Autosomal Dominant Retinal Dystrophies Caused by a Founder Splice Site Mutation, c.828+3A>T, in PRPH2 and Protein Haplotypes in trans as Modifiers.

PurposeWe determined the phenotypic variation, disease progression, and potential modifiers of autosomal dominant retinal dystrophies caused by a splice site founder mutation, c.828+3A>T, in the PRPH2 gene.MethodsA total of 62 individuals (19 families) harboring the PRPH2 c.828+3A>T mutation, had phenotype analysis by fundus appearance, electrophysiology, and visual fields. The PRPH2 haplotypes in trans were sequenced for potential modifying variants and generalized estimating equations (GEE) used for statistical analysis.ResultsSeveral distinct phenotypes caused by the PRPH2 c.828+3A>T mutation were observed and fell into two clinical categories: Group I (N = 44) with mild pattern dystrophies (PD) and Group II (N = 18) with more severe cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and central areolar chorioretinal dystrophy (CACD). The PRPH2 Gln304-Lys310-Asp338 protein haplotype in trans was found in Group I only (29.6% vs. 0%), whereas the Glu304-Lys310-Gly338 haplotype was predominant in Group II (94.4% vs. 70.4%). Generalized estimating equations analysis for PD versus the CRD/CACD/RP phenotypes in individuals over 43 years alone with the PRPH2 haplotypes in trans and age as predictors, adjusted for correlation within families, confirmed a significant effect of haplotype on severity (P = 0.03) with an estimated odds ratio of 7.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [2.8, 18.4]).ConclusionsThe PRPH2 c.828+3A>T mutation results in multiple distinct phenotypes likely modified by protein haplotypes in trans; the odds of having the CACD/RP-like phenotype (versus the PD phenotype) are 7.16 times greater with a Glu304-Lys310-Gly338 haplotype in trans. Further functional studies of the modifying haplotypes in trans and PRPH2 splice variants may offer therapeutic targets

Risk factors for accommodative esotropia among hypermetropic children

PURPOSE. Identification of risk factors for accommodative esotropia may help to determine which children with hyperopia may benefit from early spectacle correction or preventive therapy. METHODS. Participants in the family history study were 95 consecutive patients, aged 18 to 60 months, with accommodative esotropia. Participants in the binocular sensory function study were a subgroup of 41 children enrolled in the family history study within 1 month of onset, while the esodeviation was still intermittent. Participants in the hypermetropia study were 345 consecutive patients, ages 12 months to 8 years, with refractive error of ϩ2.00 D or greater and no esodeviation before age 12 months. RESULTS. In the family history study, 23% of children with accommodative esotropia had an affected first-degree relative, and 91% had at least one affected relative. In the binocular sensory function study, random-dot stereoacuity was abnormal in 41% of children, whereas an abnormal motion VEP, Worth 4-dot, or positive 4-PD base-out prism responses were present in 4% or less of the children. In the hypermetropia study, patients with a mean spherical equivalent of Ͻ ϩ3.00 D and significant anisometropia had a 7.8-fold increased risk for accommodative esotropia over nonanisometropic patients. CONCLUSIONS. A positive family history, subnormal random-dot stereopsis, and hypermetropic anisometropia each pose a significant risk for the development of accommodative esotropia. Assessment of these risk factors in conjunction with refractive screening should help to identify those children who are most likely to benefit from early spectacle correction or preventive treatment. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2005;46:526 -529

Safety Assessment of Docosahexaenoic Acid in X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa: The 4-Year DHAX Trial

Citation: Hughbanks-Wheaton DK, Birch DG, Fish GE, et al. Safety assessment of docosahexaenoic acid in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa: the 4-year DHAX trial. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014;55:4958-4966. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-14437 PURPOSE. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) continues to be evaluated and recommended as treatment and prophylaxis for various diseases. We recently assessed efficacy of high-dose DHA supplementation to slow vision loss in patients with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) in a randomized clinical trial. Because DHA is a highly unsaturated fatty acid, it could serve as a target for free-radical induced oxidation, resulting in increased oxidative stress. Biosafety was monitored during the 4-year trial to determine whether DHA supplementation was associated with identifiable risks. METHODS. Males (n ¼ 78; 7-31 years) meeting entry criteria were enrolled. The modified intent-to-treat cohort (DHA ¼ 33; placebo ¼ 27) adhered to the protocol ‡ 1 year. Participants were randomized to an oral dose of 30 mg/kg/d DHA or placebo plus a daily multivitamin. Comprehensive metabolic analyses were assessed for group differences. Treatment-emergent adverse events including blood chemistry metabolites were recorded. RESULTS. By year 4, supplementation elevated plasma and red blood cell-DHA 4.4-and 3.6-fold, respectively, compared with the placebo group (P < 0.00001). Over the trial duration, no significant differences between DHA and placebo groups were found for vitamin A, vitamin E, platelet aggregation, antioxidant activity, lipoprotein cholesterol, or oxidized LDL levels (all P > 0.14). Adverse events were transient and not considered severe (e.g., gastrointestinal [GI] irritability, blood chemistry alterations). One participant was unable to tolerate persistent GI discomfort. CONCLUSIONS. Long-term, high-dose DHA supplementation to patients with XLRP was associated with limited safety risks in this 4-year trial. Nevertheless, GI symptoms should be monitored in all patients taking high dose DHA especially those with personal or family history of GI disturbances. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00100230.) Keywords: biosafety, fatty acids, adverse events R etinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a retinal degenerative disease characterized by night blindness and visual field constriction 1 with four underlying inheritance patterns. The X-linked form of RP (XLRP) is among the most severe with night blindness often detectable by age 5 years 2-4 and legal blindness by the second or third decade. Gene defects are known to cause retinal degeneration, yet factors such as environment, diet, stress, and/or metabolism may modify disease severity. Many patients with RP have lower plasma and red blood cell (RBC) levels of the n3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n3) than normally-sighted controls. 5 Blood DHA was significantly correlated with age-adjusted ERG responses in XLRP such that patients with lower RBC-DHA tended to have lower ERG amplitudes. 6 These findings were similarly documented in approximately 70% of female XLRP carriers (Hoffman DR, et al. IOVS 1998;39:ARVO Abstract 725). A reduction in DHA biosynthesis was demonstrated in XLRP using stable isotopes to assess in vivo metabolism 7 suggesting that downregulation of hepatic D 5 desaturase may contribute to subnormal blood DHA levels. Thus, daily supplementation with DHA may bypass any decrease in DHA biosynthesis. Docosahexaenoic acid comprises 1% to 5% of membrane fatty acids in most human tissues; however, it is the most abundant fatty acid in the retina. 8 This n3 fatty acid can increase membrane fluidity and modify the mobility of vital proteins and activities of retinal enzymes, 9,10 promote photoreceptor differentiation, 11 and antiapoptotic activity. 12 The highly unsaturated nature of DHA makes it a potential target for free radical oxidative damage. Increased polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake, particularly long-chain PUFAs (LCPUFAs; >18 carbons), may lead to elevated oxidative stress and subsequent membrane damage. 15 Numerous n3-supplementation studies report elevations in low-and highdensity lipoprotein (LDL and HDL)-cholesterol

Genomic rearrangements of the PRPF31 gene account for

PURPOSE. To determine whether genomic rearrangements in the PRPF31 (RP11) gene are a frequent cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) in a cohort of patients with adRP. METHODS. In a cohort of 200 families with adRP, disease-causing mutations have previously been identified in 107 families. To determine the cause of disease in the remaining families, linkage testing was performed with markers for 13 known adRP loci. In a large American family, evidence was found of linkage to the PRPF31 gene, although DNA sequencing revealed no mutations. SNP testing throughout the genomic region was used to determine whether any part of the gene was deleted. Aberrant segregation of a SNP near exon 1 was observed, leading to the testing of additional SNPs in the region. After identifying an insertion-deletion mutation, the remaining 92 families were screened for genomic rearrangements in PRPF31 with multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). RESULTS. Five unique rearrangements were identified in the 93 families tested. In the large family used for linkage exclusion testing, an insertion-deletion was found that disrupts exon 1. The other four mutations identified in the cohort were deletions, ranging from 5 kb to greater than 45 kb. Two of the large deletions encompass all PRPF31 as well as several adjacent genes. The two smaller deletions involve either 5 or 10 completely deleted exons. CONCLUSIONS. In an earlier long-term study of 200 families with adRP, disease-causing mutations were identified in 53% of the families. Mutation-testing by sequencing missed large-scale genomic rearrangements such as insertions or deletions. MLPA was used to identify genomic rearrangements in PRPF31 in five families, suggesting a frequency of approximately 2.5%. Mutations in PRPF31 now account for 8% of this adRP cohort

Visual acuity and cognitive outcomes at 4 years of age in a double-blind, randomized trial of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid-supplemented infant formula

Publicación ISIBackground: While there is a large body of data on the effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation of infant formula on visual and cognitive maturation during infancy, longterm visual and cognitive outcome data from randomized trials are scarce. Aim: To evaluate docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA)-supplementation of infant formula on visual and cognitive outcomes at 4 years of age. Methods: Fifty-two of 79 healthy term infants who were enrolled in a single-center, double-blind, randomized clinical trial of DHA and ARA supplementation of infant formula were available for follow-up at 4 years of age. In addition, 32 breast-fed infants served as a "gold standard". Outcome measures were visual acuity and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Revised. Results: At 4 years, the control formula group had poorer visual acuity than the breast-fed group; the DHA- and DHA+ARA-supplemented groups did not differ significantly from the breast-fed group. The control formula and DHA-supplemented groups had Verbal IQ scores poorer than the breast-fed group. Conclusion: DHA and ARA-supplementation of infant formula supports visual acuity and IQ maturation similar to that of breast-fed infants. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Founder Effect of a c.828+3A>T Splice Site Mutation in Peripherin 2 (PRPH2) Causing Autosomal Dominant Retinal Dystrophies

O acesso à informação através da internet ganha a cada dia mais espaço em nossa sociedade, inclusive entre crianças e adolescentes. O estudo teve como objetivo identificar tendências de pesquisas sobre o uso seguro da informação on line por crianças e adolescentes relacionadas à competência informacional. Foi realizado um levantamento na base de dados SCOPUS e após refinamento dos resultados obteve-se 71 referências. Como os resultados observou-se que os Estados Unidos e o Reino Unido são os países que mais publicam sobre a temática e que 52.9 % das produções se tratam de artigos científicos. Verificou-se que os documentos analisados ressaltam a importância de que orientações sobre o tema ocorram na escola, com destaque para o papel da biblioteca escolar, visto que na escola pública este é o local em que os estudantes mais acessam a internet. Verificou-se também que o tema uso seguro da informação abrange muitos outros subtemas: exposição de dados, abuso sexual, cyberbullying. Concluiu-se que a pesquisa sobre uso seguro da informação em ambientes online é complexa e que a área carece de pesquisas sobre a temática, em particular no Brasil, visando obter mais subsídios que permitam conhecer melhor esta questão e tendo a escola como espaço de aplicação, discussão e orientação que possibilite o desenvolvimento de habilidades para uma navegação mais segura por adolescentes.Access the information using the internet is gaining more and more space in our society, including among children and adolescents. The study aimed to identify research trends related to the safe use of online information and the development of information literacy. A survey was performed in the SCOPUS database and after refining the results, 71 references were obtained. As a result it is observed that the United States and the United Kingdom are the largest producers of content on the subject, 52.9% of the productions are through scientific articles. It was found that the documents underscore the importance of guidance on the subject in the school, especially the school library in this process, being in public school, the place that students most access the internet. It has also been found that the safe use of information theme covers many other subthemes: data exposure, sexual abuse, cyberbullying. It was concluded that the research on secure use of information in online environments is complex and that the area lacks research on the subject aiming to obtain more subsidies to better understand this issue and having the school as a space for application, discussion and guidance that enable the development of skills for safer browsing by teenagers.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Autosomal Dominant Retinal Dystrophies Caused by a Founder Splice Site Mutation, c.828+3A>T, in PRPH2 and Protein Haplotypes in trans as Modifiers.

PurposeWe determined the phenotypic variation, disease progression, and potential modifiers of autosomal dominant retinal dystrophies caused by a splice site founder mutation, c.828+3A>T, in the PRPH2 gene.MethodsA total of 62 individuals (19 families) harboring the PRPH2 c.828+3A>T mutation, had phenotype analysis by fundus appearance, electrophysiology, and visual fields. The PRPH2 haplotypes in trans were sequenced for potential modifying variants and generalized estimating equations (GEE) used for statistical analysis.ResultsSeveral distinct phenotypes caused by the PRPH2 c.828+3A>T mutation were observed and fell into two clinical categories: Group I (N = 44) with mild pattern dystrophies (PD) and Group II (N = 18) with more severe cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and central areolar chorioretinal dystrophy (CACD). The PRPH2 Gln304-Lys310-Asp338 protein haplotype in trans was found in Group I only (29.6% vs. 0%), whereas the Glu304-Lys310-Gly338 haplotype was predominant in Group II (94.4% vs. 70.4%). Generalized estimating equations analysis for PD versus the CRD/CACD/RP phenotypes in individuals over 43 years alone with the PRPH2 haplotypes in trans and age as predictors, adjusted for correlation within families, confirmed a significant effect of haplotype on severity (P = 0.03) with an estimated odds ratio of 7.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [2.8, 18.4]).ConclusionsThe PRPH2 c.828+3A>T mutation results in multiple distinct phenotypes likely modified by protein haplotypes in trans; the odds of having the CACD/RP-like phenotype (versus the PD phenotype) are 7.16 times greater with a Glu304-Lys310-Gly338 haplotype in trans. Further functional studies of the modifying haplotypes in trans and PRPH2 splice variants may offer therapeutic targets

Founder Effect of a c.828+3A>T Splice Site Mutation in Peripherin 2 (PRPH2) Causing Autosomal Dominant Retinal Dystrophies

ImportanceScreening for splice site mutation c.828+3A>T in the peripherin 2 (PRPH2) gene should be a high priority in families with highly variable retinal dystrophies. The correction of missplicing is a potential therapeutic target.ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence, genetic origin, and molecular mechanism of a donor c.828+3A>T mutation in the PRPH2 (peripherin 2, retinal degeneration slow) gene in individuals with retinal dystrophies.Design, setting, and participantsCase-control study that took place at the University of Texas Health Science Center, the University of Iowa, and the Retina Foundation of the Southwest, from January 1, 1987, to August 1, 2014, including affected individuals from 200 families with a diagnosis of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, 35 families with unspecified macular dystrophies, and 116 families with pattern dystrophy. Participants were screened for the c.828+3A>T mutation by restriction-enzyme digest, single-strand conformational polymorphism screening, or bidirectional sequencing. Haplotypes of polymorphic markers flanking the PRPH2 locus and sequence variants within the gene were determined by denaturing gel electrophoresis or automated capillary-based cycle sequencing. The effect of the splice site mutation on the PRPH2 transcript was analyzed using NetGene2, a splice prediction program and by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction of illegitimate transcripts from peripheral white blood cells.Main outcomes and measuresResults of testing for splice site mutation, haplotypes, and alternate transcripts.ResultsThe PRPH2 mutation was found in 97 individuals of 19 independently ascertained families with a clinical diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa, macular dystrophy, and/or pattern dystrophy. All affected individuals also shared a rare haplotype of approximately 644 kilobase pairs containing the c.828+3A>T mutation, which extends from the short tandem repeat polymorphism D6S282 to c.1013G>A (rs434102, a single-nucleotide polymorphism) in exon 3 of PRPH2, suggesting this mutation is from a common ancestor and is a founder mutation. It has a prevalence of 2% in families diagnosed as having autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa and 10% in families with variable clinical diagnosis of pattern, macular, and retinal dystrophies. Individuals with the c.828+3A>T mutation expressed a PRPH2 transcript not found in control participants and that was consistent with abnormal splicing.Conclusions and relevanceThe PRPH2 c.828+3A>T splice site mutation is a frequent cause of inherited retinal dystrophies and is owing to the founder effect. The likely cause of disease is the missplicing of the PRPH2 message that results in a truncated protein product. Identifying the genetic etiology assists in more accurate management and possible future therapeutic options