Anti-SALL4 polyclonal antibody

We describe a 0.73 Mb duplication of chromosome 22q11.21 between LCR-B and LCR-D and a missense mutation in a conserved C2H2 zinc finger domain of SALL4 in a cognitively normal patient with multiple skeletal anomalies including radioulnar synostosis, thumb aplasia, butterfly vertebrae, rib abnormalities, and hypoplasia of the humeral and femoral epiphyses. 22q11.21 is a common site for microdeletions and their reciprocal microduplications as a result of nonallelic homologous recombination between its multiple low copy repeat regions (LCR). DiGeorge /Velocardiofacial syndrome (DG/VCFS) is classically caused by a 3 Mb deletion between LCR-A and LCR-D or a 1.5 Mb deletion between LCR-A and LCR-B. The reciprocal syndrome to DG/VCFS is the recently described 22q11.2 microduplication, which usually presents with the typical 3 Mb or 1.5 Mb duplication. Numerous atypical deletions and duplications have been reported between other LCRs. Typically, SALL4-related Duane-radial ray syndrome is caused by deletions or nonsense mutations; the only missense SALL4 mutation described prior was thought to result in gain of function and produced cranial midline defects. The skeletal anomalies presented in this report have not been previously described in association with 22q11.2 microduplication nor SALL4 mutations. (C) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background Matrix metalloproteinases 13 (MMP13) is a potent endopeptidase that regulate cell growth, migration, and extracellular matrix remodeling. However, its role in fin regeneration remains unclear. Results mmp13a expression is strongly upregulated during blastema formation and persists in the distal blastema. mmp13a knockdown via morpholino electroporation impairs regenerative outgrowth by decreasing cell proliferation, which correlates with a downregulation of fgf10a and sall4 expression in the blastema. Laminin distribution in the basement membrane is also affected in mmp13a MO-injected rays. Another impact of mmp13a knockdown is observed in the skeletal elements of the fin rays. Expression of two main components of actinotrichia, Collagen II and Actinodin 1 is highly reduced in mmp13a MO-injected rays leading to highly disorganized actinotrichia pattern. Inhibition of mmp13a strongly affects bone formation as shown by a reduction of Zns5 and sp7 expression and of bone matrix mineralization in rays. These defects are accompanied by a significant increase in apoptosis in mmp13a MO-injected fin regenerates. Conclusion Defects of expression of this multifunctional proteinase drastically affects osteoblast differentiation, bone and actinotrichia formation as well as Laminin distribution in the basement membrane of the fin regenerate, suggesting the important role of Mmp13 during the regenerative process.