Familial Monozygotic Twinning: Report of an Extended Multi-generation Family

Hamamy, Hanan; Ajlouni, Heitham K.; Ajlouni, Kamel

doi:10.1375/twin.7.3.219

Cited by 9 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…There are few previous reports of FMZT [Harvey et al, 1977; Hamamy et al, 2004], totaling only 11 families. There are at least three possible reasons for this: (1) many MZ twin pairs are falsely diagnosed as DZ because they are not “identical”; (2) DC twins are usually assumed to be DZ, and; (3) in the context of FMZT, MZ families would be assumed to be DZ because familial MZ twinning is widely believed to be rare in comparison with familial DZ twinning, or not to exist at all.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Heparin exerts a dual effect on murine lupus nephritis by enhancing enzymatic chromatin degradation and preventing chromatin binding in glomerular membranes

Hedberg¹,

Fismen²,

Fenton³

et al. 2011

Arthritis & Rheumatism

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Objective. Association of nucleosome-IgG immune complexes with glomerular basement membranes (GBMs) is an important event in the development of lupus nephritis. Preventing this binding and/or increasing nuclease sensitivity of nucleosomes may be viable strategies for the prevention of the disease. Theoretically, heparin may alter nucleosomal structure and increase sensitivity to proteinases and nucleases, and may also inhibit binding of nucleosomes and nucleosome-IgG complexes to basement membrane structures. The aim of this study was to investigate whether and eventually how heparin prevents murine lupus nephritis.Methods. Surface plasmon resonance was used to analyze if heparin inhibits binding of nucleosomes to laminin and collagen. The effect of heparin on nucleaseand proteinase-mediated degradation of nucleosomes was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and agarose gel electrophoresis. In vitro results were compared with analyses in vivo in heparin-treated (NZB ؋ NZW)F 1 mice. Anti-doublestranded DNA antibody production, deposition of nucleosome-IgG complexes in GBMs, and development of proteinuria were monitored, and circulating chromatin fragments were quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Results. In vitro studies demonstrated that heparin increased enzymatic degradation of nucleosomes and almost completely inhibited binding of nucleosomes to laminin and collagen. (NZB ؋ NZW)F 1 mice treated with heparin demonstrated delayed or no antibody production and higher variation of circulating chromatin levels compared with untreated control mice. This effect was accompanied by highly reduced nucleosomeIgG complexes in GBMs and delayed development of nephritis.Conclusion. Increasing the degradation of nucleosomes, reducing their immunogenicity, and preventing binding of nucleosome-IgG complexes in glomeruli together provide an alternative basis for the treatment of lupus nephritis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is generally assumed that, in contrast to dizygotic (DZ) twinning, monozygotic (MZ) twinning is seldom, if ever, familial. Two previous reports have given details of 11 familial MZ twinning (FMZT) pedigrees [Harvey et al, 1977; Hamamy et al, 2004].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heparin exerts a dual effect on murine lupus nephritis by enhancing enzymatic chromatin degradation and preventing chromatin binding in glomerular membranes

Hedberg¹,

Fismen²,

Fenton³

et al. 2011

Arthritis & Rheumatism

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“…Monozygotic (MZ) twinning has a very different etiology than DZ twinning [Hall, 2003]. MZ twinning does not seem to be influenced by genetic factors, maternal age and parity, though families with a history of MZ twinning have been reported [Bulmer, 1970; Hamamy et al, 2004]. Recently, an increase in MZ twin births has been reported after IVF and OI [Steinman, 2003; Derom et al, 2006].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neural differentiation regulated by biomimetic surfaces presenting motifs of extracellular matrix proteins

Cooke

Zahir

Phillips

et al. 2009

J Biomedical Materials Res

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The interaction between cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential during development. To elucidate the function of ECM proteins on cell differentiation, we developed biomimetic surfaces that display specific ECM peptide motifs in a controlled manner. Presentation of ECM domains for collagen, fibronectin, and laminin influenced the formation of neurites by differentiating PC12 cells. The effect of these peptide sequences was also tested on the development of adult neural stem/progenitor cells. In this system, collagen I and fibronectin induced the formation of beta-III-tubulin positive cells, whereas collagen IV reduced such differentiation. Biomimetic surfaces composed of multiple peptide types enabled the combinatorial effects of various ECM motifs to be studied. Surfaces displaying combined motifs were often predictable as a result of the synergistic effects of ECM peptides studied in isolation. For example, the additive effects of fibronectin and laminin resulted in greater expression of beta-III-tubulin positive cells, whereas the negative effect of the collagen IV domain was canceled out by coexpression of collagen I. However, simultaneous expression of certain ECM domains was less predictable. These data highlight the complexity of the cellular response to combined ECM signals and the need to study the function of ECM domains individually and in combination.

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“…MZ twinning does not seem to be influenced by genetic factors, maternal age and parity, though families with a history of MZ twinning have been reported [Bulmer, 1970; Hamamy et al, 2004]. Recently, an increase in MZ twin births has been reported after IVF and ovulation induction (OI) [Derom et al, 2006; Steinman, 2003].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Familial twinning and fertility in Dutch mothers of twins

Hoekstra

Willemsen

Beijsterveldt

et al. 2008

American J of Med Genetics Pt A

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We studied twinning and fertility indices in mothers with spontaneous monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins and in mothers who conceived their twins after the use of assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Participants in this study consisted of 8,222 and 5,505 women with spontaneous DZ and MZ offspring and 4,164 and 250 women with ART DZ and MZ twin pairs, respectively. Women were compared with respect to the number of sibs and offspring, the presence of other relatives with twins and the time it took to conceive the twins. We also compared familial twinning between a younger and an older age group.Women with spontaneous DZ twins more often reported female relatives with twins than those with spontaneous MZ twins. The proportion of DZ versus MZ twin offspring in relatives was also larger in women with spontaneous DZ offspring than in women with MZ offspring. The first group of women reported a shorter time to conceive. Women with ART twins had fewer sibs and offspring and less often reported relatives with twins. We did not observe that DZ twinning was more familial in women who had their twins before age 36 years compared to older women.Familial DZ twinning is clearly present in mothers of spontaneous DZ twins. The mechanisms underlying spontaneous and non-spontaneous DZ twinning are different and fertility treatment should be taken into account in any study of twinning. Twinning is not more familial in women who have their twins at a younger age.

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Familial Monozygotic Twinning: Report of an Extended Multi-generation Family

Cited by 9 publications

References 15 publications

Heparin exerts a dual effect on murine lupus nephritis by enhancing enzymatic chromatin degradation and preventing chromatin binding in glomerular membranes

Heparin exerts a dual effect on murine lupus nephritis by enhancing enzymatic chromatin degradation and preventing chromatin binding in glomerular membranes

Neural differentiation regulated by biomimetic surfaces presenting motifs of extracellular matrix proteins

Familial twinning and fertility in Dutch mothers of twins

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