Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism: the Early Start Denver Model.

Objective: To conduct a randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), a comprehensive developmental behavioral intervention, for improving outcomes of toddlers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: Forty-eight children diagnosed with ASD between 18 and 30 months of age were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: (1) ESDM intervention, which is based on developmental and applied behavioral analytic principles and delivered by trained therapists and parents for 2 years; or (2) referral to community providers for intervention commonly available in the community.

Results: Compared with children who received community-intervention, children who received ESDM showed significant improvements in IQ, adaptive behavior, and autism diagnosis.

Treatment of early-onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders (TEOSS): demographic and clinical characteristics.

Objective: We examined baseline demographic and clinical profiles of youths enrolled from 2001 to 2006 in the publicly funded multicenter, randomized controlled trial Treatment of Early-Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders.

Method: Youths (8-19 years) with schizophrenia (SZ) and schizoaffective disorder were recruited at four academic sites. Diagnosis was made via structured and clinical interviews.

BRCA1, BRCA2 and TP53 mutations in very early-onset breast cancer with associated risks to relatives.

Pathological mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2 and TP53 are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. This study evaluated mutation frequency of these genes in early-onset breast cancer patients, and correlated this with family history and determined relative risks to family members. Patients with breast adenocarcinoma diagnosed 30 years were ascertained between 1980 and 1997.

The clinical value of somatic TP53 gene mutations in 1,794 patients with breast cancer.

To investigate the clinical value of somatic TP53 mutations in breast cancer, we assembled clinical and molecular data on 1,794 women with primary breast cancer with long-term follow-up and whose tumor has been screened for mutation in exons 5 to 8 of TP53 by gene sequencing. TP53 mutations were more frequent in tumors of ductal and medullar types, aggressive phenotype (high grade, large size, node positive cases, and low hormone receptor content) and in women <60 years old. TP53 mutations within exons 5 to 8 conferred an elevated risk of breast cancer-specific death of 2.

Germ line BAX alterations are infrequent in Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

Multiple early-onset tumors, frequently associated with germ line TP53 mutations characterize the Li-Fraumeni familial cancer syndrome (LFS). LFS-like (LFS-L) families have lower rates of germ line TP53 alteration and do not meet the strict definition of LFS. This study examined 7 LFS cell lines and 30 LFS and 36 LFS-L primary leukocyte samples for mutations in the proapoptotic p53-regulated gene BAX.

Prediction of pathogenic mutations in patients with early-onset breast cancer by family history.

We aimed to assess frequency and penetrance of BRCA1, BRCA2,and TP53 mutations in women diagnosed with breast cancer aged 30 years or younger, and then correlate this frequency with family history. 17 of 36 familial cases had a BRCA1, BRCA2, or TP53 mutation, compared with three of 63 non-familial cases. The calculated population frequency of TP53 mutations was one in 5000, substantially greater than previous estimates.

Identification of a rare polymorphism in the human TP53 promoter.

The majority of families with classic Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) and a significant proportion of Li-Fraumeni-like (LFL) families have a germline mutation in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene. However around 20% of LFS and 60% of LFL families have no identifiable genetic defect in the coding region or splice junctions of TP53, and the genetic basis for cancer susceptibility in these families remains largely uncharacterized. To determine whether promoter mutations could be responsible for the Li-Fraumeni phenotype, we sequenced the TP53 promoter in index cases from members of classic LFS and LFL families without detectable TP53 mutations.

RNA polymerase III transcription can be derepressed by oncogenes or mutations that compromise p53 function in tumours and Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

RNA polymerase (pol) III synthesizes essential small RNAs, including tRNA and 5S rRNA. Wild-type p53 can repress pol III transcription both in vitro and in vivo. Many tumours carry substitutions in p53 which have selective effects on its functions.