Inherited risk factors for thrombophilia in children with nephrotic syndrome

A hereditary tendency to venous thrombosis rarely results in a spontaneous thrombotic episode before puberty. The acquired hypercoagulability associated with nephrotic syndrome (NS) could, however, coincide with underlying inherited thrombophilia, thereby resulting in a thrombotic event. In order to determine the contribution of inherited prothrombotic conditions to thrombosis in children with NS, we analysed DNA from a cohort of patients with NS for the common genetic risk factors of vascular disease. We evaluated 53 children with NS and 41 paediatric controls for prevalence of the factor V mutation Arg506 --> Gin (factor V Leiden), the prothrombin variant (20210G --> A), and homozigosity for Ala677 --> Val in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR). Eight thrombo-embolic events were identified in 6 out of 53 (11%)children. Three thrombotic events occurred during NS activity and were associated with systemic infections in two and an arterial puncture in one. An inherited risk factor was identified in seven children, all without thrombosis (two heterozygous for the prothrombin variant and five homozygous for the MTHFR-T). None of the studied inherited risk factors were identified among those with thrombosis. Conclusions These data suggest that inherited thrombophilia is not a strong risk factor for the development of non recurrent thrombosis in children with NS.1571193994

Two distinct WT1 mutations identified in patients and relatives with isolated nephrotic proteinuria

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Wilms' tumor type 1 gene (WT1) encodes a zinc-finger transcription factor that plays a key role during genitourinary development and in adult kidney. Mutations in exons 8 and 9 are associated with Denys-Drash Syndrome, whereas those occurring in the intron 9 donor splice site are associated with Frasier Syndrome. Familial cases of WT1 mutations are rare with only few cases described in the literature, whereas cases of WT1 mutations associated with isolated nephrotic proteinuria with or without focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) are even rarer. Exons 8 and 9 of WT1 gene were analyzed in two non-related female patients and their parents. Patient 1, who presented with isolated nephrotic proteinuria and histologic pattern of FSGS, is heterozygous for the mutation c.1227 + 4C > T. This mutation was inherited from her mother, who had undergone kidney transplant due to FSGS. Patient 2 is heterozygous for the novel c.1178C > T transition inherited from her father. The putative effect of this nucleotide substitution on WT1 protein is p.Ser393Phe mutation located within the third zinc-finger domain. The patient and her father presented, respectively, isolated nephrotic proteinuria and chronic renal failure. These data highlight the importance of the inclusion of WT1 gene mutational analysis in patients with isolated nephrotic proteinuria, especially when similar conditions are referred to the family. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.4412371376Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CNPq [CNPq-478444/08-7, 141072/2010-5]FAPESP [FAPESP - 2012/51109-0

Mutations in the Vitamin D Receptor Gene in Four Patients with Hereditary 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D-Resistant Rickets

Mutations in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) are associated to the hereditary 1,25-dihydroxivitamin D-resistant rickets. The objectives of this work are: search for mutations in the VDR and analyze their functional consequences in four Brazilian children presented with rickets and alopecia. The coding region of the VDR was amplified by PCR e direct sequenced. We identified three mutations: two patients had the same mutation in exon 7 at aminoacid position 259 (p.Q259E); one patient had a mutation in exon 8 at codon 319 (p.G319V) and another one had a mutation in exon 3 leading to a truncated protein at position 73 (p.R73X). Functional studies of the mutant receptors of fibroblast primary culture, from patients' skin biopsy treated with increasing doses of 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D showed that VDR mutants were unable to be properly activated and presented a reduction in 24-hydroxylase expression level. (Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab 2008; 52/8:1244-1251)5281244125

Chronic lactose intake modifies the gastric emptying of monosaccharides but not of disaccharides in weanling rats

Ninety-six weanling male Wistar rats were fed for four weeks one of two different chows: a normal rat chow containing 55.5% (w/w) starch (control group, N = 48) or a rat chow in which starch was partially replaced by lactose, in such a way that the experimental group (N = 48) received 35.5% (w/w) starch and 20% (w/w) lactose. The gastric emptying of fluid was then studied by measuring the gastric retention of four test meals containing lactose (5% or 10%, w/v) or glucose + galactose (5% or 10%, w/v). Homogenates of the small intestine were assayed for lactase activity. The gastric retention values were obtained 15 min after orogastric infusion of the liquid meals. The median values for gastric retention of the 5% lactose solutions were 37.7% for the control group and 37.0% for the experimental group (P>0.02). For the 10% lactose solution the median values were 51.2% and 47.9% (P>0.02) for the control and experimental groups, respectively. However, for the 2.5% glucose + 2.5% galactose meal the median gastric retention was lower (P<0.02) in the group fed a lactose-enriched chow (38.5%) than in the control group (41.6%). For the 5% glucose + 5% galactose solution the median values were not statistically different between groups, 65.0% for the control group and 58.8% for the experimental group. The median values of the specific lactase activity in the small intestine homogenate was 0.74 U/g in the control group and 0.91 U/g in the experimental group. These values were not statistically different (P>0.05). These results suggest that the prolonged ingestion of lactose by young adult rats changes the gastric emptying of a solution containing 5% monosaccharides. This adaptation may reflect the desensitization of intestinal nutrient receptors, possibly by an osmotic effect of lactose present in the chow

Bacillary angiomatosis in HIV-positive patient from Northeastern Brazil: a case report

It is a report of disseminated bacillary angiomatosis (BA) in a 23-year-old female patient, who is HIV-positive and with fever, weight loss, hepatomegaly, ascites, and papular-nodular skin lesions. The clinical and diagnostic aspects involved in the case were discussed. Bacillary angiomatosis must always be considered in the diagnosis of febrile cutaneous manifestations in AIDS

Effect of toxin-<FONT FACE=Symbol>g</font> from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom on gastric emptying in rats

The effect of toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom on the gastric emptying of liquids was studied in 176 young adult male Wistar rats (2-3 months of age) divided into subgroups of 8 animals each. Toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> was injected iv at doses of 25, 37.5, 50 or 100 µg/kg and the effect on gastric emptying was assessed 30 min and 8 h later. A time-course study was also performed by injecting 50 µg of toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> /kg and measuring the effect on gastric emptying at times 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 24 and 48 h post-venom. Each envenomed animal was paired with its saline control and all received a saline test meal solution containing phenol red (60 µg/ml) as a marker. Ten minutes after administering the test meal by gavage the animals were sacrificed and gastric retention was determined by measuring the residual marker concentration of the test meal. A significant delay in gastric emptying, at 30 min and 8 h post-venom, was observed only after 50 and 100 µg of toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> /kg compared to control values. The responses to these two doses were significantly different after 8 h post-venom. Toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> (50 µg/kg) significantly delayed the gastric emptying of liquids at all times studied, with a peak response at 4 h after toxin administration compared to control values. These results indicate that the iv injection of toxin-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</font> may induce a rapid, intense and sustained inhibition of gastric emptying 0.25 to 48 h after envenomation