Intro to Metabolic Genetics Flashcards
Define metabolism
sum of all chemical reactions occurring w/in the cells of the body
- breakdown of products
- buildup of products
What is the goal of metabolism?
maintain constant source of energy for the body
Note: this is done by absorbing fuel from meals and storing for use during fasting periods
What are the 3 macronutrients?
carbs, proteins, fats
Polysaccharides are ___ ___ while Monosaccharides are ___ ___
complex carbs, simple sugars
What is excess sugar stored as and where?
glycogen in the liver and muscle
What happens to excess glucose once glycogen stores are full?
it’s converted to fatty acids and glycerol to be stored as triglycerides
There are ___ essential AAs and ___ non-essential AAs
9, 11
How are excess circulating AAs stored?
converted to glucose and fatty acids and stored as triglycerides
What are the 3 forms of fats?
Monoglycerides, Triglycerides, Free Fatty Acids
What happens to excess circulating fatty acids?
Incorporated into triglycerides and primarily stored in adipose tissue and sometimes muscle
What is the metabolic process that happens at 1-4 hours of fasting? 3-12 hours of fasting? 10+ hours of fasting?
1-4: Glycogenolysis (glycogen –> glucose)
3-12: Gluconeogenesis (AAs –> glucose)
10+: Ketogenesis/Fatty Acid Oxidation ( fatty acids –> ketones)
What is anabolism and what does it result in?
Anabolism is the feeding/fed state –> results in manufacture/synthesis of materials needed in the cell by building larger organic macromolecules from smaller subunits and storage of excess ingested nutrients that are not immediately needed for energy production or as cellular building blocks
What is catabolism and what does it result in?
Catabolism is the fasting state –> results in the breakdown/degradation of stored energy resources of large energy-rich organic molecules into smaller nutrients available for energy use
Note: think of cat at 2am as hungry and breaking stuff
What are the body’s primary energy users?
Brain, Muscle
What is the brain’s preferred energy source? What does it use in times of long-term starvation?
glucose, ketones
Note: the brain can’t store glycogen
What is the liver’s role in metabolism?
maintenance of normal blood glucose levels by storing glycogen, releasing glucose, and converting glycogen to glucose
Note: other liver functions important in metabolism are production of clotting enzymes and metabolism of bilirubin
What is a lysosome?
intracellular digestive system, digests substances that the cell no longer needs
What happens when a lysosome doesn’t work properly?
massive build-up of material that causes lysosome to swell and burst, which interferes w/ function of the cell
What 3 types of problems with lysosomes can result in metabolic disorders and which is the most common?
- deficient activity of a single, lysosomal specific enzyme
What do mitochondria do?
Extract energy from nutrients via mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (aka respiratory chain) and carry out beta-oxidation of fatty acids
What is a peroxisome?
intracellular waste treatment center
What is the major product of the peroxisome?
H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide)
Note: H2O2 is potentially destructive to the cell outside of the peroxisome
What do the enzymes inside the peroxisome do?
process/beta-oxidation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA)
What are the 2 disease mechanisms that typically result in IEMs?
toxic accumulation of substances, reduction of normal compounds
What do the genes that typically cause IEMs code for?
enzymes that convert substrate into product
How many different IEMs have been identified?
~1000
How common are IEMs?
1/1500 births
At what age do IEMs present?
Any age –> about half are identified outside of the neonatal period
What is the inheritance pattern of most IEMs?
AR
What are the 3 different results of genetic mutations that cause IEMs?
- reduce activity of enzyme
- reduce effectiveness of cofactors/activators of an enzyme
- produce defective transportation compounds in the body
Why is there variability in phenotypes for IEMs?
different types of mutations or combos of mutations
What are the 5 different approaches that can be taken for the treatment of IEMs?
- precursor and substrate restriction (alter diet)
- cofactor supplementation
- supplement or provide deficient enzyme (transplant of enzyme replacement therapy)
- increase use of alternative pathway
- supplement products and downstream products
How does substrate reduction therapy work?
individuals are treated with substrate synthesis inhibitors which decreases the amount of substrate to match the amount of residual enzyme to prevent accumulation
How does molecular/pharmacological chaperone therapy work and what is the goal?
small molecules bind to and stabilize the functional form of a misfolded protein in the ER of the cell which can restore enzyme activity
Why might intrathecal therapy be used to treat an IEM?
IEM that affects CNS needs enzyme delivered directly to the brain/spinal cord so this system avoids the blood-brain barrier
What are clinical features associated with infants/children w/ IEMs?
- vomiting, seizures, ataxia, lethargy, coma, hepato-encephalopathy
- dysmorphic (coarse) features
- skeletal abnormalities
- poor feeding, FTT
- DCM, HCM, hepatomegaly, jaundice, liver dysfunction
- DD
- hypo- or hypertonia
- visual/auditory disturbances
What are clinical features associated with older children/adults w/ IEMs?
- varying degrees of LD/DD/ID, ASD
- exercise intolerance
- muscle weakness (possible progressive)
- behavioral disturbances (delirium, hallucination, agitation, aggressiveness)
- ataxia
- anxiety/panic attacks
- seizures
Episodes of symptoms of IEMs might be…
- acute
- intermittent
- precipitated by stress (mental and/or physical)
- progressive
- associated w/ feeding
Note: length of time since eating can provide estimate of what should be going on in the body to maintain glucose levels; specific disorders can also be symptomatic after ingesting the offending agent
What are some things that might be included in the hx of a pt w/ IEM?
- onset of symptoms w/ change in diet and unusual dietary preferences/aversion
- decompensation beyond what might be expected from infection
- hx of deterioration after initial period of good health
- (1 mo - 5 yr) might have hx of recurrent episodes of vomiting, ataxia, seizures, lethargy, coma, or hepato-encephalopathy
- other findings: poor feeding, FTT, DD, failure to reach milestones
List 3 examples of symptoms of an underlying IEM that might sound like a dx
hypoglycemia, hyperammonemia, acidosis
If glucose is the main source of energy (ATP) for the body, why measure glucose instead of ATP if that’s the true issue?
much easier to measure blood glucose
What is the normal range for BG? What is the range for hypoglycemia in adults? children?
- normal: 70-140 mg/dL
- hypo for adults: <55 mg/dL
- hypo for children: <50 mg/dL
What 3 alternate energy sources might be used when hypoglycemia occurs?
fatty acid oxidation, ketone production/oxidation (brain), metabolism of lactate
Note: none of these are as efficient as glucose metabolism but can be implemented when necessary
Name 2 types of IEMs w/ hypoglycemia as a prominent component
Name 2 types of IEMs w/ hypoglycemia as a significant secondary component
- carb metabolism (GSD Type I), fat metabolism (MCAD deficiency)
- disorders of protein metabolism, mito disease
Where is ammonia produced?
liver, intestinal mucosa, kidneys
How is free ammonia removed from the blood?
removed by liver and excreted in urine as urea after traveling through the urea cycle
What is normal range for ammonia? Abnormal range?
- normal: <80 umol/L
- elevated” >80 umol/L
What occurs when excess ammonia accumulates?
ATP production is disrupted
What is the major differential of an elevated ammonia level?
IEMs or systemic diseases like liver failure
Note: can be difficult to tell whether it is primary or secondary hyperammonemia due to IEMs causing liver damage
What clears a lot of substances that accumulate in metabolic disorders in utero?
placenta and maternal circulation