Publications by authors named "Amy Fearn"

Article Synopsis
  • Zinc is crucial for human immunity, but its specific molecular roles have not been extensively studied.
  • The research identifies a new genetic disease linked to mutations in the SLC39A7 gene, leading to severe immunodeficiency due to absent B cells and increased infections.
  • The study utilizes CRISPR-Cas9 to model ZIP7 deficiency in mice, revealing that low zinc levels in B cells affect their development and signaling, emphasizing zinc's importance in immune cell function.
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Mutations in SLC34A1, encoding the proximal tubular sodium-phosphate transporter NaPi-IIa, may cause a range of clinical phenotypes including infantile hypercalcemia, a proximal renal Fanconi syndrome, which are typically autosomal recessive, and hypophosphatemic nephrolithiasis, which may be an autosomal dominant trait. Here, we report two patients with mixed clinical phenotypes, both with metabolic acidosis, hyperphosphaturia, and renal stones. Patient A had a single heterozygous pathogenic missense mutation (p.

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The NF-κB family of transcription factors is important for many cellular functions, in particular initiation and propagation of inflammatory and immune responses. However, recent data has suggested that different subunits of the NF-κB family can suppress the inflammatory response. NF-κB1, from the locus nfκb1, can inhibit transcription, acting as a brake to the recognised pro-inflammatory activity of other NF-κB subunits.

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Natural antisense transcripts (NATs) are complementary to protein coding genes and potentially regulate their expression. Despite widespread occurrence of NATs in the genomes of higher eukaryotes, their biological role and mechanism of action is poorly understood. Zebrafish embryos offer a unique model system to study sense-antisense transcript interplay at whole organism level.

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The epithelial Na-coupled phosphate cotransporter family Slc34a (NaPi-II) is well conserved in vertebrates and plays an essential role in maintaining whole body levels of inorganic phosphate (P). A three-dimensional model of the transport protein has recently been proposed with defined substrate coordination sites. Zebrafish express two NaPi-II isoforms with high sequence identity but a 10-fold different apparent K for P ([Formula: see text]).

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Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common and the cause of significant morbidity and mortality. The replacement of functioning nephrons by fibrosis is characteristic of progressive disease. The pathways that lead to fibrosis are not fully understood, although chronic non-resolving inflammation in the kidney is likely to drive the fibrotic response that occurs.

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Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is a common consequence of a diverse range of kidney diseases that lead to end-stage renal failure. The degree of fibrosis is related to leukocyte infiltration. Here, we determined the role of different T cell populations on renal fibrosis in the well-characterized mouse model of unilateral ureteric obstruction.

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Aim: To characterize H+ and HCO3- transporters in polarized CFPAC-1 human pancreatic duct cells, which were derived from a cystic fibrosis patient with the DeltaF508 CFTR mutation.

Methods: CFPAC-1 cells were seeded at high density onto permeable supports and grown to confluence. The cells were loaded with the pH-sensitive fluorescent dye BCECF, and mounted into a perfusion chamber, which allowed the simultaneous perfusion of the basolateral and apical membranes.

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