Novel insights into presenilin 1 mutation associated with a distinctive dementia phenotype and cotton wool plaques.

Background: The mutations in the presenilin 1 gene (PSEN1) are the main cause of familial Alzheimer's disease. PSEN1 mutations affect amyloid-beta peptide production, which accumulates in the brain as senile plaque and cotton wool plaques (CWPs) and relates to other neurodegenerative disorders. Here we report the second case of the PSEN1 G266S mutation, which showed distinctive neuropathological features, including abundant CWPs.

Human FAT1 cadherin controls cell migration and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma through the localization of β-catenin.

FAT1 [Homo sapiens FAT tumor suppressor homolog 1 (Drosophila)] is an intrinsic membrane protein classified as a member of the cadherin superfamily. The FAT1 gene is a tumor suppressor in humans as well as being the pivotal gene for cell morphogenesis and migration. Deletion of this gene could play a role in the characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), involving cell adhesion, migration and/or invasion.

Dynamin 2 gene is a novel susceptibility gene for late-onset Alzheimer disease in non-APOE-epsilon4 carriers.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by progressive cognitive decline caused by synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration in the brain, and late-onset AD (LOAD), genetically classified as a polygenetic disease, is the major form of dementia in the elderly. It has been shown that beta amyloid, deposited in the AD brain, interacts with dynamin 1 and that the dynamin 2 (DNM2) gene homologous to the dynamin 1 gene is encoded at chromosome 19p13.2 where a susceptibility locus has been detected by linkage analysis.

Imprinting status of paternally imprinted DLX5 gene in Japanese patients with Rett syndrome.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked severe neurodevelopmental disorder mostly affecting female and is mainly caused by mutations of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene (MECP2). MECP2, which has a crucial role for transcriptional repression and chromatin remodeling, consists of methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) and transcriptional repression domain (TRD). Paternally imprinted distal-less homeobox gene 5 (DLX5), that has an important role for the development of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons, was identified as a target of MECP2 recently.

The DYRK1A gene, encoded in chromosome 21 Down syndrome critical region, bridges between beta-amyloid production and tau phosphorylation in Alzheimer disease.

We scanned throughout chromosome 21 to assess genetic associations with late-onset Alzheimer disease (AD) using 374 Japanese patients and 375 population-based controls, because trisomy 21 is known to be associated with early deposition of beta-amyloid (Abeta) in the brain. Among 417 markers spanning 33 Mb, 22 markers showed associations with either the allele or the genotype frequency (P < 0.05).

Variations in the BDNF gene in autopsy-confirmed Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies in Japan.

Background/aim: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with the hippocampus and the nigrostriatal dopaminergic function. Data showing that its level was reduced in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) suggested that the BDNF function must play an important role in the pathogenetics of these diseases. Indeed, variation in the BDNF gene may confer susceptibility to AD and PD development.

A novel alternative splice variant of nicastrin and its implication in Alzheimer disease.

Nicastrin interacts with gamma-secretase complex components predominantly via the N-terminal third of the transmembrane domain. The authentic transmembrane domain is critically required for the interaction with gamma-secretase complex components and for formation of an active gamma-secretase complex. In this study, we have identified a novel alternatively spliced transcript of nicastrin in human brain tissue.

Classic Rett syndrome in a boy with R133C mutation of MECP2.

About 80% of female patients with Rett syndrome (RTT) display a mutation in the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene, but most males with MECP2 mutation experience severe fatal encephalopathy or non-specific X-linked mental retardation (XLMR). The existence of male RTT has been extensively discussed. We report herein a boy with classic RTT in a family with a missense mutation in MECP2.

Lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase is a novel risk gene for Alzheimer disease.

Lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) is a lymphoid-specific, Src family protein tyrosine kinase that is known to play a pivotal role in T-cell activation and interact with the T-cell coreceptors, CD4 and CD8. It has been shown to be significantly down-regulated in Alzheimer disease (AD) hippocampus compared with non-demented controls. Furthermore, it is located in a previously identified genetic linkage region (1p34-36) associated with AD.

Identification of hippocampus-related candidate genes for Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex multifactorial disease in which many genetic and environmental factors are involved. We performed an association study using 376 AD patients and 376 control subjects. We studied 35 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 35 genes that were significantly downregulated or upregulated only in the AD hippocampus compared with control and found that 9 single nucleotide polymorphisms were associated with AD.

Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 gene (MECP2) variations in Japanese patients with Rett syndrome: pathological mutations and polymorphisms.

A total of 45 different mutations of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene (MECP2) were identified in 145 of 219 Japanese patients with typical or atypical Rett syndrome (RTT) (66.2%). A missense mutation, T158M was the most common mutation of MECP2, identified in 22 (19.

TAFI polymorphisms at amino acids 147 and 325 are not risk factors for cerebral infarction.

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) was reported as an anaphylatoxin-inactivating enzyme generated by proteolytic cleavage of its zymogen, and is the same enzyme as that first designated by our group as procarboxypeptidase R (proCPR). Its level in plasma appears to influence vascular disease. In addition, TAFI activity is strongly influenced by genetic polymorphism, especially at amino acids 147 and 325.

Promoter polymorphism in fibroblast growth factor 1 gene increases risk of definite Alzheimer's disease.

Fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1, also known as acidic FGF) protects selective neuronal populations against neurotoxic effects such as those in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and HIV encephalitis. The FGF1 gene is therefore a strong candidate gene for AD. Using the promoter polymorphism of the FGF1 gene, we examined the relationship between AD and the FGF1 and apolipoprotein E (APOE) genes in 100 Japanese autopsy-confirmed late-onset AD patients and 106 age-matched non-demented controls.

A novel giant gene CSMD3 encoding a protein with CUB and sushi multiple domains: a candidate gene for benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy on human chromosome 8q23.3-q24.1.

We identified a novel giant gene encoding a transmembrane protein with CUB and sushi multiple domains on the human chromosome 8q23.3-q24.1 in which benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy type 1 (BAFME1/FAME, OMIM:601068) has been mapped.

The 4,752 C/T polymorphism in the presenilin 1 gene increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease in apolipoprotein E4 carriers.

Objective: We sought to establish an association between sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) and presenilin 1 (PSEN1) gene polymorphisms in the Japanese population.

Methods: A 5 kb fragment containing the putative promoter of the PSEN1 gene for randomly selected control subjects was subcloned into plasmid and sequenced to screen novel polymorphisms in this region. Patients and controls were genotyped for five polymorphic markers in the PSEN1 region.

[Mutation spectrum and genotype-phenotype correlation of MECP2 in patients with Rett syndrome].

Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked dominant neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by regression in cognition and adaptability with autistic behavior, stereotypical hand movements, epilepsy and ataxia. Over 120 different mutations in the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 gene (MECP2) have been reported in patients with RTT, but a genotype-phenotype correlation has not been established. We have studied MECP2 mutations in 142 Japanese sporadic patients diagnosed clinically as having RTT.

[Effect of elapsed time after standing up on orthostatic blood pressure change in the elderly].

The effect of time elapsed after standing on the orthostatic change in blood pressure was investigated. The study subjects were recruited from 237 community-dwelling elderly residents free from any history of cardiovascular disease and not on medication. Basal blood pressure was determined by averaging two determinations of supine blood pressure measured with an automatic oscillometric blood pressure recorder after resting for more than 10 minutes.

Molecular evidence of presenilin 1 mutation in familial early onset dementia.

Early onset familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) has been associated with mutations in three genes, of which presenilin 1 (PSEN1) mutations are the most frequent. We reported previously a variant form of FAD, due to deletion of exon 9 of PSEN1, with spastic paralysis and rigidity. We describe a novel PSEN1 mutation in a family of Japanese origin with six affected individuals of both genders in two generations.