Inherited metabolic diseases in the Southern Chinese population: spectrum of diseases and estimated incidence from recurrent mutations.

Inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs) are a large group of rare genetic diseases. The spectrum and incidences of IMDs differ among populations, which has been well characterised in Caucasians but much less so in Chinese. In a setting of a University Hospital Metabolic Clinic in Hong Kong, over 100 patients with IMDs have been seen during a period of 13 years (from 1997 to 2010).

Functional interaction between SNPs and microsatellite in the transcriptional regulation of insulin-like growth factor 1.

A CA-repeat microsatellite in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) promoter was associated with interindividual variation of circulating IGF1 level. Previously, we reported that such association was due to variation of haplotype unit in a linkage disequilibrium block composed of microsatellite and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), suggesting the presence of an interaction between them. In this study, reporter assays were performed to investigate the regulatory effect and interaction of genetic variants on gene expression.

Novel mutations in ETFDH gene in Chinese patients with riboflavin-responsive multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

Background: Multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD, OMIM 231680) or glutaric aciduria type II (GAII) is an inherited autosomal recessive disease affecting fatty acid, amino acid and choline metabolism, due to mutations in one of three genes namely, electron transfer flavoprotein alpha-subunit, ETFA (OMIM 608053), electron transfer flavoprotein beta-subunit, ETFB (OMIM 130410) and electron transfer flavoprotein dehydrogenase, ETFDH (OMIM 231675). Some MADD patients are responsive to riboflavin treatment with an excellent prognosis. Recently, mutations in ETFDH were found to be responsible for all riboflavin-responsive MADD patients.

A genomic approach to mutation analysis of holocarboxylase synthetase gene in three Chinese patients with late-onset holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency.

Objective: Multiple carboxylase deficiency (MCD, MIM:253270) is a common organic aciduria and caused by deficiency of either biotinidase or holocarboxylase synthetase (HLCS; EC 6.3.4.