Objective To explore the prognostic significance in monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by a simple method,and to detect cloned immunoglobulin H (IgH) and T cell receptor γ (TCRγ) gene rearrangements by using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and automated fragment analysis.Methods Bone marrow samples were collected from 86 newly diagnosed cases of childhood ALL at the Department of Pediatrics,the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University,from May of 2009 to August of 2013.IgH and TCRγ gene rearrangements were amplified by qualitative multiplex PCR.The clonality of PCR production was analyzed by GENEMAPPERID software.Only those carried monoclonal IgH/TCRγ on diagnosis were arranged to monitor MRD.Detectable monoclonal IgH/TCRγby the end of induction was defined as MRD positive.All patients were treated with GD2008 ALL protocol.Clinical data of all newly-diagnosed ALL patients in the corresponding period were reviewed.The final follow-up on May 31,2014.Survival rates and event free survival (EFS) curves were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier,and compared by using the log-rank test.Results The percent age of 94.2 (81/86 cases) patients was at least 1 marker positive.Subsequent MRD was monitored in 79 cases.The median follow-up time was 20 months (9-61 months).By the end of induction,20 cases were MRD positive and 59 cases were M RD negative,and the 3-year EFS were 56.4％ ± 14.7％ and 94.0％ ± 3.4％ (x2 =8.563,P =0.003),respectively.According to the traditional prognostic stratification criteria,MRD was detected 65 cases in the non-high risk group:23 cases in standard risk group and 42 cases in intermediate risk group,and the difference of 3-year EFS had no statistical significance (95.3％ ±4.7％ vs 76.6％ ±9.0％,x2 =0.934,P =0.334).While using MRD by the end of induction as a risk stratification criterion,there was a statistical significant difference compared with the 3-year EFS for MRD-negative (n =52) group and MRD-positive (n =13) group (93.1％ ± 3.8％ and 59.5％ ± 16.2％,x2 =7.128,P =0.008).Conclusions It is a simple but feasible method to monitor MRD in childhood ALL by using this qualitative multiplex PCR with automated fragment analysis for monoclonal IgH/TCRγ gene rearrangements.MRD by the end of induction can be used as a more accurate risk stratification criterion than the traditional one.It is worth of further research.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized byβ-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and tauprotein hyperphosphorylation, whereas its pathogenesis has not been fully known so far. The metabolism of Aβand tau protein is critically affected by autophagy. In the early phase of AD, Aβand tau protein can induce themselves to be eliminated via mTOR-dependent and independent autophagy pathways. In addition, transcription factors EB and apolipoprotein E4 also regulate autophagy and thus participate in the metabolism of Aβand tau protein, affecting AD progression. This review summarized the roles of autophagy in the metabolism of Aβand tau protein and the autophagy regulators closely related to AD in the recent studies.

OBJECTIVE: To identify pathogenic mutation in a pedigree affected with brachydactyly and obesity. METHODS: Peripheral blood sample was collected for extraction of genomic DNA. Exons capture combined with next generation sequencing (NGS) was carried out to identify potential mutation. Sanger sequencing was used to verify the results. RESULTS: NGS has identified a novel heterozygous missense mutation (c.125A>C, p.Gln42Pro) in the exon 1 of PTHLH gene. The result was verified by Sanger sequencing. The mutations was derived from his mother. His uncle and sister have also carried the same heterozygous mutation. CONCLUSION A novel mutation of the PTHLH gene has been identified in a pedigree affected with brachydactyly type E2 and obesity.
Brachydactyly ; complications ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Humans ; Mutation ; Obesity ; complications ; Pedigree