Search

$\textbf{Purpose}$ $\textit{BRCA1/2}$ mutations increase the risk of breast and prostate cancer in men. Common genetic variants modify cancer risks for female carriers of $\textit{BRCA1/2}$ mutations. We investigated-for the first time to our knowledge-associations of common genetic variants with breast and prostate cancer risks for male carriers of $\textit{BRCA1/2}$ mutations and implications for cancer risk prediction. $\textbf{Materials and Methods}$ We genotyped 1,802 male carriers of $\textit{BRCA1/2}$ mutations from the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of $\textit{BRCA1/2}$ by using the custom Illumina OncoArray. We investigated the combined effects of established breast and prostate cancer susceptibility variants on cancer risks for male carriers of $\textit{BRCA1/2}$ mutations by constructing weighted polygenic risk scores (PRSs) using published effect estimates as weights. $\textbf{Results}$ In male carriers of $\textit{BRCA1/2}$ mutations, PRS that was based on 88 female breast cancer susceptibility variants was associated with breast cancer risk (odds ratio per standard deviation of PRS, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.56; $P$ = 8.6 × 10$^{-6}$)). Similarly, PRS that was based on 103 prostate cancer susceptibility variants was associated with prostate cancer risk (odds ratio per SD of PRS, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.35 to 1.81; $P$ = 3.2 × 10$^{-9}$)). Large differences in absolute cancer risks were observed at the extremes of the PRS distribution. For example, prostate cancer risk by age 80 years at the 5th and 95th percentiles of the PRS varies from 7% to 26% for carriers of $\textit{BRCA1}$ mutations and from 19% to 61% for carriers of $\textit{BRCA2}$ mutations, respectively. $\textbf{Conclusion}$ PRSs may provide informative cancer risk stratification for male carriers of $\textit{BRCA1/2}$ mutations that might enable these men and their physicians to make informed decisions on the type and timing of breast and prostate cancer risk management.

Purpose BRCA1/2 mutations increase the risk of breast and prostate cancer in men. Common genetic variants modify cancer risks for female carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations. We investigated-for the first time to our knowledge-associations of common genetic variants with breast and prostate cancer risks for male carriers of BRCA1/ 2 mutations and implications for cancer risk prediction. Materials and Methods We genotyped 1,802 male carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations from the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 by using the custom Illumina OncoArray. We investigated the combined effects of established breast and prostate cancer susceptibility variants on cancer risks for male carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations by constructing weighted polygenic risk scores (PRSs) using published effect estimates as weights. Results In male carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations, PRS that was based on 88 female breast cancer susceptibility variants was associated with breast cancer risk (odds ratio per standard deviation of PRS, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.56; P = 8.6 × 10-6). Similarly, PRS that was based on 103 prostate cancer susceptibility variants was associated with prostate cancer risk (odds ratio per SD of PRS, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.35 to 1.81; P = 3.2 × 10-9). Large differences in absolute cancer risks were observed at the extremes of the PRS distribution. For example, prostate cancer risk by age 80 years at the 5th and 95th percentiles of the PRS varies from 7% to 26% for carriers of BRCA1 mutations and from 19% to 61% for carriers of BRCA2 mutations, respectively. Conclusion PRSs may provide informative cancer risk stratification for male carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations that might enable these men and their physicians to make informed decisions on the type and timing of breast and prostate cancer risk management. We thank Sue Healey for her contribution to CIMBA, in particular, for taking on the task of mutation classification with Olga Sinilnikova. BCFR Australia: We acknowledge Maggie Angelakos, Judi Maskiell, Gillian Dite, Helen Tsimiklis. BCFR Ontario: We thank members and participants in the Ontario Familial Breast Cancer Registry for their contributions to the study. BFBOCC-LT (Baltic Familial Breast Ovarian Cancer Consortium Lithuanian section): We acknowledge Vilius Rudaitis and Laimonas Griˇskeviˇcius. CBCS (Copenhagen Breast Cancer Study, Rigshospitalet): We thank Bent Ejlertsen Ejlertsen and Anne-Marie Gerdes for the recruitment and genetic counseling of participants. CNIO (Spanish National Cancer Centre): We thank Alicia Barroso, Rosario Alonso, and Guillermo Pita for their assistance. COH-CCGCRN (City of Hope Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network): Patients were recruited for study from the City of Hope Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network. CONSIT TEAM:We acknowledge Daniela Zaffaroni of the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori (INT), Milan, Italy; Brunella Pilato of the Istituto Nazionale Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy; and the personnel of the Cogentech Cancer Genetic Test Laboratory, Milan, Italy. FCCC (Fox Chase Cancer Center):We thank Jo EllenWeaver and Betsy Bove, MD, for their technical support. GEMO (GeneticModifiers of cancer risk in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers):We pay a tribute to Olga M. Sinilnikova, who with Dominique Stoppa-Lyonnet, initiated and coordinated GEMO until she died on June 30, 2014, and we thank all the GEMO collaborating groups for their contribution to this study. GEMO Collaborating Centers are: Coordinating Centres, Unit´e Mixte de G´en´etique Constitutionnelle des Cancers Fr´equents, Hospices Civils de Lyon–Centre L´eon B´erard, Equipe G´en´etique du cancer du sein, Centre de Rechercheen Canc´erologie de Lyon: Olga Sinilnikova (deceased), Sylvie Mazoyer, Francesca Damiola, Laure Barjhoux, Carole Verny-Pierre, M´elanie L´eone, Nadia Boutry-Kryza, Alain Calender, Sophie Giraud; and Service de G´en´etique Oncologique, Institut Curie, Paris: Dominique Stoppa-Lyonnet, Marion Gauthier-Villars, Bruno Buecher, Claude Houdayer, Etienne Rouleau, Lisa Golmard, Agn`es Collet, Virginie Moncoutier, Muriel Belotti, Antoine de Pauw, Camille Elan, Catherine Nogues, Emmanuelle Fourme, Anne-Marie Birot; Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif: Brigitte Bressac-de-Paillerets, Olivier Caron, Marine Guillaud- Bataille; Centre Jean Perrin, Clermont–Ferrand: Yves-Jean Bignon, Nancy Uhrhammer; Centre L´eon B´erard, Lyon: Christine Lasset, Val´erie Bonadona, Sandrine Handallou; Centre François Baclesse, Caen: Agn`es Hardouin, Pascaline Berthet, Dominique Vaur, Laurent Castera; Institut Paoli Calmettes, Marseille: Hagay Sobol, Violaine Bourdon, Tetsuro Noguchi, Audrey Remenieras, François Eisinger; CHUArnaud-de-Villeneuve,Montpellier: Isabelle Coupier, Pascal Pujol; Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille: Jean-Philippe Peyrat, Jo¨elle Fournier, Françoise R´evillion, Philippe Vennin (deceased), Claude Adenis; Centre Paul Strauss, Strasbourg: Dani`ele Muller, Jean-Pierre Fricker; Institut Bergoni´e, Bordeaux: Emmanuelle Barouk-Simonet, Françoise Bonnet, Virginie Bubien, Nicolas Sevenet, Michel Longy; Institut Claudius Regaud, Toulouse: Christine Toulas, Rosine Guimbaud, Laurence Gladieff, Viviane Feillel; CHU Grenoble: Dominique Leroux, H´el`ene Dreyfus, Christine Rebischung, Magalie Peysselon; CHU Dijon: Fanny Coron, Laurence Faivre; CHU St-Etienne: Fabienne Prieur, Marine Lebrun, Caroline Kientz; HˆotelDieu Centre Hospitalier, Chamb´ery: Sandra Fert Ferrer; Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Nice: Marc Fr´enay; CHU Limoges: Laurence V´enat-Bouvet; CHU Nantes: Capucine Delnatte; CHU Bretonneau, Tours: Isabelle Mortemousque; Groupe Hospitalier Piti´e-Salp´etri`ere, Paris: Florence Coulet, Chrystelle Colas, Florent Soubrier, MathildeWarcoin; CHU Vandoeuvre-les- Nancy: Johanna Sokolowska, Myriam Bronner; CHU Besançon: Marie-Agn`es Collonge-Rame, Alexandre Damette; Creighton University, Omaha, NE: Henry T. Lynch, Carrie L. Snyder. G-FAST (Ghent University Hospital): B.P. is a senior clinical investigator of FWO. We acknowledge the technical support of Ilse Coeneen Brecht Crombez. HCSC (Hospital Clinico San Carlos): We acknowledge Alicia Tosar and Paula Diaque for their technical assistance. HEBCS (Helsinki Breast Cancer Study):We thank Taru A. Muranen, Carl Blomqvist, MD, Kirsimari Aaltonen, MD, Irja Erkkil¨a, RN, and Virpi Palola, RN, for their help with the HEBCS data and samples. Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Research Group Netherlands (HEBON): HEBON consists of the following collaborating centers: Coordinating center: Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam: M.A. Rookus, F.B.L. Hogervorst, F.E. van Leeuwen, S. Verhoef, M.K. Schmidt, N.S. Russell, J.L. de Lange, R. Wijnands; Erasmus Medical Center: J.M. Coll´ee, A.M.W. van den Ouweland, M.J. Hooning, C. Seynaeve, C.H.M. van Deurzen, I.M. Obdeijn; Leiden University Medical Center: C.J. van Asperen, J.T. Wijnen, R.A.E.M. Tollenaar, P. Devilee, T.C.T.E.F. van Cronenburg; Radboud University NijmegenMedical Center: C.M. Kets, A.R.Mensenkamp; UniversityMedical Center Utrecht: M.G.E.M. Ausems, R.B. van der Luijt, C.C. van der Pol; Amsterdam Medical Center: C.M. Aalfs, T.A.M. van Os; Vrije Universiteit Medical Center: J.J.P. Gille, Q.Waisfisz, H.E.J. Meijers-Heijboer; University Hospital Maastricht: E.B. G´omez-Garcia, M.J. Blok; University Medical Center Groningen: J.C. Oosterwijk, A.H. van der Hout, M.J.Mourits, G.H. de Bock; The Netherlands Foundation for the Detection of Hereditary Tumours, Leiden: H.F. Vasen; The Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL): S. Siesling, J. Verloop; The Dutch Pathology Registry (PALGA): L.I.H. Overbeek. HEBON thanks the registration teams of IKNL and PALGA for part of the data collection. HUNBOCS (Molecular Genetic Studies of Breast- and Ovarian Cancer in Hungary):We thank the Hungarian Breast and Ovarian Cancer Study Group members (Janos Papp, Aniko Bozsik, Judit Franko, Maria Balogh, Gabriella Domokos, Judit Ferenczi, Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary) and the clinicians and patients for their contributions to this study. HVH (University Hospital Vall d’Hebron): We thank the Cellex Foundation for providing research facilities and equipment. ICO (Institut Catal`a d’Oncologia): We thank the ICO Hereditary Cancer Program team led by Gabriel Capella, MD. INHERIT (INterdisciplinary HEalth Research Internal Team BReast CAncer susceptibility):We thank Martine Dumont, MD, Martine Tranchant and St´ephane Dubois for QC, sample management and skillful assistance. J.S. is Chair holder of the Canada Research Chair in Oncogenetics. J.S. and P.S. were part of the QC and Genotyping coordinating group of iCOGS and Oncoarray (BCAC and CIMBA). IPOBCS (Portuguese Oncology Institute-Porto jco.org © 2017 by American Society of Clinical Oncology Polygenic Risk Scores in Male BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers Downloaded from ascopubs.org by CNIO-FUND on September 27, 2019 from 193.147.150.201 Copyright © 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved. Breast Cancer Study): We thank Catarina Santos, MD, for her skillful contribution to the study. kConFab (Kathleen Cuningham Consortium for Research into Familial Breast Cancer): We thank Heather Thorne, Eveline Niedermayr, all the kConFab research nurses and staff, the heads and staff of the Family Cancer Clinics, and the Clinical Follow Up Study for their contributions to this resource, and the many families who contribute to kConFab.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center:We acknowledge Lauren Jacobs, MD. OCGN (Ontario Cancer Genetics Network): We thank members and participants in the Ontario Cancer Genetics Network for their contributions to the study. OSUCCG (The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center): Kevin Sweet, Caroline Craven, Julia Cooper, Leigha Senter, and Michelle O’Conor were instrumental in accrual of study participants, ascertainment of medical records, and database management. SEABASS (South East Asian Breast Cancer Association Study): We thank Yip Cheng Har, Nur Aishah Mohd Taib, Phuah Sze Yee, Norhashimah Hassan, and all the research nurses, research assistants, and doctors involved in the MyBrCa Study for assistance in patient recruitment, data collection, and sample preparation. In addition, we thank Philip Iau, Sng Jen-Hwei, and Sharifah Nor Akmal for contributing samples from the Singapore Breast Cancer Study and the HUKM-HKL Study, respectively. SWE-BRCA (Swedish Breast Cancer Study): Swedish scientists participating as SWE-BRCA collaborators are: from Lund University and University Hospital: A° ke Borg, H°akan Olsson, Helena Jernstr¨om, Karin Henriksson, Katja Harbst, Maria Soller, Ulf Kristoffersson; from Gothenburg Sahlgrenska University Hospital: Anna O¨ fverholm, Margareta Nordling, Per Karlsson, Zakaria Einbeigi; from Stockholm and Karolinska University Hospital: Anna vonWachenfeldt, Annelie Liljegren, Annika Lindblom, Brita Arver, Gisela Barbany Bustinza, Johanna Rantala; from Ume°a University Hospital: Beatrice Melin, Christina Edwinsdotter Ardnor, Monica Emanuelsson; from Uppsala University: Hans Ehrencrona, Maritta Hellstr¨om Pigg, Richard Rosenquist; from Link¨oping University Hospital: Marie Stenmark-Askmalm, Sigrun Liedgren. University of Chicago: O.I.O. is an ACS Clinical Research Professor. We thank Cecilia Zvocec, Qun Niu, physicians, genetic counsellors, research nurses, and staff of the Cancer Risk Clinic for their contributions to this resource, and the many families who contribute to our program. VFCTG (Victorian Familial Cancer Trials Group):We acknowledge Geoffrey Lindeman, Marion Harris, Martin Delatycki of the Victorian Familial Cancer Trials Group.We thank Sarah Sawyer and Rebecca Driessen for assembling these data and Ella Thompson for performing all DNA amplification. © 2017 by American Society of Clinical Oncology JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY Sí

To verify whether targeting defective mucosal T cell death underlies the sustained therapeutic benefit of infliximab in Crohn's disease, we explored its in vivo proapoptotic effect after 10 weeks of treatment, and its in vitro killing activity on lamina propria T cells (LPT) and peripheral blood T cells (PBT), both isolated from Crohn's disease patients.Endoscopic intestinal biopsies were collected from 10 Crohn's disease patients (six steroid refractory and four fistulising) before and after three consecutive infusions of infliximab, administered at week 0, 2, and 6 in a single intravenous dose (5 mg/kg), and from 10 subjects who proved to have functional diarrhoea. Apoptosis was determined in vivo by TUNEL assay, and in vitro by fluorescein isothiocyanate-annexin V/propidium iodide staining on LPT and PBT from Crohn's disease patients cultured with infliximab. The effect of the broad caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK and the neutralising anti-Fas antibody ZB4 was tested in vitro on LPT and PBT treated with infliximab. Caspase-3 activity was determined by immunoblotting.In Crohn's disease patients, infliximab treatment induced a sustained LPT apoptosis, still evident four weeks after the last infusion. In vitro infliximab induced death of LPT from Crohn's disease patients occurred via apoptosis rather than necrosis. LPT showed a higher susceptibility to infliximab induced apoptosis than PBT in Crohn's disease patients. The signalling pathway underlying the restoration of infliximab induced LPT apoptosis occurred via the caspase pathway but not Fas-Fas ligand interaction in Crohn's disease.These findings demonstrate that apoptosis is the major mechanism by which infliximab exerts its killing activity on LPT in Crohn's disease. The sustained LPT proapoptotic action of infliximab, which extends far beyond its circulating half life, may be responsible for the sustained remission induced in Crohn's disease patients by infliximab retreatment.

Aims Perilipins are conserved proteins that decorate intracellular lipid droplets and are essential for lipid metabolism. To date, there is limited knowledge on their expression in human brain, or their involvement in brain aging and neurodegeneration. The aim of this study was to characterise the expression levels of perilipins (Plin1-5) in different cerebral areas from subjects of different age, with or without signs of neurodegeneration. Methods We performed real time RT-PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy analyses in autoptic brain samples of frontal and temporal cortex, cerebellum and hippocampus from subjects ranging from 33 to 104 years of age, with or without histological signs of neurodegeneration. To test the possible relationship between Plins and inflammation, correlation analysis with IL-6 expression was also performed. Results Plin2, Plin3 and Plin5, but not Plin1 and Plin4, are expressed in the considered brain areas with different intensities. Plin2 appears to be expressed more in grey matter, particularly in neurons in all the areas analysed, while Plin3 and Plin5 appear to be expressed more in white matter. Plin3 seems to be expressed more in astrocytes. Only Plin2 expression is higher in old subjects and patients with Early Tauopathy or Alzheimer's Disease, and is associated with IL-6 expression. Conclusions Perilipins are expressed in human brain but only Plin2 appears to be modulated with age and neurodegeneration, and linked to an inflammatory state. We propose that the accumulation of lipid droplets decorated with Plin2 occurs during brain aging, and that this accumulation may be an early marker and initial step of inflammation and neurodegeneration.

Visualization and characterization of $$\beta$$β-amyloid deposits is a fundamental task in pre-clinical study of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to assess its evolution and monitor the efficiency of new therapeutic strategies. While the cerebellum is one of the brain areas most underestimated in the context of AD, renewed interest in cerebellar lesions has recently arisen as they may link to motor and cognitive alterations. Thus, we quantitatively investigated three-dimensional plaque morphology in the cerebellum in APP/PS1 transgenic mouse, as a model of AD. In order to obtain a complete high-resolution three-dimensional view of the investigated tissue, we exploited synchrotron X-ray phase contrast tomography (XPCT), providing virtual slices with histology-matching resolution. We found the formation of plaques elongated in shape, and with a specific orientation in space depending on the investigated region of the cerebellar cortex. Remarkably, a similar shape is observed in human cerebellum from demented patients. Our findings demonstrate the capability of XPCT in volumetric quantification, supporting the current knowledge about plaque morphology in the cerebellum and the fundamental role of the surrounding tissue in driving their evolution. A good correlation with the human neuropathology is also reported.

© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Numerous genetic factors that influence breast cancer risk are known. However, approximately two-thirds of the overall familial risk remain unexplained. To determine whether some of the missing heritability is due to rare variants conferring high to moderate risk, we tested for an association between the c.5791C>T nonsense mutation (p. Arg1931*; rs144567652) in exon 22 of FANCM gene and breast cancer. An analysis of genotyping data from 8635 familial breast cancer cases and 6625 controls from different countries yielded an association between the c.5791C>T mutation and breast cancer risk [odds ratio (OR) = 3.93 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.28-12.11; P = 0.017)]. Moreover, we performed two meta-analyses of studies from countries with carriers in both cases and controls and of all available data. These analyses showed breast cancer associations with OR = 3.67 (95% CI = 1.04-12.87; P = 0.043) and OR = 3.33 (95% CI = 1.09-13.62; P = 0.032), respectively. Based on information theory-based prediction, we established that the mutation caused an out-of-frame deletion of exon 22, due to the creation of a binding site for the pre-mRNA processing protein hnRNP A1. Furthermore, genetic complementation analyses showed that the mutation influenced the DNA repair activity of the FANCM protein. In summary, we provide evidence for the first time showing that the common p. Arg1931* loss-of-function variant in FANCM is a risk factor for familial breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) decreases breast cancer (BC) risk in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers by up to 95%, but the Italian attitude towards this procedure is reluctant. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is an observational study with retrospective design, using quantitative and qualitative research methods, aimed at evaluating the attitude towards RRM by rapid genetic counselling and testing (RGCT), at the time of BC diagnosis, compared with traditional genetic counselling and testing (TGCT), after previous BC surgery. Secondary aims were to investigate patient satisfaction after RRM and the rate of occult tumour in healthy breasts. A total of 1168 patients were evaluated: 1058 received TGCT, whereas 110 underwent RGCT. RESULTS: In TGCT, among 1058 patients, 209 (19.7%) mutation carriers were identified, with the rate of RRM being 4.7% (10 of 209). Conversely in RGCT, among 110 patients, 36 resulted positive, of which, 15 (41.7%) underwent bilateral mastectomy at the BC surgery time, showing an overall good satisfaction, measured by interpretative phenomenological analysis 12 months after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that RGCT in patients with a hereditary profile is associated with a high rate of RRM at the BC surgery time, this being the pathway offered within a multidisciplinary organization. KEYWORDS: BRCA1/2 mutation carriers; acceptability; genetic counselling; risk-reducing mastectomy

Unambiguous classification of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants of uncertain significance (VUS) is a challenging task that vexes health care providers and has profound implications for patients and their family members. Numerous VUS have been described to date, which await assessment of their functional, hence clinical, impact. As a result of a routine BRCA1/BRCA2 mutational screening, we identified a previously unreported BRCA1 sequence alteration [c.5178G>A (V1687I)] in a patient diagnosed with early onset triple negative breast cancer. The sequence alteration falls in the invariant THV motif of the BRCT domain. To investigate its significance, we applied an integrated approach that, in addition to genetic and histopathological data, included in silico analyses, comparative structural modeling and verification of BRCT-mediated interactions. In line with web-based algorithms that predicted the benign nature of BRCA1 V1687I, the three-dimensional model of the BRCA1 V1687I BRCT domain did not reveal any major structural changes relative to its wild-type counterpart, thus suggesting that BRCA1 V1687I has a negligible impact on both the local architecture and the overall stability of the protein. Consistently, the BRCA1 V1687I protein was properly expressed and localized to the nucleus, and it was still capable of binding three BRCT-interacting, DNA damage response, and repair partner proteins, namely BRIP1/FANCJ, CtIP, and Abraxas. Our collected evidence suggests that, although occurring in a highly conserved region, the BRCA1 V1687I variant is likely a benign sequence alteration.

Aims: To report on the diagnostic features, management, and clinical outcome after different treatments of Wilson's disease patients followed over a mean period of 15 years. Patients: Thirty-five patients with Wilson's disease referred to the University of Padova's Department of Gastroenterology for diagnosis or treatment were observed for a mean 15 years. The diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms, laboratory tests (ceruloplasmin, urinary, and hepatic copper concentrations), and uptake of the radiostable isotope 65 Cu into the plasma protein pool. Hepatic Cu content was measured by regular follow-up biopsies. Neurologic outcome after therapy was assessed using a newly developed scoring system. Results: Twenty-three (65.7%) patients presented with liver disease; 12 (34.3%) had mixed neurologic and hepatic involvement. All patients had been initially treated with either penicillamine (23) or zinc sulfate (12). The neurologic symptoms became worse or remained stationary in 75% of those treated with penicillamine, whereas zinc treatment improved these symptoms in 90% of treated cases. Both treatments were effective in improving the hepatic symptoms. No differences in hepatic Cu content emerged between follow-up biopsies in either treatment group. Six patients (26%) had to abandon the penicillamine treatment due to side effects. In all, 4 patients underwent liver transplantation, which was successful in 3, with a mean survival after transplantation of 4.6 years; the fourth, who had a severe neurologic impairment, died of central pontine myelinolysis. Conclusions: Penicillamine and zinc can effectively treat Wilson's disease, though the side effects of penicillamine may be severe enough to prompt its suspension. Liver transplantation remains the treatment of choice for end-stage liver disease.