Fragile X syndrome.

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disease due to a CGG trinucleotide expansion, named full mutation (greater than 200 CGG repeats), in the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene locus Xq27.3; which leads to an hypermethylated region in the gene promoter therefore silencing it and lowering the expression levels of the fragile X mental retardation 1, a protein involved in synaptic plasticity and maturation. Individuals with FXS present with intellectual disability, autism, hyperactivity, long face, large or prominent ears and macroorchidism at puberty and thereafter. Most of the young children with FXS will present with language delay, sensory hyper arousal and anxiety. Girls are less affected than boys, only 25% have intellectual disability. Given the genomic features of the syndrome, there are patients with a number of triplet repeats between 55 and 200, known as premutation carriers. Most carriers have a normal IQ but some have developmental problems. The diagnosis of FXS has evolved from karyotype with special culture medium, to molecular techniques that are more sensitive and specific including PCR and Southern Blot. During the last decade, the advances in the knowledge of FXS, has led to the development of investigations on pharmaceutical management or targeted treatments for FXS. Minocycline and sertraline have shown efficacy in children

AngiomiRs: Potential Biomarkers of Pregnancy’s Vascular Pathologies

In recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been the focus of research for their role in posttranscriptional regulation and as potential biomarkers of risk for disease development. Their identification in specific physiological processes, like angiogenesis, a key pathway in placental vascular development in pregnancy, suggests an important role of miRNAs that regulate angiogenesis (angiomiRs). Many complications of pregnancy have in common placental vascular alterations, involving an imbalance in the angiogenesis process in the development of conditions such as preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and gestational diabetes, complications with the highest rates of morbimortality in pregnancy. Many studies have identified angiomiRs with differential expression profiles in each of these diseases; however, this evidence requires further studies focused on evaluating their potential as biomarkers of risk for the angiomiRs detected, to establish correlations between placental tissue and serum/plasma expression profiles. Therefore, the objective of this review is to highlight the best angiomiRs detected in placental tissue and serum/plasma in each of these three pathologies to show the current data available for potential biomarkers and to propose future research strategies on this topic

Síndrome de deleción 22q11: bases embriológicas y algoritmo diagnóstico

El síndrome de deleción 22q11 consiste en una agrupación variable de características fenotípicas secundarias a la pérdida del material genético localizado en la banda 22q11.2. El espectro de deleción del 22q11 abarca varios síndromes, antes considerados independientes pero hoy relacionados con la misma etiología, con anomalías superpuestas incluyendo el síndrome de DiGeorge y el síndrome velocardiofacial, entre otros. Se trata de un síndrome pleiotrópico incluyendo: alteraciones en los sistemas cardiaco e inmunológico, dificultades en el aprendizaje y malformaciones del paladar entre las afecciones más comunes. Se hizo una revisión de: la base embriológica de las malformaciones congénitas cardiacas, la epidemiología, la genética, la fisiopatología y los aspectos clínicos en el manejo de esta enfermedad. Dado que esta enfermedad rara es potencialmente una causa importante pero ignorada de morbimortalidad en Colombia, se propone también una estrategia para su búsqueda activa y se discuten aspectos relacionados con su diagnóstico

Fragile X syndrome.

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disease due to a CGG trinucleotide expansion, named full mutation (greater than 200 CGG repeats), in the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene locus Xq27.3; which leads to an hypermethylated region in the gene promoter therefore silencing it and lowering the expression levels of the fragile X mental retardation 1, a protein involved in synaptic plasticity and maturation. Individuals with FXS present with intellectual disability, autism, hyperactivity, long face, large or prominent ears and macroorchidism at puberty and thereafter. Most of the young children with FXS will present with language delay, sensory hyper arousal and anxiety. Girls are less affected than boys, only 25% have intellectual disability. Given the genomic features of the syndrome, there are patients with a number of triplet repeats between 55 and 200, known as premutation carriers. Most carriers have a normal IQ but some have developmental problems. The diagnosis of FXS has evolved from karyotype with special culture medium, to molecular techniques that are more sensitive and specific including PCR and Southern Blot. During the last decade, the advances in the knowledge of FXS, has led to the development of investigations on pharmaceutical management or targeted treatments for FXS. Minocycline and sertraline have shown efficacy in children

Síndrome de X Frágil.

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disease due to a CGG trinucleotide expansion, named full mutation (greater than 200 CGG repeats), in the FMR1 gene locus Xq27.3; which leads to an hypermethylated region in the gene promoter therefore silencing it and lowering the expression levels of FMRP, a protein involved in synaptic plasticity and maturation. Individuals with FXS present with intellectual disability, autism, hyperactivity, long face, large or prominent ears and macroorchidism at puberty and thereafter. Most of the young children with FXS will present with language delay, sensory hyper arousal and anxiety. Girls are less affected than boys, only 25% have intellectual disability. Given the genomic features of the syndrome, there are patients with a number of triplet repeats between 55 and 200, known as premutation (PM) carriers. Most carriers have a normal IQ but some have developmental problems. The diagnosis of FXS has evolved from karyotype with special culture medium, to molecular techniques that are more sensitive and specific including PCR and Southern Blot. During the last decade, the advances in the knowledge of FXS, has led to the development of investigations on pharmaceutical management or targeted treatments for FXS. Minocycline and sertraline have shown efficacy in children. El Síndrome de X Frágil (SXF), es una enfermedad genética debida a una expansión del trinucleótido CGG, nombrada mutación completa (más de 200 repeticiones de CGG) en el gen FMR1, locus Xq27.3; la cual lleva a una hipermetilación de la región promotora del gen, silenciándolo y disminuyendo los niveles de expresión de la proteína FMRP relacionada con la plasticidad y maduración neuronal. Los individuos con SXF presentan retardo mental, autismo, hiperactividad, cara alargada, orejas grandes o prominentes y macroorquidismo desde la pubertad. La mayoría de niños con SXF presentan retraso en el lenguaje, hiperactivación sensorial y ansiedad. Las niñas se afectan menos que los varones, solo el 25% presenta retardo mental. Dadas las características genómicas del síndrome, existen pacientes con un número de repetición de la tripleta entre 55 y 200 que se denominan portadores de la premutación. La mayoría de los portadores tienen un coeficiente intelectual normal, pero presentan problemas en el desarrollo. El diagnóstico en SXF ha evolucionado del cariotipo con medio especial de cultivo, a pruebas moleculares más sensibles y específicas incluyendo PCR y Southern blot. Durante la última década, los avances en el conocimiento sobre el SXF han permitido el desarrollo de investigaciones sobre el manejo farmacológico o tratamientos específicos para el SXF. La minociclina y la sertralina han demostrado eficacia en niños

Emergence of micro-RNAs as potential biomarkers in different diseases

The objective of this review is to evidence the potential of micro-RNAs (mi-RNAs) as possible diagnostic biomarkers in different diseases. Micro-RNAs are nucleic acids of 22 nucleotides that regulate the translation of coding messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and produce a post-transcriptional regulation of genetic expression. Most mi-RNAs are highly conserved and show a tissue-specific distribution; therefore, they play an important role in the regulation of cell function and the physiopathology of different organs. Micro-RNAs emerge as potential candidates for biomarkers due to the changes in their levels of expression in different situations (cancer, hepatic and cardiovascular diseases) and in fluids such as plasma, serum, urine and saliva. However, although some mi-RNAs have a consistent expression profile, others have been reported as possible biomarkers for more than one disease, thus limiting their specificity and usefulness as diagnostic tools. Further studies are important to define the significance of mi-RNAs in pathologic processes and their role as possible biomarkers

Phenobarbital use and neurological problems in FMR1 premutation carriers.

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a CGG expansion in the FMR1 gene located at Xq27.3. Patients with the premutation in FMR1 present specific clinical problems associated with the number of CGG repeats (55-200 CGG repeats). Premutation carriers have elevated FMR1 mRNA expression levels, which have been associated with neurotoxicity potentially causing neurodevelopmental problems or neurological problems associated with aging. However, cognitive impairments or neurological problems may also be related to increased vulnerability of premutation carriers to neurotoxicants, including phenobarbital. Here we present a study of three sisters with the premutation who were exposed differentially to phenobarbital therapy throughout their lives, allowing us to compare the neurological effects of this drug in these patients

Phenobarbital use and neurological problems in FMR1 premutation carriers.

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a CGG expansion in the FMR1 gene located at Xq27.3. Patients with the premutation in FMR1 present specific clinical problems associated with the number of CGG repeats (55-200 CGG repeats). Premutation carriers have elevated FMR1 mRNA expression levels, which have been associated with neurotoxicity potentially causing neurodevelopmental problems or neurological problems associated with aging. However, cognitive impairments or neurological problems may also be related to increased vulnerability of premutation carriers to neurotoxicants, including phenobarbital. Here we present a study of three sisters with the premutation who were exposed differentially to phenobarbital therapy throughout their lives, allowing us to compare the neurological effects of this drug in these patients