OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic efficiency of long-read sequencing (LRS) for the determination of CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fusion genotypes among children with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) and explore their clinical characteristics. METHODS: LRS sequencing was carried out on 30 children diagnosed with 21-OHD at the Department of Endocrinology, Fujian Children's Hospital between November 2022 and September 2023 by clinical symptoms or conventional Sanger sequencing combined with multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). The results of the two methods were compared. Clinical data of the children were collected and analyzed. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Fujian Children's Hospital (Ethic No. 2022ETKLR10024). RESULTS: Of the 30 children with 21-OHD, 11 (36.7%) were found to carry CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fusion genes by LRS. The most common type of fused CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 gene was CH-1 (72.7%), and 1 (3.3%) was found to harbor TNXA/TNXB CH-1. Eleven cases (36.7%) were found to carry large deletions by Sanger sequencing combined with MLPA, with the most common one being CYP21A2 exons 1-3 del (72.7%), which was followed by CYP21A2 exons 1-7 del (18.2%). Follow up of 11 patients carrying a fusion gene revealed that 6 were sale wasting (SW) types, 5 were simple virilizing (SV) types, whilst no non-classical (NC) type was found. Four girls had presented with central precocious puberty (CPP). One child carrying TNXA/TNXB CH-1 had presented with CAH-X syndrome. CONCLUSION Compared with Sanger sequencing combined with MLPA detection method, LRS sequencing was able to differentiate the subtypes of CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fusion genes, pinpoint the breakpoints of the deletions, and directly determine the cis-trans position without the need to analyze the genotype of the pedigree members, which has provided a reliable method for the typing of 21-OHD. As some fusion genes may retain 21-hydroxylase activity, female carriers may have a higher incidence of CPP.
Humans ; Steroid 21-Hydroxylase/genetics* ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital/genetics* ; Child ; Female ; Male ; Child, Preschool ; Tenascin/genetics* ; Infant ; Genotype ; Sequence Analysis, DNA/methods* ; Pseudogenes

Objective To explore the clinical feature,genetic variant and clinical outcome of patients with cblA-type methylmalonic acidemia (MMA).Methods Clinical manifestations,therapeutic schedule and prognosis of 12 patients with cblA-type MMA were analyzed.MMAA gene variants were analyzed for all patients and their parents.Results Vomiting,dyspnea and drowsiness were the major clinical features of cblA-type MMA.Eleven patients were vitamin B12-responsive.After treatment,the blood level of propionylcarnitine,ratio of propionylcarnitine/acetylcarnitine,urine level of methylmalonic acid and methylcitric acid have decreased significantly (P＜0.05).Follow-up study showed that 8 patients (66.7％)had normal development,while the rest (33.3％) remained to have various level of mental or movement delay.Fourteen MMAA gene variants were detected,with c.365T＞C (p.L122P) being the most common (29.2％).Six novel variants,including c.54delA (p.A19Hfs * 43),c.275G＞A (p.G92V),c.456delT (p.G153Vfs* 8),c.667dupA (p.T223Nfs* 4),c.1114C＞T (p.Q372X) and c.1137_1138delCA (p.F379Lfs * 27) were found.Conclusion The main clinical manifestations of patients with cblA-type of MMA include vomiting,dyspnea and drowsiness.Most patients are vitamin B12-responsive.c.365T＞C is a potential hot spot variant of MMAA gene in China.

Objective To explore the clinical manifestations, treatment and outcomes of patients with c. 482G>A ( p. R161Q ) variant of MMACHC gene in cblC type methylmalonic acidemia ( MMA ) . Methods The clinical manifestations, mass spectrometry results, genotypes, treatment and outcomes of 75 patients with cblC type MMAcarryingc.482G>A(p.R161Q)variantwereretrospectivelyanalyzed.Results Ofthe75patients,57(76％) were from newborn screening and one of them had an onset. Among the rest 18 unscreened patients, 2 were diagnosed after their full sisters' or brothers' diagnosis, the others were clinical patients. There were 17 clinical patients, with the medium age of onset 12 years old (10 days～26 years old). 12 late onset patients (70.6％) presented with poor academic performance, memory loss, poor expression, and decreased exercise capacity, while 5 early onset patients (29.4％) presented with convulsion and delay of development. All patients were vitamin B12-responsive. The levels of blood propionylcarnitine, the ratio of propionylcarnitine to acetylcarnitine, urinary methylmalonic acid and methyldecanoic acid, and plasma homocysteine were significantly decreased after treatment (P< 0.01). All patients diagnosed from newborn screening had normal development. However, only 3 clinical patients had a rather normal outcomes and the others remained different levels of intelligence and ( or ) motor dysfunction after treatment. Conclusion The c.482G>A ( p. R161Q) variant of MMACHC gene is associated with late onset cblC type MMA. Patients with this variant have a better response to hydroxycobalamin than other variants. The outcome of patients diagnosed from the newborn screening is good. When symptoms occur, the disability rate is often high. Therefore, newborn screening is a recommended method to prevent this disease.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of preconditioning with different concentrations of sevoflurane on cariomyocyte apoptosis and myocardial inflammation in rats with sepsis and explore the possible mechanism of sevoflurane for myocardial protection.

METHODSForty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10), namely the control group, LPS group, low-concentration sevoflurane group and high-concentration sevoflurane group. Following sevoflurane pretreatment for 30 min and a washout period for 10 min, all the rats received intraperitoneal injection of LPS or normal saline (NS) and were sacrificed 12 h later to observe the myocardial histopathology. Apoptosis of the ardiomyocytes was detected with TUNEL assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum cTnI level and myocardial TNF-α level.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the rats in the other 3 groups showed significantly increased serum cTnI level, myocardial TNF-α content, and apoptotic index of the cardiomyocytes (P<0.05). Compared with those in LPS group, serum cTnI level, myocardial TNF-α content, and apoptotic index of the cardiomyocytes were significantly decreased in the two sevoflurane preconditioning groups (P<0.05), and the effect was more obvious with a high dose of sevoflurane (P<0.05 CONCLUSION: Sevoflurane preconditioning can concentration-dependently reduce LPS-induced myocardial injury in rats possibly by decreasing cardiomyocyte apoptosis and alleviating myocardial inflammations.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Male ; Methyl Ethers ; pharmacology ; Myocarditis ; drug therapy ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; Troponin I ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDHigh-voltage analog X-ray examination is a main tool for pneumoconiosis, which is challenged by digital radiography (DR). The tube voltage of DR chest films required for diagnosis and staging of pneumoconiosis is concerned technically. We investigated the influence of the tube voltage on chest X-ray DR image quality of patients exposed to occupational dust.

METHODSDR images of the CDRAD2.0model, an anatomical chest phantom, and 136 exposed workers were analyzed at different tube voltages by threereaders. Image quality factors (IQF) were calculated and compared using the CDRAD2.0 model. DR images of ten anatomic positions were scored against those of the high-kilovolt chest films in anatomical phantom and clinical cases, and differences in scores were analyzed.

RESULTSIn the CDRAD2.0 model, all three readers had a minimal IQF at 120 kV (mean: 22.25 kV). The differences in the mean IQF of DR images at different tube voltages was significant (F = 13.78, P < 0.001). The IQF of DR imaging at 120 kV was similar to high kilovolt analog imaging (t = -0.58, P > 0.05). In the anatomic phantom and clinical cases, the DR images at 120 kV were closest in anatomical detail to the high kV analog images, and the means were similar (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAmong different tube voltages, DR image quality is closest to the high kilovolt analog images at 120 kV in patients exposed to occupational dust.

Adult ; Aged ; Environmental Pollution ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnosis ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Radiography, Thoracic