Study of three non-syndromic cases of congenital thumb aplasia in captive rhesus monkeys

Although congenital thumb absence has been reported frequently in humans, their occurrence in macaques is rare. We observed three cases of spontaneous thumb defects in captive female rhesus monkeys. One animal exhibited bilateral absence and two other presented unilateral thumb absence, all with metacarpal integrity. This report presents the clinical, radiological, and genealogical details as well as possible etiologies in an attempt to draw a parallel with humans and other primate species.

132 VITRIFICATION SYSTEM (OPEN AND CLOSED) IN NEW INCUBATOR WITH REDUCED OXYGEN

Most IVF laboratories uses high oxygen tension (20%) during embryonic culture. However, it is known that under physiological conditions, oxygen tension in the female reproductive tract ranges between 2 and 8%. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate survival and hatching rate after in vitro culture of vitrified/thawed bovine in vitro-produced blastocysts cultured under different oxygen concentrations. The experiment consisted of comparing 2 culture systems using different concentrations of oxygen: conventional incubator (20% O2, Thermo Scientific, model 3130) and a new incubator (5% O2, WTA Watanabe Tecnologia Aplicada, model Eve). Only Day 7 expanded blastocysts grade 1 were used. Embryos were produced according to conventional IVF protocols. Briefly, cumulus-oocyte complexes were aspirated from postmortem ovarian follicles, matured in TCM199 + 10% FCS + 0.5 mg FSH mL–1 + 50 mg LH mL–1 + 1 mg oestradiol mL–1, for 24 h at 38.5°C, 5% CO2 in air. Live spermatozoa from Nellore bull were obtained by centrifugation in Percoll gradients (45 and 90%) and cultured with cumulus-oocyte complexes at 1 million of sperm mL–1 in TALP medium + 10 mg of heparin mL–1. After 20 h incubation, zygotes were transferred to CR2 + 2.5% FCS + 4 mg of BSA mL–1 and granulosa monolayer for 7 days. Expanded blastocysts were randomly allocated to 2 treatments for vitrification (open system – cryotop and closed system – HSV Kit, IMV-Technologies) using the same vitrification media and protocol (VS1: 10% ethylene glycol + 10% dimethyl sulfoxide and VS2: 20% ethylene glycol + 20% dimethyl sulfoxide for 8 min and 50 s, respectively). After exposure to the vitrification solutions, 2 embryos were loaded/straw, and the straws were plunged into LN. The warming procedure consisted of, immediately after removal from LN2, transferring the embryos in 2 successive warming solutions with decreased concentrations of sucrose (1 M and 0.50 M for 5 min each). The vitrified/rewarmed embryos were transferred to in vitro culture. There were no differences in survival rates (P < 0.05) between the open and closed vitrification system for blastocysts produced in reduced oxygen in the Eve incubator – 5% O2 (96% – 109/114 and 98% – 158/161, respectively) compared with embryos produced in the high oxygen environment in the Thermo incubator – 20% O2 (93% – 214/230 and 92% – 94/102, respectively). Hatching rates were increased for blastocysts cultured in the lower oxygen environment (EVE treatment: 95 and 98%, respectively, for open and closed vitrification protocols) when compared with the high oxygen environment (Thermo treatment: 86 and 87%, respectively, for open and closed systems); P < 0.05. In vitro culture in a reduced-oxygen environment improves blastocysts competence after vitrification. Financial support was received from CNPq-RHAE.

Collagen type IV-related nephropathies in Portugal: pathogenic COL4A3 and COL4A4 mutations and clinical characterization of 25 families

Pathogenic mutations in genes COL4A3/COL4A4 are responsible for autosomal Alport syndrome (AS) and thin basement membrane nephropathy (TBMN). We used Sanger sequencing to analyze all exons and splice site regions of COL4A3/COL4A4, in 40 unrelated Portuguese probands with clinical suspicion of AS/TBMN. To assess genotype-phenotype correlations, we compared clinically relevant phenotypes/outcomes between homozygous/compound heterozygous and apparently heterozygous patients. Seventeen novel and four reportedly pathogenic COL4A3/COL4A4 mutations were identified in 62.5% (25/40) of the probands. Regardless of the mutated gene, all patients with ARAS manifested chronic renal failure (CRF) and hearing loss, whereas a minority of the apparently heterozygous patients had CRF or extrarenal symptoms. CRF was diagnosed at a significantly younger age in patients with ARAS. In our families, the occurrence of COL4A3/COL4A4 mutations was higher, while the prevalence of XLAS was lower than expected. Overall, a pathogenic COL4A3/COL4A4/COL4A5 mutation was identified in >50% of patients with fewer than three of the standard diagnostic criteria of AS. With such a population background, simultaneous next-generation sequencing of all three genes may be recommended as the most expedite approach to diagnose collagen IV-related glomerular basement membrane nephropathies.

Collagen type IV-related nephropathies in Portugal: pathogenic COL4A5 mutations and clinical characterization of 22 families

Alport syndrome (AS) is caused by pathogenic mutations in the genes encoding α3, α4 or α5 chains of collagen IV (COL4A3/COL4A4/COL4A5), resulting in hematuria, chronic renal failure (CRF), sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and ocular abnormalities. Mutations in the X-linked COL4A5 gene have been identified in 85% of the families (XLAS). In this study, 22 of 60 probands (37%) of unrelated Portuguese families, with clinical diagnosis of AS and no evidence of autosomal inheritance, had pathogenic COL4A5 mutations detected by Sanger sequencing and/or multiplex-ligation probe amplification, of which 12 (57%) are novel. Males had more severe and earlier renal and extrarenal complications, but microscopic hematuria was a constant finding irrespective of gender. Nonsense and splice site mutations, as well as small and large deletions, were associated with younger age of onset of SNHL in males, and with higher risk of CRF and SNHL in females. Pathogenic COL4A3 or COL4A4 mutations were subsequently identified in more than half of the families without a pathogenic mutation in COL4A5. The lower than expected prevalence of XLAS in Portuguese families warrants the use of next-generation sequencing for simultaneous COL4A3/COL4A4/COL4A5 analysis, as first-tier approach to the genetic diagnosis of collagen type IV-related nephropathies.

D-serine prevents cognitive deficits induced by acute stress

Increasing evidence indicates that acute stress disrupts cognitive functions mediated by glutamate-NMDA receptors, although the mechanisms are not fully understood. Here we investigated whether d-serine and glycine, the endogenous co-agonists of the NMDA receptor, are regulated by acute stress. We studied the biochemical and behavioral effects of acute restraint stress in C57BL/6 mice. Acute restraint stress decreased d-serine levels in the prefrontal cortex and glycine levels in the hippocampus. Behaviorally, acute stress impaired memory consolidation in the object recognition task and prepulse inhibition of the startle response. Importantly, d-serine administration (1 g/kg, i.p.) prevented both stress-induced impairments. Taken together, our results show for the first time an interplay between stress and d-serine and warrant further research on the role of d-serine in stress-related disorders.

Diagnosis of sarcoidosis in the endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration era

BACKGROUND

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disorder of unknown etiology. Its diagnosis is based on compatible clinical and radiological features and supported by histological demonstration of epithelioid cell noncaseating granulomas with exclusion of other causes. Endobronchial ultrasound combined with transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has been proposed as a valuable tool in obtaining suitable tissue sample. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of EBUS-TBNA to the diagnosis of stages I and II thoracic sarcoidosis in a community-based hospital.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted in patients with suspected stages I and II pulmonary sarcoidosis, based on clinical and radiological data, who were being followed in our Interstitial Lung Disorders Outpatient Clinic or sent from other hospitals to our Respiratory Endoscopy Unit for diagnostic procedures. All suitable and fit patients underwent EBUS-TBNA between March 2010 and June 2013. We assessed demographic characteristics, radiological stages, cytological/histological examination and diagnostic techniques performed.

RESULTS

In the period considered 39 patients underwent EBUS-TBNA for suspected stages I and II thoracic sarcoidosis and adequate samples were obtained in 38 (97.4%). Within this population, 33 (84.6%) patients had a definite diagnosis of sarcoidosis, of which 31 patients (93.9%) were confirmed to have epithelioid noncaseating granulomas by EBUS-TBNA. Four patients were submitted to surgical procedures (three to mediastinoscopy and one to open surgical lung biopsy). Data analysis allowed to calculate a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of 93.9%, 100%, 100%, 75.0% and 94.8%, respectively. No complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

EBUS-TBNA is a valuable tool in the diagnostic workup of patients with suspected stages I and II thoracic sarcoidosis providing a substantial number of pathological confirmations and with few complications. Its high diagnostic accuracy precludes the need for more invasive procedures such as surgical biopsy.