Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a key enzyme that hydrolyzes triglycerides (TGs) into free fatty acids. Several genetic variants of LPL are directly or indirectly associated with variations in lipid level Show more
Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a key enzyme that hydrolyzes triglycerides (TGs) into free fatty acids. Several genetic variants of LPL are directly or indirectly associated with variations in lipid levels, causing different lipid metabolic disorders. Previous studies on the LPL gene have shown that exons and introns are essential for gene expression and regulation. However, mechanisms through which introns regulate gene expression and function remain unclear. In this study, we successfully designed a protocol to assess the function of LPL intron 3 in LPL regulation. This was accomplished by constructing luciferase reporter vectors, containing full and partial intron 3 fragments from a healthy human DNA sample. These recombinant constructs facilitated the analysis of transcriptional activity using dual-luciferase reporter assays in cell lines. The results showed that the luciferase activity of the chimeric firefly luciferase reporter construct containing the full-length LPL intron 3 was higher than that of other constructs. In this study, a successful protocol was developed to assess the function of LPL intron 3 in regulation of the LPL gene. This protocol provides a novel method for functional analysis of introns and intronic variants that can be applied to other genes. Show less
Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a multifunctional protein that catalyzes the hydrolysis of plasma triglycerides, releasing free fatty acids, which play critical roles in the metabolism and transport of li Show more
Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a multifunctional protein that catalyzes the hydrolysis of plasma triglycerides, releasing free fatty acids, which play critical roles in the metabolism and transport of lipids. The transcription of Show less
Lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) are rare entities of recessive inheritance. The presence of a "founder" mutation in isolated communities with a high degree of consanguinity (e.g., tribes in the Midd Show more
Lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) are rare entities of recessive inheritance. The presence of a "founder" mutation in isolated communities with a high degree of consanguinity (e.g., tribes in the Middle East North Africa, MENA, region) is expected to lead to unusually high disease prevalence. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of LSD and report their mutation spectrum in UAE. Between 1995 and 2010, 119 patients were diagnosed with LSD (65 Emiratis and 54 non-Emiratis). Genotyping was performed in 59 (50 %) patients (39 Emirati from 17 families and 20 non-Emiratis from 17 families). The prevalence of LSD in Emiratis was 26.9/100,000 live births. Sphingolipidoses were relatively common (9.8/100,000), with GM1-gangliosidosis being the most prevalent (4.7/100,000). Of the Mucopolysaccharidoses VI, IVA and IIIB were the predominant subtypes (5.5/100,000). Compared to Western countries, the prevalence of fucosidosis, Batten disease, and α-mannosidosis was 40-, sevenfold, and fourfold higher in UAE, respectively. The prevalence of Pompe disease (2.7/100,000) was similar to The Netherlands, but only the infantile subtype was found in UAE. Sixteen distinct LSD mutations were identified in 39 Emirati patients. Eight (50 %) mutations were reported only in Emirati, of which three were novel [c.1694G>T in the NAGLU gene, c.1336 C>T in the GLB1 gene, and homozygous deletions in the CLN3 gene]. Twenty-seven (42 %) patients were clustered in five of the 70 Emirati tribes. These findings highlight the need for tribal-based premarital testing and genetic counseling. Show less