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Capone G, Novello G, Bavaro SL, Fasano C, Pesce Delfino A, Polito AN, Kanduc D. A qualitative description of the peptide sharing between poliovirus and Homo sapiens. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol 2012; 34:779-85. [PMID: 22303874 DOI: 10.3109/08923973.2012.654610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
In a companion paper, we reported that pentapeptides from human poliovirus 1, Mahoney strain, occur repeatedly in human proteins for a total of more than 18,000 overlaps. In the present study, we describe the distribution of the polio pentapeptides throughout biochemical pathways and networks characterizing functions and tissues in the human host. The present study might be of help to better define the poliovirus-host relationships as well as for designing peptide modules with anti-polio activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Capone
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universityof Bari, Bari, Italy
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52
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Lamminmäki S, Massinen S, Nopola-Hemmi J, Kere J, Hari R. Human ROBO1 regulates interaural interaction in auditory pathways. J Neurosci 2012; 32:966-71. [PMID: 22262894 PMCID: PMC6621165 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4007-11.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2011] [Revised: 11/17/2011] [Accepted: 11/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In rodents, the Robo1 gene regulates midline crossing of major nerve tracts, a fundamental property of the mammalian CNS. However, the neurodevelopmental function of the human ROBO1 gene remains unknown, apart from a suggested role in dyslexia. We therefore studied axonal crossing with a functional approach, based on magnetoencephalography, in 10 dyslexic individuals who all share the same rare, weakly expressing haplotype of the ROBO1 gene. Auditory-cortex responses were recorded separately to left- and right-ear sounds that were amplitude modulated at different frequencies. We found impaired interaural interaction that depended on the ROBO1 in a dose-dependent manner. Our results indicate that normal crossing of the auditory pathways requires an adequate ROBO1 expression level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satu Lamminmäki
- Brain Research Unit, OV Lounasmaa Laboratory, School of Science, Aalto University, FI-00076 AALTO, Espoo, Finland.
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53
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Zheng W, Geng AQ, Li PF, Wang Y, Yuan XB. Robo4 regulates the radial migration of newborn neurons in developing neocortex. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 22:2587-601. [PMID: 22123939 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhr330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
During the morphogenesis of neocortex, newborn neurons undergo radial migration from the ventricular zone toward the surface of the cortical plate to form an "inside-out" lamina structure. The spatiotemporal signals that control this stereotyped radial migration remain elusive. Here, we report that a recently identified Robo family member Robo4 (Magic Roundabout), which was considered to be solely expressed in endothelial cells, is expressed in developing brain and regulates the radial migration of newborn neurons in neocortex. Downregulation of Robo4 expression in cortical newborn neurons by using in utero electroporation, with either specific siRNAs in wild-type rodents or with Cre recombinase in floxed-robo4 mutant mice, led to severe defects in the radial migration of newborn neurons with misorientation of these neurons. Moreover, newborn neurons transfected with Robo4 siRNAs exhibited significantly lower motility in a transwell migration assay (Boyden chamber) in the absence of Slit and significantly higher sensitivity to the repulsive effect of Slit in both transwell migration assay and growth cone collapse assay. Overall, our results showed an important role of Robo4 in the regulation of cortical radial migration through Slit-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Zheng
- Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
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54
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Jun G, Nicolaou M, Morrison MA, Buros J, Morgan DJ, Radeke MJ, Yonekawa Y, Tsironi EE, Kotoula MG, Zacharaki F, Mollema N, Yuan Y, Miller JW, Haider NB, Hageman GS, Kim IK, Schaumberg DA, Farrer LA, DeAngelis MM. Influence of ROBO1 and RORA on risk of age-related macular degeneration reveals genetically distinct phenotypes in disease pathophysiology. PLoS One 2011; 6:e25775. [PMID: 21998696 PMCID: PMC3188561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2011] [Accepted: 09/09/2011] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
ROBO1 is a strong candidate gene for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) based upon its location under a linkage peak on chromosome 3p12, its expression pattern, and its purported function in a pathway that includes RORA, a gene previously associated with risk for neovascular AMD. Previously, we observed that expression of ROBO1 and RORA is down-regulated among wet AMD cases, as compared to their unaffected siblings. Thus, we hypothesized that contribution of association signals in ROBO1, and interaction between these two genes may be important for both wet and dry AMD. We evaluated association of 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ROBO1 with wet and dry stages of AMD in a sibling cohort and a Greek case-control cohort containing 491 wet AMD cases, 174 dry AMD cases and 411 controls. Association signals and interaction results were replicated in an independent prospective cohort (1070 controls, 164 wet AMD cases, 293 dry AMD cases). The most significantly associated ROBO1 SNPs were rs1387665 under an additive model (meta P = 0.028) for wet AMD and rs9309833 under a recessive model (meta P = 6 × 10(-4)) for dry AMD. Further analyses revealed interaction between ROBO1 rs9309833 and RORA rs8034864 for both wet and dry AMD (interaction P<0.05). These studies were further supported by whole transcriptome expression profile studies from 66 human donor eyes and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays from mouse retinas. These findings suggest that distinct ROBO1 variants may influence the risk of wet and dry AMD, and the effects of ROBO1 on AMD risk may be modulated by RORA variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyungah Jun
- Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Ophthalmology, Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Biostatistics, Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts United States of America
| | - Michael Nicolaou
- Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Margaux A. Morrison
- Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center, Center for Translational Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline Buros
- Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Denise J. Morgan
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center, Center for Translational Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Monte J. Radeke
- Center for the Study of Macular Degeneration, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Yoshihiro Yonekawa
- Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - Nissa Mollema
- Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Yang Yuan
- Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Joan W. Miller
- Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Neena B. Haider
- Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Gregory S. Hageman
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center, Center for Translational Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Ivana K. Kim
- Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Debra A. Schaumberg
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lindsay A. Farrer
- Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Ophthalmology, Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Biostatistics, Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts United States of America
- Neurology Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Epidemiology, Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Margaret M. DeAngelis
- Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, John A. Moran Eye Center, Center for Translational Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
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55
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Dissection of genetic associations with language-related traits in population-based cohorts. J Neurodev Disord 2011; 3:365-73. [PMID: 21894572 PMCID: PMC3230763 DOI: 10.1007/s11689-011-9091-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2011] [Accepted: 07/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in the field of language-related disorders have led to the identification of candidate genes for specific language impairment (SLI) and dyslexia. Replication studies have been conducted in independent samples including population-based cohorts, which can be characterised for a large number of relevant cognitive measures. The availability of a wide range of phenotypes allows us to not only identify the most suitable traits for replication of genetic association but also to refine the associated cognitive trait. In addition, it is possible to test for pleiotropic effects across multiple phenotypes which could explain the extensive comorbidity observed across SLI, dyslexia and other neurodevelopmental disorders. The availability of genome-wide genotype data for such cohorts will facilitate this kind of analysis but important issues, such as multiple test corrections, have to be taken into account considering that small effect sizes are expected to underlie such associations.
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56
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Suda S, Iwata K, Shimmura C, Kameno Y, Anitha A, Thanseem I, Nakamura K, Matsuzaki H, Tsuchiya KJ, Sugihara G, Iwata Y, Suzuki K, Koizumi K, Higashida H, Takei N, Mori N. Decreased expression of axon-guidance receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex in autism. Mol Autism 2011; 2:14. [PMID: 21859478 PMCID: PMC3177773 DOI: 10.1186/2040-2392-2-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2011] [Accepted: 08/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Axon-guidance proteins play a crucial role in brain development. As the dysfunction of axon-guidance signaling is thought to underlie the microstructural abnormalities of the brain in people with autism, we examined the postmortem brains of people with autism to identify any changes in the expression of axon-guidance proteins. Results The mRNA and protein expression of axon-guidance proteins, including ephrin (EFN)A4, eEFNB3, plexin (PLXN)A4, roundabout 2 (ROBO)2 and ROBO3, were examined in the anterior cingulate cortex and primary motor cortex of autistic brains (n = 8 and n = 7, respectively) and control brains (n = 13 and n = 8, respectively) using real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and western blotting. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that the relative expression levels of EFNB3, PLXNA4A and ROBO2 were significantly lower in the autistic group than in the control group. The protein levels of these three genes were further analyzed by western blotting, which showed that the immunoreactive values for PLXNA4 and ROBO2, but not for EFNB3, were significantly reduced in the ACC of the autistic brains compared with control brains. Conclusions In this study, we found decreased expression of axon-guidance proteins such as PLXNA4 and ROBO2 in the brains of people with autism, and suggest that dysfunctional axon-guidance protein expression may play an important role in the pathophysiology of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiro Suda
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192 Japan.
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57
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Sbacchi S, Acquadro F, Calò I, Calì F, Romano V. Functional annotation of genes overlapping copy number variants in autistic patients: focus on axon pathfinding. Curr Genomics 2011; 11:136-45. [PMID: 20885821 PMCID: PMC2874223 DOI: 10.2174/138920210790886880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2009] [Revised: 12/12/2009] [Accepted: 12/15/2009] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We have used Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analyses to uncover the common functions associated to the genes overlapping Copy Number Variants (CNVs) in autistic patients. Our source of data were four published studies [1-4]. We first applied a two-step enrichment strategy for autism-specific genes. We fished out from the four mentioned studies a list of 2928 genes overall overlapping 328 CNVs in patients and we first selected a sub-group of 2044 genes after excluding those ones that are also involved in CNVs reported in the Database of Genomic Variants (enrichment step 1). We then selected from the step 1-enriched list a sub-group of 514 genes each of which was found to be deleted or duplicated in at least two patients (enrichment step 2). The number of statistically significant processes and pathways identified by the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery and Ingenuity Pathways Analysis softwares with the step 2-enriched list was significantly higher compared to the step 1-enriched list. In addition, statistically significant GO terms, biofunctions and pathways related to nervous system development and function were exclusively identified by the step 2-enriched list of genes. Interestingly, 21 genes were associated to axon growth and pathfinding. The latter genes and other ones associated to nervous system in this study represent a new set of autism candidate genes deserving further investigation. In summary, our results suggest that the autism’s “connectivity genes” in some patients affect very early phases of neurodevelopment, i.e., earlier than synaptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Sbacchi
- Dipartimento di Oncologia Sperimentale e Applicazioni Cliniche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo
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58
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Fatemi SH, Folsom TD, Rooney RJ, Mori S, Kornfield TE, Reutiman TJ, Kneeland RE, Liesch SB, Hua K, Hsu J, Patel DH. The viral theory of schizophrenia revisited: abnormal placental gene expression and structural changes with lack of evidence for H1N1 viral presence in placentae of infected mice or brains of exposed offspring. Neuropharmacology 2011; 62:1290-8. [PMID: 21277874 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2010] [Revised: 12/22/2010] [Accepted: 01/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Researchers have long noted an excess of patients with schizophrenia were born during the months of January and March. This winter birth effect has been hypothesized to result either from various causes such as vitamin D deficiency (McGrath, 1999; McGrath et al., 2010), or from maternal infection during pregnancy. Infection with a number of viruses during pregnancy including influenza, and rubella are known to increase the risk of schizophrenia in the offspring (Brown, 2006). Animal models using influenza virus or Poly I:C, a viral mimic, have been able to replicate many of the brain morphological, genetic, and behavioral deficits of schizophrenia (Meyer et al., 2006, 2008a, 2009; Bitanihirwe et al., 2010; Meyer and Feldon, 2010; Short et al., 2010). Using a murine model of prenatal viral infection, our laboratory has shown that viral infection on embryonic days 9, 16, and 18 leads to abnormal expression of brain genes and brain structural abnormalities in the exposed offspring (Fatemi et al., 2005, 2008a,b, 2009a,b). The purpose of the current study was to examine gene expression and morphological changes in the placenta, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex as a result of viral infection on embryonic day 7 of pregnancy. Pregnant mice were either infected with influenza virus [A/WSN/33 strain (H1N1)] or sham-infected with vehicle solution. At E16, placentas were harvested and prepared for either microarray analysis or for light microscopy. We observed significant, upregulation of 77 genes and significant downregulation of 93 genes in placentas. In brains of exposed offspring following E7 infection, there were changes in gene expression in prefrontal cortex (6 upregulated and 24 downregulated at P0; 5 upregulated and 14 downregulated at P56) and hippocampus (4 upregulated and 6 downregulated at P0; 6 upregulated and 13 downregulated at P56). QRT-PCR verified the direction and magnitude of change for a number of genes associated with hypoxia, inflammation, schizophrenia, and autism. Placentas from infected mice showed a number of morphological abnormalities including presence of thrombi and increased presence of immune cells. Additionally, we searched for presence of H1N1 viral-specific genes for M1/M2, NA, and NS1 in placentas of infected mice and brains of exposed offspring and found none. Our results demonstrate that prenatal viral infection disrupts structure and gene expression of the placenta, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex potentially explaining deleterious effects in the exposed offspring without evidence for presence of viral RNAs in the target tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Hossein Fatemi
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuroscience Research, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St SE, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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59
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Gibson DA, Ma L. Developmental regulation of axon branching in the vertebrate nervous system. Development 2011; 138:183-95. [PMID: 21177340 DOI: 10.1242/dev.046441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
During nervous system development, axons generate branches to connect with multiple synaptic targets. As with axon growth and guidance, axon branching is tightly controlled in order to establish functional neural circuits, yet the mechanisms that regulate this important process are less well understood. Here, we review recent advances in the study of several common branching processes in the vertebrate nervous system. By focusing on each step in these processes we illustrate how different types of branching are regulated by extracellular cues and neural activity, and highlight some common principles that underlie the establishment of complex neural circuits in vertebrate development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Gibson
- Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Department of Cell and Neurobiology, Keck School of Medicine, Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, 1501 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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60
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Ye H, Liu J, Wu JY. Cell adhesion molecules and their involvement in autism spectrum disorder. Neurosignals 2011; 18:62-71. [PMID: 21212702 DOI: 10.1159/000322543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2010] [Accepted: 11/08/2010] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by abnormalities in social interaction, language development and behavior. Recent genetic studies demonstrate that alterations in synaptic genes including those encoding cell adhesion molecules and their interaction partners play important roles in the pathogenesis of ASD. Systematic analyses of different cell adhesion molecule genes will help elucidate their normal functions and regulatory mechanisms in the establishment and maintenance of normal neural circuits and uncover genetic aberrations contributing to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haihong Ye
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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61
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Demarco RS, Lundquist EA. “RACK”-ing up the effectors. Small GTPases 2011; 2:47-50. [DOI: 10.4161/sgtp.2.1.15062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2011] [Revised: 02/03/2011] [Accepted: 02/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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62
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Bates TC, Luciano M, Medland SE, Montgomery GW, Wright MJ, Martin NG. Genetic variance in a component of the language acquisition device: ROBO1 polymorphisms associated with phonological buffer deficits. Behav Genet 2011; 41:50-7. [PMID: 20949370 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-010-9402-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2010] [Accepted: 09/28/2010] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The region containing ROBO1 (Chromosome 3p12.3) has been implicated as a susceptibility gene for reading disorder and language deficit by translocation and linkage data. No association studies have yet been reported supporting any candidate gene. Here we report the first association of this gene with language deficits, specifically with phonological buffer deficits (a phenotype implicated in language acquisition, Specific Language Impairment and Speech Sound Disorder) and dyslexia (reading and spelling ability traits) in an unselected sample of adolescent twins and their siblings. Family-based analyses were performed on 144 tag SNPs in ROBO1, typed in 538 families with up to five offspring and tested for association with a developmental marker of language impairment (phonological buffer capacity, assessed using non word repetition). A reading and spelling ability measure--based on validated measures of lexical processing (irregular word) and grapheme-phoneme decoding (pseudo word)--and measures of short-term and working memory were also analysed. Significant association for phonological buffer capacity was observed for 21 of 144 SNPs tested, peaking at 8.70 × 10(-05) and 9.30 × 10(-05) for SNPs rs6803202 and rs4535189 respectively for nonword repetition, values that survive correction for multiple testing. Twenty-two SNPs showed significant associations for verbal storage (forward digit span)--a trait linked to phonological span. By contrast, just 5 SNPs reached nominal significance for working-memory, not surviving correction, and, importantly, only one SNP in the 144 tested reached nominal significance (0.04) for association with reading and spelling ability. These results provide strong support for ROBO1 as a gene involved in a core trait underpinning language acquisition, with a specific function in supporting a short-term buffer for arbitrary phonological strings. These effects of ROBO1 appear to be unrelated to brain mechanisms underpinning reading ability, at least by adolescence. While replication will be critical, the present results strongly support ROBO1 as the first gene discovered to be associated with language deficits affecting normal variation in language ability. Its functional role in neuronal migration underlying bilateral symmetry and lateralization of neuronal function further suggests a role in the evolution of human language ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy C Bates
- Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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63
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Investigation of dyslexia and SLI risk variants in reading- and language-impaired subjects. Behav Genet 2010. [PMID: 21165691 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-010-9424-3"] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2022]
Abstract
Dyslexia (or reading disability) and specific language impairment (or SLI) are common childhood disorders that show considerable co-morbidity and diagnostic overlaps and have been suggested to share some genetic aetiology. Recently, genetic risk variants have been identified for SLI and dyslexia enabling the direct evaluation of possible shared genetic influences between these disorders. In this study we investigate the role of variants in these genes (namely MRPL19/C20RF3, ROBO1, DCDC2, KIAA0319, DYX1C1, CNTNAP2, ATP2C2 and CMIP) in the aetiology of SLI and dyslexia. We perform case-control and quantitative association analyses using measures of oral and written language skills in samples of SLI and dyslexic families and cases. We replicate association between KIAA0319 and DCDC2 and dyslexia and provide evidence to support a role for KIAA0319 in oral language ability. In addition, we find association between reading-related measures and variants in CNTNAP2 and CMIP in the SLI families.
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64
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Newbury DF, Paracchini S, Scerri TS, Winchester L, Addis L, Richardson AJ, Walter J, Stein JF, Talcott JB, Monaco AP. Investigation of dyslexia and SLI risk variants in reading- and language-impaired subjects. Behav Genet 2010; 41:90-104. [PMID: 21165691 PMCID: PMC3029677 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-010-9424-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2010] [Accepted: 11/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Dyslexia (or reading disability) and specific language impairment (or SLI) are common childhood disorders that show considerable co-morbidity and diagnostic overlaps and have been suggested to share some genetic aetiology. Recently, genetic risk variants have been identified for SLI and dyslexia enabling the direct evaluation of possible shared genetic influences between these disorders. In this study we investigate the role of variants in these genes (namely MRPL19/C20RF3, ROBO1, DCDC2, KIAA0319, DYX1C1, CNTNAP2, ATP2C2 and CMIP) in the aetiology of SLI and dyslexia. We perform case-control and quantitative association analyses using measures of oral and written language skills in samples of SLI and dyslexic families and cases. We replicate association between KIAA0319 and DCDC2 and dyslexia and provide evidence to support a role for KIAA0319 in oral language ability. In addition, we find association between reading-related measures and variants in CNTNAP2 and CMIP in the SLI families.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. F. Newbury
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - S. Paracchini
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - T. S. Scerri
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - L. Winchester
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - L. Addis
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, UK
| | - Alex J. Richardson
- Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, Dept of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Oxford, Barnett House, 32 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2ER UK
| | - J. Walter
- Department of Physiology, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PT UK
| | - J. F. Stein
- Department of Physiology, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PT UK
| | - J. B. Talcott
- School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET UK
| | - A. P. Monaco
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
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65
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Abstract
This article reviews symptoms and signs of aberrant axon connectivity in humans, and summarizes major human genetic disorders that result, or have been proposed to result, from defective axon guidance. These include corpus callosum agenesis, L1 syndrome, Joubert syndrome and related disorders, horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis, Kallmann syndrome, albinism, congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles type 1, Duane retraction syndrome, and pontine tegmental cap dysplasia. Genes mutated in these disorders can encode axon growth cone ligands and receptors, downstream signaling molecules, and axon transport motors, as well as proteins without currently recognized roles in axon guidance. Advances in neuroimaging and genetic techniques have the potential to rapidly expand this field, and it is feasible that axon guidance disorders will soon be recognized as a new and significant category of human neurodevelopmental disorders.
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66
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Gervasini C, Mottadelli F, Ciccone R, Castronovo P, Milani D, Scarano G, Bedeschi MF, Belli S, Pilotta A, Selicorni A, Zuffardi O, Larizza L. High frequency of copy number imbalances in Rubinstein-Taybi patients negative to CREBBP mutational analysis. Eur J Hum Genet 2010; 18:768-75. [PMID: 20125191 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2010.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterised by facial dysmorphisms, growth and psychomotor development delay, and skeletal defects. The known genetic causes are point mutations or deletions of the CREBBP (50-60%) and EP300 (5%) genes. To detect chromosomal rearrangements indicating novel positional candidate RSTS genes, we used a-CGH to study 26 patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for RSTS who were negative at fluorescence in situ hybridisation analyses of the CREBBP and EP300 regions, and direct sequencing analyses of the CREBBP gene. We found seven imbalances (27%): four de novo and three inherited rearrangements not reported among the copy number variants. A de novo 7p21.1 deletion of 500 kb included the TWIST1 gene, a suggested candidate for RSTS that is responsible for the Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, an entity that enters in differential diagnosis with RSTS. A similar issue of differential diagnosis was raised by a large 4.3 Mb 2q22.3q23.1 deletion encompassing ZEB2, the gene responsible for the Mowat-Wilson syndrome, whose signs may overlap with RSTS. Positional candidate genes could not be sought in the remaining pathogenetic imbalances, because of the size of the involved region (a 9 Mb 2q24.3q31.1 deletion) and/or the relative paucity of suitable genes (a 5 Mb 3p13p12.3 duplication). One of the inherited rearrangements, the 17q11.2 379Kb duplication, represents the reciprocal event of the deletion underlying an overgrowth syndrome, both being mediated by the NF1-REP-P1 and REP-P2 sub-duplicons. The contribution of this and the other detected CNVs to the clinical RSTS phenotype is difficult to assess.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Gervasini
- Division of Medical Genetics, San Paolo School of Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Barber M, Di Meglio T, Andrews WD, Hernández-Miranda LR, Murakami F, Chédotal A, Parnavelas JG. The role of Robo3 in the development of cortical interneurons. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 19 Suppl 1:i22-31. [PMID: 19366869 PMCID: PMC2693537 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhp041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A number of studies in recent years have shown that members of the Roundabout (Robo) receptor family, Robo1 and Robo2, play significant roles in the formation of axonal tracks in the developing forebrain and in the migration and morphological differentiation of cortical interneurons. Here, we investigated the expression and function of Robo3 in the developing cortex. We found that this receptor is strongly expressed in the preplate layer and cortical hem of the early cortex where it colocalizes with markers of Cajal–Retzius cells and interneurons. Analysis of Robo3 mutant mice at early (embryonic day [E] 13.5) and late (E18.5) stages of corticogenesis revealed no significant change in the number of interneurons, but a change in their morphology at E13.5. However, preliminary analysis on a small number of mice that lacked all 3 Robo receptors indicated a marked reduction in the number of cortical interneurons, but only a limited effect on their morphology. These observations and the results of other recent studies suggest a complex interplay between the 3 Robo receptors in regulating the number, migration and morphological differentiation of cortical interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Barber
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
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Ghosh S, Ghosh A, Maiti GP, Alam N, Roy A, Roychoudhury S, Panda CK. Alterations of ROBO1/DUTT1 and ROBO2 loci in early dysplastic lesions of head and neck: clinical and prognostic implications. Hum Genet 2009; 125:189-98. [PMID: 19104841 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-008-0610-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2008] [Accepted: 12/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Deletion of chromosomal 3p12.3 was suggested to be associated with dysplastic lesions of head and neck. This region harbors two candidate tumor suppressors ROBO1/DUTT1, ROBO2 and two non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) located at intron 2 of ROBO1/DUTT1. Aim of this study is to understand the role of these genes in development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. A collection of 72 dysplastic lesions and 116 HNSCC samples and two oral cancer cell lines were analyzed for ROBO1/DUTT1 and ROBO2 deletion and promoter methylation. ROBO1/DUTT1, ROBO2 and two ncRNAs mRNA expression were analyzed by Q-PCR. Immunohistochemical analysis of ROBO1/DUTT1 and ROBO2 was performed. Alterations of these genes were correlated with different clinicopathological parameters. High frequency of molecular alterations (deletion/methylation) was seen in ROBO1/DUTT1 than ROBO2. In mild dysplastic lesions both of these genes showed high molecular alterations and remained more or less constant in subsequent stages. Q-PCR analysis showed reduced expression of these genes and the two ncRNAs. In vitro demethylation experiment by 5-aza-dC showed upregulation of ROBO1/DUTT1 and ROBO2 while the expression of the ncRNAs remained unchanged. Immunohistochemical analysis of ROBO1/DUTT1 and ROBO2 showed concordance with their mRNA expression and molecular alterations. Poor patients' outcome was predicted in the cases with alteration of ROBO1/DUTT1 along with tobacco addiction and nodal involvement. Our data suggests (a) ROBO1/DUTT1 and the ncRNAs are transcribed from different promoters, and (b) inactivation of ROBO1/DUTT1 could be used as molecular signature for early detection and prognosis of the head and neck cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susmita Ghosh
- Department of Oncogene Regulation, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, 37, S.P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata, 700026, India
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