HECTD2 Is Associated with Susceptibility to Mouse and Human Prion Disease

Prion diseases are fatal transmissible neurodegenerative disorders, which include Scrapie, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), and kuru. They are characterised by a prolonged clinically silent incubation period, variation in which is determined by many factors, including genetic background. We have used a heterogeneous stock of mice to identify Hectd2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, as a quantitative trait gene for prion disease incubation time in mice. Further, we report an association between HECTD2 haplotypes and susceptibility to the acquired human prion diseases, vCJD and kuru. We report a genotype-associated differential expression of Hectd2 mRNA in mouse brains and human lymphocytes and a significant up-regulation of transcript in mice at the terminal stage of prion disease. Although the substrate of HECTD2 is unknown, these data highlight the importance of proteosome-directed protein degradation in neurodegeneration. This is the first demonstration of a mouse quantitative trait gene that also influences susceptibility to human prion diseases. Characterisation of such genes is key to understanding human risk and the molecular basis of incubation periods

An overview of lecturers’ and educational personnel mental health in Universitas Negeri Gorontalo

Mental health plays a significant role in preparing a lecturer to perform teaching activities. A lecturer with mental illness may bring some trouble in classroom lessons or even influence students’ mental state. The purpose of this study was to describe the overview of the mental health of the lecturers and educational personnel in Universitas Negeri Gorontalo. This research relied on a quantitative descriptive method to determine the mental health of human resources in Universitas Negeri Gorontalo. All 1,355 lecturers and educational personnel working in the site area were involved as the population; only 513 of which were selected as the sample using accidental sampling. Further, the research instrument was a questionnaire of Mental Health Inventory (MHI) 38 with univariate analysis. It was shown that out of all respondents, 23 respondents (4.5%) had psychological distress, implying that most educational personnel in the research area were in a mental health category of psychological well-being. It is expected that the Universitas Negeri Gorontalo can make a policy to maintain and improve the mental health of its employees, including educational personnel

Clinical evaluation and mutational analysis of GALK and GALE genes in patients with galactosemia in Greece: One novel mutation and two rare cases

Background: Deficiencies of galactokinase (GALK) and UDP-epimerase (GALE) are implicated with galactose metabolic disorders. The aim of the study was the identification of mutations in GALK and GALE genes and clinical evaluation of patients. Methods: Five patients with GALK and five with GALE deficiency were picked up via the Neonatal Screening Program. Additionally, two females, 4 years old, were referred with late diagnosed galactosemia, as rare cases. Mutational analysis was conducted via Sanger sequencing, while in silico analysis tools were utilized for the novel mutation. Psychomotor and speech development tests were performed, as well. Results: The mutation p.Pro28Thr was identified in both alleles in GALK-deficient patients of Roma (gypsy) origin, whereas the novel p.Asn39Ser was detected in two non-Roma patients. In GALE-deficient patients benign and/or likely benign mutations were found. Psychomotor and speech delay were determined in the Roma GALK patients. In each of the late diagnosed females, four mutations were identified in all galactosemia-related genes. Conclusions: The mutational spectrums of GALE- and GALK-deficient patients in Greece are presented for the first time along with a clinical evaluation. Mutational analysis in all galactosemia-related genes of symptomatic patients is highly recommended for future cases. © 2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Hawkinsinuria in two unrelated Greek newborns: Identification of a novel variant, biochemical findings and treatment

Background: Hawkinsinuria is a rare inborn error of tyrosine metabolism. Objectives: To study novel hawkinsinuria cases by monitoring their biochemical profile and conducting a mutation analysis. Subjects and methods: Among 92,519 newborns that underwent expanded newborn screening, two unrelated cases with high tyrosine blood levels were further investigated by chromatographic techniques and via genetic testing for 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPD) gene. Results: Elevated levels were monitored for blood/plasma tyrosine and for the specific diagnostic markers in urine. The two newborns were put on a special low tyrosine diet. Till completion of the 1st year of their life, liver function tests and brain MRI were normal. The mutation A33T was identified in both cases, while one neonate carried an additional novel mutation of HPD gene (V212M). Conclusions: Two mutations of HPD gene, A33T, which are associated with hawkinsinuria and a novel one (V212M) were detected for the 1st time in Greek newborns. © 2016 by De Gruyter

Mutational analysis of GALT gene in Greek patients with galactosaemia: identification of two novel mutations and clinical evaluation

Classical galactosaemia is an inborn error of metabolism due to the deficiency of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT). The aim of the study was to identify the underlying mutations in Greek patients with GALT deficiency and evaluate their psychomotor and speech development. Patients with GALT deficiency (n = 17) were picked up through neonatal screening. Mutational analysis was conducted via Sanger sequencing, while in silico analysis was used in the cases of novel missense mutations. Psychomotor speech development tests were utilized for the clinical evaluation of the patients. Eleven different mutations in the GALT gene were detected in the patient cohort, including two novel ones. The most frequent mutation was p.Q188R (c.563 A > G). As for the novel mutations, p.M298I (c.894 G > A) was identified in four out of 32 independent alleles, while p.P115S (c.343 C > T) was identified once. Psychomotor evaluation revealed that most of the patients were found in the borderline area (Peabody test), while only two had speech delay problems. The WISK test revealed three patients at borderline limits and two were at lower than normal limits. The mutational spectrum of the GALT gene in Greek patients is presented for the first time. The mutation p.Q188R is the most frequent among Greek patients. Two novel mutations were identified and their potential pathogenicity was estimated. Regarding the phenotypic characteristics, psychomotor disturbances and speech delay were mainly observed among GALT-deficient patients. © 2017 Medisinsk Fysiologisk Forenings Forlag (MFFF)

Mutational analysis for biotinidase deficiency of a Greek patients cohort ascertained through expanded newborn screening

Late-onset multiple carboxylase deficiency, also known as biotinidase (BTD) deficiency, is an autosomal recessively inherited disorder of biotin metabolism. Its early diagnosis and treatment seems that it can even fully prevent its various clinical manifestations. Mutations in the BTD gene scattered throughout its coding region have been detected in patients ascertained either through newborn screening or clinically. From March 2010 up to June 2011, 18 954 Greek neonates were subjected to biochemical determination of BTD activity through a semiquantitative fluoroimmunoassay. Subsequently, the first cohort of our suspected samples was further tested for the presence of aberrations associated either with partial or profound BTD deficiency through sequencing of the coding region of the BTD gene, including splice-site junctions. On the basis of the molecular data derived from the study of our first cohort of suspected samples, a panel of four mutations, most frequently encountered in the Greek population, was created, and a rapid, reliable and cost-effective real-time-based genotyping assay for the detection of these mutations was developed. This is the first report about the BTD mutational spectrum in Greece, and it could be a beneficial utility in the differential clinical diagnosis of BTD deficiency. © 2011 The Japan Society of Human Genetics All rights reserved