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Gentile M, Ranieri C, Loconte DC, Ponzi E, Ficarella R, Volpe P, Scalzo G, Lepore Signorile M, Grossi V, Cordella A, Ventola GM, Susca FC, Turchiano A, Simone C, Resta N. Functional evidence of mTORβ splice variant involvement in the pathogenesis of congenital heart defects. Clin Genet 2020; 99:425-429. [PMID: 33236357 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
mTOR dysregulation has been described in pathological conditions, such as cardiovascular and overgrowth disorders. Here we report on the first case of a patient with a complex congenital heart disease and an interstitial duplication in the short arm of chromosome 1, encompassing part of the mTOR gene. Our results suggest that an intragenic mTOR microduplication might play a role in the pathogenesis of non-syndromic congenital heart defects (CHDs) due to an upregulation of mTOR/Rictor and consequently an increased phosphorylation of PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK signaling pathways in patient-derived amniocytes. This is the first report which shows a causative role of intragenic mTOR microduplication in the etiology of an isolated complex CHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Gentile
- Department of Human Reproductive Medicine, Medical Genetics Unit, ASL Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Carlotta Ranieri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), Medical Genetics, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Daria C Loconte
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), Medical Genetics, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Emanuela Ponzi
- Department of Human Reproductive Medicine, Medical Genetics Unit, ASL Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Romina Ficarella
- Department of Human Reproductive Medicine, Medical Genetics Unit, ASL Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Paolo Volpe
- Department of Human Reproductive Medicine, Fetal Medicine Unit, ASL Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Gabriele Scalzo
- Department of Pediatric Sciences, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Unit, Giovanni XXIII Pediatric Hospital, Bari, Italy
| | - Martina Lepore Signorile
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology "S. de Bellis" Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Valentina Grossi
- Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology "S. de Bellis" Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Francesco C Susca
- Department of Human Reproductive Medicine, Medical Genetics Unit, ASL Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonella Turchiano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), Medical Genetics, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Cristiano Simone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), Medical Genetics, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.,Medical Genetics, National Institute of Gastroenterology "S. de Bellis" Research Hospital, Castellana Grotte, Bari, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Resta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), Medical Genetics, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
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Grossi V, Forte G, Sanese P, Peserico A, Tezil T, Lepore Signorile M, Fasano C, Lovaglio R, Bagnulo R, Loconte DC, Susca FC, Resta N, Simone C. The longevity SNP rs2802292 uncovered: HSF1 activates stress-dependent expression of FOXO3 through an intronic enhancer. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:5587-5600. [PMID: 29733381 PMCID: PMC6009585 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The HSF and FOXO families of transcription factors play evolutionarily conserved roles in stress resistance and lifespan. In humans, the rs2802292 G-allele at FOXO3 locus has been associated with longevity in all human populations tested; moreover, its copy number correlated with reduced frequency of age-related diseases in centenarians. At the molecular level, the intronic rs2802292 G-allele correlated with increased expression of FOXO3, suggesting that FOXO3 intron 2 may represent a regulatory region. Here we show that the 90-bp sequence around the intronic single nucleotide polymorphism rs2802292 has enhancer functions, and that the rs2802292 G-allele creates a novel HSE binding site for HSF1, which induces FOXO3 expression in response to diverse stress stimuli. At the molecular level, HSF1 mediates the occurrence of a promoter–enhancer interaction at FOXO3 locus involving the 5′UTR and the rs2802292 region. These data were confirmed in various cellular models including human HAP1 isogenic cell lines (G/T). Our functional studies highlighted the importance of the HSF1-FOXO3-SOD2/CAT/GADD45A cascade in cellular stress response and survival by promoting ROS detoxification, redox balance and DNA repair. Our findings suggest the existence of an HSF1-FOXO3 axis in human cells that could be involved in stress response pathways functionally regulating lifespan and disease susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Grossi
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Giovanna Forte
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis', Castellana Grotte (Ba) 70013, Italy
| | - Paola Sanese
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Alessia Peserico
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Tugsan Tezil
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Martina Lepore Signorile
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Candida Fasano
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis', Castellana Grotte (Ba) 70013, Italy
| | - Rosaura Lovaglio
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Rosanna Bagnulo
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Daria C Loconte
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Francesco C Susca
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Resta
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy
| | - Cristiano Simone
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari 70124, Italy.,Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis', Castellana Grotte (Ba) 70013, Italy
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Loconte DC, Grossi V, Bozzao C, Forte G, Bagnulo R, Stella A, Lastella P, Cutrone M, Benedicenti F, Susca FC, Patruno M, Varvara D, Germani A, Chessa L, Laforgia N, Tenconi R, Simone C, Resta N. Molecular and Functional Characterization of Three Different Postzygotic Mutations in PIK3CA-Related Overgrowth Spectrum (PROS) Patients: Effects on PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling and Sensitivity to PIK3 Inhibitors. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123092. [PMID: 25915946 PMCID: PMC4411002 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS) include a group of disorders that affect only the terminal portion of a limb, such as type I macrodactyly, and conditions like fibroadipose overgrowth (FAO), megalencephaly-capillary malformation (MCAP) syndrome, congenital lipomatous asymmetric overgrowth of the trunk, lymphatic, capillary, venous, and combined-type vascular malformations, epidermal nevi, skeletal and spinal anomalies (CLOVES) syndrome and Hemihyperplasia Multiple Lipomatosis (HHML). Heterozygous postzygotic PIK3CA mutations are frequently identified in these syndromes, while timing and tissue specificity of the mutational event are likely responsible for the extreme phenotypic variability observed. Methods We carried out a combination of Sanger sequencing and targeted deep sequencing of genes involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in three patients (1 MCAP and 2 FAO) to identify causative mutations, and performed immunoblot analyses to assay the phosphorylation status of AKT and P70S6K in affected dermal fibroblasts. In addition, we evaluated their ability to grow in the absence of serum and their response to the PI3K inhibitors wortmannin and LY294002 in vitro. Results and Conclusion Our data indicate that patients’ cells showed constitutive activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Of note, PI3K pharmacological blockade resulted in a significant reduction of the proliferation rate in culture, suggesting that inhibition of PI3K might prove beneficial in future therapies for PROS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria C. Loconte
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Valentina Grossi
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
- National Cancer Institute, IRCCS Oncologico Giovanni Paolo II, Bari, Italy
| | - Cristina Bozzao
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanna Forte
- Cancer Genetics Laboratory, IRCCS “S. de Bellis”, Castellana Grotte, Italy
| | - Rosanna Bagnulo
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Stella
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Lastella
- Center for Rare Diseases-Internal Medicine "C. Frugoni", University Hospital of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Mario Cutrone
- US Dermatologia Pediatrica, Ospedale dell'Angelo Ulss 12 Mestre, Venezia, Italy
| | - Francesco Benedicenti
- Genetic Counseling Service, Department of Pediatrics, Regional Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Francesco C. Susca
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Margherita Patruno
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Dora Varvara
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Aldo Germani
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Luciana Chessa
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Laforgia
- Neonatology and NICU Section, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Cristiano Simone
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
- National Cancer Institute, IRCCS Oncologico Giovanni Paolo II, Bari, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Resta
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Zanna P, Maida I, Turpin Sevilla MC, Susca FC, Filotico R, Arciuli M, Cassano N, Vena GA, Cicero R, Guida G. Molecular characterization of novel melanoma cell lines. J BIOL REG HOMEOS AG 2011; 25:239-247. [PMID: 21880213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We isolated two novel cell lines from different types of sporadic human malignant melanoma: the hmel1 line was obtained from a melanoma skin metastasis and the hmel9 cell line from a primary superficial spreading melanoma. The karyotype and pigmentation parameters were assessed in these cell lines. Cytogenetic analysis in early stages of culture revealed that both cell lines had chromosome instability and simultaneous growth of heteroploid subpopulations. The molecular analysis of some genes involved in melanoma showed that both cell lines harbor BRAF mutations. The unpigmented hmel1 and the pigmented hmel9 lines were found to express the tyrosinase gene. The tyrosine hydroxylase activity was detectable only in hmel9 cells and practically absent in the hmel1 cell line. This activity was found to be correlated with the relative tyrosinase protein amount in both melanoma cell lines. The biological behaviour in the two melanoma cell lines, derived from two different types of melanoma lesions displaying distinct clinical and histopathological features, confirms the heterogeneous characteristics of sporadic melanoma. Similarities and/or differences between cell lines extracted from different melanoma cases could be useful in the future for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Zanna
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical Biology and Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Bari, Italy
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Bukvic N, Resta N, Bukvic D, Susca FC, Bagnulo R, Fanelli M, Guanti G. SCE frequency measurement could be useful in the prenatal diagnosis of Roberts syndrome. Twin Res Hum Genet 2007; 10:655-7. [PMID: 17708708 DOI: 10.1375/twin.10.4.655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
In a previously published article (Resta et al., 2006) on Robert's syndrome in prenatal diagnosis, a case of a 36-year-old woman and her 36-year-old, nonconsanguineous husband were presented. Our findings suggest the existence of nonsense mediated decay (NMD) variability which could account for the varying severity reported in carriers of identical mutations. Furthermore, fetal cells were used to evaluate the influence of premature centromere separation (PCS) on the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (MN) frequency. Given the similar variation observed in the SCE frequencies, dependent on tissue/cell type (amniotic fluid sample, chorionic villus sampling) and duration of in vitro cultures (48 hours or 72 hours), the idea was that this new piece of information could be interesting. It seems that the SCE frequency increased proportionally to the cell cycle increasing (1 degrees < 2 degrees < 3 degrees ... n). Obviously, our observations are too scarce to draw conclusions, but further investigation could be useful to corroborate or dispute these results, considering that the two techniques, (MN and SCE), are simple to perform and do not require expensive laboratory equipment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nenad Bukvic
- Department of Internal and Public Medicine-Section of Medical Genetics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
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Di Giacomo MC, Susca FC, Resta N, Bukvic N, Vimercati A, Guanti G. Trisomy 13 mosaicism in a phenotypically normal child: Description of cytogenetic and clinical findings from early pregnancy beyond 2 years of age. Am J Med Genet A 2007; 143A:518-20. [PMID: 17163529 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.31515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Comes F, Matrone A, Lastella P, Nico B, Susca FC, Bagnulo R, Ingravallo G, Modica S, Lo Sasso G, Moschetta A, Guanti G, Simone C. A novel cell type-specific role of p38alpha in the control of autophagy and cell death in colorectal cancer cells. Cell Death Differ 2006; 14:693-702. [PMID: 17159917 DOI: 10.1038/sj.cdd.4402076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer develops when molecular pathways that control the fine balance between proliferation, differentiation, autophagy and cell death undergo genetic deregulation. The prospects for further substantial advances in the management of colorectal cancer reside in a systematic genetic and functional dissection of these pathways in tumor cells. In an effort to evaluate the impact of p38 signaling on colorectal cancer cell fate, we treated HT29, Caco2, Hct116, LS174T and SW480 cell lines with the inhibitor SB202190 specific for p38alpha/beta kinases. We report that p38alpha is required for colorectal cancer cell homeostasis as the inhibition of its kinase function by pharmacological blockade or genetic inactivation causes cell cycle arrest, autophagy and cell death in a cell type-specific manner. Deficiency of p38alpha activity induces a tissue-restricted upregulation of the GABARAP gene, an essential component of autophagic vacuoles and autophagosomes, whereas simultaneous inhibition of autophagy significantly increases cell death by triggering apoptosis. These data identify p38alpha as a central mediator of colorectal cancer cell homeostasis and establish a rationale for the evaluation of the pharmacological manipulation of the p38alpha pathway in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Comes
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedicine in Childhood, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
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Resta N, Lauriola L, Puca A, Susca FC, Albanese A, Sabatino G, Di Giacomo MC, Gessi M, Guanti G. Ganglioglioma arising in a Peutz-Jeghers patient: a case report with molecular implications. Acta Neuropathol 2006; 112:106-11. [PMID: 16733653 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-006-0084-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2006] [Revised: 05/09/2006] [Accepted: 05/09/2006] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), an autosomal dominant disorder caused by inactivating germline mutations in the serine-threonine kinase gene LKB1, is characterized by mucocutaneous pigmentation, multiple gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyps, and by an increased risk for developing tumors involving several different organs. To date, no brain tumors have been described in PJS patients. In this report, we describe a case of ganglioglioma in a 22-year-old PJS patient. Single-strand conformation polymorphism-Heteroduplex analysis evidenced an abnormal pattern in exon 6 of the LKB1 gene. Sequencing revealed a 821delTinsAC mutation creating a termination codon 29 nucleotides downstream (p.Asn274fsX11). RNA studies showed an out-of-frame LKB1 isoform derived from the wild type allele and generated by exon 4 skipping. Since the LKB1 gene is expressed in the fetal and adult brain, our data would suggest its likely involvement in the pathogenesis of a subset of gangliogliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Resta
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Biomedicine of Evolutive Age, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
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Resta N, Stella A, Susca FC, Di Giacomo M, Forleo G, Miccolis I, Rossini FP, Genuardi M, Piepoli A, Grammatico P, Guanti G. Two novel mutations and a new STK11/LKB1 gene isoform in Peutz-Jeghers patients. Hum Mutat 2002; 20:78-9. [PMID: 12112668 DOI: 10.1002/humu.9046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited disorder with variable expression and incomplete penetrance characterized by mucocutaneous pigmentation, predisposition to hamartomatous intestinal polyposis, and various other neoplasms. It occurs in approximately 1 in 8,300 to 29,000 live births. In nearly 50% of patients PJS is caused by germ line mutations in the STK11/LKB1 serine/threonine kinase gene, the only kinase gene currently known to act as a tumor suppressor. We have performed a mutation search in the STK11/LKB1 gene in 8 sporadic cases and 3 PJS families using a combination of different screening techniques. We have identified four mutations, two of which I177N and the IVS2+1A->G, were previously unreported. We have also evaluated the presence of cDNA alterations by means of RT-PCR analysis and direct cDNA sequencing and have found two aberrant transcripts in a single PJS case despite the lack of any apparent genomic alteration. Finally, we report the presence of a novel STK11/LKB1 cDNA isoform observed in all the normal subjects studied as well as in the majority of the PJS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Resta
- Sez. Genetica Medica DIMIMP, Università di Bari, Italy
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