Dictionary of immune responses to cytokines at single-cell resolution.

Cytokines mediate cell-cell communication in the immune system and represent important therapeutic targets1-3. A myriad of studies have highlighted their central role in immune function4-13, yet we lack a global view of the cellular responses of each immune cell type to each cytokine. To address this gap, we created the Immune Dictionary, a compendium of single-cell transcriptomic profiles of more than 17 immune cell types in response to each of 86 cytokines (>1,400 cytokine-cell type combinations) in mouse lymph nodes in vivo. A cytokine-centric view of the dictionary revealed that most cytokines induce highly cell-type-specific responses. For example, the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1ß induces distinct gene programmes in almost every cell type. A cell-type-centric view of the dictionary identified more than 66 cytokine-driven cellular polarization states across immune cell types, including previously uncharacterized states such as an interleukin-18-induced polyfunctional natural killer cell state. Based on this dictionary, we developed companion software, Immune Response Enrichment Analysis, for assessing cytokine activities and immune cell polarization from gene expression data, and applied it to reveal cytokine networks in tumours following immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Our dictionary generates new hypotheses for cytokine functions, illuminates pleiotropic effects of cytokines, expands our knowledge of activation states of each immune cell type, and provides a framework to deduce the roles of specific cytokines and cell-cell communication networks in any immune response.

The impact of clinical genome sequencing in a global population with suspected rare genetic disease.

There is mounting evidence of the value of clinical genome sequencing (cGS) in individuals with suspected rare genetic disease (RGD), but cGS performance and impact on clinical care in a diverse population drawn from both high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has not been investigated. The iHope program, a philanthropic cGS initiative, established a network of 24 clinical sites in eight countries through which it provided cGS to individuals with signs or symptoms of an RGD and constrained access to molecular testing. A total of 1,004 individuals (median age, 6.5 years; 53.5% male) with diverse ancestral backgrounds (51.8% non-majority European) were assessed from June 2016 to September 2021. The diagnostic yield of cGS was 41.4% (416/1,004), with individuals from LMIC sites 1.7 times more likely to receive a positive test result compared to HIC sites (LMIC 56.5% [195/345] vs. HIC 33.5% [221/659], OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.9-3.4, p < 0.0001). A change in diagnostic evaluation occurred in 76.9% (514/668) of individuals. Change of management, inclusive of specialty referrals, imaging and testing, therapeutic interventions, and palliative care, was reported in 41.4% (285/694) of individuals, which increased to 69.2% (480/694) when genetic counseling and avoidance of additional testing were also included. Individuals from LMIC sites were as likely as their HIC counterparts to experience a change in diagnostic evaluation (OR 6.1, 95% CI 1.1-∞, p = 0.05) and change of management (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.5-1.3, p = 0.49). Increased access to genomic testing may support diagnostic equity and the reduction of global health care disparities.

Crystal structures of human CD40 in complex with monoclonal antibodies dacetuzumab and bleselumab.

CD40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, and it is widely expressed on immune and non-immune cell types. The interaction between CD40 and the CD40 ligand (CD40L) plays an essential function in signaling, and the CD40/CD40L complex works as an immune checkpoint molecule. CD40 has become a therapeutic target, and a variety of agonistic/antagonistic anti-CD40 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been developed. To better understand the mode of action of anti-CD40 mAbs, we determined the X-ray crystal structures of dacetuzumab (agonist) and bleselumab (antagonist) in complex with the extracellular domain of human CD40, respectively. The structure reveals that dacetuzumab binds to CD40 on the top of cysteine-rich domain 1 (CRD1), which is the domain most distant from the cell surface, and it does not compete with CD40L binding. The binding interface of bleselumab spread between CRD2 and CRD1, overlapping with the binding surface of the ligand. Our results offer important insights for future structural and functional studies of CD40 and provide clues to understanding the mechanism of biological response. These data can be applied to developing new strategies for designing antibodies with more therapeutic efficacy.

Combined effect of SAR-endolysin LysKpV475 with polymyxin B and Salmonella bacteriophage phSE-5.

Endolysins are bacteriophage (or phage)-encoded enzymes that catalyse the peptidoglycan breakdown in the bacterial cell wall. The exogenous action of recombinant phage endolysins against Gram-positive organisms has been extensively studied. However, the outer membrane acts as a physical barrier when considering the use of recombinant endolysins to combat Gram-negative bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the SAR-endolysin LysKpV475 against Gram-negative bacteria as single or combined therapies, using an outer membrane permeabilizer (polymyxin B) and a phage, free or immobilized in a pullulan matrix. In the first step, the endolysin LysKpV475 in solution, alone and combined with polymyxin B, was tested in vitro and in vivo against ten Gram-negative bacteria, including highly virulent strains and multidrug-resistant isolates. In the second step, the lyophilized LysKpV475 endolysin was combined with the phage phSE-5 and investigated, free or immobilized in a pullulan matrix, against Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 13311. The bacteriostatic action of purified LysKpV475 varied between 8.125 µg ml-1 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, 16.25 µg ml-1 against S. enterica Typhimurium ATCC 13311, and 32.50 µg ml-1 against Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC BAA-2146 and Enterobacter cloacae P2224. LysKpV475 showed bactericidal activity only for P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 (32.50 µg ml-1) and P. aeruginosa P2307 (65.00 µg ml-1) at the tested concentrations. The effect of the LysKpV475 combined with polymyxin B increased against K. pneumoniae ATCC BAA-2146 [fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) 0.34; a value lower than 1.0 indicates an additive/combined effect] and S. enterica Typhimurium ATCC 13311 (FICI 0.93). A synergistic effect against S. enterica Typhimurium was also observed when the lyophilized LysKpV475 at ⅔ MIC was combined with the phage phSE-5 (m.o.i. of 100). The lyophilized LysKpV475 immobilized in a pullulan matrix maintained a significant Salmonella reduction of 2 logs after 6 h of treatment. These results demonstrate the potential of SAR-endolysins, alone or in combination with other treatments, in the free form or immobilized in solid matrices, which paves the way for their application in different areas, such as in biocontrol at the food processing stage, biosanitation of food contact surfaces and biopreservation of processed food in active food packing.

Safety of biologic therapy in combination with methotrexate in moderate to severe psoriasis: a cohort study from the BIOBADADERM registry.

BACKGROUND: Safety is an important consideration in decisions on treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis and the study of drug safety is the main purpose of the BIOBADADERM registry. The combination of a biologic agent and a conventional systemic drug [generally methotrexate (MTX)] is a common treatment in clinical practice. However, there is a paucity of evidence from real-world practice on the safety of such combination regimens in the treatment of psoriasis. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to ascertain whether the use of regimens combining biologic drugs with MTX in the management of moderate-to-severe psoriasis increases the risk of adverse events (AEs) or serious AEs (SAEs). We compared monotherapy using tumour necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 inhibitors with the use of the same drugs in combination with MTX. METHODS: Using data from the BIOBADADERM registry, we compared biologic monotherapies with therapies that were combined with MTX. We estimated adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) using a random effects Poisson regression with 95% confidence intervals for all AEs, SAEs, infections and serious infections and other AEs by system organ class. RESULTS: We analysed data from 2829 patients and 5441 treatment cycles, a total of 12 853 patient-years. The combination of a biologic with MTX was not associated with statistically significant increases in overall risk of AEs or SAEs in any treatment group. No increase in the total number of infections or serious infections in patients receiving combined therapy was observed for any group. However, treatment with a TNF inhibitor combined with MTX was associated with an increase in the incidence of gastrointestinal AEs (aIRR 2.50, 95% CI 1.57-3.98; P < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of AEs and SAEs was not significantly increased in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis receiving different classes of biologic drugs combined with MTX compared with those on biologic monotherapy.

A Feasible Estimation of a "Corrected" EQ-5D Social Tariff.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the feasibility of estimating a social tariff free of utility curvature and probability weighting biases and to test transferability between riskless and risky contexts. METHODS: Valuations for a selection of EQ-5D-3L health states were collected from a large and representative sample (N = 1676) of the Spanish general population through computer-assisted personal interviewing. Two elicitation methods were used: the traditional time trade-off (TTO) and a novel risky-TTO procedure. Both methods are equivalent for better than death states, which allowed us to test transferability of utilities across riskless and risky contexts. Corrective procedures applied are based on rank-dependent utility theory, identifying parameter estimates at the individual level. All corrections are health-state specific, which is a unique feature of our corrective approach. RESULTS: Two corrected value sets for the EQ-5D-3L system are estimated, highlighting the feasibility of developing national tariffs under nonexpected utility theories, such as rank-dependent utility. Furthermore, transferability was not supported for at least half of the health states valued by our sample. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to estimate a social tariff by using interviewing techniques, sample sizes, and sample representativeness equivalent to prior studies designed to generate national value sets for the EQ-5D. Utilities obtained in distinct contexts may not be interchangeable. Our findings caution against routinely taking transferability of utility for granted.

Effectiveness of an intervention to improve ART adherence among men who have sex with men living with HIV: a randomized controlled trial in three public HIV clinics in Mexico.

We conducted a parallel-group randomized controlled trial in three HIV clinics in Mexico to evaluate a user-centred habit-formation intervention to improve ART adherence among MSM living with HIV. We randomized 74 participants to the intervention group and 77 to the control group. We measured adherence at one, four, and ten months through medication possession ratio and self-reported adherence. Additionally, we measured viral load, CD4 cell count, major depression disorder symptoms, and alcohol and substance use disorder at baseline, fourth and tenth months. We found no statistically significant effect on adherence between groups. However, the intervention demonstrated positive results in major depression disorder symptoms (21% vs. 6%, p = 0.008) and substance use disorder (11% vs. 1%, p = 0.018) in the fourth month. The latter is relevant because, in addition to its direct benefit, it might also improve the chances of maintaining adequate adherence in the long term. This trial was retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (trial number NCT03410680) on 8 January 2018.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03410680.

Duodeno-ileal diversion with self-forming magnets in a sutureless neodymium anastomosis procedure (SNAP) for weight recidivism after sleeve gastrectomy: feasibility and 9-month results.

BACKGROUND: The sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has become the most common bariatric procedure worldwide. However, insufficient weight loss or weight recidivism is frequent, which may require effective and safe revisional procedures. OBJECTIVE: To determine the technical feasibility and safety of a minimally invasive, duodeno-ileal side-to-side anastomosis using a Sutureless Neodymium Anastomosis Procedure (SNAP) for patients with weight recidivism or inadequate weight loss following SG. METHODS: This is a prospective, single-arm, open-label pilot study that enrolled patients with obesity to assist in weight reduction following an SG performed > 12 months prior. For the SNAP, self-assembling magnets were deployed into the ileum (laparoscopically) and duodenum (per-oral endoscopy). Magnets were coupled under laparoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance to create a compression anastomosis. The primary endpoints were technical feasibility, weight loss, and rate of serious adverse events (SAEs). RESULTS: Successful duodeno-ileal diversions were created with SNAP in 27 participants (mean age: 50.6 ± 9.1, mean BMI: 38.1 ± 4.6 kg/m2) with no device-related serious adverse events. Upper endoscopy at 3 months confirmed patent, healthy anastomoses in all patients. At 9 months, patients (n = 24) experienced 11.9 ± 6.2%, 14.5 ± 10.8%, and 17.0 ± 13.9% TBWL at 3, 6, and 9 months, respectively. There were no device-related SAEs. CONCLUSION: The SNAP is technically feasible and relatively safe, with all patients presenting widely patent anastomosis at 3 months. Patients experienced a progressive, clinically meaningful weight loss. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Personality Traits and Drug Use: A Longitudinal Study Using Data from the British Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Drug use is a significant health, economic and social concern globally. Research indicates that personality traits are crucial in explaining drug use. This paper contributes to the expanding literature by exploring how personality traits at age 10 affect the likelihood of having used any drug at age 30. METHODS: Data were extracted from the British Cohort Study 1970. The Big Five dimensions were derived by aggregating items related to distinct traits. Furthermore, probit regression analysis was conducted to ascertain the relationship between personality traits at age 10 and drug use by age 30. RESULTS: Children with low levels of conscientiousness, or agreeableness; or high levels of extraversion, or internal locus of control at the age of 10 are more likely to use any drug in adulthood. In addition, significant differences were observed across gender and types of drugs. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that early personality traits play a pivotal role in predicting the likelihood of drug use in adulthood. The results interest policymakers, as they could guide the implementation of personality-targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of specific personality traits. For instance, emotional regulation training could benefit children with low conscientiousness; while stimulating activities such as sports, creative arts, or music could engage children with high extraversion.

Design of a multiple criteria decision analysis framework for prioritizing high-impact health technologies in a regional health service.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to develop a framework for establishing priorities in the regional health service of Murcia, Spain, to facilitate the creation of a comprehensive multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework. This framework will aid in decision-making processes related to the assessment, reimbursement, and utilization of high-impact health technologies. METHOD: Based on the results of a review of existing frameworks for MCDA of health technologies, a set of criteria was proposed to be used in the context of evaluating high-impact health technologies. Key stakeholders within regional healthcare services, including clinical leaders and management personnel, participated in a focus group (n = 11) to discuss the proposed criteria and select the final fifteen. To elicit the weights of the criteria, two surveys were administered, one to a small sample of healthcare professionals (n = 35) and another to a larger representative sample of the general population (n = 494). RESULTS: The responses obtained from health professionals in the weighting procedure exhibited greater consistency compared to those provided by the general public. The criteria more highly weighted were "Need for intervention" and "Intervention outcomes." The weights finally assigned to each item in the multicriteria framework were derived as the equal-weighted sum of the mean weights from the two samples. CONCLUSIONS: A multi-attribute function capable of generating a composite measure (multicriteria) to assess the value of high-impact health interventions has been developed. Furthermore, it is recommended to pilot this procedure in a specific decision context to evaluate the efficacy, feasibility, usefulness, and reliability of the proposed tool.

AmpClass: an Antimicrobial Peptide Predictor Based on Supervised Machine Learning.

In the last decades, antibiotic resistance has been considered a severe problem worldwide. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules that have shown potential for the development of new drugs against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Nowadays, medicinal drug researchers use supervised learning methods to screen new peptides with antimicrobial potency to save time and resources. In this work, we consolidate a database with 15945 AMPs and 12535 non-AMPs taken as the base to train a pool of supervised learning models to recognize peptides with antimicrobial activity. Results show that the proposed tool (AmpClass) outperforms classical state-of-the-art prediction models and achieves similar results compared with deep learning models.

Iatrogenic rectal perforation due to application of topical treatment in a patient with ulcerative colitis: a rare complication.

Rectal perforations due to topical treatments (enemas or foams) are unusual complications and they have been mostly reported in the use of barium enemas or in elderly patients with constipation. Very little has been reported about perforations secondary to topical treatment in patients with ulcerative colitis. We present the case of a patient with ulcerative colitis who suffered a rectal perforation complicated with a superinfected collection after the application of topical mesalazine foam.

Effects of vaccination with Brucella melitensis, strains Rev 1 ΔeryCD and Rev 1, on the reproductive system of young male goats.

The present study evaluates the effects of vaccination with Brucella melitensis strains Rev 1 ΔeryCD and Rev 1 on the reproductive system of male goats. Three groups, each of them consisting of 15 six-month-old brucellosis-free male goats, were studied. The first group was vaccinated with the Rev 1 ΔeryCD strain, the second group received Rev 1 and the third group was inoculated with sterile physiological saline solution. The dose of both strains was of 1×109CFU/ml. Over the course of the five months of this study, three males from each group were euthanized every month. Their reproductive tracts, spleens, and lymph nodes were collected to analyze serology, bacteriology PCR, histology, and immunohistochemistry. Results show that vaccination with B. melitensis strains Rev 1 ΔeryCD and Rev 1 does not harm the reproductive system of male goats. Strain B. melitensis Rev 1 ΔeryCD displayed a lower capacity to colonize the reproductive tract than strain Rev 1, which was attributed to its limited catabolic action toward erythritol.

Clinical presentation and virological assessment of confirmed human monkeypox virus cases in Spain: a prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: In May, 2022, several European countries reported autochthonous cases of monkeypox, which rapidly spread globally. Early reports suggest atypical presentations. We aimed to investigate clinical and virological characteristics of cases of human monkeypox in Spain. METHODS: This multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study was done in three sexual health clinics in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain. We enrolled all consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed monkeypox from May 11 to June 29, 2022. Participants were offered lesion, anal, and oropharynx swabs for PCR testing. Participant data were collected by means of interviews conducted by dermatologists or specialists in sexually transmitted infections and were recorded using a standard case report form. Outcomes assessed in all participants with a confirmed diagnosis were demographics, smallpox vaccination, HIV status, exposure to someone with monkeypox, travel, mass gathering attendance, risk factors for sexually transmitted infections, sexual behaviour, signs and symptoms on first presentation, virological results at multiple body sites, co-infection with other sexually transmitted pathogens, and clinical outcomes 14 days after the initial presentation. Clinical outcomes were followed up until July 13, 2022. FINDINGS: 181 patients had a confirmed monkeypox diagnosis and were enrolled in the study. 166 (92%) identified as gay men, bisexual men, or other men who have sex with men (MSM) and 15 (8%) identified as heterosexual men or heterosexual women. Median age was 37·0 years (IQR 31·0-42·0). 32 (18%) patients reported previous smallpox vaccination, 72 (40%) were HIV-positive, eight (11%) had a CD4 cell count less than 500 cells per µL, and 31 (17%) were diagnosed with a concurrent sexually transmitted infection. Median incubation was 7·0 days (IQR 5·0-10·0). All participants presented with skin lesions; 141 (78%) participants had lesions in the anogenital region, and 78 (43%) in the oral and perioral region. 70 (39%) participants had complications requiring treatment: 45 (25%) had a proctitis, 19 (10%) had tonsillitis, 15 (8%) had penile oedema, six (3%) an abscess, and eight (4%) had an exanthem. Three (2%) patients required hospital admission. 178 (99%) of 180 swabs from skin lesions collected tested positive, as did 82 (70%) of 117 throat swabs. Viral load was higher in lesion swabs than in pharyngeal specimens (mean cycle threshold value 23 [SD 4] vs 32 [6], absolute difference 9 [95% CI 8-10]; p<0·0001). 108 (65%) of 166 MSM reported anal-receptive sex. MSM who engaged in anal-receptive sex presented with proctitis (41 [38%] of 108 vs four [7%] of 58, absolute difference 31% [95% CI 19-44]; p<0·0001) and systemic symptoms before the rash (67 [62%] vs 16 [28%], absolute difference 34% [28-62]; p<0·0001) more frequently than MSM who did not engage in anal-receptive sex. 18 (95%) of 19 participants with tonsillitis reported practising oral-receptive sex. The median time from onset of lesions to formation of a dry crust was 10 days (IQR 7-13). INTERPRETATION: In our cohort, monkeypox caused genital, perianal, and oral lesions and complications including proctitis and tonsillitis. Because of the variability of presentations, clinicians should have a low threshold for suspicion of monkeypox. Lesion swabs showed the highest viral loads, which, combined with the history of sexual exposure and the distribution of lesions, suggests close contact is probably the dominant transmission route in the current outbreak. FUNDING: None.

A Randomized Trial of Erythropoietin for Neuroprotection in Preterm Infants.

BACKGROUND: High-dose erythropoietin has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect in preclinical models of neonatal brain injury, and phase 2 trials have suggested possible efficacy; however, the benefits and safety of this therapy in extremely preterm infants have not been established. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial of high-dose erythropoietin, we assigned 941 infants who were born at 24 weeks 0 days to 27 weeks 6 days of gestation to receive erythropoietin or placebo within 24 hours after birth. Erythropoietin was administered intravenously at a dose of 1000 U per kilogram of body weight every 48 hours for a total of six doses, followed by a maintenance dose of 400 U per kilogram three times per week by subcutaneous injection through 32 completed weeks of postmenstrual age. Placebo was administered as intravenous saline followed by sham injections. The primary outcome was death or severe neurodevelopmental impairment at 22 to 26 months of postmenstrual age. Severe neurodevelopmental impairment was defined as severe cerebral palsy or a composite motor or composite cognitive score of less than 70 (which corresponds to 2 SD below the mean, with higher scores indicating better performance) on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition. RESULTS: A total of 741 infants were included in the per-protocol efficacy analysis: 376 received erythropoietin and 365 received placebo. There was no significant difference between the erythropoietin group and the placebo group in the incidence of death or severe neurodevelopmental impairment at 2 years of age (97 children [26%] vs. 94 children [26%]; relative risk, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.81 to 1.32; P = 0.80). There were no significant differences between the groups in the rates of retinopathy of prematurity, intracranial hemorrhage, sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or death or in the frequency of serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose erythropoietin treatment administered to extremely preterm infants from 24 hours after birth through 32 weeks of postmenstrual age did not result in a lower risk of severe neurodevelopmental impairment or death at 2 years of age. (Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; PENUT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01378273.).

Prospective Multicenter Study of the Primary Obesity Surgery Endoluminal (POSE 2.0) Procedure for Treatment of Obesity.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The Primary Obesity Surgery Endoluminal (POSE) 2.0 procedure involves a novel pattern of full-thickness gastric body plications to shorten and narrow the stomach using durable suture anchor pairs. Our prospective, multicenter trial examined the safety, efficacy, durability, and physiologic effects of POSE 2.0 in adults with obesity. METHODS: Adults with obesity underwent POSE 2.0 at 3 centers. Primary outcomes were percent total body weight loss (%TBWL) and proportion of patients achieving >5% TBWL at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included change in obesity comorbidities, satiety, quality of life at 6 months, and durability of plications at 12 and 24 months. Subjects were followed for adverse events throughout the study duration. RESULTS: 44 patients (61% female; mean age, 45 ± 9.7 years; mean body mass index, 37 ± 2.1 kg/m2) were enrolled. This procedure used an average of 19 suture anchor pairs, with a mean duration of 37 ± 11 minutes, and was technically successful in all subjects. Mean %TBWL at 12 months was 15.7% ± 6.8%. At 12 months, %TBWL >5%, >10%, and >15% was achieved in 98%, 86%, and 58% of patients, respectively. Improvements in lipid profile, liver biochemistries, and hepatic steatosis were seen at 6 months. Improvements in hepatic steatosis persisted for 24 months in a subgroup of patients (P < .01). POSE 2.0 reduced maximum tolerated meal volume (P = .03) and was associated with increased fullness (P < .01) and improved eating behavior (P < .01) at 6 months. Impact of weight on quality-of-life questionnaire improved at 6 months (2.23 vs 1.23; P < .01). Repeat assessment at 24 months (n = 26) showed fully intact plications. No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: POSE 2.0 is an effective and durable endoscopic bariatric therapy which may influence physiologic pathways impacting satiety. Larger comparative studies are needed to further elucidate these initial findings. CLINICALTRIALS: gov Identifier: NCT03721731.

BNIP3 Is Involved in Muscle Fiber Atrophy in Late-Onset Pompe Disease Patients.

Late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) is a rare genetic disorder produced by mutations in the GAA gene and is characterized by progressive muscle weakness. LOPD muscle biopsies show accumulation of glycogen along with the autophagic vacuoles associated with atrophic muscle fibers. The expression of molecules related to muscle fiber atrophy in muscle biopsies of LOPD patients was studied using immunofluorescence and real-time PCR. BCL2 and adenovirus E1B 19-kDa interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), a well-known atrogene, was identified as a potential mediator of muscle fiber atrophy in LOPD muscle biopsies. Vacuolated fibers in LOPD patient muscle biopsies were smaller than nonvacuolated fibers and expressed BNIP3. The current data suggested that BNIP3 expression is regulated by inhibition of the AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway, leading to phosphorylation of Unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1) at Ser317 by AMP-activated protein kinase. Myoblasts and myotubes obtained from LOPD patients and age-matched controls were studied to confirm these results using different molecular techniques. Myotubes derived from LOPD patients were likewise smaller and expressed BNIP3. Conclusively, transfection of BNIP3 into control myotubes led to myotube atrophy. These findings suggest a cascade that starts with the inhibition of the AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin pathway and activation of BNIP3 expression, leading to progressive muscle fiber atrophy. These results open the door to potential new treatments targeting BNIP3 to reduce its deleterious effects on muscle fiber atrophy in Pompe disease.

Dystrophinopathy Phenotypes and Modifying Factors in DMD Exon 45-55 Deletion.

OBJECTIVE: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) exon 45-55 deletion (del45-55) has been postulated as a model that could treat up to 60% of DMD patients, but the associated clinical variability and complications require clarification. We aimed to understand the phenotypes and potential modifying factors of this dystrophinopathy subset. METHODS: This cross-sectional, multicenter cohort study applied clinical and functional evaluation. Next generation sequencing was employed to identify intronic breakpoints and their impact on the Dp140 promotor, intronic long noncoding RNA, and regulatory splicing sequences. DMD modifiers (SPP1, LTBP4, ACTN3) and concomitant mutations were also assessed. Haplotypes were built using DMD single nucleotide polymorphisms. Dystrophin expression was evaluated via immunostaining, Western blotting, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and droplet digital PCR in 9 muscle biopsies. RESULTS: The series comprised 57 subjects (23 index) expressing Becker phenotype (28%), isolated cardiopathy (19%), and asymptomatic features (53%). Cognitive impairment occurred in 90% of children. Patients were classified according to 10 distinct index-case breakpoints; 4 of them were recurrent due to founder events. A specific breakpoint (D5) was associated with severity, but no significant effect was appreciated due to the changes in intronic sequences. All biopsies showed dystrophin expression of >67% and traces of alternative del45-57 transcript that were not deemed pathogenically relevant. Only the LTBP4 haplotype appeared associated the presence of cardiopathy among the explored extragenic factors. INTERPRETATION: We confirmed that del45-55 segregates a high proportion of benign phenotypes, severe cases, and isolated cardiac and cognitive presentations. Although some influence of the intronic breakpoint position and the LTBP4 modifier may exist, the pathomechanisms responsible for the phenotypic variability remain largely unresolved. ANN NEUROL 2022;92:793-806.

Forensic age estimation: comparison and validation of the Iscan method in 3D reconstructions using a surface scanner in a Spanish population.

When investigating a death, post-mortem identification provides with results of great legal and humanitarian significance. The effectiveness of the methods used to estimate age depends on the reference population, considering variables such as sex and ancestry. The aim of this study was to validate the Iscan method to estimate age in a Spanish forensic population, comparing the estimates obtained in dry bones and 3D reconstructions created with a surface scanner. We carried out a cross-sectional study on 109 autopsied corpses (67% male), scanning the sternal end of the right fourth rib in a 3D mesh, using an EinScan-Pro® surface scanner (precision: 0.05 mm). Two observers estimated the phases in dry bones and 3D images according to the Iscan method and to the sex of the subject. The mean age was 57.73 years (SD = 19.12 years;18-93 years). The intra-observer agreement was almost perfect in bones (κ = 0.877-0.960) and 3D images (κ = 0.954), while the inter-observer agreement was almost perfect in bones (κ = 0.813) and substantial in 3D images (κ = 0.727). The correlation with the Iscan phases was very strong in bones (Rho = 0.794-0.820; p < 0.001) and strong in 3D images (Rho = 0.690-0.691; p < 0.001). Both sex-adjusted linear regression models were significant (dry bones: R2 = 0.65; SEE = ± 11.264 years; 3D images: R2 = 0.50; SEE = ± 13.537 years) from phase 4 onwards. An overestimation of age was observed in the first phases, and an underestimation in the later ones. Virtual analysis using a surface scanner in the fourth rib is a valid means of estimating age. However, the error values and confidence intervals were considerable, so the joint use of different methods and anatomical sites is recommended.

Clinical and genetic spectrum of a large cohort of patients with δ-sarcoglycan muscular dystrophy.

Sarcoglycanopathies include four subtypes of autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDR3, LGMDR4, LGMDR5 and LGMDR6) that are caused, respectively, by mutations in the SGCA, SGCB, SGCG and SGCD genes. Delta-sarcoglycanopathy (LGMDR6) is the least frequent and is considered an ultra-rare disease. Our aim was to characterize the clinical and genetic spectrum of a large international cohort of LGMDR6 patients and to investigate whether or not genetic or protein expression data could predict a disease's severity. This is a retrospective study collecting demographic, genetic, clinical and histological data of patients with genetically confirmed LGMDR6 including protein expression data from muscle biopsies. We contacted 128 paediatric and adult neuromuscular units around the world that reviewed genetic data of patients with a clinical diagnosis of a neuromuscular disorder. We identified 30 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of LGMDR6 of which 23 patients were included in this study. Eighty-seven per cent of the patients had consanguineous parents. Ninety-one per cent of the patients were symptomatic at the time of the analysis. Proximal muscle weakness of the upper and lower limbs was the most common presenting symptom. Distal muscle weakness was observed early over the course of the disease in 56.5% of the patients. Cardiac involvement was reported in five patients (21.7%) and four patients (17.4%) required non-invasive ventilation. Sixty per cent of patients were wheelchair-bound since early teens (median age of 12.0 years). Patients with absent expression of the sarcoglycan complex on muscle biopsy had a significant earlier onset of symptoms and an earlier age of loss of ambulation compared to patients with residual protein expression. This study confirmed that delta-sarcoglycanopathy is an ultra-rare neuromuscular condition and described the clinical and molecular characteristics of the largest yet-reported collected cohort of patients. Our results showed that this is a very severe and quickly progressive disease characterized by generalized muscle weakness affecting predominantly proximal and distal muscles of the limbs. Similar to other forms of sarcoglycanopathies, the severity and rate of progressive weakness correlates inversely with the abundance of protein on muscle biopsy.