Thorough investigation of metabolome by mass spectrometry is of great importance for personalized and preventive medicine. It is only timely laboratory diagnosis involving the use of high-tech chromatographic analysis methods that can help identify the patients with disorders of amino acid and acylcarnitine metabolism. The study was aimed to determine the efficacy of conventional and additional markers of metabolic disorders of amino acids and acylcarnitines detected by chromatography–mass spectrometry for the diagnosis of congenital metabolic disorders in children, as well as to create specific panels of the most effective indicators and determine the potential diagnostic efficacy of indentification of the relationships between the levels of amino acids and acylcarnitines in pediatric patients with congenital metabolic disorders. We assessed amino acid and acylcarnitine profiles in blood spots by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in patients aged 6 months to 16 years (48 boys and 32 girls) with suspected aminoacidopathy and organic aciduria/acidemia. The comparison group consisted of 35 children with suspected peroxisomal metabolic disorders, the control group included 40 generally healthy children of various age groups. The data obtained were used to conduct the analysis of correlations between the groups of markers. Strong correlation was revealed for the levels of metabolically most closely related compounds (r < 0.8, р < 0.001). However, a similar relationship between metabolically not closely related compounds (correlation coefficient 0.45–0.73 (р < 0.001)) was revealed for some groups of compounds. Thus, the acylcarnitine profile can be proposed as an additional potential marker to be used in cases of borderline phenylalanine levels, and the sum of normalized acylcarnitine levels (С12+С16) can be a potential secondary marker of phenylketonuria.
VIEWS 460
Small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC) are structurally abnormal chromosomes that cannot be identified unambiguously by standard cytogenetic methods. A comprehensive approach involving the use of molecular cytogenetic methods is required for the more thorough morphological assessment of such chromosomes, as well as for the development of strategy for genetic counseling of the patients being the sSMC carriers. It is widely accepted that the development of abnormal phenotype by the patients having sSMC in their karyotype is associated with the presence of euchromatic region material in the marker chromosome. Therefore, it results from the presence of relatively large DNA copy number variations (CNVs) in the form of duplication, triplication, and more increased copy numbers; which are localized in the pericentromeric region of the appropriate chromosome. Pericentromeric CNVs can be involved in the chromosome imbalance in asymptomatic carriers of sSMC as well, however, the boundaries of such imbalance have not been clearly identified. The study was aimed to acquire additional information about the genomic topology of the DNA regions insensitive to the genes copy number increase. FISH analysis with commercial and homemade DNA probes was performed in 18 carriers of sSMC 15 and 22 having no clinically significant phenotypic abnormalities. The molecular cytogenetic testing showed that pericentromeric euchromatic regions sized 1.2 Mb and 714 kb, respectively, were found in 33% of cases (6 out of 18). We assume that these regions comprise no potentially dosage-sensitive genes.
VIEWS 409
Technologies underlying the production of synthetic mRNAs in vitro have significantly expanded the possibilities for research and therapeutic use of this class of molecules. The flagship application area has been the niche of mRNA vaccines, but this class of therapeutic molecules has the potential to be applied in a much broader range of situations. The process of in vitro production of artificial RNA molecules is based on an enzymatic synthesis reaction, one of the components of which is a ribonuclease inhibitor. This protein protects synthesized RNA from attacks by ribonucleases and prevents degradation of the molecules, which is critically important for RNA. Eukaryotic ribonuclease inhibitor synthesized as a recombinant protein in the cells of E. coli bacteria is the most common choice. However, the structure of this protein makes it a difficult product to make in bacteria. This study aimed to test the production of a recombinant ribonuclease inhibitor in various strains of E. coli, and to show the effect that helper polypeptides and cellular chaperones have on this process. Using genetic engineering approaches, we constructed plasmids, from which chimeric ribonuclease inhibitor molecules and helper polypeptides were produced. The influence of various components on solubility of the target recombinant protein was assessed with the help of densitometry, to which we have subjected products of the PAGE electrophoresis. It was determined that combinations of a vector with a strong promoter for the expression of the RNH1 ribonuclease inhibitor gene and helper polypeptides MBP and TIG against the background of increased expression of cellular chaperones dnaK, dnaJ, grpE give the target product yield of 45 mg/l and 60 mg/l, respectively. The selected conditions allow large-scale production of this protein for further use in in vitro RNA synthesis in the context of production of medicines.
VIEWS 584
Currently, in vitro fertilization (IVF) with embryo transfer is the main method of treatment of all forms of infertility, but successful cases ending in pregnancy still account for only a third of all cycles performed. It is necessary to take into account many parameters and investigate the connections between them in order to properly evaluate the results of IVF. Over the past decades, a number of IVF prediction models have been developed with the aim at assessing the outcomes in individual cases, but, given the generally poor prognostic capacity, only a few of them have proven to be clinically significant. This study aimed to create nonlinear IVF outcomes prediction models and identify the most significant factors affecting the said outcomes. Using a database containing information on more than 700 indicators of 7004 women aged 18 to 45 years who participated in the IVF program in Russia from 2010 to 2020, we trained a random forest model that predicted pregnancy in the IVF cycle with ROC-AUC = 0.69. This paper describes 20 most successful predictors of the resulting model and interprets their contribution to the prognosis. Of these, body mass index (BMI) and the number of received and fertilized oocytes have been covered in the scientific literature previously as predictors of IVF outcomes, but other parameters, such as anamnestic data, previous participation in an IVF program (number of cases and their results), as well as serum concentration of AMH, rarely appear in foreign prognostic models.
VIEWS 503
In spite of a vast number of trials devoted to quantitative characteristics of the cytokine profile in patients with various diseases, no exact reference intervals are presented. It is just as important that there is a limited number of trials analyzing circadian rhythms of cytokine synthesis in patients with arterial hypertension. The purpose of the work was to analyze the characteristics of circadian rhythms of cytokines (IL18, IL18 BP, LIF, sLIFr, M-CSF, MCSFR) in patients with Grade II essential arterial hypertension, and to detect pathogenetically significant characteristics developed following Covid-19. Blood samples were taken at 7.00–8.00, 12.00–13.00, 19.00–20.00.00, 00.00–1.00 to determine the levels of IL18, IL18 BP, LIF, sLIFr, M-CSF, MCSFR in 18 patients (56 (95% CI (54–69) years) with essential arterial hypertension (EAH) within three days prior to and following Covid-19. For this, the immunoenzyme method was used. The obtained data demonstrated altered circadian expression of cytokines in the peripheral blood of patients with essential hypertension depending on whether they have EAH or not, and their additional distortion following Covid-19, which is stable in the majority of cases. It is preserved for six months as low IL18 BP (р < 0.001), and twofold increase of sLIFr and MCSF (р < 0,001) at 18.00. A significant association is determined between the circadian rhythms of sLIFr and altered systolic BP resulting in the abnormal rhythm with BP rise at night (night peaker) in patients with EAH following COVID-19. The obtained fundamental data offer prospects for new research of immunopathogenesis following COVID-19 in patients with hypertension taking into account circadian rhythms of cytokines in the blood.
VIEWS 469
Preoperative planning of hip arthroplasty provides surgeons with a unique opportunity of thorough investigation of the patient’s anatomy, allows them to determine optimal implant size and position, as well as to prevent potential complication. Advances in digital technology enable expansion of opportunities of preoperative planning due to using three-dimensional modeling. The study was aimed to compare precision of the three-step preoperative planning of hip arthroplasty and the standard method. Methods: The study involved 224 patients with various forms of degenerative and dystrophic diseases of the hip joint, who were divided into the index and control groups based on the planning method. In the index group, preoperative planning of arthroplasty was conducted in three steps: assessment of bone density in the zones of fixation based on CT; virtual design involving the use of automated programs; 3D model construction based on the computer model. X-ray images and endoprosthesis templates were used in the comparison group. The results showed that there were no significant differences between planning methods in patients with osteoarthrosis and avascular necrosis of the femoral head (p > 0.05), in contrast to the group with traumatic hip joint pathology showing significant differences (рс = 0.002). Conclusions: the three-step algorithm for preoperative planning of hip arthroplasty showed higher efficacy in patients with various nosological forms of degenerative and dystrophic diseases of the hip joint compared to the standard method.
VIEWS 495