scholarly journals Mutational analysis of the necdin gene in patients with congenital isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

2011 ◽  
Vol 165 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daiane Beneduzzi ◽  
Anita K Iyer ◽  
Ericka Barbosa Trarbach ◽  
Acacio P Silveira-Neto ◽  
Letícia G Silveira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism ◽  
Kallmann Syndrome ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Causative Role ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Protein Activity ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Significant Impairment

ContextNecdin activates GNRH gene expression and is fundamental for the development, migration, and axonal extension of murine GNRH neurons. In humans, necdin plays a potential role in the hypogonadotropic hypogonadism phenotype in patients with Prader–Willi syndrome.AimTo investigate necdin gene (NDN) variants in patients with isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH).Patients and methodsWe studied 160 Brazilian patients with IHH, which includes 92 with Kallmann syndrome and 68 with normosmic IHH. Genomic DNA was extracted and the single NDN exon was amplified and sequenced. To measure GNRH transcriptional activity, luciferase reporter plasmids containing GNRH regulatory regions were transiently transfected into GT1-7 cells in the presence and absence of overexpressed wild-type or mutant necdin.ResultsA heterozygous variant of necdin, p.V318A, was identified in a 23-year-old male with Kallmann syndrome. The p.V318A was also present in affected aunt and his father and was absent in 100 Brazilian control subjects. Previous FGFR1 gene analysis revealed a missense mutation (p.P366L) in this family. Functional studies revealed a minor difference in the activation of GNRH transcription by mutant protein compared with wild type in that a significant impairment of the necdin protein activity threshold was observed.ConclusionA rare variant of necdin (p.V318A) was described in a family with Kallmann syndrome associated with a FGFR1 mutation. Familial segregation and in vitro analysis suggested that this non-synonymous variant did not have a direct causative role in the hypogonadism phenotype. NDN mutations are not a frequent cause of congenital IHH.

scholarly journals Novel FGFR1 Variants Are Associated with Congenital Scoliosis

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1126
Author(s):  
Shengru Wang ◽  
Xiran Chai ◽  
Zihui Yan ◽  
Sen Zhao ◽  
Yang Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Function ◽  
Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism ◽  
Congenital Scoliosis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Conservation Analysis ◽  
Gene Assay ◽  
Protein Expressions ◽  
Patient Series ◽  
Reduced Activity

FGFR1 encodes a transmembrane cytokine receptor, which is involved in the early development of the human embryo and plays an important role in gastrulation, organ specification and patterning of various tissues. Pathogenic FGFR1 variants have been associated with Kallmann syndrome and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. In our congenital scoliosis (CS) patient series of 424 sporadic CS patients under the framework of the Deciphering disorders Involving Scoliosis and COmorbidities (DISCO) study, we identified four unrelated patients harboring FGFR1 variants, including one frameshift and three missense variants. These variants were predicted to be deleterious by in silico prediction and conservation analysis. Signaling activities and expression levels of the mutated protein were evaluated in vitro and compared to that of the wild type (WT) FGFR1. As a result, the overall protein expressions of c.2334dupC, c.2339T>C and c.1261A>G were reduced to 43.9%, 63.4% and 77.4%, respectively. By the reporter gene assay, we observed significantly reduced activity for c.2334dupC, c.2339T>C and c.1261A>G, indicating the diminished FGFR1 signaling pathway. In conclusion, FGFR1 variants identified in our patients led to only mild disruption to protein function, caused milder skeletal and cardiac phenotypes than those reported previously.

Mutational analysis of centromere DNA from chromosome VI of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 2523-2535
Author(s):  
J H Hegemann ◽  
J H Shero ◽  
G Cottarel ◽  
P Philippsen ◽  
P Hieter
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Mitotic Chromosome ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Vector System ◽  
Chromosome Loss ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Sequence Elements ◽  
Chromosome Fragments

Saccharomyces cerevisiae centromeres have a characteristic 120-base-pair region consisting of three distinct centromere DNA sequence elements (CDEI, CDEII, and CDEIII). We have generated a series of 26 CEN mutations in vitro (including 22 point mutations, 3 insertions, and 1 deletion) and tested their effects on mitotic chromosome segregation by using a new vector system. The yeast transformation vector pYCF5 was constructed to introduce wild-type and mutant CEN DNAs onto large, linear chromosome fragments which are mitotically stable and nonessential. Six point mutations in CDEI show increased rates of chromosome loss events per cell division of 2- to 10-fold. Twenty mutations in CDEIII exhibit chromosome loss rates that vary from wild type (10(-4)) to nonfunctional (greater than 10(-1)). These results directly identify nucleotides within CDEI and CDEIII that are required for the specification of a functional centromere and show that the degree of conservation of an individual base does not necessarily reflect its importance in mitotic CEN function.

scholarly journals Mutational Analysis of Ocriplasmin to Reduce Proteolytic and Autolytic Activity in Pichia pastoris

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roghayyeh Baghban ◽  
Safar Farajnia ◽  
Younes Ghasemi ◽  
Reyhaneh Hoseinpoor ◽  
Azam Safary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pichia Pastoris ◽  
Proteolytic Activity ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Catalytic Efficiency ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Vitreomacular Adhesion ◽  
Autolytic Activity

Abstract Background Ocriplasmin (Jetrea) is using for the treatment of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion. This enzyme undergoes rapid inactivation and limited activity duration as a result of its autolytic nature after injection within the eye. Moreover, the proteolytic activity can cause photoreceptor damage, which may result in visual impairment in more serious cases. Results The present research aimed to reduce the disadvantages of ocriplasmin using site-directed mutagenesis. To reduce the autolytic activity of ocriplasmin in the first variant, lysine 156 changed to glutamic acid and, in the second variant for the proteolytic activity reduction, alanine 59 mutated to threonine. The third variant contained both mutations. Expression of wild type and three mutant variants of ocriplasmin constructs were done in the Pichia pastoris expression system. The mutant variants were analyzed in silico and in vitro and compared to the wild type. The kinetic parameters of ocriplasmin variants showed both variants with K156E substitution were more resistant to autolytic degradation than wild-type. These variants also exhibited reduced Kcat and Vmax values. An increase in their Km values, leading to a decreased catalytic efficiency (the Kcat/Km ratio) of autolytic and mixed variants. Moreover, in the variant with A59T mutation, Kcat and Vmax values have reduced compared to wild type. The mix variants showed the most increase in Km value (almost 2-fold) as well as reduced enzymatic affinity to the substrate. Thus, the results indicated that combined mutations at the ocriplasmin sequence were more effective compared with single mutations. Conclusions The results indicated such variants represent valuable tools for the investigation of therapeutic strategies aiming at the non-surgical resolution of vitreomacular adhesion.

scholarly journals Mutational Analysis of Residues in PriA and PriC Affecting Their Ability To Interact with SSB in Escherichia coli K-12

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasiia N. Klimova ◽  
Steven J. Sandler
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Defects ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
K 12 ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli PriA and PriC recognize abandoned replication forks and direct reloading of the DnaB replicative helicase onto the lagging-strand template coated with single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB). Both PriA and PriC have been shown by biochemical and structural studies to physically interact with the C terminus of SSB. In vitro, these interactions trigger remodeling of the SSB on ssDNA. priA341(R697A) and priC351(R155A) negated the SSB remodeling reaction in vitro. Plasmid-carried priC351(R155A) did not complement priC303::kan, and priA341(R697A) has not yet been tested for complementation. Here, we further studied the SSB-binding pockets of PriA and PriC by placing priA341(R697A), priA344(R697E), priA345(Q701E), and priC351(R155A) on the chromosome and characterizing the mutant strains. All three priA mutants behaved like the wild type. In a ΔpriB strain, the mutations caused modest increases in SOS expression, cell size, and defects in nucleoid partitioning (Par−). Overproduction of SSB partially suppressed these phenotypes for priA341(R697A) and priA344(R697E). The priC351(R155A) mutant behaved as expected: there was no phenotype in a single mutant, and there were severe growth defects when this mutation was combined with ΔpriB. Analysis of the priBC mutant revealed two populations of cells: those with wild-type phenotypes and those that were extremely filamentous and Par− and had high SOS expression. We conclude that in vivo, priC351(R155A) identified an essential residue and function for PriC, that PriA R697 and Q701 are important only in the absence of PriB, and that this region of the protein may have a complicated relationship with SSB. IMPORTANCE Escherichia coli PriA and PriC recruit the replication machinery to a collapsed replication fork after it is repaired and needs to be restarted. In vitro studies suggest that the C terminus of SSB interacts with certain residues in PriA and PriC to recruit those proteins to the repaired fork, where they help remodel it for restart. Here, we placed those mutations on the chromosome and tested the effect of mutating these residues in vivo. The priC mutation completely abolished function. The priA mutations had no effect by themselves. They did, however, display modest phenotypes in a priB-null strain. These phenotypes were partially suppressed by SSB overproduction. These studies give us further insight into the reactions needed for replication restart.

scholarly journals Transcriptional co-operativity between distant retinoic acid response elements in regulation of Cyp26A1 inducibility

2005 ◽  
Vol 392 (1) ◽  
pp. 241-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Loudig ◽  
Glenn A. Maclean ◽  
Naomi L. Dore ◽  
Luong Luu ◽  
Martin Petkovich
Keyword(s):  
Retinoic Acid ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Transcriptional Start Site ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Maximal Response ◽  
Fold Induction

Cyp26A1 encodes an RA (retinoic acid)-catabolizing CYP (cytochrome P450) protein that plays a critical role in regulating RA distribution in vivo. Cyp26A1 expression is inducible by RA, and the locus has previously been shown to contain a RARE (RA response element), R1, within the minimal promoter [Loudig, Babichuk, White, Abu-Abed, Mueller and Petkovich (2000) Mol. Endocrinol. 14, 1483–1497]. In the present study, we report the identification of a second functional RARE (R2) located 2.0 kb upstream of the Cyp26A1 transcriptional start site. Constructs containing murine sequences encompassing both R1 and R2 showed that these elements work together to generate higher transcriptional activity upon treatment with RA than those containing R1 alone. Inclusion of R2 also dramatically enhanced the sensitivity of reporter constructs to RA, as even treatment with 10−8 M RA resulted in a 5-fold induction of reporter activity. Mutational analysis identified R2 as the functional element responsible for the increased RA inducibility of promoter constructs. The element was shown to bind RARγ (RA receptor γ)/RXRα (retinoid X receptor α) heterodimers in vitro, and inclusion of nuclear receptors in transfections boosted the transcriptional response. A construct containing both R1 and R2 was used to generate a stable luciferase reporter cell line that can be used as a tool to identify factors regulating Cyp26A1 expression. The analysis of R1 and R2 has led to the proposal that the two elements work synergistically to provide a maximal response to RA and that R2 is an upstream enhancer.

scholarly journals Fusobacterium nucleatum facilitates cetuximab resistance in colorectal cancer via the PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT3 pathways

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hu Han ◽  
Yan Li ◽  
Wan Qin ◽  
Lu Wang ◽  
Han Yin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Fusobacterium Nucleatum ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Tumor Burden ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Poor Clinical Outcome ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Cetuximab Therapy

AbstractInfectious pathogens contribute to about 20% of the total tumor burden. Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) has been associated with the initiation, progression, and therapy resistance in colorectal cancer (CRC). The over-abundance of Fn has been observed in patients with right-sided CRC than in those with left-sided CRC. While the KRAS/NRAS/BRAF wild-type status of the CRC conferred better response to cetuximab in patients with left-sided CRC than with right-sided CRC. However, treatment failure remains the leading cause of tumor relapse and poor clinical outcome in patients with CRC. Here, we have studied the association of Fn to cetuximab resistance. Our functional studies indicate that Fn facilitates resistance of CRC to cetuximab in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Fn was found to target the PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT3 pathways, which altered the response to cetuximab therapy. Therefore, assessing the levels and targeting Fn and the associated signaling pathways may allow modulating the treatment regimen and improve prognoses of CRC patients.

scholarly journals Protective Signatures of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Calyx Fractions against Staphylococcus aureus in Drosophila Infection Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 306
Author(s):  
Firzan Nainu ◽  
M. Natsir Djide ◽  
Subehan Subehan ◽  
Sartini Sartini ◽  
Tri Puspita Roska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Early Death ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Hibiscus Sabdariffa ◽  
Immune Stimulation ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Toll Pathway

The rise of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-related clinical cases is an alarming chronicle for global communities. This research was conducted to examine the antistaphylococcal effect of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) calyx fractions in the Drosophila model. In the infection experiment, wild-type and immunodeficient Drosophila were pricked with S. aureus and subsequently subjected to fly survivorship and colony-forming assays, in the presence or absence of roselle calyx fractions. The Involvement of immune stimulation in the host antibacterial protection was assessed in vitro using cell-based luciferase reporter assay and in vivo using RT-qPCR analysis on adult flies. A declining rate of fly survivorship and augmentation of bacterial growth were observable in S. aureus-infected wild-type flies but subject to improvement in the presence of roselle calyx fractions. Cell-based analysis revealed the absence of host immune stimulation via Drosophila Toll pathway and roselle calyx fractions-treated immune-deficient flies lacking for components in the Toll pathway were protected from infection-induced early death phenotype and harbored reduced number of S. aureus colonies. Overall, our data confirmed the in vivo anti-staphylococcal activity of roselle calyx fractions in Drosophila infection model and such protective signature was devoid of host immune stimulation.

scholarly journals Activating NOTCH1 Mutations Define a Distinct Subgroup of Patients With Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Who Have Poor Prognosis, Propensity to Bone and Liver Metastasis, and Potential Responsiveness to Notch1 Inhibitors

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata Ferrarotto ◽  
Yoshitsugu Mitani ◽  
Lixia Diao ◽  
Irene Guijarro ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Metastasis ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Regulatory Region ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Intracellular Domain ◽  
Adenoid Cystic ◽  
Pathway Activation ◽  
Notch1 Mutations

Purpose Adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) represent a heterogeneous group of chemotherapy refractory tumors, with a subset demonstrating an aggressive phenotype. We investigated the molecular underpinnings of this phenotype and assessed the Notch1 pathway as a potential therapeutic target. Methods We genotyped 102 ACCs that had available pathologic and clinical data. Notch1 activation was assessed by immunohistochemistry for Notch1 intracellular domain. Luciferase reporter assays were used to confirm Notch1 target gene expression in vitro. The Notch1 inhibitor brontictuzumab was tested in patient-derived xenografts from patients with ACC and in a patient with ACC who was enrolled in a phase I study. Results NOTCH1 mutations occurred predominantly (14 of 15 patients) in the negative regulatory region and Pro-Glu-Ser-Thr–rich domains, the same two hotspots seen in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias, and led to pathway activation in vitro. NOTCH1-mutant tumors demonstrated significantly higher levels of Notch1 pathway activation than wild-type tumors on the basis of Notch1 intracellular domain staining ( P = .004). NOTCH1 mutations define a distinct aggressive ACC subgroup with a significantly higher likelihood of solid subtype ( P < .001), advanced-stage disease at diagnosis ( P = .02), higher rate of liver and bone metastasis ( P ≤ .02), shorter relapse-free survival (median, 13 v 34 months; P = .01), and shorter overall survival (median 30 v 122 months; P = .001) when compared with NOTCH1 wild-type tumors. Significant tumor growth inhibition with brontictuzumab was observed exclusively in the ACC patient-derived xenograft model that harbored a NOTCH1 activating mutation. Furthermore, an index patient with NOTCH1-mutant ACC had a partial response to brontictuzumab. Conclusion NOTCH1 mutations define a distinct disease phenotype characterized by solid histology, liver and bone metastasis, poor prognosis, and potential responsiveness to Notch1 inhibitors. Clinical studies targeting Notch1 in a genotype-defined ACC subgroup are warranted.

scholarly journals Mutational Analysis of Superantigen Activity Responsible for the Induction of Skin Erythema by Streptococcal Pyrogenic Exotoxin C

1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (10) ◽  
pp. 5020-5026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junichi Yamaoka ◽  
Eijiro Nakamura ◽  
Yoshifumi Takeda ◽  
Sadao Imamura ◽  
Nagahiro Minato
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Stimulatory Activity ◽  
Fold Reduction ◽  
Skin Erythema ◽  
Dose Dependent Fashion

ABSTRACT Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin C (SPEC), when injected intradermally, induces erythema in unsensitized rabbits. In the present study, we examined whether this erythema induction is due to the T-cell stimulatory activity of SPEC as a superantigen. Analysis by using single-residue mutant SPECs indicated that mutant SPECs Y15I, A16E, and Y17I, in which tyrosine 15, alanine 16, and tyrosine 17 were replaced with isoleucine, glutamic acid, and isoleucine, respectively, exhibited significantly reduced mitogenic activity for Vβ2+ human T cells in vitro, and Y15I showed as much as a 1,000-fold reduction. Y15I mutant SPEC, however, retained the ability to bind to major histocompatibility complex class II antigen and to form a homodimer, implying that residue 15 is critically important for the interaction of SPEC with T-cell antigen receptor β chains. When injected intradermally into normal rabbits, wild-type SPEC induced a characteristic erythema after 3 h in a dose-dependent fashion, which was associated with polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cell infiltration. This erythema formation was found to be severely suppressed by systemic pretreatment with cyclosporin A, suggesting the involvement of host T cells. Y15I mutant SPEC exhibited nearly 1,000-fold less erythema induction in vivo than wild-type SPEC. Altogether, the present results strongly suggest that erythema induction in rabbits by SPEC is attributable mostly to its T-cell stimulatory activity as a superantigen.

Gentamicin Inhibits Ca2+ Channel TPRV5 and Induces Calciuresis Independent of the Calcium-Sensing Receptor-Claudin-14 Pathway

2022 ◽  
pp. ASN.2021030392
Author(s):  
Wouter van Megen ◽  
Megan Beggs ◽  
Sung-Wan An ◽  
Patrícia Ferreira ◽  
Justin Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patch Clamp ◽  
Hek293 Cells ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Thick Ascending Limb ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Distal Nephron ◽  
Proximal Tubular ◽  
Claudin 14

Background Treatment with the aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamicin can be associated with severe adverse effects, including renal calcium wasting. The underlying mechanism is unknown but it has been proposed to involve activation of the Ca2+-sensing receptor (CaSR) in the thick ascending limb, which would increase expression of claudin-14 (CLDN14) and limit Ca2+ reabsorption. However, no direct evidence for this hypothesis has been presented. Methods We studied the effect of gentamicin in vivo using mouse models with impaired Ca2+ reabsorption in the proximal tubule and the thick ascending limb. We used a Cldn14 promoter luciferase-reporter assay to study CaSR activation and investigated the effect of gentamicin on activity of the distal nephron Ca2+ channel transient potential receptor vanilloid 5 (TPRV5), as determined by patch-clamp in HEK293 cells. Results Gentamicin increased urinary Ca2+ excretion in wild-type mice following acute and chronic administration. This calciuretic effect was unaltered in mice with genetic CaSR overactivation and was present in furosemide-treated animals, whereas the calciuretic effect in Cldn14-/-mice and mice with impaired proximal tubular Ca2+ reabsorption (claudin-2 [CLDN2]-deficient Cldn2-/- mice) was equivalent to that of wild-type mice. In vitro, gentamicin failed to activate the CaSR. In contrast, patch-clamp analysis revealed that gentamicin strongly inhibited rabbit and human TRPV5 activity and that chronic gentamicin administration downregulated distal nephron Ca2+ transporters. Conclusions Gentamicin does not cause hypercalciuria via activation of the CaSR-CLDN14 pathway or by interfering with proximal tubular CLDN2-dependent Ca2+ reabsorption. Instead, gentamicin blocks distal Ca2+ reabsorption by direct inhibition of the Ca2+ channel TRPV5. These findings offer new insights into calcium wasting in patients treated with gentamicin.

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