Quality control for genetic analysis has become more important with a drastic increase in testing volume and clinical demands. The molecular diagnostics division of the Korean Association of Quality Assurance for Clinical Laboratory conducted two trials in 2017 on the basis of molecular diagnostics surveys, involving 53 laboratories. The molecular diagnostics surveys included 37 tests: gene rearrangement tests for leukemia (BCR-ABL1, PML-RARA, AML1-ETO, and TEL-AML1), genetic tests for Janus kinase 2, FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication, FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-tyrosine kinase domain, nucleophosmin, cancer-associated genes (KRAS, EGFR, KIT, and BRAF), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), Li-Fraumeni syndrome (TP53), Wilson disease (ATP7B), achondroplasia (FGFR3), hearing loss and deafness (GJB2), Avellino (TGFBI), multiple endocrine neoplasia 2 (RET), Huntington disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes, myoclonic epilepsy ragged red fibre, Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, Prader-raderd Angelman syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome, apolipoprotein E genotyping, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotyping, and ABO genotyping. Molecular genetic surveys revealed excellent results for most participants. The external quality assessment program for genetic analysis in 2017 proved useful for continuous education and the evaluation of quality improvement.
Achondroplasia ; Acidosis, Lactic ; Angelman Syndrome ; Apolipoproteins ; Brain Diseases ; Breast ; Deafness ; Education ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic ; Fragile X Syndrome ; Gene Rearrangement ; Hearing Loss ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Huntington Disease ; Janus Kinase 2 ; Korea* ; Laboratory Proficiency Testing ; Leukemia ; Li-Fraumeni Syndrome ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Molecular Biology ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; Optic Atrophy, Hereditary, Leber ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Pathology, Molecular* ; Phosphotransferases ; Quality Control ; Quality Improvement ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1

The Diagnostic Genetics Subcommittee of Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service conducted two trials in 2015 based on cytogenetics and molecular genetics surveys. A total of 43 laboratories participated in the chromosome surveys, 31 laboratories participated in the fluorescence in situ hybridization surveys, and 133 laboratories participated in the molecular genetics surveys. All except one laboratory showed acceptable results in the cytogenetics surveys. The molecular genetics surveys included the following tests: Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection, hepatitis B and C virus detection and quantification, human papilloma virus genotyping, gene rearrangement tests for leukaemias and lymphomas, genetic tests for JAK2, FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3, nucleophosmin, cancer-associated genes (KRAS, EGFR, KIT, and BRAF), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), Li-Fraumeni syndrome (TP53), Wilson disease (ATP7B), achondroplasia (FGFR3), hearing loss and deafness (GJB2 ), multiple endocrine neoplasia 2 (RET), Huntington disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke like episodes, myoclonic epilepsy ragged red fibre, Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome (FMR1), apolipoprotein E genotyping, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotyping, ABO genotyping, cytochrome P450 2C9 genotyping, cytochrome P450 2C19 genotyping, and DNA sequencing analysis. The molecular genetics surveys showed excellent results for most of the participants. The external quality assessment program for genetics analysis in 2015 proved to be helpful for continuous education and the evaluation of quality improvement.
Achondroplasia ; Acidosis, Lactic ; Apolipoproteins ; Breast ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; Cytogenetics ; Deafness ; Education ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic ; Fluorescence ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 ; Fragile X Syndrome ; Gene Rearrangement ; Genetics* ; Hearing Loss ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Humans ; Huntington Disease ; In Situ Hybridization ; Korea* ; Li-Fraumeni Syndrome ; Lymphoma ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Molecular Biology ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Optic Atrophy, Hereditary, Leber ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Papilloma ; Quality Improvement ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Stroke

Quality control for genetic tests has become more important as testing volume and clinical demands have increased dramatically. The diagnostic genetics subcommittee of Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service conducted two trials in 2014 based on cytogenetics and molecular genetics surveys. A total of 44 laboratories participated in the chromosome surveys, 33 laboratories participated in the fl uorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) surveys, and 130 laboratories participated in the molecular genetics surveys as a part of these trials. All laboratories showed acceptable results in the chromosome and FISH surveys. The molecular genetics surveys included various tests: Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection, hepatitis B and C virus detection and quantification, human papilloma virus genotyping, gene rearrangement tests for leukaemia and lymphomas, genetic tests for JAK2, FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3, nucleophosmin, cancer-associated genes (KRAS, EGFR, KIT, and BRAF), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), Li-Fraumeni syndrome (TP53), Wilson disease (ATP7B), achondroplasia (FGFR3), Huntington disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke like episodes, myoclonic epilepsy ragged red fibre, Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, fragile X syndrome, nonsyndromic hearing loss and deafness (GJB2), multiple endocrine neoplasia 2 (RET), Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (major mutation), apolipoprotein E genotyping, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotyping, ABO genotyping, and DNA sequencing analysis. Molecular genetic surveys showed excellent results for most of the participants. The external quality assessment program for genetic analysis in 2014 proved to be helpful for continuous education and the evaluation of quality improvement.
Achondroplasia ; Acidosis, Lactic ; Apolipoproteins ; Breast ; Cytogenetics ; Deafness ; Education ; Epilepsies, Myoclonic ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 ; Fragile X Syndrome ; Gene Rearrangement ; Genetics* ; Hearing Loss ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Humans ; Huntington Disease ; In Situ Hybridization ; Korea ; Li-Fraumeni Syndrome ; Lymphoma ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Molecular Biology ; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Optic Atrophy, Hereditary, Leber ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Papilloma ; Quality Assurance, Health Care ; Quality Control ; Quality Improvement ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Stroke

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by progressive death of motor neurons in the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. Until now, many treatment strategies have been tested in ALS, but so far only Riluzole has shown efficacy of slightly slowing disease progression. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying ALS are multifactorial, with a complex interaction between genetic factors and molecular pathways. Other motor neuron disease such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and spinobulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) are also progressive neurodegenerative disease with loss of motor neuron as ALS. This common thread of motor neuron loss has provided a target for the development of therapies for these motor neuron diseases. A better understanding of these pathogenic mechanisms and the potential pathological relationship between the various cellular processes have suggested novel therapeutic approaches, including stem cell and genetics-based strategies, providing hope for feasible treatment of ALS.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* ; Brain Stem ; Disease Progression ; Hope ; Motor Neuron Disease ; Motor Neurons ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Riluzole ; Spinal Cord ; Stem Cells

We present a rare case of functional stenosis of the jejunal loop following left hepatectomy and hepaticojejunostomy long after pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD), which was successfully managed by balloon dilation. A 70-year-old Korean man had undergone PPPD 6 years before due to 1.8 cm-sized distal bile duct cancer. Sudden onset of obstructive jaundice led to diagnosis of recurrent bile duct cancer mimicking perihilar cholangiocarcinoma of type IIIb. After left portal vein embolization, the patient underwent resection of the left liver and caudate lobe and remnant extrahepatic bile duct. The pre-existing jejunal loop and choledochojejunostomy site were used again for new hepaticojejunostomy. The patient recovered uneventfully, but clamping of the percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) tube resulted in cholangitis. Biliary imaging studies revealed that biliary passage into the afferent jejunal limb was significantly impaired. We performed balloon dilation of the afferent jejunal loop by using a 20 mm-wide balloon. Follow-up hepatobiliary scintigraphy showed gradual improvement in biliary excretion and the PTBD tube was removed at 1 month after balloon dilation. This very unusual condition was regarded as disuse atrophy of the jejunal loop, which was successfully managed by balloon dilation and intraluminal keeping of a large-bore PTBD tube for 1 month.
Aged ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Cholangitis ; Choledochostomy ; Constriction ; Constriction, Pathologic* ; Diagnosis ; Drainage ; Extremities ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy* ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Liver ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy* ; Portal Vein ; Radionuclide Imaging

PURPOSE: Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is an X-linked motor neuron disease characterized by proximal muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, and fasciculation. Although SBMA is not uncommon in Korea, there is only one study reporting clinical characteristics and genotype-phenotype correlation in Korean patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, age at the onset of symptoms, the score of severity assessed by impairment of activities of daily living milestones, and rate of disease progression, and their correlations with the number of CAG repeats in the androgen receptor (AR) gene, as well as possible correlations among clinical characteristics, were analyzed in 40 SBMA patients. RESULTS: The median ages at onset and at diagnosis were 44.5 and 52.5 years, respectively, and median interval between onset and diagnosis and median rate of disease progression were 5.0 years and 0.23 score/year, respectively. The median number of CAG repeats in the AR gene was 44 and the number of CAG repeats showed a significant inverse correlation with the age at onset of symptoms (r=-0.407, p=0.009). In addition, patients with early symptom onset had slower rate of disease progression. CONCLUSION: As a report with the largest and recent Korean cohort, this study demonstrates clinical features of Korean patients with SBMA and reaffirms the inverse correlation between the age at disease onset and the number of CAG repeats. Interestingly, this study shows a possibility that the rate of disease progression may be influenced by the age at onset of symptoms.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Age of Onset ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*genetics ; Bulbo-Spinal Atrophy, X-Linked/genetics/*physiopathology ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Genes, Recessive ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Weakness/*physiopathology ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic/*genetics ; Phenotype ; Receptors, Androgen/*genetics ; Republic of Korea ; Trinucleotide Repeats/genetics

Quality control for genetic tests has become more important as the test volume and clinical demands increase dramatically. The diagnostic genetics subcommittee of the Korean Association of Quality Assurance for Clinical Laboratories performed two trials for cytogenetics and molecular genetics surveys in 2013. A total of 43 laboratories participated in the cytogenetic surveys, 30 laboratories participated in the fluorescent in situ hybridization surveys, and 122 laboratories participated in the molecular genetics surveys in 2013. Almost all of them showed acceptable results. However, some laboratories had unacceptable results for karyotype nomenclature, detection of complex cytogenetic abnormalities in hematologic neoplasms and constitutional anomalies. The molecular genetics surveys included various tests: Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection, hepatitis B and C virus detection and quantification, human papilloma virus genotyping, gene rearrangement tests for leukaemia and lymphomas, genetic tests for JAK2, fms-related tyrosine kinase 3, Nucleophosmin, cancer-associated genes (KRAS, EGFR and BRAF), hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), Li-Fraumeni syndrome (TP53), Wilson disease (ATP7B), achondroplasia (FGFR3), Huntington disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke like episodes, myoclonic epilepsy associated with ragged-red fibers, Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, Fragile X syndrome, non-syndromic hearing loss and deafness (GJB2), apolipoprotein E genotyping, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotyping, ABO genotyping and DNA sequence analysis. Molecular genetic surveys showed excellent results for most of the participants. The external quality assessment program for genetic analysis in 2013 was proved to be helpful for continuous education and evaluation of quality improvement.
Achondroplasia ; Acidosis, Lactic ; Apolipoproteins ; Breast ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Cytogenetics ; Deafness ; Education ; Fragile X Syndrome ; Gene Rearrangement ; Genetics* ; Hearing Loss ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Hepatitis B ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Humans ; Huntington Disease ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotype ; Korea ; Li-Fraumeni Syndrome ; Lymphoma ; MERRF Syndrome ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Molecular Biology ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Papilloma ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Quality Control ; Quality Improvement ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Spinocerebellar Ataxias ; Stroke

Disuse atrophy of skeletal muscle is a common clinical problem and its exact mechanisms have not been fully understood. Previous studies suggested that disuse muscle atrophy is realized through the activation of one or more cell signaling pathways, but studies have shown that disuse atrophy is the activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome caused extensive decomposition of the protein. The present researches for disuse atrophy mainly focus on regulatory role in the upstream signaling molecules MuRF1 and Atroginl/MAFbx by NF-kappaB, IGF-1/PI3K/Akt, TGF-beta/Smad and MAPK signal pathway and a plurality of signal pathway activation or inhibition and interaction,and then through the ubiquitin--proteasome to influence the metabolism of protein. But regulation of expression of MuRF1 and Atroginl/MAFbxs still to be studied. Participate in disuse atrophy also needs to be further studied with atrophy confirmation and functional gene verification. The paper summarized recent original articles about the researches of skeletal muscle disuse atrophy and reviewed the various signal pathways and related u-biquitin-proteasome protein metabolism of disuse muscle atrophy.
Animals ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; metabolism ; Proteins ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

Facial asymmetry is not an uncommon occurrence in day to day dental practice. It can be caused by various etiologic factors ranging from facial trauma to serious hereditary conditions. Here, we report a rare case of non-syndromic facial asymmetry in a young female, who was born with this condition but was not aware of the progression of asymmetry. No relevant family history was recognized. She was also deficient in both deciduous and permanent teeth in the corresponding region of maxilla. Hence, the cause of this asymmetry was believed to be a segmental odontomaxillary hypoplasia of left maxilla accompanied by agenesis of left maxillary premolars and molars and disuse atrophy of corresponding facial musculature. This report briefly discussed the comparative features of segmental odontomaxillary hypoplasia, hemimaxillofacial dysplasia, and segmental odontomaxillary dysplasia and justified the differences between segmental odontomaxillary hypoplasia and the other two conditions.
Bicuspid ; Facial Asymmetry ; Female ; Humans ; Maxilla ; Molar ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic ; Tooth

I previously reported the PCR-based Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) region polymorphisms in the three northeast Asian populations (Chinese, Koreans, Japanese) and Caucasians. Here I update this analysis by including the data of the allele distribution in 378 unrelated individuals from four populations in Asia. In this study I investigated PCR-based CAG repeat polymorphism on the SBMA locus among four Asian populations (Mongolian, Evenki, Orochon, Negrito) and performed the statistical analysis on the eight populations including the previously analyzed data. Both statistical analyses of one-way ANOVA (F=3.284, P=0.002) and Kruskal-Wallis test (chi-square=21.542, DF=7, P=0.003) showed remarkable differences in CAG allele distributions among the populations. Post-hoc test showed that the difference between Negritos and Caucasians was especially significant (Scheffe: P=0.042; Bonferroni: P=0.004). Also a significant differences among Northeast Asians, Caucasians and Negritos (Southeast Asian) were detected by these two tests (ANOVA; F=8.132, P.0.000, Kruskal-Wallis; chi-square=16.614, DF=2, P.0.000). Post-hoc test showed that the differences between Negritos and Caucasias was also especially significant (Scheffe: P=0.001; Bonferroni: P=0.000) among these three groups. These data present that the CAG repeat polymorphism of SBMA gene has a useful information for studies of human population genetics.
Alleles ; Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Genetics, Population ; Humans ; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic* ; Trinucleotide Repeats*