Objective:To validate the usefulness of copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) in detecting the deletion/duplication of the DMD gene in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)/Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) patients. Methods:One hundred and seventy-seven cases who visited the Department of Medical Genetics, Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology/the First People′s Hospital of Yunnan Province from April 2018 to November 2023 were collected. All patients had previously accepted multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) to detect the deletion/duplication of the DMD gene, including 90 cases of normal control with a negative result of MLPA and 87 cases with the deletion or duplication of the DMD gene (61 cases of DMD and 26 cases of BMD). CNV-seq was performed in a single-blind manner to detect DMD gene deletion or duplication for all of 177 cases to obtain the detection efficiency of CNV-seq in comparison with MLPA. Results:Comparing to MLPA, CNV-seq had a coincidence rate of 88.7% (157/177) for detecting DMD gene deletion/duplication, with a sensitivity of 77.0% (67/87), a specificity and a positive predictive value of both 100.0% (90/90 and 67/67, respectively), a negative predictive value of 81.8% (90/110), and a Kappa value of 0.773. Of the 87 patients with the deletion or duplication of the DMD gene, CNV-seq detected 67 cases with DMD gene deletion/duplication, including 62 cases with deletion and 5 cases with duplication, with fragment ranging from 150 to 750 kb. While CNV-seq missed 23.0% (20/87) of positive cases, mainly due to the involved fragments spanning only 1 to 4 exons, and with a variation size less than 50 kb, below the resolution (100 kb) of CNV-seq. The detection rate of CNV-seq in BMD cases (84.6%, 22/26) was a little higher than that in DMD cases (73.8%, 45/61), but there was no significant difference between 2 subgroups ( χ2=1.211, P=0.271). The results of CNV-seq in normal controls were all negative, and consistent with the results of MLPA. Conclusion:CNV-seq can detect 77.0% (67/87) of deletion/duplication of the DMD gene in patients with DMD/BMD, while the deletion/duplication less than 100 kb may be inevitably unidentified, therefore it is recommended as an assistant screening technique in prenatal diagnosis for DMD gene deletion or duplication.

Purpose To explore the clinical value of screening for partial agenesis of the corpus callosum(PACC)via measuring the distance from the end of the fetal corpus callosum to the occipital bone.Materials and Methods A Prospective study were performed from October 2017 to April 2023 in Ji’an Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital and Jiangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital.A total of 33 PACC fetuses(abnormal group)and 396 normal fetuses(normal group)were selected as the research subjects.The distance(Z value)from the terminal posterior edge of the corpus callosum to the occipital bone was measured,Z value was calculated and compared between groups.The truncation value and related diagnostic efficiency indexes were calculated by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis,and the positive rate of Z value of abnormal group was compared with that of indirect signs.Results The distance from the terminal posterior edge of the corpus callosum to the occipital bone was positively correlated with the gestational age(r=0.913,P<0.001).The best regression equation was that the distance from the terminal posterior edge of the corpus callosum to the occipital bone was 3.879+1.115×gestational age,and the standard deviation was 1.670.The results of mean comparison showed that the Z value of the abnormal group was significantly higher than that of the normal group(t=11.223 9,P<0.001).When Z value 2.199 7 was used as the cut-off value for the diagnosis of PACC,the area under the curve was 0.9981,the Yoden index was 0.959 6,and the sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive values were 96.97%,98.99%,88.89%and 99.75%,respectively.The positive rate of Z value in abnormal group was significantly higher than that of indirect signs(96.97%vs.63.64%,χ2=7.692 3,P<0.01).Conclusion The distance from the terminal posterior edge of corpus callosum to the occipital bone of PACC fetus is larger than that of normal fetus.The increase of Z value indicates that the end of corpus callosum moves forward,which can be used as one of the basis for screening PACC,and it has high clinical value when Z value 2.199 7 is used as the cut-off value for PACC screening.

Purpose To explore the clinical value of screening for partial agenesis of the corpus callosum(PACC)via measuring the distance from the end of the fetal corpus callosum to the occipital bone.Materials and Methods A Prospective study were performed from October 2017 to April 2023 in Ji’an Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital and Jiangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital.A total of 33 PACC fetuses(abnormal group)and 396 normal fetuses(normal group)were selected as the research subjects.The distance(Z value)from the terminal posterior edge of the corpus callosum to the occipital bone was measured,Z value was calculated and compared between groups.The truncation value and related diagnostic efficiency indexes were calculated by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis,and the positive rate of Z value of abnormal group was compared with that of indirect signs.Results The distance from the terminal posterior edge of the corpus callosum to the occipital bone was positively correlated with the gestational age(r=0.913,P<0.001).The best regression equation was that the distance from the terminal posterior edge of the corpus callosum to the occipital bone was 3.879+1.115×gestational age,and the standard deviation was 1.670.The results of mean comparison showed that the Z value of the abnormal group was significantly higher than that of the normal group(t=11.223 9,P<0.001).When Z value 2.199 7 was used as the cut-off value for the diagnosis of PACC,the area under the curve was 0.9981,the Yoden index was 0.959 6,and the sensitivity,specificity,positive and negative predictive values were 96.97%,98.99%,88.89%and 99.75%,respectively.The positive rate of Z value in abnormal group was significantly higher than that of indirect signs(96.97%vs.63.64%,χ2=7.692 3,P<0.01).Conclusion The distance from the terminal posterior edge of corpus callosum to the occipital bone of PACC fetus is larger than that of normal fetus.The increase of Z value indicates that the end of corpus callosum moves forward,which can be used as one of the basis for screening PACC,and it has high clinical value when Z value 2.199 7 is used as the cut-off value for PACC screening.

Objective:To validate the usefulness of copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) in detecting the deletion/duplication of the DMD gene in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)/Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) patients. Methods:One hundred and seventy-seven cases who visited the Department of Medical Genetics, Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology/the First People′s Hospital of Yunnan Province from April 2018 to November 2023 were collected. All patients had previously accepted multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) to detect the deletion/duplication of the DMD gene, including 90 cases of normal control with a negative result of MLPA and 87 cases with the deletion or duplication of the DMD gene (61 cases of DMD and 26 cases of BMD). CNV-seq was performed in a single-blind manner to detect DMD gene deletion or duplication for all of 177 cases to obtain the detection efficiency of CNV-seq in comparison with MLPA. Results:Comparing to MLPA, CNV-seq had a coincidence rate of 88.7% (157/177) for detecting DMD gene deletion/duplication, with a sensitivity of 77.0% (67/87), a specificity and a positive predictive value of both 100.0% (90/90 and 67/67, respectively), a negative predictive value of 81.8% (90/110), and a Kappa value of 0.773. Of the 87 patients with the deletion or duplication of the DMD gene, CNV-seq detected 67 cases with DMD gene deletion/duplication, including 62 cases with deletion and 5 cases with duplication, with fragment ranging from 150 to 750 kb. While CNV-seq missed 23.0% (20/87) of positive cases, mainly due to the involved fragments spanning only 1 to 4 exons, and with a variation size less than 50 kb, below the resolution (100 kb) of CNV-seq. The detection rate of CNV-seq in BMD cases (84.6%, 22/26) was a little higher than that in DMD cases (73.8%, 45/61), but there was no significant difference between 2 subgroups ( χ2=1.211, P=0.271). The results of CNV-seq in normal controls were all negative, and consistent with the results of MLPA. Conclusion:CNV-seq can detect 77.0% (67/87) of deletion/duplication of the DMD gene in patients with DMD/BMD, while the deletion/duplication less than 100 kb may be inevitably unidentified, therefore it is recommended as an assistant screening technique in prenatal diagnosis for DMD gene deletion or duplication.

Objective:To analyze the genetic mutation characteristics of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency among infants in Kunming.Methods:A total of 15 533 infants (7 994 males and 7 539 females) born in Kunming from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020, with an age range of 2 to 44 days, were selected. G6PD enzyme activity and gene mutation types were detected using fluorescence quantitative analysis, multicolor melting curve analysis (MMCA), and Sanger sequencing. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) was used for quantitative analysis of a newly identified variant family to determine the mutant allele proportion in family members. Meanwhile,the protein structure model and pathogenicity prediction of the novel variant were analyzed.Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0. Specifically, chi-square tests were used for the detection rates of G6PD enzyme activity and gene mutations between different genders. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for the comparison of enzyme activity among different mutation types.Results:Among 15 533 infants, 143 cases (129 males and 14 females) were tested positive for G6PD activity, with a detection rate of 0.92% (143/15 533). The difference in detection rates between males and females was statistically significant (χ 2=96.76, P<0.001). Out of 89 enzyme activity-positive cases (83 males and 6 females) underwent genetic testing, 77 (72 males and 5 females) were detected by MMCAand other 12 negative samples were underwent further Sanger sequencing, revealing mutations in 6 samples, all of which were males. Among the 83 individuals with gene mutations, 78 had heterozygous mutations, 1 had a homozygous mutation, and 4 had compound heterozygous mutations. A total of 12 mutation types were detected, with G6PD c.487G>A, c.1024C>T, c.1388G>A, and c.1376G>T being the most common, accounting for 74.70% (62/83) of all mutation types. The average G6PD enzyme activity of c.1376G>T was the lowest, and the differences were statistically significant compared to the average enzyme activity of the other three mutations ( P<0.05). One male infant with a newly identified G6PD c.242G>C mutation was detected, predicted to be pathogenic. ddPCR confirmed that the mother of the affected child was a c.242G>C mutant chimera, with a chimera proportion of 6.66%. Conclusions:In the Kunming region, the predominant G6PD deficiency gene mutation is c.487G>A, with the detection of a novel G6PD c.242G>C mutation. The application of ddPCR technology can assist in detecting the proportion of mutation chimeras.

Dynasore is a small molecule that inhibits the GTPase activity of dynamin and mitochondria-related proteins both in vitro and in vivo,consequently preventing bacteria and viruses from entering cells via endocytic processes,impeding infection and spread of the pathogen.Dynasore is able to participate in cell survival,proliferation and apoptosis through a variety of dynamin protein-independent mechanisms such as reducing reactive oxygen species production,inhib-iting ferroptosis,lowering dynamin-related protein 1 activity to reduce mitophagy,and deeply engaging in vascular endo-thelial growth factor pathway.Here based on the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways of dynasore involving in diseases,this review summarizes the role of dynasore in microbial infections,neurodegenerative diseases,and tumors.

Objective:To observe the influence of wogonin on colitis mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and explore the related mechanism.Methods:Eighteen C57BL/6 mice were randomly and equally divided into the control group, the model group and the treatment group. The water was given normally to mice in control group, and the 2.5% DSS drinking water was given to mice of other two groups for 7 days. Wogonin via intraperitoneal injection was administrated in the mice of treatment group on the second and the fourth day. The mice were sacrificed on the eighth day and specimens were collected. The pathological damage and inflammation degree of mice colon were evaluated by measuring the length of colon and using HE staining. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the infiltration of neutrophils in mice colon tissue. Wogonin of 25, 50, 100 μmol/L was applied to handle neutrophils from mice marrow tissue in vitro, and there was no treatment in the negative control group. The flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of neutrophil. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of anti-apoptotic protein myeloid cell leukelia-1 (Mcl-1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) . Results:Compared with the model group, the mice colon length in the treatment group was significantly longer [ (7.80 ± 0.21) cm vs. (6.43 ± 0.10) cm, P<0.01], the pathological damage score of the colon tissue was significantly lower [ (6.83 ± 0.98) points vs. (14.33 ± 1.03) points, P<0.01], the number of infiltrative neutrophils in the colon of mice was significantly lower [ (8.52 ± 0.15) neutrophils per low power field vs. (29.43 ± 0.43) neutrophils per low power field, P<0.01]. The apoptosis rate of neutrophils were 6.41% ± 0.51%, 14.01% ± 0.81%, 20.89% ± 0.82%, 24.23% ± 0.29% in negative control group and 25, 50, 100 μmol/L wogonin groups. The apotosis rate of neutrophils increased constantly with the concentration of wogonin increasing gradually and there were significant differences among any two groups ( P<0.01) . Compared with the negative control group, the phosphorylated ERK expressions of neutrophils in 25, 50, 100 μmol/L wogonin groups were decreased obviously (all P<0.05) . The Mcl-1 expression of neutrophils declined constantly with the concentration of wogonin increasing gradually. Conclusion:Wogonin can induce the apoptosis of neutrophils in concentration-dependent manner, reduce the infiltration of neutrophils and relieve the intestinal damage in colon tissue of colitis mice, which may be regulated by the inhibition of ERK phosphorylation and decreased expression of Mcl-1 in concentration-dependent manner.

Objective:To observe the influence of wogonin on colitis mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and explore the related mechanism.Methods:Eighteen C57BL/6 mice were randomly and equally divided into the control group, the model group and the treatment group. The water was given normally to mice in control group, and the 2.5% DSS drinking water was given to mice of other two groups for 7 days. Wogonin via intraperitoneal injection was administrated in the mice of treatment group on the second and the fourth day. The mice were sacrificed on the eighth day and specimens were collected. The pathological damage and inflammation degree of mice colon were evaluated by measuring the length of colon and using HE staining. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the infiltration of neutrophils in mice colon tissue. Wogonin of 25, 50, 100 μmol/L was applied to handle neutrophils from mice marrow tissue in vitro, and there was no treatment in the negative control group. The flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of neutrophil. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of anti-apoptotic protein myeloid cell leukelia-1 (Mcl-1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) . Results:Compared with the model group, the mice colon length in the treatment group was significantly longer [ (7.80 ± 0.21) cm vs. (6.43 ± 0.10) cm, P<0.01], the pathological damage score of the colon tissue was significantly lower [ (6.83 ± 0.98) points vs. (14.33 ± 1.03) points, P<0.01], the number of infiltrative neutrophils in the colon of mice was significantly lower [ (8.52 ± 0.15) neutrophils per low power field vs. (29.43 ± 0.43) neutrophils per low power field, P<0.01]. The apoptosis rate of neutrophils were 6.41% ± 0.51%, 14.01% ± 0.81%, 20.89% ± 0.82%, 24.23% ± 0.29% in negative control group and 25, 50, 100 μmol/L wogonin groups. The apotosis rate of neutrophils increased constantly with the concentration of wogonin increasing gradually and there were significant differences among any two groups ( P<0.01) . Compared with the negative control group, the phosphorylated ERK expressions of neutrophils in 25, 50, 100 μmol/L wogonin groups were decreased obviously (all P<0.05) . The Mcl-1 expression of neutrophils declined constantly with the concentration of wogonin increasing gradually. Conclusion:Wogonin can induce the apoptosis of neutrophils in concentration-dependent manner, reduce the infiltration of neutrophils and relieve the intestinal damage in colon tissue of colitis mice, which may be regulated by the inhibition of ERK phosphorylation and decreased expression of Mcl-1 in concentration-dependent manner.

OBJECTIVE: To perform carrier screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) among 3049 reproductive-age individuals from Yunnan region and determine the copy number of survival motor neuron (SMN) gene and carrier frequencies. METHODS: Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was used to determine the copy number of exon 7 of SMN1 and SMN2 genes and identify those with a single copy of SMN1 gene. Prenatal diagnosis was performed for couples whom were both found to be SMA carriers. RESULTS: In total 62 SMA carriers were identified among the 3049 subjects, which yielded a carrier frequency of 1 in 49 (2.03%). No statistical difference was found in the carrier frequency between males and females (1.91% vs. 2.30%, P>0.05). Respectively, 1.3% (41/3049) and 0.69% (21/3049) of the carriers were caused by heterozygous deletion and conversion of the SMN1 gene. The average copy number for SMN1 alleles was 1.99. Two couples were found to be both as SMA carriers, for whom the birth of an affected fetus was avoided by prenatal diagnosis. CONCLUSION No difference was found in the carrier frequency of SMA-related mutations between the two genders in Yunnan region, which was in keeping to an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. Determination of the carrier frequency for SMA and SMN gene variants may provide a basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for the disease.
China ; Female ; Genetic Carrier Screening ; Genetic Counseling ; Genetic Variation ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; genetics ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein ; genetics ; Survival of Motor Neuron 2 Protein ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo provide genetic analysis for a pregnant woman with chromosomal translocations and intellectual disability, and to provide prenatal diagnosis for her fetus.

METHODSRoutine G-banding was performed to analyze the karyotypes of the woman and her fetus. Copy number variants were determined with array comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH).

RESULTSThe pregnant woman has carried an apparently balanced translocation involving chromosomes 1, 2, 6 and 7, with a karyotype of 46, XX, t(1;2) (p22;p23), t(6;7) (q21;p15). The karyotype of her fetus was ascertained as 46, XY, t(6;7) (q21;p15) mat. Array-CGH has detected a 4 Mb microdeletion at 6q22.1-q22.31 (115 311 507-119 332 956) in both individuals. As the 6q22.1-q22.31 microdeletion may be associated with the main clinical manifestations of the woman, the family decided to terminate the pregnancy. The fetus was male and appeared to have no obvious abnormality.

CONCLUSIONPrenatal diagnosis for pregnant women with translocations and mental retardation is a challenging task. Combined application of cytogenetic analysis and array-CGH may facilitate the diagnosis and genetic counseling.

Adult ; Female ; Fetus ; abnormalities ; Genetic Testing ; methods ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; genetics ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Translocation, Genetic ; genetics ; Young Adult