Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.23 (beta-galactosidase)
 14,648 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked, lethal muscular disorder caused by a defect in the DMD gene. AAV vector-mediated micro-dystrophin cDNA transfer is an attractive approach to treatment of DMD. To establish effective gene transfer into skeletal muscle, we examined the transduction efficiency of an AAV vector in skeletal muscles of dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. When an AAV vector encoding the LacZ gene driven by a CMV promoter (AAV-CMVLacZ) was introduced, beta-galactosidase expression markedly decreased in mdx muscle 4 weeks after injection due to immune responses against the transgene product. We also injected AAV-CMVLacZ into skeletal muscles of mini-dystrophin-transgenic mdx mice (CVBA3'), which show ameliorated phenotypes without overt signs of muscle degeneration. AAV vector administration, however, evoked substantial immune responses in CVBA3' muscle. Importantly, AAV vector using muscle-specific MCK promoter also elicited responses in mdx muscle, but at a considerably later period. These results suggested that neo-antigens introduced by AAV vectors could evoke immune reactions in mdx muscle, since increased permeability allowed a leakage of neo-antigens from the dystrophin-deficient sarcolemma of muscle fibers. However, resident antigen-presenting cells, such as myoblasts, myotubes and regenerating immature myofibers, might also play a role in the immune response.
 ...
PMID:Adeno-associated virus vector-mediated gene transfer into dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscles evokes enhanced immune response against the transgene product. 1242 10

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal, X-linked, recessive disease caused by a defect in the dystrophin gene. No effective therapy is available. Dystrophin gene transfer to skeletal muscle has been proposed as a treatment for DMD. However, successful treatment for DMD requires restoration of dystrophin in the affected muscle fibers to at least 20% of the normal level. Current gene transfer methods such as intramuscular injection of viral vector or naked DNA can only transfect a small area of muscle, and therefore is of little clinical utility. We have developed a semisystemic method for gene transfer into skeletal muscle of mdx mice, an animal model for DMD. Naked DNA was injected through the tail artery or vein of mice, in which the aorta and the vena cava were clamped at the location just below the kidneys. The DNA solution was thus forced into the blood vessels of both legs. Luciferase gene expression was detected in all muscle groups in both legs. The effects of injection speed, injection volume, and ischemia time on gene expression were also optimized. LacZ staining was used to check the spread of gene expression in muscle. Although the percentage of transfected fibers was modest (approximately 10%), beta-galactosidase was found in all muscle groups of both legs. Finally, plasmid DNA encoding full-length dystrophin gene was injected into mdx mice and widespread restoration of dystrophin protein was observed in all muscles of both hind limbs. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that the semisystemic delivery of naked DNA is a potential approach towards the long-term goal of gene therapy for DMD.
 ...
PMID:Restoration of dystrophin expression in mdx mice by intravascular injection of naked DNA containing full-length dystrophin cDNA. 1498 86

Anderson-Fabry disease is an X-linked disorder that is caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. Symptoms include chronic progressive painful small-fibre neuropathy, cornea verticillata, renal failure and heart disease. Interestingly, female heterozygous patients may also show severe symptoms. After clinical suspicion, usually the determination of alpha-galactosidase activity in leukocytes is requested first. Alternatively, an enzymatic assay using dried blood specimens has been described. Dried blood samples require less material and are substantially more stable (several months at room temperature) than whole-blood specimens. To validate the new method and to asses its usefulness for diagnosis of female patients, enzyme activities of alpha-galactosidase, beta-galactosidase and beta-glucuronidase from 78 known Fabry patients were compared (29 males, 47 females) between both materials. In summary, the determination of alpha-galactosidase activity using dried blood and leukocytes as well as the ratio of alpha-galactosidase to beta-glucuronidase in dried blood can improve the diagnostic specificity in cases of female patients who are difficult to identify when only leukocyte enzyme activities are considered.
 ...
PMID:Direct comparison of enzyme measurements from dried blood and leukocytes from male and female Fabry disease patients. 1769 54

The X-linked orphan receptor GPR50 shares 45% homology with the melatonin receptors, yet its ligand and physiological function remain unknown. Here we report that mice lacking functional GPR50 through insertion of a lacZ gene into the coding sequence of GPR50 exhibit an altered metabolic phenotype. GPR50 knockout mice maintained on normal chow exhibit lower body weight than age-matched wild-type littermates by 10 wk of age. Furthermore, knockout mice were partially resistant to diet-induced obesity. When placed on a high-energy diet (HED) for 5 wk, knockout mice consumed significantly more food per unit body weight yet exhibited an attenuated weight gain and reduced body fat content compared with wild-type mice. Wheel-running activity records revealed that, although GPR50 knockout mice showed no alteration of circadian period, the overall levels of activity were significantly increased over wild types in both nocturnal and diurnal phases. In line with this, basal metabolic rate (O2 consumption, CO2 production, and respiratory quotient) was found to be elevated in knockout mice. Using in situ hybridization (wild-type mice) and beta-galactosidase activity (from LacZ insertion element in knockout mice), brain expression of GPR50 was found to be restricted to the ependymal layer of the third ventricle and dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. GPR50 expression was highly responsive to energy status, showing a significantly reduced expression following both fasting and 5 wk of HED. These data implicate GPR50 as an important regulator of energy metabolism.
 ...
PMID:Altered metabolism in the melatonin-related receptor (GPR50) knockout mouse. 1795 37


<< Previous 1 2 3