8. Diagnosis & Treatment
• Diagnosis
• Screening: Flurometric assay of GALT enzyme
• Antenal: GALT activity in cultured amniotic fluid cells
• Treatment
• Removal of galactose from diet till 2 years of age
9. Cystic fibrosis (Mucoviscoidosis)
• Most common lethal genetic disease
• Autosomal recessive
• Abnormal transport of chloride & bicarbonate ions by anion channel
• Encoded by CFTR gene
• Chromosome 7q31.2
• Affects fluid secretions of respiratory, GIT and reproductive tracts
10. Channel encoded by CFTR gene
• 2 transmembrane domains
• 2 cytoplasmic nucleotide-
binding domains
• 1 Regulatory domain
Agonists increase cAMP levels
Protein kinase A activated
R domain phosphorylated
Ion channel opens
11. Important facts of CFTR function
• Multiple ion channels & cellular
processes
• Outwardly rectifying Cl- channels
• Inwardly rectifying K+ channels
• ENaC
• Gap junction channels
• Tissue – specific
• Sweat ducts
• Respiratory epithelium
ENaC
Epithelial cells Increased activity
Hypotonic
Sweat ducts Decreased activity Hypertonic
14. Important facts of CFTR
• Regulates transport of bicarbonate ions
• Sometimes Cl- transport is preserved & HCO3- transport is affected
• Acidic fluids secreted by epithelia
• Decreased luminal pH
• Precipitation & plugging of ducts
• Recurrent infections
• Pancreatic insufficiency
15. Classes of Cystic fibrosis
Class Defect Mutation
type
I Defective protein synthesis Null
II Abnormal protein folding, processing & trafficking Processing
III Defective regulation Gating
IV Decreased conductance Conduction
V Reduced abundance Production
VI Decreased membrane CFTR stability Instability
18. Environmental modifiers
Colonisation of LRT by bacteria
Concurrent viral infection predispose to bacterial infections
Hypoxic environment due to static mucous
Production of alginate – a mucoid polysaccharide capsule
Formation of protective biofilm by bacteria
Chronic
destructive
lung disease
19. Morphology
• Sweat glands are morphologically unaffected
• Pancreatic abnormalities
• Mild cases
• Mucus accumulation in small ducts
• Some dilation of exocrine glands
• Severe cases
• Completely plugged ducts
• Exocrine gland atrophy
• Progressive fibrosis
• Squamous metaplasia of duct
• Meconium ileus
24. Clinical features
Salt loss syndromes
•Acute salt depletion
•Chronic metabolic
alkalosis
Male urogenital
abnormalities
•Obstructive
azoospermia
•Congenital absence
of vas deferens
25. Criteria for diagnosis of Cystic fibrosis
• > 1 characteristic phenotypic features
OR
• H/o Cystic fibrosis in sibling/ parent/ child
OR
• Positive newborn screening test result