scholarly journals Mild Clinical Presentation of Joubert Syndrome in a Male Adult Carrying Biallelic MKS1 Truncating Variants

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1218
Author(s):  
Raffaella Brunetti-Pierri ◽  
Marianthi Karali ◽  
Francesco Testa ◽  
Gerarda Cappuccio ◽  
Maria Elena Onore ◽  
...  

Pathogenic variants in the MKS1 gene are responsible for a ciliopathy with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from Meckel and Joubert syndrome (JBTS) to Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and involving the central nervous system, liver, kidney, skeleton, and retina. We report a 39-year-old male individual presenting with isolated Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), as assessed by full ophthalmological evaluation including Best-Corrected Visual Acuity measurements, fundus examination, Goldmann Visual Field test, and full-field Electroretinography. A clinical exome identified biallelic nonsense variants in MKS1 that prompted post-genotyping investigations for systemic abnormalities of ciliopathy. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed malformations of the posterior cranial fossa with the ‘molar tooth sign’ and cerebellar folia dysplasia, which are both distinctive features of JBTS. No other organ or skeletal abnormalities were detected. This case illustrates the power of clinical exome for the identification of the mildest forms of a disease spectrum, such as a mild JBTS with RP in the presented case of an individual carrying biallelic truncating variants in MKS1.

Author(s):  
Ekaterina A. Nikolaeva ◽  
Svetlana Ya. Volgina ◽  
Chulpan D. Khaliullina ◽  
Sergey V. Bochenkov ◽  
Maria A. Danceva

Background. Defects in pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC), involved in the glycolysis products integration into the cells’ energy metabolism, are one of the reasons of mitochondrial pathology development. The diagnosis of this condition can be pretty complicated also due to the lack of description of such patients with encephalomyopathy associated with PDC deficiency in Russian population.Clinical Case Description. We have performed the analysis of clinical manifestations polymorphism of progressive mitochondrial encephalomyopathy caused by pathogenic variants in nuclear X linked gene, PDHA1 (encodes alpha subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase), in 8 boys aged from 1 to 8 years. The adverse perinatal period was mentioned in all cases. The major features of symptom complex by the time of hospital examination were psychomotor retardation, ataxy, myopathic manifestations. Dystonic attacks were observed in 2 sibs. All patients had changes on brain magnetic resonance imaging: in basal ganglia in 6 children and ventriculomegaly in 2 children. All children had lactic acidosis. Clinical examination has shown that 4 patients had severe damage of nervous system, other 4 patients had moderate damage. Missense mutations in the PDHA1 gene were revealed in 6 children, insertions and duplications including 6 and 16 base pairs — in 2 children. The moderate positive dynamics was noticed as a result of complex treatment of children: stabilization of the overall condition, no metabolic crises, decrease in frequency of dystonic attacks.Conclusion. The clinical polymorphism of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy associated with PDC deficiency is described. The differences in manifestations of severe and moderate forms of disease are shown. The presented description may be useful for medico-genetic counseling and providing medicogenetic care for families.


2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Gioia ◽  
Alexandre Y Poppe ◽  
Sylvain Lanthier ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  

Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare and life-threatening form of vasculitis confined to the CNS. A timely diagnosis is a real challenge because clinical manifestations of PACNS are diverse and nonspecific. Headaches, cerebrospinal fluid inflammation and abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging are prevalent. When PACNS is suspected, a thorough investigation is mandatory to rule out several potential simulators and confirm the diagnosis. Treatment of PACNS is also a challenge involving competing forces, which include the threat of serious adverse effects of potent immunosuppressive agents and the risk of neurological deteriorations due to insufficient immunosuppressant therapy. Efforts are ongoing to delineate subtypes requiring different therapeutic approaches and having distinct prognoses. Despite recent progress, PACNS is still fatal in as much as one-sixth of cases. Long-term follow-up is mandatory in patients with PACNS.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (19) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
K. B. Manysheva ◽  
M. A. Akhmedov ◽  
A. A. Rakhmanova ◽  
S. M. Khutalieva

The article is devoted to the study of postoperative cognitive dysfunction — a syndrome that is often found in the postoperative period and does not depend on the volume of surgeon. Based on the analysis of the results of modern studies, the authors cite the most likely etiological causes of the syndrome, grouped according to different categories of risk factors. The pathogenetic algorithm for cognitive dysfunction includes the appearance of systemic inflammation, improving blood-brain barrier permeability with the endothelial dysfunction, the migration of inflammatory agents into the central nervous system, and the formation of oxidative stress. The clinical manifestations of cognitive deficit in the outcome of surgeon performed under general anesthesia, the authors illustrate with their own observations of patients with a neurosurgical profile with spinal pathology operated on with the use of propofol anesthesia, comparing the results of neuropsychological testing with an assessment of the level of anxiety. In conclusion, the authors outline a strategy for the prevention of postoperative cognitive dysfunction and recommend conducting neuropsychological rehabilitation as an important component of postoperative recovery for all patients with a diagnosed cognitive deficit that occurred after surgery.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1468
Author(s):  
Yashika S. Kamte ◽  
Manisha N. Chandwani ◽  
Alexa C. Michaels ◽  
Lauren A. O’Donnell

Viruses that infect the central nervous system (CNS) are associated with developmental abnormalities as well as neuropsychiatric and degenerative conditions. Many of these viruses such as Zika virus (ZIKV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) demonstrate tropism for neural stem cells (NSCs). NSCs are the multipotent progenitor cells of the brain that have the ability to form neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Viral infections often alter the function of NSCs, with profound impacts on the growth and repair of the brain. There are a wide spectrum of effects on NSCs, which differ by the type of virus, the model system, the cell types studied, and the age of the host. Thus, it is a challenge to predict and define the consequences of interactions between viruses and NSCs. The purpose of this review is to dissect the mechanisms by which viruses can affect survival, proliferation, and differentiation of NSCs. This review also sheds light on the contribution of key antiviral cytokines in the impairment of NSC activity during a viral infection, revealing a complex interplay between NSCs, viruses, and the immune system.


Lupus ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 096120332110142
Author(s):  
Tamer A Gheita ◽  
Rasha Abdel Noor ◽  
Esam Abualfadl ◽  
Osama S Abousehly ◽  
Iman I El-Gazzar ◽  
...  

Objective The aim of this study was to present the epidemiology, clinical manifestations and treatment pattern of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Egyptian patients over the country and compare the findings to large cohorts worldwide. Objectives were extended to focus on the age at onset and gender driven influence on the disease characteristics. Patients and method This population-based, multicenter, cross-sectional study included 3661 adult SLE patients from Egyptian rheumatology departments across the nation. Demographic, clinical, and therapeutic data were assessed for all patients. Results The study included 3661 patients; 3296 females and 365 males (9.03:1) and the median age was 30 years (17–79 years), disease duration 4 years (0–75 years) while the median age at disease onset was 25 years (4–75 years). The overall estimated prevalence of adult SLE in Egypt was 6.1/100,000 population (1.2/100,000 males and 11.3/100,000 females).There were 316 (8.6%) juvenile-onset (Jo-SLE) and 3345 adult-onset (Ao-SLE). Age at onset was highest in South and lowest in Cairo (p < 0.0001). Conclusion SLE in Egypt had a wide variety of clinical and immunological manifestations, with some similarities with that in other nations and differences within the same country. The clinical characteristics, autoantibodies and comorbidities are comparable between Ao-SLE and Jo-SLE. The frequency of various clinical and immunological manifestations varied between gender. Additional studies are needed to determine the underlying factors contributing to gender and age of onset differences.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tesshu Hori ◽  
Shohei Ikuta ◽  
Satoko Hattori ◽  
Keizo Takao ◽  
Tsuyoshi Miyakawa ◽  
...  

AbstractThe 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by a wide spectrum of psychiatric disorders that is caused by the deletion of a region containing 7 genes on chromosome 15 (MTMR10, FAN1, TRPM1, MIR211, KLF13, OTUD7A, and CHRNA7). The contribution of each gene in this syndrome has been studied using mutant mouse models, but no single mouse model recapitulates the whole spectrum of human 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. The behavior of Trpm1−/− mice has not been investigated in relation to 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome due to the visual impairment in these mice, which may confound the results of behavioral tests involving vision. We were able to perform a comprehensive behavioral test battery using Trpm1 null mutant mice to investigate the role of Trpm1, which is thought to be expressed solely in the retina, in the central nervous system and to examine the relationship between TRPM1 and 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. Our data demonstrate that Trpm1−/− mice exhibit abnormal behaviors that may explain some phenotypes of 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome, including reduced anxiety-like behavior, abnormal social interaction, attenuated fear memory, and the most prominent phenotype of Trpm1 mutant mice, hyperactivity. While the ON visual transduction pathway is impaired in Trpm1−/− mice, we did not detect compensatory high sensitivities for other sensory modalities. The pathway for visual impairment is the same between Trpm1−/− mice and mGluR6−/− mice, but hyperlocomotor activity has not been reported in mGluR6−/− mice. These data suggest that the phenotype of Trpm1−/− mice extends beyond that expected from visual impairment alone. Here, we provide the first evidence associating TRPM1 with impairment of cognitive function similar to that observed in phenotypes of 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome.


2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. E33-E37
Author(s):  
Stefano C. Previtali ◽  
Marina Scarlato ◽  
Paolo Vezzulli ◽  
Alessandra Ruggieri ◽  
Daniele Velardo ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Marth

Background: The actinobacterium Tropheryma whipplei was detected 20 years ago by molecular techniques, and following its culture has been characterized as the cause of a systemic infection known as Whipple's disease (WD). T. whipplei occurs in the environment, is prevalent only in humans, is believed to be transmitted via oral routes and to be host dependent. Key Messages: The classical form of T. whipplei infection, i.e. classical WD (CWD), is rare. It is well defined as slowly progressing chronic infection with arthralgia, diarrhea and weight loss, mostly in middle-aged men. However, current research revealed a much broader spectrum of clinical features associated with T. whipplei infection. Thus, T. whipplei may cause acute and transient infections (observed primarily in children) and the bacterium, which is found in soil and water, occurs in asymptomatic carriers as well as in CWD patients in clinical remission. In addition, T. whipplei affects isolated and localized body compartments such as heart valves or the central nervous system. Subtle immune defects and HLA associations have been described. New findings indicate that the progression of asymptomatic T. whipplei infection to clinical WD may be associated with medical immunosuppression and with immunomodulatory conditions. This explains that there is a discrepancy between the widespread occurrence of T. whipplei and the rareness of WD, and that T. whipplei infection triggered by immunosuppression presents with protean clinical manifestations. Conclusions: This review highlights recent findings and the clinical spectrum of infection with T. whipplei and WD, focusing specifically on the role of host immunity and immunosuppression. Current concepts of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 030006052098265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liming Cao ◽  
Yanwei Lin ◽  
Hongliang Jiang ◽  
Jiehong Wei

Neurolisteriosis is a foodborne infection of the central nervous system that is easily misdiagnosed, especially in healthy adults with atypical symptoms. A 50-year-old man presented with a 3-day history of distortion of the oral commissure. Facial neuritis was diagnosed and treated with intravenous dexamethasone. His condition deteriorated rapidly, and he presented with a slow pharyngeal reflex, stiff neck, and signs of peripheral facial paralysis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple ring-enhanced foci in the brainstem. Routine and biochemical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analyses showed increased white blood cells and microproteins. Blood culture and high-throughput genome sequencing revealed Listeria monocytogenes DNA in the CSF. Ampicillin, amikacin, and meropenem were administered, and the patient was transferred from the intensive care unit to a standard medical ward after 2 months. The patient could walk and eat normally; however, he required intermittent mechanical ventilation at 11 months after discharge. Although L. monocytogenes meningitis is rare in healthy immunocompetent adults, it must be considered as a differential diagnosis, especially in adults whose conditions do not improve with cephalosporin antibiotic administration. L. monocytogenes rhombencephalitis mimics facial neuritis and develops quickly. Prompt diagnosis is essential for rapid initiation of antibiotic therapy to achieve the best outcome.


Author(s):  
A. N. Grebenyuk ◽  
V. N. Bykov

Introduction. Carbon monoxide (CO) remains one of the most common causes of acute poisoning and death, both in everyday life and in emergency situations, especially in fires.Material and methods. The paper summarizes information about the regulatory effects, mechanisms of toxic action, pathogenesis and clinical picture of intoxication, as well as predictors of the severity of CO poisoning.Results. The main mechanism of the toxic effect of CO is due to its ability to bind to the protohemal iron of hemoglobin (Hb) to form carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO). The toxicity of CO may also be enhanced by impaired functions of the myoglobin of the myocardium and skeletal muscles, mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase, and iron-containing enzymes of the antioxidant system. The leading link in the pathogenesis of acute CO intoxication is a violation of the oxygen transport function of hemoglobin and the associated development of hemic and tissue hypoxia. CO-induced cell and tissue damage due to the induction of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, free radical hyperproduction, lipid peroxidation, inflammation, and apoptosis also play a role in the pathogenesis of intoxication.Conclusion. The mechanism of toxic action of CO, associated primarily with the formation of carboxyhemoglobin and the development of hypoxia, determines the clinical manifestations of acute intoxication, which depend on the concentration of CO and the duration of exposure, but are almost always associated with the central nervous system and cardiovascular system.


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