An Investigation of the COMT Gene Val158Met Polymorphism in Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department Because of Synthetic Cannabinoid Use.

Catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) enzyme has a role in the inactivation of catecholamine neurotransmitters. Functional polymorphism in the COMT gene has been reported to play an important role in schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, aggressive and antisocial behavior, suicide attempts and the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of the Vall58Met polymorphism of the COMT gene on substance use, and treatment history in patients with synthetic cannabinoid (SC) intoxication. The COMT enzyme Val158Met polymorphisms from DNA of 49 patients who were evaluated in the Emergency Department after SC use and 50 healthy control groups aged 18-45 years, were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses as reported in the literature. Information regarding recurrent intake or hospitalization due to substance use was obtained from hospital records. Wild-type (WT) genotypes in 14 (28.6%) patients, heterozygous genotypes in 25 (51.0%) and homozygous genotypes in 10 (20.4%) patients were detected. Wild-type genotypes The homozygous genotype was found to be significantly higher in patients hospitalized due to drug addiction and substance use (p 0.008). The Vall58 Met polymorphism of the COMT gene was not found to be significant in the first use after substance intake, while a significant relationship was found in terms of this polymorphism in patients with substance addiction diagnosis and treatment history.

Achondrogenesis Type 2 in a Newborn with a Novel Mutation on the COL2A1 Gene.

Achondrogenesis is a group of rare and fatal disorders occurring in approximately one in every 40,000-60,000 newborns. Achondrogenesis is classified in three groups, as Achondrogenesis type 1A (Houston-Harris type or AC-G1A), Achondrogenesis type 1B (Parenti-Fraccaro type or ACG1B) and Achondrogenesis type 2 (Langer-Saldino type or ACG2), depending on clinical and radiological findings. Achondrogenesis Type 2 is a lethal skeletal dysplasia that is typically characterized by short arms and legs, a small chest with short ribs, lung hypoplasia, a prominent forehead, a small chin, and an enlarged abdomen that may accompanied by polydramnios and hydrops. This study contributes to the literature by presenting a patient who was admitted to the Level ΙΙΙ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Bursa, Turkey), with extremely short extremities, a small chest, abdominal distention and respiratory distress, who was diagnosed with ACG2. On the COL2A1 gene, genetic analysis with next generation sequencing (NGS), was revealed to have a heterozygous missense variation, c.2546G>A, p.Gly849Asp mutation, which is a different genetic variant that has not been previously described in the literature.

Associations between polymorphisms of IL-17F and IL-17A genes with disease activity and clinical outcome of Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Aims In this study, we aimed to investigate the associations between the 7383A/G and 7488A/G polymorphisms of the interleukin (IL)-17F gene and the G197A polymorphism of the IL-17A gene with disease activity and clinical outcomes in Turkish patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: The study included 101 AS patients and 106 healthy controls. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, in addition to scores of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) of the patients, were recorded. The frequencies of genotypes 7383A/G and 7488A/G of the IL-17F and G197A of IL-17A genes and alleles were compared between the patients and healthy controls. MAJOR RESULTS: There were significant differences in the allele frequencies and genotype distribution of IL-17F 7488A/G. There were also significant differences in the CRP levels and BASFI scores of patients due to the genotype distribution of the IL-17F 7488A/G polymorphism (p= 0.029, 0.045, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the IL-17F 7488A/G polymorphism may be associated with susceptibility to AS, disease activity and functional status in Turkish patients. Further studies with larger numbers of AS patients, with a long-term follow-up, are needed to elucidate the observed relations.

MULTIPLE CONGENITAL ANOMALIES IN A CHILD WITH 47,XY,+der(8;9)(p10;p10): A CASE REPORT.

Complex small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC) constitute one of the smallest subgroups of sSMC in general. Complex sSMC consist of chromosomal material derived from more than one chromosome. We report a complex sSMC derived from chromosomes 9 and 8, characterized as der(8;9)(p10;p10) resulting from unbalanced transition of maternal balanced translocation. Besides dysmorphic face and mental-motor retardation, the patient had Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) in cranial MR also. As far as we are concerned, this is the first complex sSMC case comprising short arms of 8th and 9th chromosomes.

MICROARRAY DELINEATION OF DE NOVO DUPLICATION 1q32q42 IN A CHILD SHOWING MULTIPLE ANOMALIES AND DYSMORPHISM.

We present a 9 month-old baby girl with de novo pure interstitial duplication 1q. The girl has dysmorphic craniofacial features as well as neuromotor retardation, multiple subcutaneous solid tissue lesions, urogenital anomalies, cardiac defect, liver parenchyma heterogeneity and intracranial anomaly. The case of de novo duplication of 1q32q42 defined by G-banding and Microarray Comparative Genomic Hybridization (Microarray CGH) was presented with its clinical findings.

A NOVEL MUTATION IN NPR2 GENE IN A PATIENT WITH ACROMESOMELIC DYSPLASIA, MAROTEAUX TYPE.

Acromesomelic dysplasia, Maroteaux type (AMDM) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by disproportionate shortening of skeletal elements, predominantly affecting the middle segments (forearms and forelegs) and distal segments (hands and feet) of appendicular skeleton. Furthermore it is related to axial skeleton and leads to wedging of vertebral bodies, with shorter dorsal margins than the ventral margins. Bartels et al. defined mutations in NPR2 gene, encoding natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B), underlying Acromesomelic dysplasia, type Maroteaux. We present here molecular and clinical findings of a case with AMDM. In a patient, a novel homozygous mutation c.1435C>T p.R479X in exon 7 of NPR2 gene was found. Further testing confirmed the heterozygous carrier status of the parents. Our findings expand the spectrum of causative mutations in AMDM.

A novel mutation in the FRAS1 gene in a patient with Fraser syndrome.

Fraser Syndrome (FS) is a rare disease with autosomal recessive inheritance characterized by cryptophthalmus, cutaneous syndactyly, laryngeal and urogenital anomalies. Mutations in the genes FRAS1 and FREM2 encoding components of a protein complex of the extracellular matrix, and recently also mutations in GRIP1 have been found to be causative for FS. We present here molecular and clinical findings of a patient with FS who was found to have a novel homozygous frameshift mutation c.9739delA, p.(T3247Pfs*44) in exon 63 of FRAS1 gene. Further testing confirmed the heterozygous carrier status of parents.

A fertile patient with 45X/47XXX mosaicism.

Turner syndrome (TS) is a sex chromosome abnormality with a frequency of 1/2,000-3,000 among female live births. Characteristic findings are short stature and gonadal dysgenesis. Short and webbed neck, low posterior hairline, broad chest, widespread nipples, cubitus valgus, short 4th and 5th metacarpals, multiple pigmented nevi, primary amenorrhea, lack of secondary sexual characteristics, cardiovascular and renal anomalies are the most common presentations. Most of the cases are infertile. Spontaneous pregnancy is unusual and the risk for congenital anomaly, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and aneuploidy is increased. Fifty percent of the patients have classical monosomy X (45,X). However mosaicism of 45,X/47,XXX is rare and accounts for 1.7% of the TS cases. Some cases may not reflect the characteristic phenotype. Some cases with normal height, normal menstrual cyclus and fertility have been defined before. The case we present herein is a 26 years old woman who was admitted to our clinic due to recurrent pregnancy loss. In her medical history she had type 1 diabetes mellitus and endometrium cancer, in her family history her mother had recurrent pregnancy loss. The patient's first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth pregnancies had resulted in spontaneous abortions in the first trimester. She had a healthy daughter with 46,XX karyotype from her second pregnancy. A 45,X[8]/47,XXX[12] karyotype was detected by conventional cytogenetic analysis of the patient who did not have dysmorphic findings. The mosaicism was confirmed by FISH analysis with CEP X probe. Of the 100 cells evaluated, 65 of them had 3 signals of X chromosome while 35 had 1 signal. We present the case because of its scarcity in the literature.

Association between the catechol-o-methyltransferase val158met polymorphism with susceptibility and severity of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy of the upper extremity. In this study, we aimed to clarify the relationships between the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism and development, functional and clinical status of CTS. Ninety-five women with electro diagnostically confirmed CTS and 95 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The functional and clinical status of the patients was measured by the Turkish version of the Boston Questionnaire and intensity of pain related to the past 2 weeks was evaluated on a visual analog scale (VAS). The Val158Met polymorphism was determined using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), method. We divided patients according to the genotypes of the Val158Met polymorphism as Val/Val, Val/Met and Met/Met. There were not any significant differences in terms of Val158Met polymorphisms between patients and healthy controls (p >0.05). We also did not find any relationships between the Val158Met polymorphism and CTS (p >0.05). In conclusion, although we did not find any relationships between CTS and the Val158Met polymorphism, we could not generalize this result to the general population. Future studies are warranted to conclude precise associations.

De novo partial trisomy distal 4q: a case report.

We present a case of de novo distal partial trisomy 4q with firstly described chronic cholecystitis, rarely seen hypothyroidism, and bilateral membranous choanal atresia. The patient, a 10-month-old baby girl had dysmorphic facial features as well as neuromotor retardation, congenital hypothyroidism, atrial septal defect (ASD), white matter atrophy in cranial MRI, grade 2 dilatation in pelvicalyceal system of the left kidney, and bilateral ureteral reflux. In peripheral blood chromosome analysis 46, XX, dup(4) (q21q35) karyotype was detected. In FISH analysis using 4p/4q subtelomeric probe; 3 signals for 4 q region and 2 signals for 4p region were observed. In chromosome analyses of her healthy parents, no anomaly was detected. Herein we present a case of de novo partial distal trisomy 4q syndrome to contribute to the literature since it is rarely seen and this is the first patient with partial trisomy distal 4q syndrome presented with chronic cholecystitis and the second patient with hypothyroidism.

Cathecol-O-methyl transferase Val158Met genotype is not a risk factor for conversion disorder.

Alterations in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity are involved in various types of neurological disorders. We examined a possible association between the COMT Val158Met polymorphism and conversion disorder in a study of 48 patients with conversion disorder and 48 control patients. In the conversion disorder group, 31 patients were Val/Met heterozygotes, 15 patients were Val/Val homozygotes and 2 patients were Met/Met homozygotes. In the control group, 32 patients were Val/Met heterozygotes and 16 patients were Val/Val homozygotes. There was no significant difference between the groups. We conclude that the COMT Val158Met genotype is quite common in Turkey and that it is not a risk factor for conversion disorder in the Turkish population.

Another small supernumerary marker chromosome derived from chromosome 9 in a Klinefelter patient / Otro cromosoma marcador supernumerario pequeño derivado del cromosoma 9 en un paciente con el síndrome de Klinefelter

Marker chromosomes are very rare in Klinefelter patients and phenotypic findings are related to the affected chromosomal region. The phenotypic effects of small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC) range from multiple malformations/mental retardation to no effect (ie a normal phenotype). This wide spectrum of phenotypes is due to the origin, structure and gene content of the marker chromosome. The first Klinefelter case with sSMC 9 was published by Liehr et al in 2005. The present case was referred for chromosomal analysis because of dysmorphic features, speech delay and mild mental retardation. Conventional cytogenetic analysis revealed the 47 XXY karyotype in 17 metaphases and the 48 XXY + marker karyotype in eight metaphases. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis to identify the marker chromosome was performed using the LSI p16 (9p21) Spectrum Orange/CEP 9 SpectrumGreen Probe (Vysis CDKN2A/CEP 9 FISH Probe) and partial trisomy 9 mosaicism was confirmed in this patient. To our knowledge, this is the second case of Klinefelter syndrome with a small supernumerary marker chromosome derived from chromosome 9.

Los cromosomas marcadores son muy raros en los pacientes de Klinefelter, y los hallazgos fenotípicos se relacionan con la región cromosomática afectada. Los efectos fenotípicos de los cromosomas marcadores supernumerarios pequeños (sSMC) van desde el retraso mental y las malformaciones múltiples hasta la ausencia total de efectos (es decir, un fenotipo normal). Este amplio espectro de fenotipos se debe al origen, estructura y contenido del gen del cromosoma marcador. El primer caso de síntoma Klinefelter con sSMC 9 fue publicado por Liehr et al en 2005. El caso presente fue remitido para análisis cromosomático debido a rasgos dismórficos, retraso del habla, y retardo mental ligero. El análisis citogenético convencional reveló el cariotipo 47 XXY en 17 metafases y el cariotipo marcador 48 XXY+ en ocho metafases. El análisis mediante hibridación fluorescente in situ (FISH) para identificar el cromosoma marcador se realizó usando la sonda LSI p16 (9p21) Spectrum Orange/CEP 9 SpectrumGreen Probe (Vysis CDKN2A/CEP 9 FISH Probe). Un mosaicismo de trisomía 9 parcial fue confirmado en este paciente. Hasta donde sabemos, éste es el segundo caso de síndrome de Klinefelter con un cromosoma marcador supernumerario pequeño derivado del cromosoma 9.

Another small supernumerary marker chromosome derived from chromosome 9 in a Klinefelter patient.

Marker chromosomes are very rare in Klinefelter patients and phenotypic findings are related to the affected chromosomal region. The phenotypic effects of small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC) range from multiple malformations/mental retardation to no effect (ie a normal phenotype). This wide spectrum of phenotypes is due to the origin, structure and gene content of the marker chromosome. The first Klinefelter case with sSMC 9 was published by Liehr et al in 2005. The present case was referred for chromosomal analysis because of dysmorphic features, speech delay and mild mental retardation. Conventional cytogenetic analysis revealed the 47XXY karyotype in 17 metaphases and the 48 XXY + marker karyotype in eight metaphases. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis to identify the marker chromosome was performed using the LSI p16 (9p21) Spectrum Orange/CEP 9 SpectrumGreen Probe (Vysis CDKN2A/CEP 9 FISH Probe) and partial trisomy 9 mosaicism was confirmed in this patient. To our knowledge, this is the second case of Klinefelter syndrome with a small supernumerary marker chromosome derived from chromosome 9.

Lack of association of genetic polymorphisms of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene I/D and glutathione-S-transferase enzyme T1 and M1 with retinopathy of prematures.

One of the most frequently observed causes of blindness in infancy is the pathogenesis known as retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a vital enzyme in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; it is involved in the development of cardiovascular system diseases linked to I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene. Glutathione-S-transferase enzyme (GST) is one of the most important regulating components of the antioxidant system; there are indications that certain polymorphisms of GST genes (GSTT1, GSTM1), especially the null genotypes, increase the tendency for oxidative stress diseases. We investigated a possible correlation between ACE gene I/D and GSTT1 and GSTM1 gene polymorphisms in 56 prematures suffering from ROP and a control group composed of 48 prematures without ROP in a hospital in Turkey. PCR was used to detect the ACE I/D, GSTT1 and GSTM1 gene polymorphisms. Genotype was determined based on bands formed on agarose gel electrophoresis. We found no significant differences in genotype frequency of the ACE I/D, GSTT1 and GSTM1 genes between normal subjects and patients with ROP. Our results do not support an association of ACE I/D, GSTT1 and GSTM1 gene polymorphisms with risk for ROP.

Lack of association of ACE gene I/D polymorphism with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in Turkish patients.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a vital enzyme in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and there are reports in the literature describing its role in the development of cardiovascular system diseases, with I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene. We examined the relationship between a patient group with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and a control group in terms of I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene. We examined 64 patients, with 37 individuals serving as the control group. PCR was used to detect ACE I/D gene polymorphism. Genotype was determined according to the bands that formed on agarose gel electrophoresis. Among the 64 OSAS patients, 27 were identified with the ID genotype, 27 with the DD genotype and 10 with the II genotype; among the 37 control subjects, 19 were identified with the ID genotype, 11 with the DD genotype and 7 with the II genotype. When the case group and controls were compared in terms of ID, II and DD genotypes, no significant difference was observed. On the other hand, when the two groups were compared with respect to mean body mass index, the OSAS group was found to be significantly different from the control group (P = 0.009). We conclude that ACE I/D gene polymorphism is not a genetic risk factor for OSAS in Turkish patients.