Publications by authors named "Frederic M Vaz"

Cardiolipin (CL) is the signature phospholipid of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where it stabilizes electron transport chain protein complexes. The final step in CL biosynthesis relates to its remodelling: the exchange of nascent acyl chains with longer, unsaturated chains. However, the enzyme responsible for cleaving nascent CL (nCL) has remained elusive.

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Congenital NAD deficiency disorders (CNDD) represent a novel category of hereditary diseases that affect NAD biosynthesis from tryptophan. CNDD include kynureninase (KYNU) deficiency with only ten documented patients to date. Here, we report two new cases.

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Complex lipid metabolism plays a crucial role in regulating aging. We recently discovered that the phospholipid bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP) increases in aged human muscles and many mouse tissues. The phospholipase PLA2G15 is reportedly involved in BMP synthesis, however, its specific role in aging remains unknown.

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Bile acid synthesis defects (BASDs) comprise a group of rare, often severe, metabolic disorders. Bile acid replacement therapy decreases toxic bile acid intermediates production and improves biochemical profiles, potentially delaying or stabilizing disease progression. An open label, non-randomized trial with cholic acid (CA) supplementation included six patients with α-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) deficiency and one patient with 3β-hydroxy-Δ-C-steroid oxidoreductase deficiency.

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Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by disease-causing variants in the gene coding for arylsulfatase A, leading to deficient enzyme activity and subsequent accumulation of sulfatides. MLD is characterized by demyelination and neurodegeneration of the central and peripheral nervous system, manifesting as progressive motor and cognitive defects in affected individuals. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the significant progress made in MLD research in the past decade, regarding natural history, disease and treatment mechanisms, and newborn screening (NBS).

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Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for central nervous system (CNS) infections.

Methods: Patients were derived from three prospective cohort studies in the Netherlands. All studies included adults suspected of a CNS infection who underwent a diagnostic lumbar puncture.

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In lipid metabolism, the fatty acid (FA) elongation system synthesises a wide array of FAs, crucial for various biological functions. The role of this system is to lengthen FA carbon chains to produce FAs with ≥C16, and notably, very long-chain FAs (VLCFAs, C24-C26) and ultra long-chain FAs (ULCFAs, C28 to ≥C36). Elongation occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) through the actions of a complex of four ER-embedded enzymes, which includes the ELOVL proteins.

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Background: Bile acid synthesis defects (BASDs) can be severely disabling involving the liver and nervous system, potentially due to elevated levels of toxic C-bile acid intermediates. Cholic acid (CA) supplementation is hypothesized to decrease bile acid production, stimulate bile secretion and -flow, and slowing down disease progression. This systematic review assesses the clinical and biochemical effectiveness, and safety of CA in BASDs patients.

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In 2018 the Amsterdam University Medical Centre decided to prepare chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) capsules (also known as pharmacy compounding) for patients with the genetic metabolic disease cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) when the product with a marketing authorization was commercially unavailable for patients. However, after reanalysis, unknown impurities were identified in the CDCA active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) using thin-layer chromatography from the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph.Eur.

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Complex lipids, essential components in biological processes, exhibit conserved age-related changes that alter membrane properties and cellular functions and are implicated as biomarkers and contributors to longevity and age-related diseases. While physical activity alleviates age-related comorbidities and physical impairments, comprehensive exploration of the underlying biological mechanisms, particularly at the level of complex lipids, remains limited. However, clinical studies suggest that physical activity may counteract these age-related lipidomic changes, presenting a promising avenue for intervention.

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Elevated de novo lipid synthesis is a remarkable adaptation of cancer cells that can be exploited for therapy. However, the role of altered lipid metabolism in the regulation of apoptosis is still poorly understood. Using thermal proteome profiling, we identified Manidipine-2HCl, targeting UGT8, a key enzyme in the synthesis of sulfatides.

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Background: X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a neurometabolic disorder caused by pathogenic variants in ABCD1 resulting very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA) accumulation in plasma and tissues. Males can present with various clinical manifestations, including adrenal insufficiency, spinal cord disease, and leukodystrophy. Female patients typically develop spinal cord disease and peripheral neuropathy.

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Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) is an ultra-rare lysosomal storage disease with a broad spectrum of manifestations ranging from severe neuropathic forms to attenuated, chronic visceral forms. Manifestations of the chronic visceral subtype are variable and encompass different degrees of hepatosplenomegaly, pulmonary disease and dyslipidemia. The aim of this study was to provide insights into the natural course of adult patients with the chronic visceral subtype.

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Barth syndrome (BTHS) is a mitochondrial lipid disorder caused by mutations in (), required for cardiolipin (CL) remodeling. Cardiomyopathy is a major clinical feature, with no curative therapy. Linoleic acid (LA) supplementation is proposed to ameliorate BTHS cardiomyopathy by enhancing linoleoyl group incorporation into CL.

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Mitochondria are dynamic cellular organelles with complex roles in metabolism and signalling. Primary mitochondrial disorders are a group of approximately 400 monogenic disorders arising from pathogenic genetic variants impacting mitochondrial structure, ultrastructure and/or function. Amongst these disorders, defects of complex lipid biosynthesis, especially of the unique mitochondrial membrane lipid cardiolipin, and membrane biology are an emerging group characterised by clinical heterogeneity, but with recurrent features including cardiomyopathy, encephalopathy, neurodegeneration, neuropathy and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria.

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Lipids play pivotal roles in an extensive range of metabolic and physiological processes. In recent years, the convergence of trapped ion mobility spectrometry and MS has enabled 4D-lipidomics, a highly promising technology for comprehensive lipid analysis. 4D-lipidomics assesses lipid annotations across four distinct dimensions-retention time, collisional cross section, m/z (mass-to-charge ratio), and MS/MS spectra-providing a heightened level of confidence in lipid annotation.

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Humans derive fatty acids (FA) from exogenous dietary sources and/or endogenous synthesis from acetyl-CoA, although some FA are solely derived from exogenous sources ("essential FA"). Once inside cells, FA may undergo a wide variety of different modifications, which include their activation to their corresponding CoA ester, the introduction of double bonds, the 2- and ω-hydroxylation and chain elongation, thereby generating a cellular FA pool which can be used for the synthesis of more complex lipids. The biological properties of complex lipids are very much determined by their molecular composition in terms of the FA incorporated into these lipid species.

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Children with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (PHIV) are growing into adulthood with HIV and treatment-associated comorbidities, such as dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. HIV is identified as independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The hypothesis behind increased CVD risk associated with HIV includes vascular inflammation, dyslipidemia and combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) metabolomic toxicity.

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Studies in preclinical models suggest that complex lipids, such as phospholipids, play a role in the regulation of longevity. However, identification of universally conserved complex lipid changes that occur during aging, and how these respond to interventions, is lacking. Here, to comprehensively map how complex lipids change during aging, we profiled ten tissues in young versus aged mice using a lipidomics platform.

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Purpose: Evaluate long-term efficacy and safety of elamipretide during the open-label extension (OLE) of the TAZPOWER trial in individuals with Barth syndrome (BTHS).

Methods: TAZPOWER was a 28-week randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial followed by a 168-week OLE. Patients entering the OLE continued elamipretide 40 mg subcutaneous daily.

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Article Synopsis
  • Non-sputum-based tests are crucial for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in people living with HIV (PWH), and the Kyn-to-Trp (K/T) plasma ratio may serve as a promising biomarker to predict TB disease in these patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
  • The study measured K/T ratios at three different time points (at diagnosis, 6 months before, and 6 months after) in PWH who developed TB, revealing significantly higher ratios at diagnosis compared to matched controls.
  • Following successful TB treatment, K/T ratios significantly dropped, but they increased in cases of treatment failure, suggesting the ratio could be useful for monitoring TB treatment in PWH, pending further validation studies.
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Purpose: The functionality of many cellular proteins depends on cofactors; yet, they have only been implicated in a minority of Mendelian diseases. Here, we describe the first 2 inherited disorders of the cytosolic iron-sulfur protein assembly system.

Methods: Genetic testing via genome sequencing was applied to identify the underlying disease cause in 3 patients with microcephaly, congenital brain malformations, progressive developmental and neurologic impairments, recurrent infections, and a fatal outcome.

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