Genetic deficiency of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase associated with skeletal dysplasia, cerebral calcifications and autoimmunity

Vertebral and metaphyseal dysplasia, spasticity with cerebral calcifications, and strong predisposition to autoimmune diseases are the hallmarks of the genetic disorder spondyloenchondrodysplasia. We mapped a locus in five consanguineous families to chromosome 19p13 and identified mutations in ACP5, which encodes tartrate-resistant phosphatase (TRAP), in 14 affected individuals and showed that these mutations abolish enzyme function in the serum and cells of affected individuals. Phosphorylated osteopontin, a protein involved in bone reabsorption and in immune regulation, accumulates in serum, urine and cells cultured from TRAP-deficient individuals. Case-derived dendritic cells exhibit an …

Migration of renal tumor cells depends on dephosphorylation of Shc by PTEN.

The tumor suppressor PTEN is a phosphatase using FAK and Shc as direct substrates, and Akt as a key effector via PIP3. PTEN regulates cell migration and may influence metastases. We quantified PTEN in 135 clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC) by Western blot analysis and found statistically significant lower PTEN expression in patients who died, usually caused by metastases, within 5 years after surgery, compared to those surviving this time period. In athymic mice, PTEN transfected 786-O cells were injected into the tail vein and metastatic load of the lungs was quantified. We observed a strongly reduced metastatic load after PTEN transfection. For analyses of the PTEN activities, trans…

Alpha-Interferon Treatment in HBeAg Positive Children with Chronic Hepatitis B and Associated Hepatitis D

The main problem of children with HBeAg positive hepatitis B and associated hepatitis D is progression to liver cirrhosis with decompensation of liver function and need for liver replacement therapy within 15-20 years after infection. To determine whether interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy has a positive effect on HBV replication and inflammatory activity, we evaluated clinical and serological data of 8 children treated with IFN-alpha and 6 historic control patients without treatment. 4 of the nontreated patients seroconverted from HBeAg to anti-HBe between 7 to 17 years after initial diagnosis and showed decreased inflammatory activity in the liver. In the treatment group, the rate of se…

Chest Radiograph as Diagnostic Clue in a Floppy Infant