Publications by authors named "Loudianos G"

Background And Objectives: Wilson's disease (WD) in children and adolescents is predominantly asymptomatic or oligo-symptomatic. The symptoms are nonspecific and difficult to distinguish from other hepatic or neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, we present the experience of a pediatric referral center for WD diagnosis and treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims: Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism, characterized by its accumulation in tissues which results in hepatic, neurological, and/or psychiatric symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetics of WD in Croatian patients.

Methods: Correlation of the clinical presentation subtype and the age at onset of the diagnosis of WD with the ATP7B genotype was investigated in a group of Croatian WD patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Diagnosis of Wilson's disease (WD) still remains a challenge since no single test has an accuracy of 100%. Molecular testing for ATP7B gene mutations can help reach the diagnosis when routine testing is equivocal. We herein report an asymptomatic WD patient diagnosed accidentally by genetic analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We describe a case of Wilson's disease (WD) diagnosed at 5 years after routine biochemical test showed increased aminotransferases. Mutation analysis of the ATP7B gene revealed a 3039-bp deletion in the homozygous state spanning from the terminal part of intron 1 to nt position 368 of exon 2. This deletion results in the activation of 3 cryptic splice sites: an AG acceptor splice site in nt positions 578-579 producing a different breakpoint and removing the first 577 nts of exon 2, an acceptor and a donor splice site in nt positions 20363-4 and 20456-7, respectively, in intron 1, resulting in the activation of a 94-bp cryptic Alu exon being incorporated into the mature transcript.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wilson's disease (WD) is a disorder of copper transport resulting from the defective function of a copper transporting P-type ATPase, ATP7B. The WD incidence is approximately 1/50-10,000 live births worldwide. Clinical manifestations of WD may be of any kind, but usually the symptoms of presentation are hepatic or neuropsychiatric, with a vast range of disturbances for both groups of symptoms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting in pathological progressive copper accumulation in liver and other tissues. The worldwide prevalence (P) is about 30/million, while in Sardinia it is in the order of 1/10,000. However, all of these estimates are likely to suffer from an underdiagnosis bias.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS), an X linked condition, is characterized by severe intellectual disability, dysarthria, athetoid movements, muscle hypoplasia and spastic paraplegia in combination with altered TH levels, in particular, high serum T3 levels. Mutations in the MCT8 gene coding for the monocarboxylate thyroid hormone transporter 8 have been associated with AHDS. Here we describe a family with the presence of a MCT8 gene mutation, p.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Wilson's disease diagnosis is still a challenge for clinicians.

Aim: To underline the importance of genetic testing in carrier detection and diagnosis of atypical Wilson's disease cases.

Methods: Two families with Wilson's disease in two consecutive generations were analysed with clinical, biochemical and genetic testing.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We describe a 3-year-old boy who, at age of 8 months, during investigations for upper respiratory tract infection was found to have an incidental grossly elevated CK of 20,000 UI/l. Investigations showed only mild calf hypertrophy and absent Gower's sign, normal cognitive function. Electromyography (EMG) showed myopathic features.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wilson's disease (WD), an autosomal recessive disorder of copper transport with a broad range of genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, results from mutations in the ATP7B gene. Herein we report the results of mutation analysis of the ATP7B gene in a group of 118 Wilson disease families (236 chromosomes) prevalently of Italian origin. Using DNA sequencing we identified 83 disease-causing mutations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder, in which copper is deposited in the liver, brain, cornea and kidneys. The clinical presentation is variable, with fully expressed disease manifesting cirrhosis, neurologic damage and Kayser-Fleischer (K-F) ring on the cornea. A 24-year-old patient developed right upper quadrant pain with a palpable mass and a swelling of the right talocrural articulation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Approximately 520 Wilson disease-causing mutations in the ATP7B gene have been described to date. In this study we report DNA and RNA analyses carried out for molecular characterization of a consensus sequence splicing mutation found in homozygosity in a Swiss Wilson disease patient. RNA analysis of 1946 +6 T→C in both the peripheral lymphoblasts and liver resulted in the production in the propositus of only an alternative transcript lacking exons 6, 7, and 8 resulting most likely in alterations of cell biochemistry and disease.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wilson disease is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by defective function of the copper transporting protein ATP7B. Approximately 520 Wilson disease-causing mutations have been described to date. In this study we report the use of DNA and RNA analysis for molecular characterization of a gross deletion of the ATP7B gene detected in homozygosity in a Wilson disease patient.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Thyroid hormones are known to be essential for growth, development and metabolism. Recently mutations in the SLC16A2 gene coding for the monocarboxylate thyroid hormone transporter 8, MCT8, have been associated with Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS), an X-linked condition characterized by severe mental retardation, dysarthria, athetoid movements, muscle hypoplasia and spastic paraplegia. Here we describe in detail the clinical and biochemical features in a boy affected by AHDS with severe neurological abnormalities and a novel de novo SLC16A2 gene insertion, 1343-1344insGCCC, resulting in a truncated protein lacking the last four transmembrane domains (TMDs) as well as the carboxyl cytoplasmic end.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We describe epidemiological, genetic, and clinical data of the 1124-2del mutation in the G6PT gene, detected in homozygosity in three glycogen storage disease type Ib patients of Sardinian origin. This mutation was found to be associated with four sequence variations: c.593 A>T (p.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a defective function of the copper transporting ATP7B protein. Analysis of ATP7B gene in the Sardinian population revealed the presence of six common mutations that together account for 85% of WD chromosomes. We have developed an automated approach for the detection of these 6 common Sardinian mutations based on TaqMan technology.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a defective function of the copper-transporting ATP7B protein. This results in progressive copper overload and consequent liver, brain, and kidney damage. Approximately 300 WD-causing mutations have been described to date.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background/aims: Wilson's disease phenotype is very variable for clinical and laboratory features. Our aim was to assess the role of the type of ATP7B disease causing mutations on Wilson's disease phenotype.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the data of children with Wilson's disease from eight pediatric departments.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Herein we report the results of mutation-based screening for Wilson disease (WD) in 2 isolated populations of Sardinia and the Greek island of Kalymnos.

Patients And Methods: Mutation analysis was performed in 110 and 9 WD families originating respectively from Sardinia and Kalymons using single-strand conformation polymorphism and sequencing methods. In Sardinia, a limited screening was performed for -441/-427del in 5290 newborns, whereas in Kalymnos 397 newborns underwent mutation screening for H1069Q and R969Q using appropriate methods.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Herein we report the results of mutation analysis of the ATP7B gene in a group of 134 Wilson disease (WD) families (268 chromosomes) prevalently of Italian origin. Using the SSCP and sequencing methods we identified 71 disease-causing mutations. Twenty-four were novel, while 19 more mutations already described, were identified in new populations in this study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Wilson disease, an autosomal recessive disorder due to mutations of the ATP7B gene, is characterized by copper accumulation and toxicity in the liver and subsequently in other organs, mainly the brain and cornea. A new missense mutation (T1288R) of the ATP7B gene has recently been discovered in a Wilson disease patient in our laboratory. The aim of the present study was to analyze clinical and genetic features of more generations of the family of the patient in which the new mutation T1288R was discovered.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF