Instrumented assessment of gait disturbance in PMM2-CDG adults: a feasibility analysis

BACKGROUND

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are genetic diseases caused by impaired synthesis of glycan moieties linked to glycoconjugates. Phosphomannomutase 2 deficiency (PMM2-CDG), the most frequent CDG, is characterized by prominent neurological involvement. Gait disturbance is a major cause of functional disability in patients with PMM2-CDG. However, no specific gait assessment for PMM2-CDG is available. This study analyses gait-related parameters in PMM2-CDG patients using a standardized clinical assessment and instrumented gait analysis (IGA).

RESULTS

Seven adult patients with a molecular diagnosis of PMM2-CDG were followed-up from February 2021 to December 2022 and compared to a group of healthy control (HC) subjects, matched for age and sex. Standardized assessment of disease severity including ataxia and peripheral neuropathy along with isometric muscle strength and echo-biometry measurements at lower limbs were performed. IGA spatiotemporal parameters were obtained by means of a wearable sensor in basal conditions. PMM2-CDG patients displayed lower gait speed, stride length, cadence and symmetry index, compared to HC. Significant correlations were found among the used clinical scales and between disease severity (NCRS) scores and the gait speed measured by IGA. Variable reduction of knee extension strength and a significant decrease of lower limb muscle thickness with conserved echo intensity were found in PMM2-CDG compared to HC.

CONCLUSIONS

The study elucidates different components of gait disturbance in PMM2-CDG patients and shows advantages of using wearable sensor-based IGA in this frame. IGA parameters may potentially serve as quantitative measures for follow-up or outcome quantification in PMM2-CDG.

P–430 Male fertility preservation: is there a role for cancer-induced inflammation that affects semen quality in oncological patients?

Study question

What is the cause of semen quality impairment in oncological patients during fertility preservation programs? The cancer type and stadiation or the resulting inflammatory state?

Summary answer

The inflammatory state seems to be related to the decrease of sperm concentration, motility, morphology and viability due to the worsening of oxidative stress microenvironment.

What is known already

Fertility preservation acquired a great importance in the last decades due to increase survival of oncological patients, boost of diagnosis under 40 years and postponement of paternal age. At the time of cryopreservation, only one third of these males are normozoospermic. Tumor itself or other factors, added to psychological reasons, may be involved but there is no clear evidence. An imbalance of ROS (reactive oxygen species) in semen can compromise its quality. However, the correlation between cancer-related generalized stress state and fertility is poorly investigated. Inflammatory conditions induced by infections and pathologies, including cancer, increase ROS.

Study design, size, duration

Retrospective observational analysis was performed on 45 patients (29.0 ± 6.9 yrs) recruited during their fertility preservation program between 2016 and 2019 with written consent on use of their clinical data for research purpose. Patients presented several oncological diagnoses. Semen samples obtained from multiple collections (N = 58) were analyzed before applying standard freezing protocol. Data on semen parameters, inflammatory indices, hematological values and type/stage of tumors were collected. No exclusion criteria were applied.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Routine semen analysis was performed according to the WHO standards. Sperm concentration and motility were evaluated on Makler Chamber, whereas eosin stain and Diff-quick slides were used for viability and morphology, respectively. Lymphoma was present in 72% of cases, leukemia in 8%, seminoma in 7% and other cancers in 13%. Correlations (Pearson/Spearman tests) among principal semen parameters and hematological values (leukocytes, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, RDW, albumin, etc.) were calculated with a P-value <0.05 considered statistically significant.

Main results and the role of chance

The majority of semen samples showed a severe impairment, with one or more parameters under lower reference limits (WHO): 48.3% had sperm concentration under 15 millions/ml, 43.1% had a progressive motility under 32%, 41.4% had viability under 58% and 91.4% had abnormal morphology (under 4%). The role of potential inflammatory state was analyzed by correlating semen parameters and some hematological values. No correlation was found with cancer type. Negative association resulted between progressive motility (%PR) and leukocytes (p = 0.041) or RDW% (p = 0.015), but positive one with albumin (p = 0.012). Even sperm count, total motility (%PR+NP) and morphology were significantly correlated to RDW% (p = 0.003, p = 0.032, p = 0.034, respectively). These findings suggest a possible role of inflammation and ROS related generation in semen quality impairment. Indeed, albumin exerts a protective action, but leukocytes are known to cause ROS increase. Cancer-induced oxidative stress state may alter red blood cells homeostasis and vitality and increase erythrocytes turnover resulting in high RDW values. It is likely semen is worse when blood values indicate more severe cancer-induced inflammatory condition.

Limitations, reasons for caution

Significant correlations with type/stage of cancer were not found due to small number of each diagnosis, in spite our study considered 3 years of patients inclusion. Moreover, we lack to analyze the same patient before the cancer onset to avoid the influence of inflammatory state generated by the tumor itself.

Wider implications of the findings: Understanding the influence of cancer-induced inflammatory state on semen quality could increase the awareness that clinicians should direct patient to the fertility preservation as soon as possible, even if diagnosis is still ongoing. It should be evaluated whether offering specific treatments may reduce oxidative stress conditions.

Trial registration number

Not applicable

KRD (carfilzomib and lenalidomide plus dexamethasone) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in the real-life: a retrospective survey in 123 patients

From April 2016, carfilzomib, in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (KRD), became available for use in the daily practice in Italy for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). We performed a retrospective survey at 14 different institutions from Southern Italy in order to evaluate patient characteristics and treatment results from an unselected series of patients treated accordingly so far. One hundred and twenty-three consecutive patients were included, with a median of 2 previous lines of therapy (range 1-9) and a median age of 63 years (range 39-82). At the time of analysis, median number of courses administered is 11 (range 1-34), and all patients are evaluable for response. Overall response rate including complete remission, very good partial remission, and partial remission is 85%. After a median follow-up of 27 months, median overall and progression-free survival are 33 and 23 months, respectively. Sixty-three patients are alive and between them, 45 (37%) are in continuous remission. Sixty patients have died (49%), mainly from progressive disease. There were 6 treatment-related deaths (5% of the whole patient population). Overall, hematological and non-hematological toxicity were manageable, mostly on outpatient basis. Arterial hypertension has been observed in 43 cases (35%) but did not lead to treatment interruption. Our data demonstrate that in real life, KRD is highly effective and well tolerated in the majority of patients with RRMM.

Polyphenol-enriched fractions from Sicilian grape pomace: HPLC-DAD analysis and antioxidant activity

On the basis of a preliminary screening of seven different samples of Sicilian grape pomace, the 'Nerello Mascalese' sample NM2 was selected for an ethanol preparative extraction. The defatted NM2 EtOH extract was subjected to DPPH() and GAE assays, showing good radical scavenging activity (SC(50)=9.9 microg/mL) and a GAE value of 397.7 mg/g extract. HPLC-DAD analysis of NM2 extract allowed a quantitative determination of the main anthocyanins (AN) and flavonols/flavonol glycosides (FL/FG). Aliquots of the NM2 extract were subjected to three different fractionation protocols (FP1, FP2 and FP3). The fractions were examined by DPPH() and GAE assays, and subjected to HPLC-DAD analysis for the quantitative determination of the main AN and FL/FG. FP3 allowed obtaining a polyphenol-enriched fraction with SC(50)=14.8 microg/mL and GAE=184.1mg/g of fraction, accounting for only 1.3% in weight of the EtOH extract. Some considerations about the relationship between antioxidant activity and AN/FL/FG HPLC-DAD profiles are also reported.

Genes for human general transcription initiation factors TFIIIB, TFIIIB-associated proteins, TFIIIC2 and PTF/SNAPC: functional and positional candidates for tumour predisposition or inherited genetic diseases?

TFIIIB, TFIIIC2, and PTF/SNAPC are heteromultimeric general transcription factors (GTFs) needed for expression of genes encoding small cytoplasmic (scRNAs) and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Their activity is stimulated by viral oncogenes, such as SV40 large T antigen and Adenovirus E1A, and is repressed by specific transcription factors (STFs) acting as anti-oncogenes, such as p53 and pRb. GTFs role as final targets of critical signal transduction pathways, that control cell proliferation and differentiation, and their involvement in gene expression regulation suggest that the genes encoding them are potential proto-oncogenes or anti-oncogenes or may be otherwise involved in the pathogenesis of inherited genetic diseases. To test our hypothesis through the positional candidate gene approach, we have determined the physical localization in the human genome of the 11 genes, encoding the subunits of these GTFs, and of three genes for proteins associated with TFIIIB (GTF3BAPs). Our data, obtained by chromosomal in situ hybridization, radiation hybrids and somatic cell hybrids analysis, demonstrate that these genes are present in the human genome as single copy sequences and that some cluster to the same cytogenetic band, alone or in combination with class II GTFs. Intriguingly, some of them are localized within chromosomal regions where recurrent, cytogenetically detectable mutations are seen in specific neoplasias, such as neuroblastoma, uterine leyomioma, mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands and hemangiopericytoma, or where mutations causing inherited genetic diseases map, such as Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. Their molecular function and genomic position make these GTF genes interesting candidates for causal involvement in oncogenesis or in the pathogenesis of inherited genetic diseases.

Genomic localization of the human genes TAF1A, TAF1B and TAF1C, encoding TAF(I)48, TAF(I)63 and TAF(I)110 subunits of class I general transcription initiation factor SL1

Human SL1 is a general transcription initiation factor (GTF) essential for RNA polymerase I to start rRNA synthesis at class I promoters. It is comprised of the TATA box-binding protein (TBP) and three TBP-associated factors (TAF(I)48, TAF(I)63 and TAF(I)110). We have determined that the human genes TAF1A, TAF1B and TAF1C, encoding these three TAF(I) polypeptides, are localized at lq42, 2p25 and 16q24, respectively. All three genes are present as single copies in the human genome and map to different chromosomes, as shown by somatic cell hybrid panel and radiation hybrid panel analysis and FISH. Two of these genes, TAF1C and TAF1B, are transcribed into multiple RNAs, as determined through Northern analysis of mRNA from various human organs and cell lines. If translated into different polypeptides, this could result in production of variant isoforms of SL1 with different activation potentials.

Genomics of the human genes encoding four TAFII subunits of TFIID, the three subunits of TFIIA, as well as CDK8 and SURB7

By in situ chromosomal hybridization, and by somatic cell and radiation hybrid analysis, we have determined the genomic position of the human genes encoding four TAFII subunits of TFIID (TAFII150, TAFII105, TAFII68, TAFII18), the three subunits of TFIIA (TFIIA35 and TFIIA19, both encoded by the same gene, and TFIIA12), CDK8, and SURB7. All of these proteins are bona fide components of human class II holoenzymes as well as targets of signal transduction pathways that regulate genome expression. The genes encoding them are present in the human genome in a single copy and are localized at 8q23, 18q11.2, 17q11.1-11.2, 1p21, 14q31, 15q21-23, 13q12, and 12p12, respectively. We have mapped all of them to chromosomal regions where hereditary genetic diseases have been localized or which are involved in malignancies, which makes them potential candidates for a causal involvement in these phenotypes.

Bioactive metabolites from Sicilian marine fennel, Crithmum maritimum

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the lipid extract of Crithmum maritimum using the brine shrimp lethality assay led to the isolation of three bioactive compounds. Two of these are known C17 polyacetylenic metabolites, falcarinol [1] and falcarindiol [2], previously isolated from several species of the Umbelliferae and Araliaceae. The third active principle was identified as O-geranylvanillin [3], an aromatic ether described in the literature as a synthetic compound but unknown as a natural product. Cytotoxic activity of the pure compounds was significant for 1 and 2, much less intense for 3.

Identification of iodination sites in cytochrome c by high-performance liquid chromatography and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Site-directed covalent modification of proteins is currently used to study the molecular structure of enzyme active sites. Radioactive labels together with protein sequencing by Edman degradation have been previously employed to identify the site of modification. One drawback of such a procedure is that most reagents are not commercially available in radioactive form. Moreover, the covalent bond formed upon reaction of the label with the protein may be labile under the conditions of Edman degradation. By combining reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry, we have been able to identify the modified sites of horse heart cytochrome c after reaction with iodine. By using this procedure it has been possible to ascertain that, among the four tyrosines contained in the sequence of horse heart cytochrome c, only tyrosine 74 is converted into the monoiodinated derivative. The data demonstrate also the absence of unwanted secondary reactions. The technique avoids the use of radioactive materials and prevents losses of the label since Edman degradation is not required to identify the modified peptides. These results indicate that FAB mass spectrometry along with RP-HPLC is potentially a powerful technique to study chemical modifications of proteins.

(-)-(R)-1-O-Geranylgeranylglycerol from the brown alga Dilophus fasciola

A novel ether lipid, (-)-(R)-1-O-geranylgeranylglycerol, has been isolated from the brown alga Dilophus fasciola and its structure proved by spectroscopic methods and chemical degradation.

Quantitative analysis of protein and non-protein amino acids by gas-liquid chromatography

The quantitative analysis of protein and non-protein amino acids by gas-liquid chromatography is described. The amino acids are determined as their n-butyl N-trifluoroacetyl esters on an OV-17 (methylphenyl silicone polymer) column. The relative molar responses of 16 protein and 30 non-protein amino acids are reported.

Quantitative gas-liquid chromatography of non-protein amino acids

The quantitative gas--liquid chromatographic analysis of non-protein amino acids, in the presence of protein amino acids, is described. The amino acids were determined as their N-trifluoroacetyl n-butyl esters on an ethylene glycol adipate column. The relative molar responses of 38 amino acids are reported.