RESUMO
The hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs; Strümpell-Lorrain syndrome, MIM number 18260) are a diverse class of disorders characterized by insidiously progressive lower-extremity spastic weakness (reviewed in refs. 1-3). Eight autosomal dominant HSP (ADHSP) loci have been identified, the most frequent of which is that linked to the SPG4 locus on chromosome 2p22 (found in approximately 42%), followed by that linked to the SPG3A locus on chromosome 14q11-q21 (in approximately 9%). Only SPG4 has been identified as a causative gene in ADHSP. Its protein (spastin) is predicted to participate in the assembly or function of nuclear protein complexes. Here we report the identification of mutations in a newly identified GTPase gene, SPG3A, in ADHSP affected individuals.
Assuntos
GTP Fosfo-Hidrolases/genética , Mutação/genética , Paraplegia Espástica Hereditária/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Sequência de Bases , Cromossomos Humanos Par 2/genética , Clonagem Molecular , Mapeamento de Sequências Contíguas , Feminino , Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP , Humanos , Escore Lod , Masculino , Proteínas de Membrana , Modelos Moleculares , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Linhagem , Conformação Proteica , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Alinhamento de Sequência , Homologia de Sequência de AminoácidosRESUMO
The death domain superfamily, composed of the death domain (DD), death effector domain (DED) and caspase recruitment domain (CARD) families of proteins, plays a pivotal role in signaling events that regulate apoptosis. This review compares and contrasts the ten superfamily members with known structures. In particular, the two heterodimerization modes described to date, the CARD-CARD interaction between human Apaf-1 and procaspase 9, and the DD-DD interaction between Drosophila Pelle and Tube, are examined. The dimerization modes are strikingly different and, importantly, are not mutually exclusive. In fact, a trimer can be formed using both interactions.
Assuntos
Proteínas de Transporte/fisiologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Apoptose/fisiologia , Proteínas de Transporte/genética , Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Drosophila , Modelos Moleculares , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Homologia de Sequência de Aminoácidos , Transdução de Sinais/fisiologiaRESUMO
PURPOSE: To compare the technical success and complication rates in CT-guided vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2002 - 2005 69 patients (101 vertebrae) were treated with vertebroplasty (n = 82) or kyphoplasty (n = 19) using 4-slice MSCT with CT fluoroscopy as the sole guidance for the procedure. The underlying lesions were osteoporotic fractures in 78 vertebral bodies and 23 vertebral metastases. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in all 101 procedures. Post-interventional CT demonstrated asymptomatic cement leakage in 51/101 vertebrae. Kyphoplasty resulted in leakage in 11/19 (57.9 %) and vertebroplasty in 40/82 (48.8 %) procedures. With p = 0.48 (Mann-Whitney Test) there was no significant difference between kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty with respect to the number of cement leakage occurrences. There was one minor complication of an L5 root irritation following radiofrequency ablation and vertebroplasty of a sarcoma metastasis which subsided without treatment after 8 weeks. There was one major complication of intraspinal cement leakage during tumor vertebroplasty causing T5 root compression and requiring laminectomy for cement removal. The overall rate of major complications requiring treatment was 0.99 %. CONCLUSION: Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty can be safely performed using only MSCT fluoroscopy guidance. The rate of major complications is very low. There was a high rate of small asymptomatic cement leakages which may have remained undetected with conventional fluoroscopy (CF). There was no statistically significant advantage for kyphoplasty with respect to cement leakage and the technical success rate.
Assuntos
Cimentos Ósseos/uso terapêutico , Fluoroscopia , Fraturas Espontâneas/terapia , Vértebras Lombares , Osteólise/terapia , Osteoporose/terapia , Radiologia Intervencionista , Fraturas da Coluna Vertebral/terapia , Neoplasias da Coluna Vertebral/secundário , Cirurgia Assistida por Computador , Vértebras Torácicas , Tomografia Computadorizada Espiral , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Extravasamento de Materiais Terapêuticos e Diagnósticos/diagnóstico por imagem , Feminino , Humanos , Vértebras Lombares/lesões , Vértebras Lombares/patologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Complicações Pós-Operatórias/diagnóstico por imagem , Estudos Retrospectivos , Compressão da Medula Espinal/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias da Coluna Vertebral/terapia , Vértebras Torácicas/lesões , Vértebras Torácicas/patologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The formation of critical intermediates in the biosynthesis of lipids and complex carbohydrates is carried out by cytidylyltransferases, which utilize CTP to form activated CDP-alcohols or CMP-acid sugars plus inorganic pyrophosphate. Several cytidylyltransferases are related and constitute a conserved family of enzymes. The eukaryotic members of the family are complex enzymes with multiple regulatory regions or repeated catalytic domains, whereas the bacterial enzyme, CTP:glycerol-3-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT), contains only the catalytic domain. Thus, GCT provides an excellent model for the study of catalysis by the eukaryotic cytidylyltransferases. RESULTS: The crystal structure of GCT from Bacillus subtilis has been determined by multiwavelength anomalous diffraction using a mercury derivative and refined to 2.0 A resolution (R(factor) 0.196; R(free) 0.255). GCT is a homodimer; each monomer comprises an alpha/beta fold with a central 3-2-1-4-5 parallel beta sheet. Additional helices and loops extending from the alpha/beta core form a bowl that binds substrates. CTP, bound at each active site of the homodimer, interacts with the conserved (14)HXGH and (113)RTXGISTT motifs. The dimer interface incorporates part of a third motif, (63)RYVDEVI, and includes hydrophobic residues adjoining the HXGH sequence. CONCLUSIONS: Structure superpositions relate GCT to the catalytic domains from class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and thus expand the tRNA synthetase family of folds to include the catalytic domains of the family of cytidylyltransferases. GCT and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyze analogous reactions, bind nucleotides in similar U-shaped conformations, and depend on histidines from analogous HXGH motifs for activity. The structural and other similarities support proposals that GCT, like the synthetases, catalyzes nucleotidyl transfer by stabilizing a pentavalent transition state at the alpha-phosphate of CTP.
Assuntos
Bacillus subtilis/enzimologia , Nucleotidiltransferases/química , Nucleotidiltransferases/metabolismo , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Aminoacil-tRNA Sintetases/química , Aminoacil-tRNA Sintetases/classificação , Sítios de Ligação , Sequência Conservada , Cristalografia/métodos , Citidina Trifosfato/metabolismo , Dimerização , Modelos Moleculares , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Nucleotidiltransferases/classificação , Conformação Proteica , Dobramento de ProteínaRESUMO
Flavodoxin from Anacystis nidulans (Synechococcus PCC 7942) was the first member of the flavodoxin family to be characterized, and is the structural prototype for the "long-chain" flavodoxins that have molecular masses of approximately 20 kDa. Crystal structure analyses and refinements of three orthorhombic forms of oxidized A. nidulans flavodoxin are reported, and salient features of the fold and the FMN binding site are compared with other flavodoxins. The structure of form I (wild-type: P212121, a=57.08 A, b=69.24 A, c=45.55 A), determined initially by multiple isomorphous replacement, has been refined to R=0.183 and R(free)=0.211 for data from 10.0 to 1.7 A resolution. Structures of form II (wild-type: P212121, a=60.05 A, b=65.85 A, c=51.36 A) and form III (Asn58Gly: P212121, a=51.30 A, b=59.15 A, c=94.44 A) have been determined by molecular replacement and refined versus data to 2.0 A and 1.85 A, respectively; the R values for forms II and III are 0.147 and 0.150. Changes in the molecular contacts that produce the alternative packings in these crystalline forms are analyzed. Deletion of the Asn side-chain in the mutant Asn58Gly removes an intermolecular stacking interaction and allows the alternative packing found in form III crystals. The functionally important 50's loop of the FMN binding site is less restrained by intermolecular contacts in these crystals but maintains the same conformation as in oxidized wild type protein. The structures reported here provide the starting point for structure-function studies of the reduced states and of mutants, described in the accompanying paper.
Assuntos
Cianobactérias/química , Flavodoxina/química , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Sítios de Ligação , Cristalografia por Raios X , Mononucleotídeo de Flavina/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Oxirredução , Peptídeos/química , Alinhamento de Sequência , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
The long-chain flavodoxins, with 169-176 residues, display oxidation-reduction potentials at pH 7 that vary from -50 to -260 mV for the oxidized/semiquinone (ox/sq) equilibrium and are -400 mV or lower for the semiquinone/hydroquinone (sq/hq) equilibrium. To examine the effects of protein interactions and conformation changes on FMN potentials in the long-chain flavodoxin from Anacystis nidulans (Synechococcus PCC 7942), we have determined crystal structures for the semiquinone and hydroquinone forms of the wild-type protein and for the mutant Asn58Gly, and have measured redox potentials and FMN association constants. A peptide near the flavin ring, Asn58-Val59, reorients when the FMN is reduced to the semiquinone form and adopts a conformation ("O-up") in which O 58 hydrogen bonds to the flavin N(5)H; this rearrangement is analogous to changes observed in the flavodoxins from Clostridium beijerinckii and Desulfovibrio vulgaris. On further reduction to the hydroquinone state, the Asn58-Val59 peptide in crystalline wild-type A. nidulans flavodoxin rotates away from the flavin to the "O-down" position characteristic of the oxidized structure. This reversion to the conformation found in the oxidized state is unusual and has not been observed in other flavodoxins. The Asn58Gly mutation, at the site which undergoes conformation changes when FMN is reduced, was expected to stabilize the O-up conformation found in the semiquinone oxidation state. This mutation raises the ox/sq potential by 46 mV to -175 mV and lowers the sq/hq potential by 26 mV to -468 mV. In the hydroquinone form of the Asn58Gly mutant the C-O 58 remains up and hydrogen bonded to N(5)H, as in the fully reduced flavodoxins from C. beijerinckii and D. vulgaris. The redox and structural properties of A. nidulans flavodoxin and the Asn58Gly mutant confirm the importance of interactions made by N(5) or N(5)H in determining potentials, and are consistent with earlier conclusions that conformational energies contribute to the observed potentials.The mutations Asp90Asn and Asp100Asn were designed to probe the effects of electrostatic interactions on the potentials of protein-bound flavin. Replacement of acidic by neutral residues at positions 90 and 100 does not perturb the structure, but has a substantial effect on the sq/hq equilibrium. This potential is increased by 25-41 mV, showing that electrostatic interaction between acidic residues and the flavin decreases the potential for conversion of the neutral semiquinone to the anionic hydroquinone. The potentials and the effects of mutations in A. nidulans flavodoxin are rationalized using a thermodynamic scheme developed for C. beijerinckii flavodoxin.
Assuntos
Cianobactérias/química , Flavodoxina/química , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Sítios de Ligação , Cristalografia por Raios X , Escherichia coli , Mononucleotídeo de Flavina/metabolismo , Flavodoxina/genética , Hidroquinonas/química , Modelos Moleculares , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Mutagênese Sítio-Dirigida , Oxirredução , Peptídeos/química , Alinhamento de Sequência , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
Naturally occurring mutations in hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) have been identified by amino acid sequencing, cDNA cloning, and direct nucleotide sequencing of PCR-amplified transcripts. To determine the effect these mutations have on the catalytic properties of the molecule, knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of HPRT is required. A prerequisite for this, however, is the availability of a large amount of purified product for crystallization and x-ray diffraction analysis. For these reasons we have developed an effective means of producing high levels of human HPRT in Escherichia coli using the expression cassette PCR. By taking advantage of a T7 polymerase/promoter system, we have expressed both normal and variant human hprt sequences in E. coli. The proteins synthesized from these sequences are immunologically and enzymatically active, and are physically indistinguishable from the HPRT in B-lymphoblasts derived from normal and three HPRT-deficient subjects.
Assuntos
Hipoxantina Fosforribosiltransferase/biossíntese , Sequência de Bases , Escherichia coli , Vetores Genéticos , Humanos , Hipoxantina Fosforribosiltransferase/isolamento & purificação , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Mutação , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase/métodos , Proteínas Recombinantes/biossíntese , Proteínas Recombinantes/isolamento & purificação , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
Apoptosis is mediated by a highly regulated signal transduction cascade that eventually leads to precisely directed cell death. The death-inducing signaling complex (DISC), composed of Fas, FADD, and caspase-8, is an apical signaling complex that mediates receptor-induced apoptosis. We have docked the experimentally determined structures of the Fas and FADD death domains into a model of a partial DISC signaling complex. The arrangement of Fas and FADD was determined using the interaction modes of the two heterodimer crystal structures determined to date, Pelle/Tube and Apaf-1/procaspase-9. The proposed model reveals that both interactions can be accommodated in a single multimeric complex. Importantly, the model is consistent with reported site-directed mutagenesis data indicating residues throughout the domain are critical for function. These results imply that members of the death domain superfamily have the potential for multivalent interactions, offering novel possibilities for regulation of apoptotic signaling.
Assuntos
Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal , Apoptose/fisiologia , Proteínas de Transporte/metabolismo , Caspases/metabolismo , Receptor fas/metabolismo , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Proteínas de Transporte/química , Caspase 8 , Caspase 9 , Caspases/química , Dimerização , Proteína de Domínio de Morte Associada a Fas , Humanos , Modelos Moleculares , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Ligação Proteica , Estrutura Secundária de Proteína , Homologia de Sequência de Aminoácidos , Receptor fas/químicaRESUMO
To facilitate the histologic analysis of large numbers of 7-day-old zebrafish (Danio rerio), a method has been developed to process them in agarose-embedded arrays. Using thin tissue sections, the morphology of cells and tissues can be examined microscopically to investigate a variety of biologic processes. Because of their small size, precise arrangement of the larvae is necessary to section them simultaneously. A technique was designed to embed groups of zebrafish larvae in a single plane in agarose before sectioning. Stained tissue sections of thousands of larvae can be examined efficiently using this embedding method. In addition to histologic analysis, PCR-based genotypic analysis of DNA from individual larval sections is also possible. This technique can be modified to accommodate any study that requires the histologic examination of many pieces of tissue.
Assuntos
Sefarose , Inclusão do Tecido/métodos , Peixe-Zebra/anatomia & histologia , Animais , Constituição Corporal , DNA/isolamento & purificação , Microtomia , Inclusão em Parafina , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Coloração e Rotulagem , Fixação de Tecidos , Peixe-Zebra/genética , Peixe-Zebra/crescimento & desenvolvimentoRESUMO
Successful correction twenty-nine years after bilateral injuries to the vasa deferentia sustained at the time of infant hernia repairs, resulting in a fertile semen analysis and pregnancy is reported. This appears to be the first such case reported in the English literature.
Assuntos
Oligospermia/cirurgia , Ducto Deferente/lesões , Adulto , Hérnia Inguinal/cirurgia , Humanos , Masculino , Oligospermia/etiologia , Complicações Pós-Operatórias , Contagem de Espermatozoides , Motilidade dos Espermatozoides , Fatores de Tempo , Ducto Deferente/cirurgiaRESUMO
Fertility evaluation of a twenty-three-year-old male with severe oligospermia revealed a müllerian duct cyst that appeared to compress both ejaculatory ducts. Simple endoscopic unroofing of the cyst was followed by disappearance of the mass felt rectally, improvement of the radiographic appearance of the seminal tracts, and a return of the seminal analyses to well within fertile range. Müllerian duct cysts may be a rare cause of surgically correctable male infertility. Endoscopic unroofing of small müllerian duct cysts appears to be the treatment of choice in young males in whom there is concern for preserving fertility and potency.
Assuntos
Cistos/complicações , Ductos Paramesonéfricos , Oligospermia/etiologia , Adulto , Cistos/cirurgia , Humanos , Infertilidade Masculina/etiologia , Masculino , Oligospermia/cirurgiaRESUMO
Utilizing the criteria of Goodwin, a case each of chronic proliferative periorchitis and multiple fibromas of the tunica vaginalis testis causing paratesticular tumors is presented and discussed. Both of these rate processes appear to be distinct and separate clinical entities, although they appear to be similar histologically. With increased awareness by those treating intrascrotal masses, these processes may be correctly recognized and more testes may be salvaged.
Assuntos
Fibroma/patologia , Orquite/complicações , Neoplasias Testiculares/patologia , Adulto , Fibroma/cirurgia , Humanos , Masculino , Neoplasias Testiculares/complicações , Neoplasias Testiculares/cirurgiaRESUMO
The preoperative staging procedures used in 45 patients with surgical Stage I and Stage II nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis were analyzed retrospectively. Our results indicate that gallium-67-citrate scan and supraclavicular lymph node biopsy add little information in the routine preoperative evaluation of these patients. Bipedal lymphangiography, in our experience, was no more accurate than excretory urograms in selecting patients with retroperitoneal disease and in addition provides no information regarding the status of the upper urinary tract. Thus, we suggest that physical examination, excretory urography, chest x-ray film, whole lung tomography, serum tumor markers, and liver scan provide sufficient information to proceed with surgical treatment when appropriate.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Embrionárias de Células Germinativas/patologia , Neoplasias Testiculares/patologia , Humanos , Linfonodos/patologia , Linfografia , Masculino , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Neoplasias Embrionárias de Células Germinativas/diagnóstico , Estudos Retrospectivos , Neoplasias Testiculares/diagnóstico , UrografiaRESUMO
Retroperitoneal teratoma is the third most common primary retroperitoneal neoplasm of childhood ranking behind neuroblastoma and nephroblastoma. Ten per cent of these tumors are malignant. Two cases of benign retroperitoneal teratoma are reported, and the first description of the angiographic appearance of such a tumor is presented.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Retroperitoneais , Teratoma , Adolescente , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Radiografia , Neoplasias Retroperitoneais/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias Retroperitoneais/patologia , Teratoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Teratoma/patologiaRESUMO
Cytologic and histopathologic study of 36 patients demonstrated an 86 to 92 per cent incidence of squamous metaplasia of the bladder among patients with chronically infected bladders and a 64 per cent incidence in patients with postdiversionary bladders left behind. The relationships of infection, inflammation, squamous meetaplasia, and squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder are reviewed. It is postulated that the same carcinogenic factors which induce transitional cell carcinoma might cause squamous cell carcinoma if the epithelium had previously undergone squamous metaplasia.
Assuntos
Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/etiologia , Doenças da Bexiga Urinária/complicações , Neoplasias da Bexiga Urinária/etiologia , Infecções Urinárias/complicações , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patologia , Carcinoma de Células de Transição/patologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Metaplasia/complicações , Metaplasia/patologia , Lesões Pré-Cancerosas/patologia , Neoplasias da Bexiga Urinária/patologiaRESUMO
Six cases in which a symptom complex suggestive of chronic seminal vesicular dysfunction are described. Transvesical seminal vesiculectomy was performed with good results and no disturbance of sexual potency. Seminal vesiculectomy appears to provide a reasonable means for cure of those patients who meet the specific criteria outlined.
Assuntos
Glândulas Seminais/cirurgia , Adulto , Doença Crônica , Doenças dos Genitais Masculinos/diagnóstico , Doenças dos Genitais Masculinos/patologia , Doenças dos Genitais Masculinos/cirurgia , Humanos , Masculino , Métodos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Palpação , Glândulas Seminais/patologiaRESUMO
Otoconia from the peripheral portion of the vestibular system contain specific proteins and are mineralized by several polymorphs of calcium carbonate. To infer the internal distribution of their mineral and protein components, we have measured the densities, by equilibrium centrifugation, and the lengths of aragonitic otoconia from the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) and calcitic otoconia from the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). The densities are statistically dependent on the length of the otoconia. Further, this dependence is not the same for aragonitic and calcitic otoconia. Aragonitic otoconia are statistically more dense when smaller and less dense when larger. For calcitic otoconia the opposite is true; the smaller otoconia are statistically less dense than larger otoconia. Because the organic and inorganic phases have different densities, this indicates that the otoconial proteins and the mineral phases have different distributions within these two types of otoconia.