Search results for "MOZ"
showing 10 items of 437 documents
Neurotransmitter receptor density changes in Pitx3ak mice – A model relevant to Parkinson’s disease
2014
Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by alterations of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurotransmission. Compared to the wealth of data on the impairment of the dopamine system, relatively limited evidence is available concerning the role of major non-dopaminergic neurotransmitter systems in PD. Therefore, we comprehensively investigated the density and distribution of neurotransmitter receptors for glutamate, GABA, acetylcholine, adrenaline, serotonin, dopamine and adenosine in brains of homozygous aphakia mice being characterized by mutations affecting the Pitx3 gene. This genetic model exhibits crucial hallmarks of PD on the ne…
Prevalence of ANGPTL3 and APOB gene mutations in subjects with combined hypolipidemia.
2012
Objective— Mutations of the ANGPTL3 gene have been associated with a novel form of primary hypobetalipoproteinemia, the combined hypolipidemia (cHLP), characterized by low total cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol levels. The aim of this work is to define the role of ANGPTL3 gene as determinant of the combined hypolipidemia phenotype in 2 large cohorts of 913 among American and Italian subjects with primary hypobetalipoproteinemia (total cholesterol <5th percentile). Methods and Results— The combined hypolipidemia cut-offs were chosen according to total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol levels reported in the ANGPTL3 kindred described to date: total cholesterol levels, <2nd percentile …
Spectrum of mutations of the LPL gene identified in Italy in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia.
2015
Background: Monogenic hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) may result from mutations in some genes which impair the intravascular lipolysis of triglyceride (TG)-rich lipoproteins mediated by the enzyme Lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Mutations in the LPL gene are the most frequent cause of monogenic HTG (familial chylomicronemia) with recessive transmission. Methods: The LPL gene was resequenced in 149 patients with severe HTG (TG>10mmol/L) and 106 patients with moderate HTG (TG>4.5 and <10mmol/L) referred to tertiary Lipid Clinics in Italy. Results: In the group of severe HTG, 26 patients (17.4%) were homozygotes, 9 patients (6%) were compound heterozygotes and 15 patients (10%) were simple heter…
Efficacy of Lomitapide in the Treatment of Familial Homozygous Hypercholesterolemia: Results of a Real-World Clinical Experience in Italy
2017
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) is a rare form of inherited dyslipidemia resistant to conventional cholesterol-lowering medications so that lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is usually required. Lomitapide has been approved for the treatment of HoFH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of lomitapide in HoFH patients followed with the usual clinical care. Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) is a rare form of inherited dyslipidemia resistant to conventional cholesterol-lowering medications so that lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is usually required. Lomitapide has been approved for the treatment of HoFH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of lo…
Molecular, genetic, and functional analysis of homozygous C8 beta-chain deficiency in two siblings.
1998
Abstract C8 deficiency is associated with an increased susceptibility to neisserial infections. We present a case of an 11 year old boy who suffered from infection with Neisseria meningitidis . Medical history of the patient and his family ( n = 5) did not indicate any previous immunodeficiency symptoms. Results from the analysis of phagocyte and lymphocyte functions were within the normal range. No hemolytic activities of the classical (CH50) and the alternative (APH50) pathways of complement were measurable, and SC5b-9 protein complexes could not be detected in the patient's plasma. Further analysis by highly sensitive ELISA and functional assays revealed a complete deficiency of C8. Upon…
The lipid-lowering effects of lomitapide are unaffected by adjunctive apheresis in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia – A post-h…
2015
AbstractObjectiveLomitapide (a microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor) is an adjunctive treatment for homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH), a rare genetic condition characterised by elevated low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and premature, severe, accelerated atherosclerosis. Standard of care for HoFH includes lipid-lowering drugs and lipoprotein apheresis. We conducted a post-hoc analysis using data from a Phase 3 study to assess whether concomitant apheresis affected the lipid-lowering efficacy of lomitapide.MethodsExisting lipid-lowering therapy, including apheresis, was to remain stable from Week −6 to Week 26. Lomitapide dose was escalated on the basi…
Association Between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Cyclooxygenase-2, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A Genes,…
2011
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) are mediators of inflammation and angiogenesis; all of them are produced in liver cirrhosis (LC) and in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It was proposed that there is an association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and HCC. These allelic variants influence the transcriptional activity of these genes, and therefore the proteins levels. The VEGF-A pathway is a potential therapeutic target in HCC, and several antiangiogenic agents have entered clinical trials in HCC. We evaluated the frequency of SNPs of COX-2, TNF-α, and VEGF-A genes in patients with HCC versus LC patients…
Management of homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia in two brothers
2018
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) is a rare, genetic disorder of abnormally high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) requiring aggressive interventions to retard the evolution of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We treated two brothers (ages 46 years and 47 years) with HoFH with statins, lipoproteinapheresis (LA) and the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor lomitapide. Both brothers carried the p.Thr434Arg homozygous LDLR mutation and had childhood total cholesterol levels >700 mg/dL. Inter-LA LDL-C levels remained high; therefore, they were given escalating doses of oral lomitapide (5–10 mg/day). One brother was able to maintain LDL-C l…
Variants in COMT and spontaneous smoking cessation: retrospective cohort analysis of 925 cessation events
2009
Genome-wide studies have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with smoking behaviour and nicotine dependence. Less is known about genetic determinants of smoking cessation, but rs4680 in COMT has recently been shown to explain a substantial proportion of the variation in cessation in the general population. We attempted to replicate the reported, clinically relevant effect in a population-based retrospective cohort analysis of 1443 ever-heavy smokers, of whom 925 had reached abstinence. In Cox regression models, neither rs4680 nor two polymorphisms nearby were associated with smoking cessation. The adjusted relative cessation rate (95% confidence interval) in rs4680 methion…
Chromosomal polymorphism and patterns of viability in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster from cellar and vineyard.
1991
Two neighbouring natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster have been analysed, one from a cellar habitat and the other from a vineyard outside. An extensive study of inversion polymorphism in the two populations has been carried out. Furthermore, the relationship between inversion polymorphism and the viability of the second chromosome has been studied. The data regarding the total frequency of inversion-carrying chromosomes indicate a lower frequency in the cellar population than in the vineyard population. Some possibilities that could explain the behaviour of the chromosomes from the cellar in relation to the peculiar environment of this habitat are discussed. New endemic inversions…