A mutation in the LDL receptor-related protein 5 gene results in the autosomal dominant high-bone-mass trait

Osteoporosis is a complex disease that affects >10 million people in the United States and results in 1.5 million fractures annually. In addition, the high prevalence of osteopenia (low bone mass) in the general population places a large number of people at risk for developing the disease. In an effort to identify genetic factors influencing bone density, we characterized a family that includes individuals who possess exceptionally dense bones but are otherwise phenotypically normal. This high-bone-mass trait (HBM) was originally localized by linkage analysis to chromosome 11q12-13. We refined the interval by extending the pedigree and genotyping additional markers. A systematic search for mutations that segregated with the HBM phenotype uncovered an amino acid change, in a predicted beta-propeller module of the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5), that results in the HBM phenotype. During analysis of >1,000 individuals, this mutation was observed only in affected individuals from the HBM kindred. By use of in situ hybridization to rat tibia, expression of LRP5 was detected in areas of bone involved in remodeling. Our findings suggest that the HBM mutation confers a unique osteogenic activity in bone remodeling, and this understanding may facilitate the development of novel therapies for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Characterization of novel human oral isolates and cloned 16S rDNA sequences that fall in the family Coriobacteriaceae: description of olsenella gen. nov., reclassification of Lactobacillus uli as Olsenella uli comb. nov. and description of Olsenella profusa sp. nov

The diversity of organisms present in the subgingival pockets of patients with periodontitis and acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG) were examined previously. The 16S rRNA genes of subgingival plaque bacteria were amplified using PCR with a universal forward primer and a spirochaete-selective reverse primer. The amplified DNA was cloned into Escherichia coli. In one subject with ANUG, 70 clones were sequenced. Seventy-five per cent of the clones were spirochaetal, as expected. Twelve of the remaining clones fell into two clusters that represent novel phylotypes in the family Coriobacteriaceae. The first novel phylotype was most closely related to Atopobium rimae (98% similarity). The phylotype probably represents a novel Atopobium species, but will not be named until cultivable strains are obtained. The second novel phylotype was only 91% similar to described Atopobium species and 84% similar to Coriobacterium glomerans. The 16S rRNA sequences of the type strain of Lactobacillus uli and a strain representing the Moores' Eubacterium group D52 were determined as part of on ongoing sequence analysis of oral bacteria. The sequence for L. uli was more than 99.8% similar to sequences for the second clone phylotype. It therefore appears that the second clone phylotype and L. uli represent the same species. The sequence for the Eubacterium D52 strain was 95.6% similar to that of L. uli. The G+C content of the DNA of L. uli and Eubacterium D52 is 63-64 mol %. These organisms are thus distinct from the neighbouring genus Atopobium, which has a DNA G+C content of 35-46 mol%. A new genus, Olsenella gen. nov., is proposed for these two species on the basis of phenotypic characteristics and 16S rRNA sequence analysis to include Olsenella uli comb. nov. and Olsenella profusa sp. nov.

Open-reading-frame sequence tags (OSTs) support the existence of at least 17,300 genes in C. elegans

The genome sequences of Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster and Arabidopsis thaliana have been predicted to contain 19,000, 13,600 and 25,500 genes, respectively. Before this information can be fully used for evolutionary and functional studies, several issues need to be addressed. First, the gene number estimates obtained in silico and not yet supported by any experimental data need to be verified. For example, it seems biologically paradoxical that C. elegans would have 50% more genes than Drosophilia. Second, intron/exon predictions need to be tested experimentally. Third, complete sets of open reading frames (ORFs), or "ORFeomes," need to be cloned into various expression vectors. To address these issues simultaneously, we have designed and applied to C. elegans the following strategy. Predicted ORFs are amplified by PCR from a highly representative cDNA library using ORF-specific primers, cloned by Gateway recombination cloning and then sequenced to generate ORF sequence tags (OSTs) as a way to verify identity and splicing. In a sample (n=1,222) of the nearly 10,000 genes predicted ab initio (that is, for which no expressed sequence tag (EST) is available so far), at least 70% were verified by OSTs. We also observed that 27% of these experimentally confirmed genes have a structure different from that predicted by GeneFinder. We now have experimental evidence that supports the existence of at least 17,300 genes in C. elegans. Hence we suggest that gene counts based primarily on ESTs may underestimate the number of genes in human and in other organisms.

The family Coriobacteriaceae: reclassification of Eubacterium exiguum (Poco et al. 1996) and Peptostreptococcus heliotrinreducens (Lanigan 1976) as Slackia exigua gen. nov., comb. nov. and Slackia heliotrinireducens gen. nov., comb. nov., and Eubacterium lentum (Prevot 1938) as Eggerthella lenta gen. nov., comb. nov

16S rRNA gene sequences were determined for Eubacterium exiguum and Peptostreptococcus heliotrinreducens. These species were found to be closely related and, together with Eubacterium lentum, to constitute a branch of the Coriobacteriaceae. Two new genera are proposed on the basis of phenotypic characteristics and 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons: Slackia to include the bile-sensitive species Eubacterium exiguum and P. heliotrinreducens, and Eggerthella to include the bile-resistant Eubacterium lentum. It is proposed that Eubacterium exiguum and Peptostreptococcus heliotrinreducens are transferred to the genus Slackia gen. nov. as Slackia exigua gen. nov., comb. nov. (type strain ATCC 700122T) and Slackia heliotrinireducens gen. nov., comb. nov. (type strain NTCC 11029T), respectively, and Eubacterium lentum is transferred to the genus Eggerthella gen. nov. as Eggerthella lenta gen. nov., comb. nov. with Eggerthella lenta as the type species.

Expression of class II, but not class I, major histocompatibility complex molecules is required for granuloma formation in infection with Schistosoma mansoni

Previous studies have suggested that granulomatous inflammation in schistosomiasis is mediated by CD4+ T helper lymphocytes sensitized to parasite egg antigens. However, CD8+ T cells have also frequently been associated with the immune response to schistosome eggs. To examine more precisely the role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the pathology of the schistosomal infection, we used mice with targeted mutations in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II or class I molecules. These mutations lead, respectively, to the virtual absence of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. The results clearly show that schistosome-infected MHC class II mutant mice failed to form granulomas around parasite eggs. In contrast, infected MHC class I mutant mice displayed characteristic granulomatous lesions that were comparable to those in wild-type control mice. Moreover, lymphoid cells from MHC class II mutant mice were unable to react to egg antigens with either proliferative or cytokine [interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10] responses; nor were they able to present egg antigens to specifically sensitized CD4+ T helper cells from infected syngeneic control mice. By comparison, cells from MHC class I mutant mice exercised all these functions in a manner comparable with those from wild-type controls. These observations clearly demonstrate that schistosomal egg granulomas are mediated by MHC class II-restricted CD4+ T helper cells. They also suggest that CD8+ T cells do not become sensitized to egg antigens and play little role, if any, in the pathogenesis of schistosomiasis.

Prevalence and varieties of Helicobacter species in dogs from random sources and pet dogs: animal and public health implications

Gastric bacteria of a variety of ultrastructural morphologies have been identified in or isolated from domestic carnivores, but their prevalence in different populations of animals and their clinical significance are still unknown. The purposes of this study were (i) to evaluate the prevalence and morphologic types of gastric bacterial in three different populations of dogs; (ii) to determine which of the organisms were culturable, and if the cultured organisms were morphologically similar to the organisms seen in situ; (iii) to identify the isolated organisms; and (iv) to determine if gastric bacteria were associated with gastritis. Three groups of dogs were examined: healthy laboratory dogs, healthy dogs from an animal shelter, and pet dogs with various nongastric illnesses. Of these, 100% of laboratory and shelter dogs and 67% of pet dogs were colonized by large, tightly coiled gastric spiral bacteria morphologically similar to Gastrospirillum hominis or Helicobacter felis (referred to as gastrospirilla). Regardless of the presence or density of gastric bacteria, all of the dogs in the study except one had mild to moderate gastritis. Helicobacter spp. were isolated from only 6 of 39 stomachs cultured, and only three of the organisms isolated were morphologically similar to the bacteria seen in situ. Five helicobacters were identified by 16S rDNA (genes coding for rRNA) sequence analysis. Three were strains of H. felis, one was H. bilis, and one was a novel helicobacter morphologically similar to "Flexispira rappini." Gastrospirilla are almost universal in the stomachs of domestic dogs, and in most infected dogs, they do not appear to be associated with clinical signs or histologic lesions compared with uninfected dogs. Nongastrospirillum helicobacters are rare in dogs and are not histologically detectable. Helicobacter pylori was not isolated from domestic dogs.