Albert H. van Gennip

Bio: Albert H. van Gennip is an academic researcher from University of Amsterdam. The author has contributed to research in topics: Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase & Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency. The author has an hindex of 25, co-authored 51 publications receiving 4885 citations. Previous affiliations of Albert H. van Gennip include Maastricht University.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs): characterization of the classical HDAC family

Abstract: Transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes occurs within a chromatin setting, and is strongly influenced by the post-translational modification of histones, the building blocks of chromatin, such as methylation, phosphorylation and acetylation. Acetylation is probably the best understood of these modifications: hyperacetylation leads to an increase in the expression of particular genes, and hypoacetylation has the opposite effect. Many studies have identified several large, multisubunit enzyme complexes that are responsible for the targeted deacetylation of histones. The aim of this review is to give a comprehensive overview of the structure, function and tissue distribution of members of the classical histone deacetylase (HDAC) family, in order to gain insight into the regulation of gene expression through HDAC activity. SAGE (serial analysis of gene expression) data show that HDACs are generally expressed in almost all tissues investigated. Surprisingly, no major differences were observed between the expression pattern in normal and malignant tissues. However, significant variation in HDAC expression was observed within tissue types. HDAC inhibitors have been shown to induce specific changes in gene expression and to influence a variety of other processes, including growth arrest, differentiation, cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis. This challenging field has generated many fascinating results which will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of gene transcription as a whole.

Increased risk of grade IV neutropenia after administration of 5‐fluorouracil due to a dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency: High prevalence of the IVS14+1g>a mutation

Abstract: Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in the catabolism of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and it is suggested that patients with a partial deficiency of this enzyme are at risk of developing severe 5-FU-associated toxicity. We evaluated the importance of DPD deficiency, gender and the presence of the IVS14+1G>A mutation in the etiology of 5-FU toxicity. In 61% of cases, decreased DPD activity could be detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Furthermore, the number of females (65%) in the total group of patients appeared to be higher than the number of males (35%) (p = 0.03). Patients with partial DPD deficiency appeared to have a 3.4-fold higher risk of developing grade IV neutropenia than patients with normal DPD activity. Analysis of the DPYD gene of patients suffering from grade IV neutropenia for the presence of the IVS14+1G>A mutation showed that 50% of the patients investigated were heterozygous or homozygous for the IVS14+1G>A mutation. Adopting a threshold level for DPD activity of 70% of that observed in the normal population, 14% of the population is prone to the development of severe 5-FU-associated toxicity. Below this threshold level, 90% of individuals heterozygous for a mutation in the DPYD gene can be identified. Considering the common use of 5-FU in the treatment of cancer, the severe 5-FU-related toxicities in patients with low DPD activity and the apparently high prevalence of the IVS14+1G>A mutation, screening of patients at risk before administration of 5-FU is warranted.

High prevalence of the IVS14+1G>A mutation in the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene of patients with severe 5-fluorouracil-associated toxicity

Abstract: Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in the catabolism of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and a DPD deficiency is increasingly being recognized as an important pharmacogenetic factor in the aetiology of severe 5FU-associated toxicity. In this study, we evaluated the DPD activity and the prevalence of the common splice site mutation IVS14 + 1G>A in tumour patients suffering from severe grade 3-4 toxicity after the administration of 5FU. DPD activity was measured with a radiochemical assay and screening for the presence of the IVS14 + 1G>A mutation was performed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. A decreased DPD activity could be detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 60% of the cases. Furthermore, a high prevalence of the IVS14 + 1G>A mutation was noted as 28% of all patients were heterozygous or homozygous for this mutation. In patients with a low DPD activity, 42% were heterozygous and one patient (3%) was homozygous for the IVS14 + 1G>A mutation. In contrast, the IVS14 + 1G>A mutation could be detected in only one out of 24 (4%) patients with a normal DPD activity. Our study demonstrates that a DPD deficiency is the major determinant of 5FU-associated toxicity. The apparently high prevalence of the IVS14 + 1G>A mutation warrants genetic screening for this mutation in cancer patients before the administration of 5FU.

L-2-hydroxyglutaric acidemia: a novel inherited neurometabolic disease.

Abstract: Routine screening for organic acids revealed increased and isolated urinary excretion of L-2-hydroxyglutaric acid in 8 mentally retarded patients from five unrelated families, including three pairs of siblings. L-2-Hydroxyglutaric acid concentration was also found to be increased in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and to a lesser extent in plasma. The only other biochemical abnormality was an increased concentration of lysine, both in plasma and in CSF. No organic acid abnormality was found on screening of asymptomatic family members. Patients were of either sex, and became symptomatic during childhood, with moderate to severe mental deficiency in all and definite cerebellar dysfunction in 7. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an identical abnormal pattern with subcortical leukoencephalopathy, cerebellar atrophy, and signal changes in the putamina and dentate nuclei, in all patients. No specific biochemical function or catabolic pathway involving L-2-hydroxyglutaric acid is known in mammals, including humans. Preliminary loading and dietary studies failed to reveal the origin of the compound. The elevated CSF/plasma ratio suggests that it is in part generated within the central nervous system. This report describes a novel inherited neurometabolic disease, probably autosomal recessive, with distinct clinical, biochemical, and neuroimaging features.

Targeting multidrug resistance in cancer

Abstract: Effective treatment of metastatic cancers usually requires the use of toxic chemotherapy. In most cases, multiple drugs are used, as resistance to single agents occurs almost universally. For this reason, elucidation of mechanisms that confer simultaneous resistance to different drugs with different targets and chemical structures - multidrug resistance - has been a major goal of cancer biologists during the past 35 years. Here, we review the most common of these mechanisms, one that relies on drug efflux from cancer cells mediated by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. We describe various approaches to combating multidrug-resistant cancer, including the development of drugs that engage, evade or exploit efflux by ABC transporters.

Regulation of cardiac hypertrophy by intracellular signalling pathways

Abstract: The mammalian heart is a dynamic organ that can grow and change to accommodate alterations in its workload. During development and in response to physiological stimuli or pathological insults, the heart undergoes hypertrophic enlargement, which is characterized by an increase in the size of individual cardiac myocytes. Recent findings in genetically modified animal models implicate important intermediate signal-transduction pathways in the coordination of heart growth following physiological and pathological stimulation.

Metabonomics: a platform for studying drug toxicity and gene function

Abstract: The later that a molecule or molecular class is lost from the drug development pipeline, the higher the financial cost. Minimizing attrition is therefore one of the most important aims of a pharmaceutical discovery programme. Novel technologies that increase the probability of making the right choice early save resources, and promote safety, efficacy and profitability. Metabonomics is a systems approach for studying in vivo metabolic profiles, which promises to provide information on drug toxicity, disease processes and gene function at several stages in the discovery-and-development process.

Mammalian ABC Transporters in Health and Disease

Abstract: The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are a family of large proteins in membranes and are able to transport a variety of compounds through membranes against steep concentration gradients at the cost of ATP hydrolysis. The available outline of the human genome contains 48 ABC genes; 16 of these have a known function and 14 are associated with a defined human disease. Major physiological functions of ABC transporters include the transport of lipids, bile salts, toxic compounds, and peptides for antigen presentation or other purposes. We review the functions of mammalian ABC transporters, emphasizing biochemical mechanisms and genetic defects. Our overview illustrates the importance of ABC transporters in human physiology, toxicology, pharmacology, and disease. We focus on three topics: (a) ABC transporters transporting drugs (xenotoxins) and drug conjugates. (b) Mammalian secretory epithelia using ABC transporters to excrete a large number of substances, sometimes against a steep concentration gradient. Several inborn errors in liver metabolism are due to mutations in one of the genes for these pumps; these are discussed. (c) A rapidly increasing number of ABC transporters are found to play a role in lipid transport. Defects in each of these transporters are involved in human inborn or acquired diseases.