No abstract available.
Multiple Acyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Deficiency*

PURPOSE: We have done this retrospective study to know the relative incidences and clinical manifestations of organic acidopathies in Korea. METHODS: The results of quantitative organic acid analysis of 1,125 samples of 712 patients, referred from Jul. 1997 to Jun. 2000, were analyzed retrospectively according to four age groups (-2 mon, 3 mon-2 year, 3 years-12 years, over 12 years) and major clinical manifestations. Quantification of 83 organic acids was done with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry(GC/MS). RESULTS: We diagnosed 214 patients with 27 diseases of organic acid metabolism during this study period. Diseases found more than 10 cases are cytosolic 3-ketothiolase deficiency, mitochondrial repsiratory chain disorders, PDHC deficiency, glutaric aciduria type II and propionic aciduria. Other diseases were diagnosed in less than 10 cases, mostly one or two cases during this study period. Most of the patients had some symptoms of neurological dysfunction such as seizure activity(195 patients), developmental delay(122), mental retardation(99), hypotonia(84), movement disorders(81) and vomiting(68). CONCLUSION: Though the incidence of individual organic acidemia is low, the overall incidence of organic acidemia as a whole seems to be relatively high in Korea. Most of the patients showed some signs of neurological dysfunction.
Acetyl-CoA C-Acyltransferase ; Chromatography, Gas ; Cytosol ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Metabolism ; Multiple Acyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Deficiency ; Propionic Acidemia ; Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency Disease ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures

Since we started organic acid analysis in July 1997, we have collected data about organic acidemias in Korea. The data presented herein constitute our 3 years experience in organic acid analysis. We have collected 712 samples from major university hospitals in all over Korea, which are large enough for relatively accurate estimation of incidence of organic acid disorders. We used solvent extraction method with ethylacetate, MSTFA for derivatization and simultaneously quantitation of 83 organic acids. Out of 712 patients sample, 498 samples (70%) showed no evidence of organic acid abnormalities. Out of the 214 remaining samples, we found very diverse disorders such as methylmalonic aciduria (6), propionic aciduria (10), biotinidase deficiency (6), maple syrup urine disease (3), isovaleric aciduria (4), tyrosinemia type II (4), tyrosinemia type IV (1), glutaric aciduria type I (1), glutaric aciduria type II (22), 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type I (3), 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type III (7), HMG-CoA lyase deficiency (1), hyperglyceroluria (2), cytosolic 3-ketothiolase deficiency (55), mitochondrial 3-ketothiolase deficiency (3), 3-hydroxyisobutyric aciduria (2), L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria (2), fumaric aciduria (2), lactic aciduria with combined elevation of pyruvate (most likely PDHC deficiency) (28), lactic aciduria without combined elevation of pyruvate (most likely mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders) (35), SCAD deficiency (3), MCAD deficiency (1), 3-methylcrotonylglycineuria (1), orotic aciduria (most likely urea cycle disorders) (7) and 2-methylbranched chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (1). In conclusion, although the incidence of individual organic acidemia is low, the incidence of overall organic acidemia is relatively high in Korea. Most of the patients showed some signs of neurological dysfunction. Therefore, organic acid analysis should be included in the diagnostic work up of all neurological dysfunctions.
Acetyl-CoA C-Acyltransferase ; Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase ; Biotinidase Deficiency ; Cytosol ; Electron Transport ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Maple Syrup Urine Disease ; Multiple Acyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Deficiency ; Propionic Acidemia ; Pyruvic Acid ; Tyrosinemias ; Urea

Mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA synthase deficiency (HMCSD) is caused by HMGCS2 gene mutation. This paper reports the clinical and genetic features of an infant with this disease. The 8-month-old female infant was admitted to the hospital with diarrhea for 1 week and fever and convulsion for 1 day. The child presented with seizures, acidosis, hypoglycemia, abnormal liver function, myocardial injury and coagulation dysfunction. The new homozygous mutation c.1502G>A(p.R501Q) in the HMGCS2 gene was found in the infant by genetic testing. The mutant gene was found to be harmful by bioinformatics software analysis. Urine organic acid analysis indicated that 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-pyranone was significantly increased, which was consistent with the results of genetic testing. The infant was definitely diagnosed with HMCSD.
Acyl Coenzyme A ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoglycemia ; Infant ; Mitochondria ; Mutation

Raspberry ketones have important therapeutic properties such as anti-influenza and prevention of diabetes. In order to obtain raspberry ketone from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, two enzymes catalyzing the last two steps of raspberry ketone synthesis, i.e. 4-coumaryl-CoA ligase (4CL) and polyketide synthase (PKS1), were fused using a glycine-serine-glycine (GSG) tripeptide linker to construct an expression vector pChla-4CL-PKS1. The fusion gene 4CL-PKS1 driven by a PSAD promoter was transformed into a wild-type (CC125) and a cell wall-deficient C. reinhardtii (CC425) by electroporation. The results showed the recombinant C. reinhardtii strain CC125 and CC425 with 4CL-PKS1 produced raspberry ketone at a level of 6.7 μg/g (fresh weight) and 5.9 μg/g (fresh weight), respectively, both were higher than that of the native raspberry ketone producing plants (2-4 μg/g).
Acyl Coenzyme A ; Butanones ; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii/genetics* ; Ligases ; Polyketide Synthases

Child ; Humans ; Multiple Acyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Deficiency/genetics* ; Mutation

PURPOSE: We have done this retrospective study to know the relative incidence and clinical manifestations of organic acidopathies in Korea during 8 years(from Jul. 1997 to May 2005). This results of organic acid analysis of 1,787 patients were compared with the results of organic acid analysis that were published three years ago. METHODS: The results of quantitative organic acid analysis of samples of 1788 patients, referred from Jul. 1997 to May 2005, were analyzed retrospectively according to four age group(-2 mon, 3 mon-2 years, 3-12 years) and major clinical manifestations. Quantification of 83 organic acids was done with gas chromatography and mass spectometry. RESULTS: We diagnosed 470 patients with 27 diseases of organic acid metabolism during this study period. Diseases found more than 10 cases are cytosolic 3-ketothiolase deficiency, mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders, PDHC deficiency, mitochondrial 3-ketothiolase deficiency, glutaric aciduria type II, biotinidase deficiency, methylmalonic aciduria and propionic aciduria. Other diseases were diagnosed in less than 10 cases. CONCLUSION: Though the incidence of individual organic acidemia is low, the overall incidence of organic acidemia as a whole seems to be relatively high in Korea. Compared with the results of organic acid analysis that were reported three years ago, we couldn't find a new disease and the difference of the relative incidences of high incident diseases. We were apprehensive of the errors that was owing to the short study period(3 years), but the relative incidences of our study(8 years) were similar to the results of organic acid analysis that were reported three years ago.
Acetyl-CoA C-Acyltransferase ; Biotinidase Deficiency ; Chromatography, Gas ; Cytosol ; Electron Transport ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Metabolism ; Multiple Acyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Deficiency ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Propionic Acidemia ; Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency Disease ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Ghrelin on the expression of acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferases-1 (ACAT-1) in THP-1 derived foam cells.

METHODSThe human monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1) was chosen in our study. The differentiation of THP-1 cells into macrophages was induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Macrophages were then incubated with oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) to generate foam cells. Ghrelin and [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6, the special antagonist of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), were treated during foam cells formation. The ACAT-1 protein and mRNA levels were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR. The effect of variance of cholesterol content was measured by zymochemistry via-fluorospectrophotometer.

RESULTSGhrelin reduced the content of cholesterol ester in foam cells obviously. ACAT-1 protein and mRNA levels were also decreased. The antagonist of GHS-R inhibited the effects of Ghrelin on ACAT-1 expression in dose-dependent manner. The ACAT-1 mRNA levels of the GHS-R specific antagonist groups (10(-5), 5 x 10(-5), 10(-4) mol/L) were 1.14 +/- 0.04, 1.58 +/- 0.03, 2.40 +/- 0.16, significantly higher than that of the Ghrelin group (0.89 +/- 0.05). And the protein expressions were 1.25 +/- 0.09, 1.77 +/- 0.11, 2.30 +/- 0.09, also higher than that of the Ghrelin group (0.86 +/- 0.08).

CONCLUSIONSGhrelin might interfere atherosclerosis by down-regulating the expression of ACAT-1 via GHS-R pathway.

Acetyl-CoA C-Acetyltransferase ; metabolism ; Acyl Coenzyme A ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Down-Regulation ; Foam Cells ; metabolism ; Ghrelin ; physiology ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Receptors, Ghrelin ; physiology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; Spectrophotometry

The objective was to investigate the hypoglycemic action of catalpol in spontaneous diabetes db/db mice. 40 db/db mice were randomly divided into fi ve groups: model control gourp; db/db plus catalpol 40, 80, 120 mg/kg body wt. groups and db/db plus metformin 250 mg/kg group. Age-matched db/m mice were selected as normal control group. The mice were administered with corresponding drugs or solvent by gavage for 4 weeks. The oral glucose tolerance test was carried out at the end of 3rd week. After 4 weeks of treatment, the concentrations of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated serum protein (GSP), insulin (INS), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and adiponection (APN) in serum were detected. The protein expressions of phosphorylation-AMPKalpha1/2 in liver, phosphorylation-AMPKalpha1/2 and glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) in skeletal muscle and adipose tissues were detected by western blot. Real time RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expressions of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and Hydroxymethyl glutaric acid acyl CoA reductase (HMGCR) in liver. Our results showed that catalpol could significantly improve the insulin resistance, decrease the serum concentrations of INS, GSP, TG, and TC. The concentrations of APN in serum, the protein expression of phosphorylation-AMPKalpha1/2 in liver, phosphorylation-AMPKalpha1/2 and GLUT-4 in peripheral tissue were increased. Catalpol could also down regulate the mRNA expressions of ACC and HMGCR in liver. In conclusion, catalpol ameliorates diabetes in db/db mice. It has benefi t eff ects against lipid/glucose metabolism disorder and insulin resistance. The mechanism may be related to up-regulating the expression of phosphorylation-AMPKalpha1/2.
Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase ; Acyl Coenzyme A ; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; Animals ; Blood Glucose ; Blotting, Western ; Cholesterol ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Insulin ; Insulin Resistance ; Liver ; Metabolism ; Metformin ; Mice* ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Oxidoreductases ; RNA, Messenger ; Triglycerides

We report the biochemical profiling in two siblings with mitochondrial 2-methylacetoacetyl-CoA thiolase deficiency. Organic aciduria typical of this rare inborn error metabolism was found when the elder sibling presented with an episode of severe ketoacidosis at 20 months of age, which consisted of excessive excretion of ketones, tiglylglycine, 2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyrate, and 2-methylacetoacetate. Blood acylcarnitiness profile showed elevation of C5OH-carnitine, which represents 2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyrylcarnitine. A similar biochemical profile was identified in the younger sibling during screening although he had only mild clinical symptoms. Both patients reported a favourable outcome on follow-up.
2-methylacetoacetyl-coenzyme A ; deficiency ; Acetyl-CoA C-Acetyltransferase ; Biochemical ; Siblings