The Validity and Reliability of Malay Version Child Exposure to Domestic Violence Scale

Background

Domestic violence has a significant impact on growing children. However, existing evidence is limited and often under reported. Consequently, the Child Exposure to Domestic Violence (CEDV) scale has been developed for global use. This study aims to provide a cross-cultural translation, adaptation and validation of the CEDV based on Malay language.

Methods

CEDV scale was translated from the original English version to Malay. Content and face validity were examined before field-testing. The study comprised a cross sectional study using the Malay version of the CEDV (CEDV-M) scale conducted at a secondary school in Perlis, Malaysia and investigated 235 children aged 13 years old-16 years old using an online platform. The construct validity, internal consistency and stability of the tool were assessed.

Results

The CEDV-M scale's content and face validity both yielded a value exceeding 0.80. Furthermore, the tool demonstrated has good stability reliability, using the intra-class correlation value for all items ranging from 0.659 to 1.00. The exploratory factor analysis of the 36 items of the CEDV scale revealed possibilities of five or six factor domains. However, the five factor domains were most conceptually equivalent. Consequently, this study found that the CEDV-M scale is reliable with a total Cronbach's alpha of 0.87.

Conclusion

CEDV-M scale is a valid and reliable tool for measuring a child's experience of domestic violence. Future studies recommend confirmatory factor analysis and standard settings for scoring systems.

P3732Proportion of acute ischaemic strokes attributable to cardiac causes in an all-comer population of young patients

Introduction

The incidence of stroke in young patients is increasing and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic cost. Identifying potential underlying causes is central to their overall management to reduce recurrence and improve long-term outcomes. A proportion of these patients are found to have an underlying cardiac cause including atrial fibrillation (AF), patent foramen ovale (PFO) or an intracardiac source of embolus. This area has recently gained greater interest with evidence demonstrating a significant reduction in recurrent ischaemic events following PFO closure. The identification of these patients however, requires extensive investigation and has implications relating to cardiology resources. Outside of clinical trials the true incidence of these patients in a “real-world” population is poorly defined.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of strokes attributable to cardiac causes in young patients presenting with ischaemic stroke.

Methods

The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) database of a large UK stroke service was used to identify patients ≤55 years old presenting with stroke between 1/1/15 and 31/12/17. Clinical letters, imaging reports and laboratory reports were reviewed. Patients were then categorised by cause of stroke using the Trial of Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria. Cardiac causes of stroke were defined as: AF, PFO and intracardiac source of embolus. Patients presenting with a haemorrhagic stroke or where an alternate diagnosis to stroke was more likely were excluded.

Results

During the study period, 206 patients were identified as having suffered a stroke. 35 patients were excluded resulting in a final study population of 171 patients (Figure). 24% (41/171) were identified as having a cardiac cause of stroke including 9.4% (16/171) PFO, 8.8% (15/171) intracardiac source of embolus and 5.8% (10/171) atrial fibrillation. 50.3% (86/171) were thought to have other causes: 24.6% (42/171) small vessel disease; 9.4% (16/171) large artery atherosclerosis; and 16.4% (28/171) other determined aetiology including 5.1% (8.8/171) with arterial dissection. 25.7% (44/171) presented with a stroke but with no clear underlying cause found.

Causes of stroke in young patients

Conclusion

A high proportion (24%) of strokes in young patients were found to be likely secondary to a cardiac cause. With the significant benefit of intervention (medical or procedural) in this patient group, the resource provision allocated to this population does appear to be warranted and further demonstrates the importance of close interdisciplinary links between cardiologists and stroke physicians.

Coracoid Process Morphology using 3D-CT Imaging in a Malaysian Population

Introduction: The aims of this study are to define the coracoid process anatomy in a Malaysian population, carried out on patients in Hospital Serdang with specific emphasis on the dimension of the base of coracoid process which is important in coraco-acromial (CC) ligament reconstruction, to define the average amount of bone available for use in coracoid transfer, and to compare the size of coracoid process based on gender and race, and with findings in previous studies.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen pairs of computed tomography (CT) based 3-dimensional models of shoulders of patients aged between 20 to 60 years old were examined. The mean dimensions of coracoid were measured and compared with regards to gender and race. The data were also compared to previously published studies.

Results: The mean length of the coracoid process was 37.94 ± 4.30 mm. Male subjects were found to have larger-sized coracoids in all dimensions as compared to female subjects. The mean tip of coracoid dimension overall was 19.99 + 1.93mm length × 10.03 + 1.48mm height × 11.63 + 2.12mm width. The mean base of coracoid dimension was 18.96 + 3.71mm length × 13.84 + 1.76mm width. No significant differences were observed with regards to racial denomination. The overall coracoid size measurements were found to be smaller compared to previous studies done on the Western population.

Conclusion: This study may suggest that Malaysians have smaller coracoid dimension compared to Caucasians. The findings further suggest that the incidence of coracoid fracture and implants pull out in Malaysian subjects may be higher.

Trinucleotide insertion in the SMN2 promoter may not be related to the clinical phenotype of SMA

BACKGROUND

More than 90% of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients show homozygous deletion of SMN1 (survival motor neuron 1). They retain SMN2, a highly homologous gene to SMN1, which may partially compensate for deletion of SMN1. Although the promoter sequences of these two genes are almost identical, a GCC insertion polymorphism has been identified at c.-320_-321 in the SMN1 promoter. We have also found this insertion polymorphism in an SMN2 promoter in an SMA patient (Patient A) who has SMA type 2/3.

PURPOSE

The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of the GCC insertion polymorphism in SMA patients, and to evaluate its effect on SMN transcription efficiency.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifty-one SMA patients, including Patient A, were involved in this study. SMN2 transcript levels in white blood cells were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Screening of the GCC insertion polymorphism was performed using denaturing high-pressure liquid chromatography. The transcription efficiency of the promoter with the insertion mutation was evaluated using a reporter-gene assay.

RESULTS

All SMA patients in this study were homozygous for SMN1 deletion. Patient A retained two copies of SMN2, and showed only a small amount of SMN2 transcript in white blood cells. We detected a GCC insertion polymorphism at c.-320_-321 only in Patient A, and not in 50 other SMA patients. The polymorphism had a slight but significant negative effect on transcription efficiency.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Patient A was judged to be an exceptional case of SMA, because the GCC insertion polymorphism rarely exists in SMN1-deleted SMA patients. The GCC insertion polymorphism did not enhance the transcriptional efficiency of SMN2. Thus, this GCC insertion polymorphism in the SMN2 promoter may not be associated with the milder phenotype of the patient. Patient A suggests that there are other unknown factors modifying the clinical phenotype of SMA.

The first Malay database toward the ethnic-specific target molecular variation

BACKGROUND

The Malaysian Node of the Human Variome Project (MyHVP) is one of the eighteen official Human Variome Project (HVP) country-specific nodes. Since its inception in 9(th) October 2010, MyHVP has attracted the significant number of Malaysian clinicians and researchers to participate and contribute their data to this project. MyHVP also act as the center of coordination for genotypic and phenotypic variation studies of the Malaysian population. A specialized database was developed to store and manage the data based on genetic variations which also associated with health and disease of Malaysian ethnic groups. This ethnic-specific database is called the Malaysian Node of the Human Variome Project database (MyHVPDb).

FINDINGS

Currently, MyHVPDb provides only information about the genetic variations and mutations found in the Malays. In the near future, it will expand for the other Malaysian ethnics as well. The data sets are specified based on diseases or genetic mutation types which have three main subcategories: Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP), Copy Number Variation (CNV) followed by the mutations which code for the common diseases among Malaysians. MyHVPDb has been open to the local researchers, academicians and students through the registration at the portal of MyHVP ( http://hvpmalaysia.kk.usm.my/mhgvc/index.php?id=register ).

CONCLUSIONS

This database would be useful for clinicians and researchers who are interested in doing a study on genomics population and genetic diseases in order to obtain up-to-date and accurate information regarding the population-specific variations and also useful for those in countries with similar ethnic background.

A double mobility acetabular implant for primary hip arthroplasty in patients at high risk of dislocation

INTRODUCTION

Dislocation following total hip replacement continues to be a problem for which no completely satisfactory solution has been found. Several methods have been proposed to reduce the incidence of hip dislocations with varying degrees of success, including elevated rim liners, constrained liners and large diameter bearings. We present our experience with the double mobility acetabular component in patients at high risk of instability.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of 65 primary total hip arthroplasties in 55 patients (15 men, 40 women), performed between October 2005 and November 2009. The majority (80%) of patients had at least two and 26% had at least three risk factors for instability. The mean age was 76 years (range: 44-92 years). The patients were followed up for a mean duration of 60 months (range: 36-85 months).

RESULTS

Fourteen patients died and one was lost to follow-up, leaving fifty hips for final assessment. Until the final follow-up appointment, no patients had dislocation and none required revision surgery. The mean Oxford hip score improved from 45.0 to 26.5 (p<0.0001). The mean Merle d'Aubigné pain score improved from 1.4 to 4.9 (p<0.0001), the walking score from 2.3 to 3.1 (p<0.07) and the absolute hip function score from 5.4 to 10.8 (p<0.0001). There were no clinical or radiographic signs of loosening.

CONCLUSIONS

The double mobility acetabular component was successful at preventing dislocation during early to medium-term follow-up. However, as data are still lacking with regard to polyethylene wear rates at the additional bearing surface, it would be prudent to restrict the use of this implant to selected patients at high risk of instability.

Multiplex amplification refractory mutation system (MARMS) for the detection of β-globin gene mutations among the transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia Malay patients in Kelantan, Northeast of Peninsular Malaysia

The aim of this study was to adapt MARMS with some modifications to detect beta mutation in our cohort of thalassemia patients. We focused only on transfusion-dependent thalassemia Malay patients, the predominant ethnic group (95%) in the Kelantanese population. Eight mutations were identified in 46 out of 48 (95.83%) beta thalassemia alleles. Most of the patients (54.2%) were compound heterozygous with co-inheritance Cd 26 (G>A). The frequencies of spectrum beta chain mutation among these patients are presented in Table 2. Among the transfusion dependent beta thalassemia Malay patients studied, 26 patients were found to be compound heterozygous and the main alleles were Cd 26 (G>A). Compound heterozygous mutation of Cd 26 (G>A) and IVS 1-5 (G>C) were 12 (46.2%), Cd 26 (G>A) and Cd 41/42 (TTCT) were 9 (34.6%), Cd 26 (G>A) and IVS 1-1 (G>C) were 2 (7.7%) respectively. Meanwhile the minority were made of a single compound heterozygous of Cd 26 (G>A) and Cd 71/72, Cd 26 (>A) and Cd 17 (A>T), Cd 26 (G>A) and -28 (G>A) respectively. Twenty out of forty six patients were shown to have homozygous of IVS 1-5 (G>C) were 2 (10.0%), Cd 26 (G>A) were 15 (75.0%), Cd 19 (A>G) were 1 (5.0%), and IVS 1-1 (G>T) were 2 (10.0%). The beta chain mutations among the Kelantanese Malays followed closely the distribution of beta chain mutations among the Thais and the Malays of the Southern Thailand. The G-C transition at position 5 of the IVS 1-5 mutation was predominant among the Malay patients. In conclusion, this method has successfully identified the mutation spectrum in our cohort of transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia patients, and this method is equally effective in screening for mutation among thalassemia patients.

Initial evaluation of the training programme for health care professionals on the use of Malaysian clinical practice guidelines for management of dementia

OBJECTIVE

The Malaysian Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for Management of Dementia (second edition) was launched in April 2010 by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. A training programme for the management of dementia, involving all categories of staff working at primary and secondary centres, was implemented to ensure that care delivery for people with dementia was in accordance with the guidelines. The study aimed to look into improving knowledge and understanding of dementia following training, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the training programme using a clinical audit indicator recommended in the guidelines.

METHODS

The study entailed 2 phases (at national and state levels). The first phase involved the CPG training programme run as a 1.5-day workshop, in which participants filled up pre- and post-workshop questionnaires. A second phase involved analysing all the referral letters to the memory clinic at the Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru 1 year before and after the training programme.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in knowledge about dementia and its management among the health care professionals following training. The mean percentage score for the pre-workshop test was 63% while for the post-workshop test it was 78%, giving a difference of 15%. Although there was an overall improvement in knowledge gain following training in both specialist and non-specialist groups, these differences were not statistically significant (t = 1.32; 95% confidence interval, -2.61 to 9.61; p = 0.25). The proportion of referrals with a possible diagnosis of dementia from primary clinic referrals to the memory clinic also increased from 18% to 44% after training.

CONCLUSION

There was an overall improvement in the knowledge about dementia among the health care professionals following the training, which was reflected in the increase in referrals to the memory clinic. Although the initial results appeared to be promising, a multicentre study is warranted to conclude that the training had been effective.

Acetaminophen administration in a patient with Gilbert's syndrome

The patient was an 8-year-old Japanese girl with Gilbert's syndrome (GS). Based on the DNA analysis, she was homozygous for a T-to-G transversion at nucleotide position 1456 in the UGT1A1 gene, leading to the substitution of aspartate for tyrosine at position 486 of the UGT1A1 enzyme. Because this mutation is located in an exon common to UGT1A genes, all the UGT1A enzymes may be affected. It is well-known that UGT1A1, UGT1A6 and UGT1A9 enzymes glucuronidate acetaminophen. To evaluate acetaminophen tolerance in the patient, serum acetaminophen levels were determined after oral administration of acetaminophen (15 mg/kg). The maximum serum acetaminophen level reached (12.8 µg/mL) was far below the toxic level. The finding suggested that the usual therapeutic dose of acetaminophen is safe for the GS patient. The combination of mutation analysis in UGT1A1 and acetaminophen loading test may be useful to avoid adverse effect in GS patients.

Valproic acid increases SMN2 expression and modulates SF2/ASF and hnRNPA1 expression in SMA fibroblast cell lines

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder that is caused by loss of the survival motor neuron gene, SMN1. SMA treatment strategies have focused on production of the SMN protein from the almost identical gene, SMN2. Valproic acid (VPA) is a histone deacetylase inhibitor that can increase SMN levels in some SMA cells or SMA patients through activation of SMN2 transcription or splicing correction of SMN2 exon 7. It remains to be clarified what concentration of VPA is required and by what mechanisms the SMN production from SMN2 is elicited. We observed that in two fibroblast cell lines from Japanese SMA patients, more than 1mM of VPA increased SMN2 expression at both the transcript and protein levels. VPA increased not only full-length (FL) transcript level but also exon 7-excluding (Δ7) transcript level in the cell lines and did not change the ratio of FL/Δ7, suggesting that SMN2 transcription was mainly activated. We also found that VPA modulated splicing factor expression: VPA increased the expression of splicing factor 2/alternative splicing factor (SF2/ASF) and decreased the expression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1). In conclusion, more than 1mM of VPA activated SMN2 transcription and modulated the expression of splicing factors in our SMA fibroblast cell lines.

A homozygous mutation in UGT1A1 exon 5 may be responsible for persistent hyperbilirubinemia in a Japanese girl with Gilbert's syndrome

The UGT1A1 gene encodes a responsible enzyme, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase1A1, for bilirubin metabolism. Many mutations have already been identified in patients with inherited disorders with hyperbilirubinemia, Crigler-Najjar syndrome and Gilbert's syndrome. In this study, we identified a UGT1A1 mutation in an 8-year-old Japanese girl with persistent hyperbilirubinemia who was clinically diagnosed as having Gilbert's syndrome. For the mutational analysis of UGT1A1, we performed a full sequence analysis of the gene using the patient's DNA. She was homozygous for a T to G transversion at nucleotide position 1456 in UGT1A1 exon 5 (c.1456T>G), leading to the substitution of aspartate for tyrosine at position 486 of the UGT1A1 protein (p.Y486D). In conclusion, the homozygous mutation of UGT1A1 may be responsible for persistent hyperbilirubinemia in this patient.

Herbal Medicine Containing Licorice May Be Contraindicated for a Patient with an HSD11B2 Mutation

Licorice ingestion, as well as mutations in the HSD11B2 gene, inhibits 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11βHSD2) enzyme activity, causing the syndrome of apparent mineral corticoid excess (AME). However, the combined effect of licorice ingestion and an HSD11B2 mutation has never been reported, until now. In this study, we demonstrated that licorice ingestion can produce overt hypertension in an individual without medical history of hypertension who is heterozygous for wild-type and mutant HSD11B2 genes. Our patient was a 51-year-old female with serious hypertension who had been taking herbal medicine containing licorice for more than one year. She was clinically diagnosed as having licorice intoxication, because she did not present with hypertension after ceasing the herbal medicine. Molecular analysis showed that she carried a missense mutation, c.40C>T, in HSD11B2. In conclusion, licorice ingestion is an environmental risk factor for hypertension or AME state in patients with a mutation in HSD11B2. Carrying a mutation in HSD11B2 is, conversely, a genetic risk factor for licorice-induced hypertension or AME state. Herbal medicine containing licorice may, therefore, be contraindicated in patients with an HSD11B2 mutation.

Sodium channels of SCNIA gene mutations in generalized epilepsy with febrile seizure plus (GEFS+) spectrum related to autism

Background Mutations in the a-subunit of the first neuronalsodium channel gene SCNIA have been demonstrated forgeneralized epilepsy \\lith febrile seizures plus (GEFS+), severemyoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEI), and borderline SMEI(SMEB). SCNIA mutations are also described in patients 'Withpsychiatric disorders such as autism.Objective To identify the mutations of SCNIA gene in patientswith GEFS+ spectrum which may be related to autism.Methods We examined four patients v.ith autism and GEFS+spectrum who were admitted to the Department of Child Health,Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Diagnosis of autism wasbased on DSM􀁟IV;ICD X criteria. Mutations in SCNIA wereidentified by PCRamplification and denaturing high􀁟performanceliquid chromatography analysis, Mth subsequent sequencing.Results There were four patients, all boys, aged 1.8 year to 7 years.The phenotypes of epilepsy were GEFS+ in one patient, SMEBin one patient and SMEI in two patients. Sequencing analysisrevealed a G􀁟to􀁟A heterozygous transition which was detectedat nucleotide c.4834G>A (p.V1612I ) in exon 25. Other singlenucleotid polymorphisms (SNPs) were c.383 +66T>C in intron 2,c.603-91G>A and c.603-1060> T in intron 4, c.965-21C> T inintron 6, c.1028+21T>Cin intron 7, c.2173G>A in exon 12 andc. 2177-38C>A, c.2177-12delT, c.2176+44C> T in intron 12.Conclusion In this study, we reported the first cases Mth mutationin SCNIA gene in GEFS+ spectrum related to autistic patientsin Indonesian population, which showed a missense mutationp.V16121. [Paediatr lndones. 2010;50:125-32].

Screening of the LIX1 gene in Japanese and Malaysian patients with SMA and/or SMA-like disorder

BACKGROUND

The majority of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients showed homozygous deletion or other mutations of SMN1. However, the genetic etiology of a significant number of SMA patients has not been clarified. Recently, mutation in the gene underlying cat SMA, limb expression 1 (LIX1), has been reported. Similarity in clinical and pathological features of cat and human SMA may give an insight into possible similarity of the genetic etiology.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study, we screened for a mutation in LIX1 using direct DNA sequencing in our SMA and/or SMA-like patients who retained SMN1. A total of 33 patients were enrolled in this study, of which 22 were Japanese and 11 were Malaysians. All these patients possessed at least two copies of SMN1.

RESULTS

We did not identify any pathogenic mutations in the coding regions or splice sites of LIX1 in the patients. In addition, we described a polymorphism within LIX1 intron 3, c.387+107A>T. We found that A-allele is significantly more frequent in SMA patients compared to normal individuals.

CONCLUSION

Molecular genetic analysis of our SMA and/or SMA-like patients suggests that LIX1 is not associated with the development of their disorders. However, the number of patients analyzed in this study was very limited, and a larger study with bigger sample size is needed to confirm this result.

A polymorphic mutation, c.-3279T>G, in the UGT1A1 promoter is a risk factor for neonatal jaundice in the Malay population

The uridine diphosphoglucuronate-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene encodes the enzyme responsible for bilirubin glucuronidation. To evaluate the contribution of UGT1A1 promoter mutations to neonatal jaundice, we determined the genotypes of c.-3279T>G, c.-3156G>A, and A(TA)7TAA in Malay infants with neonatal jaundice (patients) and in infants without neonatal jaundice (controls). In our population study, only c.-3279T>G was associated with neonatal jaundice. The genotype distributions between both groups were significantly different (p = 0.003): the frequency of homozygosity for c.-3279G was much higher in patients than those in controls. Allele frequency of c.-3279G was significantly higher in patients than those in controls (p = 0.006). We then investigated changes in transcriptional activity because of c.-3279T>G. Luciferase reporter assay in HepG2 cells demonstrated that transcriptional activity of the c.-3279G allele was significantly lower than that of the c.-3279T allele in both the absence and presence of bilirubin. Luciferase reporter assay in COS-7 cells elucidated that c.-3279T>G modified the synergistic effects of the nuclear factors associated with transcriptional machinery. In conclusion, the c.-3279T>G mutation in the UGT1A1 promoter is a genetic risk factor for neonatal jaundice.

Novel SCN1A mutations in Indonesian patients with severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy

BACKGROUND

Severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEI) and borderline SMEI (SMEB) are caused by a mutation in SCN1A, which encodes a voltage-gated sodium channel alpha1-subunit protein. Although many mutations in SCN1A have been associated with clinical features of SMEI or SMEB from different ethnic groups, there have been no such reports from the South-East Asian populations so far.

METHODS

Patients 1 and 2 were Indonesian children diagnosed as having SMEI and SMEB based on their clinical features. SCN1A was screened for mutations using a combination of polymerase chain reaction and denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography. Nucleotide substitutions were confirmed on direct sequencing.

RESULTS

In patient 1, a G-to-A heterozygous transition was detected at nucleotide 4834 (c.4834G>A) in exon 25, leading to substitution of valine with isoleucine at amino acid position 1612 (p.V1612I) in the SCN1A protein. In patient 2 a T-to-G heterozygous transversion was identified at nucleotide 5266 (c.5266T>G) in exon 26, leading to substitution of cysteine with glycine at amino acid 1756 (p.C1756G) in the SCN1A protein. Both amino acid substitutions might disrupt these highly conserved regions in species from drosophila to human, leading to dysfunction of the protein. p.V1612I and p.C1756G were determined as disease-causing mutations due to their absence in the control population.

CONCLUSION

The first cases of SMEI and SMEB are reported in South-East Asian populations. Two novel SCN1A mutations are also identified in these patients, p.V1612I and p.C1756G, which may lead to neuronal excitability or convulsions.

Full-length sequence of mouse acupuncture-induced 1-L (aig1l) gene including its transcriptional start site

We have been investigating the molecular efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA), which is one type of acupuncture therapy. In our previous molecular biological study of acupuncture, we found an EA-induced gene, named acupuncture-induced 1-L (Aig1l), in mouse skeletal muscle. The aims of this study consisted of identification of the full-length cDNA sequence of Aig1l including the transcriptional start site, determination of the tissue distribution of Aig1l and analysis of the effect of EA on Aig1l gene expression. We determined the complete cDNA sequence including the transcriptional start site via cDNA cloning with the cap site hunting method. We then analyzed the tissue distribution of Aig1l by means of northern blot analysis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We used the semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to examine the effect of EA on Aig1l gene expression. Our results showed that the complete cDNA sequence of Aig1l was 6073 bp long, and the putative protein consisted of 962 amino acids. All seven tissues that we analyzed expressed the Aig1l gene. In skeletal muscle, EA induced expression of the Aig1l gene, with high expression observed after 3 hours of EA. Our findings thus suggest that the Aig1l gene may play a key role in the molecular mechanisms of EA efficacy.

Novel mutations in 21 patients with tuberous sclerosis complex and variation of tandem splice-acceptor sites in TSC1 exon 14

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by epilepsy, mental retardation, skin lesions, and tumors in various organs. However, TSC is sometimes difficult to diagnose because of its broad phenotypic spectrum. In such cases, it is essential to find a mutation in the disease-causing genes, TSC1 and TSC2. In this study, we analyzed 21 TSC patients from 16 families using a combination method of DHPLC and nucleotide sequencing. We identified 16 novel mutations in the 16 families: nine mutations in TSC1 (1 insertion, 7 deletion and 1 nonsense mutations) and seven mutations in TSC2 (2 insertion, 2 deletion, 1 missense mutations and 2 splicing abnormalities). We also tested the possibility of very short alternative splicing due to a variation of the tandem splice-acceptor sites of TSC1 exon 14 in a patient. RT-PCR and sequencing analysis indicated that no alternative splicing occurred in the patient. In conclusion, we confirmed the diagnosis of all patients using mutation analysis and clarified that variation of the tandem splice-acceptor sites in TSC1 exon 14 does not cause a splicing abnormality.

Hypomutability at the polyadenine tract in SMN intron 3 shows the invariability of the a-SMN protein structure

Recently, the axonal-SMN (a-SMN) protein, which is generated by the gene responsible for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), SMN, has been reported. Surprisingly, the a-SMN transcript includes the entire sequence of SMN intron 3. We had expected a high frequency of insertion/deletion mutations at a polyadenine tract in this intron, since simple repetitive sequence motifs are prone to mutations. Such mutations could change the C-terminal structure of the a-SMN protein. However, our study showed that almost all individuals, including healthy individuals, SMA patients and SMA-like patients, carried only alleles with a normal polyadenine tract. Hypomutability of the polyadenine tract in SMN intron 3 suggests the existence of transcriptional mechanisms preventing alterations to the open reading frame of axonal SMN and not allowing variability in the protein structure of a-SMN.

Evaluation of mutation effects on UGT1A1 activity toward 17β-estradiol using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Mutations in the gene encoding UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) may reduce the glucuronidation of estradiol, bilirubin, etc. In the present study, we used a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method to assay the activities of recombinant mutated UGT1A1 toward 17beta-estradiol (E2), by determining its glucuronide (E2G) content. Direct evidence for glucuronide formation was provided by E2G-specific ion peaks. The UGT1A1 activities of G71R (exon 1), F83L (exon 1), I322V (exon 2) and G493R (exon 5) mutants were 24, 30, 18 and 0.6% of the normal UGT1A1 activity, respectively. In conclusion, our study showed that LC/MS/MS enabled accurate evaluation of the effects of mutations on recombinant UGT1A1 activity towards E2.

Frequencies of A(TA)7TAA, G71R, and G493R mutations of the UGT1A1 gene in the Malaysian population

BACKGROUND

Gilbert syndrome is caused by defects in the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene. These mutations differ among different populations and many of them have been found to be genetic risk factors for the development of neonatal jaundice.

OBJECTIVES

The objective was to determine the frequencies of the following mutations in the UGT1A1 gene: A(TA)7TAA (the most common cause of Gilbert syndrome in Caucasians), G71R (more common in the Japanese and Taiwanese population), and G493R (described in a homozygous Malay woman with Crigler-Najjar syndrome type 2) in a group of Malaysian babies with hyperbilirubinemia and a group of normal controls.

METHODS

The GeneScan fragment analysis was used to detect the A(TA)7TAA variant. Mutation screening of both G71R and G493R was performed using denaturing high performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

Fourteen out of fifty-five neonates with hyperbilirubinemia (25%) carried the A(TA)7TAA mutation (10 heterozygous, 4 homozygous). Seven out of fifty controls (14%) carried this mutation (6 heterozygous, 1 homozygous). The allelic frequencies for hyperbilirubinemia and control patients were 16 and 8%, respectively (p=0.20). Heterozygosity for the G71R mutation was almost equal among both groups (5.5% for hyperbilirubinemia patients and 6.0% for controls; p=0.61). One subject (1.8%) in the hyperbilirubinemia group and none of the controls were heterozygous for the G493R mutation (p=0.476).

CONCLUSIONS

The A(TA)7TAA seems more common than the G71R and G493R mutations in the Malaysian population.