Embryonic stem cell-derived glial precursors as a vehicle for sulfamidase production in the MPS-IIIA mouse brain.

Pluripotent stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, have generated much excitement about their prospects for use in cell transplantation therapies. This is largely attributable to their virtually unlimited growth potential, their ability to be precisely genetically altered in culture, and their utility for forming differentiated cell populations with potential clinical applications. Lysosomal storage diseases such as Sanfilippo syndrome (MPS-IIIA) represent ideal candidate diseases for the evaluation of cell therapies in the central nervous system (CNS).

Deletion of Glu155 causes a deficiency of glutathione transferase Omega 1-1 but does not alter sensitivity to arsenic trioxide and other cytotoxic drugs.

The Omega class glutathione transferase GSTO1-1 can catalyze the reduction of pentavalent methylated arsenic species and is responsible for the biotransfomation of potentially toxic alpha-haloketones. We investigated the cause of GSTO1-1 deficiency in the T-47D breast cancer cell line and found that the cell line is hemizygous for a polymorphic allele that encodes the deletion of Glu155. Northern and Western blots show that T-47D cells contain GSTO1 mRNA but no GSTO1-1 protein suggesting that the deletion of Glu155 causes GSTO1-1 deficiency in vivo.

Unstable Robertsonian translocations der(13;15)(q10;q10): heritable chromosome fission without phenotypic effect in two kindreds.

Robertsonian translocations (RTs) are amongst the most common chromosome abnormalities, but being essentially balanced are not usually associated with phenotypic abnormality. Despite being dicentric, RTs are almost always transmitted stably through cell division without chromosome breakage. We have investigated spontaneous fission of der(13;15)(q10;q10) chromosomes in eight individuals from two unrelated kindreds with a view to assessing clinical significance and to seek an explanation for the peculiar heritable instability displayed by these chromosomes.

HLS5, a novel RBCC (ring finger, B box, coiled-coil) family member isolated from a hemopoietic lineage switch, is a candidate tumor suppressor.

Hemopoietic cells, apparently committed to one lineage, can be reprogrammed to display the phenotype of another lineage. The J2E erythroleukemic cell line has on rare occasions developed the features of monocytic cells. Subtractive hybridization was used in an attempt to identify genes that were up-regulated during this erythroid to myeloid transition.

Characterization of the human Omega class glutathione transferase genes and associated polymorphisms.

The Omega class glutathione transferases (GSTs) have been identified in many organisms, including human, mouse, rat, pig, Caenorhabditis eglands and Drosophila melanogaster. These GSTs have poor activity with common GST substrates, but exhibit novel glutathione-dependent thioltransferase, dehydroascorbate reductase and monomethylarsonate reductase activities, and modulate Ca release by ryanodine receptors. An investigation of the genomic organization of human GSTO1 identified a second actively transcribed member of the Omega class (GSTO1).

Location and structure of the human FHR-5 gene.

The factor H family of genes has been localised to human chromosome 1q32. This region encodes various proteins involved in complement regulation and is known as the regulators of complement activation (RCA) gene cluster. The factor H genes encode seven known plasma proteins.

Study of 250 children with idiopathic mental retardation reveals nine cryptic and diverse subtelomeric chromosome anomalies.

Cryptic subtelomeric chromosome anomalies have been recognized as a significant cause of dysmorphology and mental retardation. To determine whether the clinical cytogenetics laboratory should screen routinely for these aberrations, we have tested 250 patients with idiopathic mental retardation/developmental delay, either isolated (53) or associated with dysmorphic features and/or malformations in the absence of a recognizable syndrome (197). All had normal karyotypes at the 550-850 band level.