Cyclooxygenase-inhibitory and antioxidant constituents of the aerial parts of Antirhea acutata

Two new compounds, (6S)-hydroxy-29-nor-3,4-seco-cycloart-4(30),24-dien-3-oic acid (1) and 8-[1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-methoxy-3-oxopropyl]epicatechin (3), were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation from the aerial parts of Antirhea acutata (DC.) Urb. (Rubiaceae). Compound 1 showed moderate inhibitory activities in cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 assays (IC(50) 43.7 and 4.7 microM, respectively), while compound 3 was active in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free-radical and cytochrome c reduction antioxidant assays (IC(50) 29.1 and 16.3 microM, respectively). Additionally, one further new compound was isolated, (3S,24S)-25-trihydroxy-9,19-cycloartane-29-oic acid (2), but this was inactive in the bioassay systems used. Compound 1 is based on the unprecedented 29-nor-3,4-seco-cycloartane skeleton.

Gynecological aspects of female familial dysautonomia

BACKGROUND

Familial dysautonomia is a genetic disease in which there is a defect in the autonomic and sensory nervous systems. These systems have a major role in the reproductive system.

OBJECTIVE

To study the inter-relationship of autonomic and sensory dysfunction and gynecological function.

METHODS

The gynecological histories of 48 women with familial dysautonomia were analyzed retrospectively. Their mean age was 22.25 years (range 12-47). Thirty-three women (65%) were available for further questioning and investigation of hormonal status.

RESULTS

Menarche had occurred in 32 of the 48 (66.7%). Their average age of menarche was significantly delayed as compared to their unaffected mothers (15.5 vs. 13.6 years respectively, P = 0.002). The most prominent finding was the very high prevalence, 81.2%, of premenstrual symptoms. Seven of 26 had premenstrual syndrome symptoms of dysautonomic crisis. Blood sex hormone levels were normal in 27 of the 33 patients studied. None reached natural menopause. One patient had adenomyosis, and another, dysgerminoma. Three patients became pregnant and delivered healthy infants.

CONCLUSION

Menarche is delayed in women with FD, and the physiological monthly hormonal fluctuations may disturb autonomic homeostasis sufficiently to precipitate dysautonomic crisis.

Mendelian diseases among Roman Jews: implications for the origins of disease alleles

The Roman Jewish community has been historically continuous in Rome since pre-Christian times and may have been progenitor to the Ashkenazi Jewish community. Despite a history of endogamy over the past 2000 yr, the historical record suggests that there was admixture with Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews during the Middle Ages. To determine whether Roman and Ashkenazi Jews shared common signature mutations, we tested a group of 107 Roman Jews, representing 176 haploid sets of chromosomes. No mutations were found for Bloom syndrome, BRCA1, BRCA2, Canavan disease, Fanconi anemia complementation group C, or Tay-Sachs disease. Two unrelated individuals were positive for the 3849 + 10C->T cystic fibrosis mutation; one carried the N370S Gaucher disease mutation, and one carried the connexin 26 167delT mutation. Each of these was shown to be associated with the same haplotype of tightly linked microsatellite markers as that found among Ashkenazi Jews. In addition, 14 individuals had mutations in the familial Mediterranean fever gene and three unrelated individuals carried the factor XI type III mutation previously observed exclusively among Ashkenazi Jews. These findings suggest that the Gaucher, connexin 26, and familial Mediterranean fever mutations are over 2000 yr old, that the cystic fibrosis 3849 + 10kb C->T and factor XI type III mutations had a common origin in Ashkenazi and Roman Jews, and that other mutations prevalent among Ashkenazi Jews are of more recent origin.

Isolation of erythropoietin receptor agonist peptides using evolved phage libraries

Cyclic peptides capable of activating the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) were isolated from phage display libraries by screening with a novel EPOR-IgG fusion protein reagent. A parental clone ERB1 (EPO Receptor Binder 1) was first isolated from a phage display library displaying 38 random amino acids as an N-terminal fusion with the M13 minor capsid protein, pill. An evolved library was then produced from the parental sequence using an oligonucleotide saturation mutagenesis strategy which yielded EPOR binding sequences with 20 times the relative affinity of ERB1. Two synthetic peptides were constructed from these sequences both of which bind the EPO receptor in specific ELISA, and act as full agonists in EPO dependent cell proliferation assays. These peptides are 18 amino acids in length, disulfide-bonded, and have a minimum consensus sequence of CXXGWVGXCXXW, where X represents positions tolerant of several amino acids.

Expression and ligand binding assays of soluble cytokine receptor-immunoglobulin fusion proteins

We have developed a cloning vector for the expression of type I cytokine receptor, NO, extracellular domain (ECD)-mouse IgG1 Fc fusion proteins. The vector has a versatile polylinker that allows in-frame cloning of the receptor ECD with the mouse IgG1 sequence to encode a receptor ECD-IgG1 fusion construct. The receptor-IgG1 fusion proteins are transiently expressed in useful amounts following transfection of the expression vector into COS7 cells and G418 selection. The mouse IgG1 portion of the fusion protein provides a universal handle for purification on an affinity matrix and detection by anti-mouse IgG antibodies in ELISA or Western blot formats. The expressed receptor ECD-IgG1 fusion proteins bind their cognate ligands. In order to demonstrate that the fusion proteins have similar ligand binding affinities as the native receptors, the affinity constants (Kd) for EPOR, TNFR, IL-4R, and IL-6R-IgG1 fusion proteins were measured by surface plasmon resonance and shown to be in good agreement with published values. The TNFR-IgG1 fusion protein was employed in a demonstration of a novel ELISA format for detecting cytokine receptor binding to cytokine.

Prenatal diagnostic testing for familial dysautonomia using linked genetic markers

Familial dysautonomia (FD), a recessively inherited disease, has been mapped to chromosome 9q31. Highly polymorphic dinucleotide repeat markers flanking the genetic locus and at the same genetic location have been identified. We describe the prenatal diagnosis of FD using linkage and linkage disequilibrium analyses with these markers. Twelve families were analysed for informativeness and of these, seven went on to have prenatal testing (a total of eight fetuses tested). All of these fetuses were predicted to be heterozygous unaffected (FD carriers). Seven fetuses have come to term and are normal. In the absence of a recombinant proband, a panel of three proximal and three distal markers is sufficient to provide informative flanking markers and an 87-96 per cent likelihood of a highly predictive test. In an additional family at 1:4 risk for FD, no DNA was available from the propositus. This family was analysed using linkage disequilibrium to the #18 allele of the tightly linked marker D9S58 in conjunction with linkage analysis using data from two unaffected children. Prenatal diagnosis in this family indicated an affected fetus.

Resolution of DNA linkage discrepancies through analysis of a VNTR locus in a family study of cystic fibrosis

First-trimester prenatal diagnosis of a fetus at 25 per cent risk for cystic fibrosis (CF) was performed by indirect linkage analysis of polymorphic markers using Southern blotting and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The results revealed discrepancies in the allelic patterns between the father and the affected child, thereby complicating the prediction of fetal outcome. Analysis of a highly polymorphic VNTR locus within the human retinoblastoma (RB) gene on chromosome 13 showed that the affected child and the fetus did not have the same biological father, and therefore the affected child could not be used to determine linkage of markers in the father of the fetus. The analysis of VNTR loci can be an effective method of resolving conflicting data during prenatal diagnosis of monogenic diseases.

Dietary intake in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), patients with AIDS-related complex, and serologically positive human immunodeficiency virus patients: correlations with nutritional status

One of the major clinical manifestations of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex (ARC) is the development of cachexia. This most likely results from a multifactorial interplay of poor diet, malabsorption, and altered metabolism. To assess the potential role of nutrient intake in the development or persistence of malnutrition, a detailed analysis was performed of a 72-hr diet record in clinically stable patients with AIDS (N = 18), ARC (N = 12) and in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositive controls without significant manifestations of disease (N = 13). Total calorie intake was 39.1 +/- 13.2 kcal/kg/day in AIDS patients vs 34.6 +/- 7.8 kcal/kg/day in ARC patients or 31.9 +/- 17.7 kcal/kg/day in HIV seropositive cases (all p = NS). Likewise, mean protein intakes were similar among the groups and exceeded recommended daily dietary allowance (RDA) guidelines. The mean body weight changes from the inception of illness were -11 +/- 1% in AIDS, -6 +/- 7% in ARC, vs +3 +/- 2% in HIV-seropositive-only cases (p less than 0.05 vs AIDS and ARC). Dietary vitamin and mineral analysis revealed that 88% of AIDS, 88% of HIV seropositive, and 89% of ARC patients were ingesting less than 50% RDA for at least one nutrient. The mean number of deficiencies per patient was 1.8 +/- 1.3 in AIDS, 3.8 +/- 3.5 in ARC, and 2.9 +/- 2.5 in HIV-seropositive-only cases (p less than 0.05 AIDS vs ARC). There were no significant correlations between specific anthropometric measurements and dietary intakes of protein or fat.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

DNA polymorphisms for the nerve growth factor receptor gene exclude its role in familial dysautonomia

Alleles for the single human nerve growth factor receptor gene (NGFR) on chromosome 17q can be distinguished by two polymorphic restriction sites for XmnI and one for HincII. The combined information content for haplotypes is quite high, making the NGFR locus an excellent genetic marker. Two of these polymorphisms were used to follow the inheritance of NGFR alleles in families with two or more members affected with familial dysautonomia. This rare disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive mode in the Ashkenazic Jewish population. Affected individuals show a severe depletion of NGF-dependent nerve populations from birth. Linkage analysis excluded a role for NGFR in this disease with odds of greater than 10(6):1 against the dysautonomia gene being within 1 centiMorgan of the mutation. In a previous study the gene for the beta subunit of NGF (NGFB) was also excluded in this disease. A possible role for other genes involved in NGF action or those coding for other developmentally determining neuronal factors is indicated.

Renal disease in familial dysautonomia

A study of renal disease in familial dysautonomia identified excess glomerulosclerosis in 10 or 13 autopsied and biopsied patients. Sympathetic nerve terminals could not be found on renal vessels in biopsied tissue; they were invariably demonstrable in controls. Altered renovascular responsivity to systemic hypotension in familial dysautonomia may lead to ischemia and subsequent sclerosis of glomeruli. Review of 79 living outpatients showed that clinically overt renal disease was rare in familial dysautonomia. Nevertheless, frequent observations of elevations of serum creatinine concentrations (32% of patients) and blood urea concentrations (76% of patients) indicated a high prevalence of abnormality. An association was found between hypotension and renal dysfunction.

Quantitative studies of dorsal root ganglia and neuropathologic observations on spinal cords in familial dysautonomia

Intrauterine development and postnatal maintenance of dorsal root ganglion neurons are abnormal in familial dysautonomia, an autosomal recessive disorder associated with autonomic, motor and sensory deficits. Normally, dorsal root ganglion weight increases with age. This does not occur in the cervical plexus ganglia of dysautonomic patients. Neurons in dorsal root ganglia are found to be markedly diminished in the youngest patients and slow degeneration causes further depletion with age. Quantitative studies on C8 dorsal root ganglia show the normal neuron content to be between 42,500 and 53,600. In 3 patients with familial dysautonomia the range was 4,090-8,590 with the smallest number being in the oldest patient. Lateral root entry zones and Lissauer's tracts are severely depleted of axons. In older patients loss of dorsal column myelinated axons becomes evident and is first seen in lumbar fasciculus gracilis, cervical fasciculus cuneatus and interfascicular fasciculus. Temperature sensation is markedly impaired from infancy in familial dysautonomia. Loss of pain sensation is prominent and worsens with age. Vibration sense diminishes in adolescence and coordination of limb movements becomes poor in older patients. Neuron depletion in dorsal root ganglia and the progressive pattern of cord changes correlate well with these clinical observations.

The sural nerve in familial dysautonomia

In familial dysautonomia there are malfunctions of motor, sensory and autonomic systems. The sural nerve has reduced transverse fascicular area, diminished numbers of myelinated axons (particularly those of small diameter) and very few non-myelinated axons. Catecholamine containing endings are not found in accompanying arteries. These changes are compatible with reduced neuronal populations described in sympathetic and sensory ganglia. The observed pathology accounts for many of the clinical features of the disease and suggests an abnormality in intrauterine development.