A novel homozygous missense mutation in FGF23 causes Familial Tumoral Calcinosis associated with disseminated visceral calcification

Hyperphosphatemic Familial Tumoral Calcinosis (HFTC; MIM211900) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the progressive deposition of calcified masses in cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, associated with elevated circulating levels of phosphate. The disease was initially found to result from mutations in GALNT3 encoding a glycosyltransferase. However, more recently, the S71G missense mutation in FGF23, encoding a potent phosphaturic protein, was identified in two families. In the present report, we describe a second mutation in FGF23 underlying a severe case displaying calcifications of cutaneous and numerous extracutaneous tissues. The mutation (M96T) was found to affect a highly conserved methionine residue at position 96 of the protein. These observations illustrate the extent of genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity in HFTC.     

Lentiviral-mediated silencing of SOD1 through RNA interference retards disease onset and progression in a mouse model of ALS

Mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (encoded by SOD1), one of the causes of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), lead to progressive death of motoneurons through a gain-of-function mechanism. RNA interference (RNAi) mediated by viral vectors allows for long-term reduction in gene expression and represents an attractive therapeutic approach for genetic diseases characterized by acquired toxic properties. We report that in SOD1(G93A) transgenic mice, a model for familial ALS, intraspinal injection of a lentiviral vector that produces RNAi-mediated silencing of SOD1 substantially retards both the onset and the progression rate of the disease.     

Natural history of a recurrent feline coronavirus infection and the role of cellular immunity in survival and disease

We describe the natural history, viral dynamics, and immunobiology of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a highly lethal coronavirus infection. A severe recurrent infection developed, typified by viral persistence and acute lymphopenia, with waves of enhanced viral replication coinciding with fever, weight loss, and depletion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Our combined observations suggest a model for FIP pathogenesis in which virus-induced T-cell depletion and the antiviral T-cell response are opposing forces and in which the efficacy of early T-cell responses critically determines the outcome of the infection. Rising amounts of viral RNA in the blood, consistently seen in animals with end-stage FIP, indicate that progression to fatal disease is the direct consequence of a loss of immune control, resulting in unchecked viral replication. The pathogenic phenomena described here likely bear relevance to other severe coronavirus infections, in particular severe acute respiratory syndrome, for which multiphasic disease progression and acute T-cell lymphopenia have also been reported. Experimental FIP presents a relevant, safe, and well-defined model to study coronavirus-mediated immunosuppression and should provide an attractive and convenient system for in vivo testing of anticoronaviral drugs.     

Movements of Individual Digits in Bimanual Prehension Are Coupled into a Grasping Component

The classic understanding of prehension is that of coordinated reaching and grasping. An alternative view is that the grasping in prehension emerges from independently controlled individual digit movements (the double-pointing model). The current study tested this latter model in bimanual prehension: participants had to grasp an object between their two index fingers. Right after the start of the movement, the future end position of one of the digits was perturbed. The perturbations resulted in expected changes in the kinematics of the perturbed digit but also in adjusted kinematics in the unperturbed digit. The latter effects showed up when the end position of the right index finger was perturbed, but not when the end position of the left index finger was perturbed. Because the absence of a coupling between the digits is the core assumption of the double-pointing model, finding any perturbation effects challenges this account of prehension; the double-pointing model predicts that the unperturbed digit would be unaffected by the perturbation. The authors conclude that the movement of the digits in prehension is coupled into a grasping component.