Variations in Multiple Syndromic Deafness Genes Mimic Non-syndromic Hearing Loss.

The genetics of both syndromic (SHL) and non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL) is characterized by a high degree of genetic heterogeneity. We analyzed whole exome sequencing data of 102 unrelated probands with apparently NSHL without a causative variant in known NSHL genes. We detected five causative variants in different SHL genes (SOX10, MITF, PTPN11, CHD7, and KMT2D) in five (4.9%) probands. Clinical re-evaluation of these probands shows that some of them have subtle syndromic findings, while none of them meets clinical criteria for the diagnosis of the associated syndrome (Waardenburg (SOX10 and MITF), Kallmann (CHD7 and SOX10), Noonan/LEOPARD (PTPN11), CHARGE (CHD7), or Kabuki (KMT2D). This study demonstrates that individuals who are evaluated for NSHL can have pathogenic variants in SHL genes that are not usually considered for etiologic studies.

Increased expression of BIN1 mediates Alzheimer genetic risk by modulating tau pathology.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a region upstream the BIN1 gene as the most important genetic susceptibility locus in Alzheimer's disease (AD) after APOE. We report that BIN1 transcript levels were increased in AD brains and identified a novel 3 bp insertion allele ∼28 kb upstream of BIN1, which increased (i) transcriptional activity in vitro, (ii) BIN1 expression levels in human brain and (iii) AD risk in three independent case-control cohorts (Meta-analysed Odds ratio of 1.20 (1.14-1.26) (P=3.8 × 10(-11))). Interestingly, decreased expression of the Drosophila BIN1 ortholog Amph suppressed Tau-mediated neurotoxicity in three different assays. Accordingly, Tau and BIN1 colocalized and interacted in human neuroblastoma cells and in mouse brain. Finally, the 3 bp insertion was associated with Tau but not Amyloid loads in AD brains. We propose that BIN1 mediates AD risk by modulating Tau pathology.

Transcriptomic and genetic studies identify IL-33 as a candidate gene for Alzheimer's disease.

The only recognized genetic determinant of the common forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the epsilon 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE). To identify new candidate genes, we recently performed transcriptomic analysis of 2741 genes in chromosomal regions of interest using brain tissue of AD cases and controls. From 82 differentially expressed genes, 1156 polymorphisms were genotyped in two independent discovery subsamples (n=945). Seventeen genes exhibited at least one polymorphism associated with AD risk, and following correction for multiple testing, we retained the interleukin (IL)-33 gene. We first confirmed that the IL-33 expression was decreased in the brain of AD cases compared with that of controls. Further genetic analysis led us to select three polymorphisms within this gene, which we analyzed in three independent case-control studies. These polymorphisms and a resulting protective haplotype were systematically associated with AD risk in non-APOE epsilon 4 carriers. Using a large prospective study, these associations were also detected when analyzing the prevalent and incident AD cases together or the incident AD cases alone. These polymorphisms were also associated with less cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in the brain of non-APOE epsilon 4 AD cases. Immunohistochemistry experiments finally indicated that the IL-33 expression was consistently restricted to vascular capillaries in the brain. Moreover, IL-33 overexpression in cellular models led to a specific decrease in secretion of the A beta(40) peptides, the main CAA component. In conclusion, our data suggest that genetic variants in IL-33 gene may be associated with a decrease in AD risk potentially in modulating CAA formation.

Silica Coating on Colloidal Maghemite Particles.

Maghemite colloidal particles are coated with a silica layer using a silicon alkoxide as silica precursor. The coating process is studied by electrophoresis, quasi-elastic light scattering, nitrogen adsorption, and infrared spectrometry analyses. The conditions of complete coverage of the iron oxide particles by silica and the nature of the maghemite-silica interface are discussed. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

In vitro effect of diacetoxyscirpenol and deoxynivalenol on microbicidal activity of murine peritoneal macrophages.

Diacetoxyscirpenol and deoxynivalenol, two trichothecene mycotoxins shown previously to exert immunosuppressive effects on the immune system were examined for their in vitro effects on some functions of murine peritoneal macrophages. The cells were pre-incubated for 4 hr with the mycotoxin concentrations of 0.1 ng/ml-1 micrograms/ml. At concentrations that did not affect the cell viability (Specific Lactate Dehydrogenase test), diacetoxyscirpenol and deoxynivalenol suppress microbicidal activity of phagocytic cells. The diacetoxyscirpenol concentrations, which reduce phagocytosis (2 ng/ml), microbicidal activity (1 ng/ml), superoxide anion production (1 ng/ml) and phagosome-lysosome fusion (0.1 ng/ml), indicate that the inhibition of killing mechanism arise from both oxidative and non-oxidative pathways. Phagocytosis, microbicidal activity and superoxide anion production are inhibited by deoxynivalenol at 1 ng/ml whereas phagosome-lysosome fusion is reduce above 100 ng/ml. These results suggest that microbicidal activity inhibition by deoxynivalenol did not depend on non-oxidative pathway (phagosome-lysosome fusion) impairment.

Direct inhibitory effects of a somatostatin analog, SMS 201-995, on AR4-2J cell proliferation via pertussis toxin-sensitive guanosine triphosphate-binding protein-independent mechanism.

Somatostatin has been demonstrated to negatively regulate pancreatic growth in vivo. In this study we used the AR4-2J rat pancreatic acinar tumor cell line to investigate the effect of a stable somatostatin analog, SMS 201-995 (SMS) on cell proliferation. SMS induced an antiproliferative effect on both serum or epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced cell proliferation; exposure of the cells for 48 h to SMS caused a slight inhibition of serum-induced proliferation (maximal inhibition, 26%) and abolished the growth-promoting effect of EGF. Maximal effect was observed with 10 nM SMS, and half-maximal (IC50) effect with 0.06-0.1 nM SMS. Binding studies with an iodinated derivative of SMS, [125I-Tyr3]SMS, revealed the presence of a single class of high affinity binding sites on AR4-2J plasma membranes with an equilibrium dissociation constant of 0.2 +/- 0.03 nM and a binding site number of 1.1 +/- 0.07 pmol/mg protein. Addition of the nonhydrolyzable GTP analog, guanosine 5-[gamma-thio] triphosphate (GTP gamma S), increased the rate of dissociation of the specifically bound peptide in agreement with the coupling of somatostatin receptors with a GTP-binding regulatory protein. The good agreement between the IC50 for SMS inhibition of cell proliferation and the apparent Kd for binding indicates that the characterized binding sites are the somatostatin receptors that mediate the antiproliferative effect of SMS. When cells were grown in serum-free medium EGF stimulated AR4-2J cell proliferation with half-maximal (ED50) and maximal effects at 0.6 and 10 nM EGF, respectively. This stimulatory effect of EGF was mediated by specific receptors, since binding studies with [125I]EGF indicated that AR4-2J cells contained a single class of EGF receptors (13,000 sites/cell), with an affinity constant for [125I]EGF (Kd = 0.9 +/- 0.09 nM) close to the ED50 for EGF stimulation of cell growth. To examine if SMS-induced growth inhibition involved a cAMP-dependent mechanism we first studied the effect of SMS on cAMP production. SMS had no effect on basal cAMP, but completely inhibited VIP-stimulated cAMP production with an IC50 of 0.2 nM. Pertussis toxin, which is known to abolish the inhibitory effect of somatostatin on adenylate cyclase activity in AR4-2J cells, did not reverse the ability of SMS to inhibit cell proliferation as well as EGF-induced cell proliferation. These data indicate that the antiproliferative effect of SMS does not involve the GTP-binding protein-mediated negative coupling of somatostatin receptors to adenylate cyclase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Renal involvement in the Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome. Apropos of 3 cases]. / L'atteinte rénale dans le syndrome de Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl. A propos de trois observations.

Three cases of Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl (LMBB) syndrome with renal involvement characterized by tubulo-interstitial lesions are reported. Caliceal deformations were noted on urography. From 55 additional cases found in the literature the main characteristics of the renal disease in LMBB are defined : impairment of renal concentration is present in 36 % of the cases, and urographic abnormalities, mainly dysplasic features and multiple cystic formations on the calices, in 90 %; tubulo interstitial lesions are the most frequent histological finding. The renal involvement lead to chronic renal insufficiency responsible for the death of 60 % of the patients. Renal disease appears therefore as the sixth cardinal features of the LMBB syndrome and makes this syndrome as an entity close to other hereditary disorders with renal abnormalities as Alström syndrome.