Browsing by Author "Sousa, Ana"
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- Genetics of personalized medicine: cancer and rare diseasesPublication . Siefers Alves, Inês; Condinho, Manuel; Custódio, Sónia; Pereira, Bruna; Fernandes, Rafael; Gonçalves, Vânia; da Costa, Paulo J.; Lacerda, Rafaela; Marques, Ana Rita; Martins-Dias, Patrícia; Nogueira, Gonçalo; Neves, Ana Rita; Pinho, Patrícia; Rodrigues, Raquel; Rolo, Eva; Silva, Joana; Travessa, André; Pinto-Leite, Rosário; Sousa, Ana; Romão, LuísaThe 21st annual meeting of the Portuguese Society of Human Genetics (SPGH), organized by Luísa Romão, Ana Sousa and Rosário Pinto Leite, was held in Caparica, Portugal, from the 16th to the 18th of November 2017. Having entered an era in which personalized medicine is emerging as a paradigm for disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention, the program of this meeting intended to include lectures by leading national and international scientists presenting exceptional findings on the genetics of personalized medicine. Various topics were discussed, including cancer genetics, transcriptome dynamics and novel therapeutics for cancers and rare disorders that are designed to specifically target molecular alterations in individual patients. Several panel discussions were held to emphasize (ethical) issues associated with personalized medicine, including genetic cancer counseling.
- Koolen-de Vries syndrome – National Case Series with clinical and molecular characterizationPublication . Soares, Marta P.; Rodrigues, Márcia; Dupont, Juliette; Medeira, Ana; Freixo, João; Nunes, Sofia; Cordeiro, Isabel; Travessa, André; Soares, Gabriela; Fortuna, Ana; Ramos, Fabiana; Sá, Joaquim; Rocha, Susana; Figueiredo, Cristina; Mendonça, Carla; Tapadinhas, Fernando; Silveira-Santos, Rosário; Custódio, Sónia; Barreta, Ana; Serafim, Sílvia; Correia, Hildeberto; Val, Mariana; Carreira, Isabel M.; Rendeiro, Paula; Sousa, Ana; Sousa, Ana BertaIntroduction: Koolen-de Vries Syndrome (KdVS) is a rare genetic condition, caused by a 17q21.31 microdeletion, or a pathogenic variant in KANSL1 gene. The clinical picture includes developmental delay (DD)/intellectual disability (ID) with expressive language particularly impaired, dysmorphisms, neonatal hypotonia, and friendly behaviour. Aim: To characterize at the molecular and clinical levels all patients in Portugal diagnosed with KdVS.
- Metal(loid) levels in biological matrices from human populations exposed to mining contamination - Panasqueira Mine (Portugal)Publication . Coelho, Patrícia Clara; Costa, Solange; Silva, Susana; Walter, Alan; Ranville, James; Sousa, Ana; Costa, Carla; Coelho, Marta Isabel; García-Lestón, Julia; Pastorinho, M. Ramiro; Laffon, Blanca; Pásaro Mendez, Eduardo; Harrington, Chris; Taylor, Andrew; Teixeira, João PauloMining activities may affect the health of miners and communities living near mining sites, and these health effects may persist even when the mine is abandoned. During mining processes various toxic wastes are produced and released into the surrounding environment, resulting in contamination of air, drinking water, rivers, plants, and soils. In a geochemical sampling campaign undertaken in the Panasqueira Mine area of central Portugal, an anomalous distribution of several metals and arsenic (As) was identified in various environmental media. Several potentially harmful elements, including As, cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se), were quantified in blood, urine, hair, and nails (toe and finger) from a group of individuals living near the Panasqueira Mine who were environmentally and occupationally exposed. A group with similar demographic characteristics without known exposure to mining activities was also compared. Genotoxicity was evaluated by means of T-cell receptor (TCR) mutation assay, and percentages of different lymphocyte subsets were selected as immunotoxicity biomarkers. Inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) analysis showed elevated levels of As, Cd, Cr, Mn, and Pb in all biological samples taken from populations living close to the mine compared to controls. Genotoxic and immunotoxic differences were also observed. The results provide evidence of an elevated potential risk to the health of populations, with environmental and occupational exposures resulting from mining activities. Further, the results emphasize the need to implement preventive measures, remediation, and rehabilitation plans for the region.
- The clinical significance of 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 duplications: - Where do we stand?Publication . Serafim, Silvia; Marques, Bárbara; Pedro, Sónia; Brito, Filomena; Dupont, Juliett; Moldovan, Oana; Silveira-Santos, Rosário; Custódio, Sónia; Sousa, Ana; Sousa, Ana Berta; de Sá, Joaquim; Queiroz, M.; Vicente, Lurdes; Correia, HildebertoThe 15q11.2-q13 region has been well characterized, being associated with a range of syndromatic copy number variants (CNVs), and comprises five established break points sites (BP1 to BP5). While the clinical effect for BP1-BP3, BP2-BP3 and BP4-BP5 CNVs is well established, the same cannot be said for BP1-BP2 CNVs. Recently the 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 deletion has been reviewed, emerging as a microdeletion syndrome with low penetrance and variable expressivity being the CNV frequently inherited from a healthy parent. This microdeletion is considered to be a risk factor for several neurodevelopment disorders. For the reciprocal duplication the picture has been less conclusive. Aiming for a better understanding of the clinical significance of this CNV, we collected patients with intellectual disability and/or other clinical features, referred for microarray testing, gathering clinical details for the ones with the duplication. Data was collected from two genetic laboratories. With a total of 1545 patients, we identified eleven carrying the duplication at 15q11.2 BP1-BP2. It was possible to assess inheritance in only four cases, all inherited from a healthy parent. All patients presented intellectual disability,and facial dysmorphism was the second most common feature observed. Microcephaly, autism, congenital abnormalities, dystonia and cataplexy where reported individually. The magnitude of the effect of 15q11.2 duplication remains elusive, and the outcome unclear, posing a major challenge to genetic counseling. Nevertheless, we expect the collection of more of these cases will establish this gain, as it happened with the reciprocal deletion, as a microduplication syndrome with low penetrance and variable expressivity.