Tim4 by Modulation of Membrane Fluidity.

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a unique lipid that is recognized by the endogenetic receptor, T-cell immunoglobulin mucin protein 4 (Tim4), and PS-containing liposomes have potential use in therapeutic applications. We prepared PS-containing liposomes of various lipid compositions and examined how lipid membrane fluidity affects PS recognition by Tim4 and the resulting endocytosis efficiency into Hela cells. Surface plasmon resonance and laurdan studies showed that increasing lipid membrane fluidity increased the stability of the PS-Tim4 interaction but hampered the entry of liposomes into cells. These results show that endocytosis efficiency is determined by balancing opposing forces induced by membrane fluidity. We found that inclusion of the zwitterionic helper lipid, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, into liposomes ensured efficient cellular internalization because the presence of this lipid provides an ideal balance of lipid fluidity and Tim4 affinity. The results showed that PS recognition by Tim4 and the resulting endocytosis efficiency can be maximized by modulating the membrane fluidity of liposomes by selecting a zwitterionic helper lipid. This study improves our understanding of how to rationally optimize nanotechnology for targeted drug delivery.

Effect of Sample Concentration on Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis of Small Extracellular Vesicles and Liposomes Mimicking the Physicochemical Properties of Exosomes.

For quantitative analysis, data should be obtained at a sample concentration that is within the range of linearity. We examined the effect of sample concentration on nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), including exosomes, by comparing NTA results of sEVs with those obtained for polystyrene nanoparticles (PSN) and liposomes, which mimic lipid composition and physicochemical properties of exosomes. Initially, NTA of PSN at different concentrations was performed and the particle sizes determined were validated by dynamic light scattering. The major peak maxima for PSN mixtures of different sizes at the higher particle numbers were similar, with some fluctuation of the minor peak maxima observed at the lower particle number, which was also observed for sEVs. Sample concentration is critical for obtaining reproducible data for liposomes and exosomes and increasing the sample concentration caused an increase in data variability because of particle interactions. The inter-day repeatability of particles sizes and concentration for sEVs were 7.47 and 4.51%, respectively. Analysis of the linearity range revealed that this was narrower for sEVs when compared with that of liposomes. Owing to the use of liposomes that mimic the lipid composition and physicochemical properties of exosomes and proteinase-treated sEVs, it was demonstrated that these different analytical results could be possibly caused by the protein corona of sEVs. Consideration of the sample concentration and linearity range is important for obtaining reproducible and reliable data of sEVs.

Heparin identification test and purity test for OSCS in heparin sodium and heparin calcium by weak anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography.

Heparin sodium and heparin calcium, which are widely used as anti-coagulants, are known to potentially contain the natural impurity dermatan sulfate (DS). Recently serious adverse events occurred in patients receiving heparin sodium in the US, and a contaminant oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS) was found to be a cause of the events. To ensure the quality and safety of pharmaceutical heparins, there is need of a physicochemical identification test that can discriminate heparin from the heparin-related substances as well as a sensitive purity test for OSCS. Recently, HPLC with a strong-anion exchange column was proposed as the methods for identifying heparin and determination of OSCS in heparin sodium. Although this method is convenient and easy to perform, the only column suitable for this purpose is the Dionex IonPac AS11-HC column. In this study, we developed alternative identification test and test for OSCS in both heparin sodium and heparin calcium using a weak anion-exchange column. The identification test allowed for separation of heparin from the impurity DS and contaminant OSCS in a shorter time. The purity test provided enough sensitivity, specificity, linearity, recovery and repeatability for OSCS. We believe that our methods will be useful for quality control of pharmaceutical heparins.