1
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Roberts AL, Morea A, Amar A, West M, Karrar S, Lehane R, Tombleson P, Cunningham Grahman D, Reynolds JA, Wong CCY, Morris DL, Small KS, Vyse TJ. Haematopoietic stem cell-derived immune cells have reduced X chromosome inactivation skewing in systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis 2024:ard-2024-225585. [PMID: 38937070 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2024-225585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) shows a marked female bias in prevalence. X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is the mechanism which randomly silences one X chromosome to equalise gene expression between 46, XX females and 46, XY males. Though XCI is expected to result in a random pattern of mosaicism across tissues, some females display a significantly skewed ratio in immune cells, termed XCI-skew. We tested whether XCI was abnormal in females with SLE and hence contributes to sexual dimorphism. METHODS We assayed XCI in whole blood DNA in 181 female SLE cases, 796 female healthy controls and 10 twin pairs discordant for SLE. Using regression modelling and intra-twin comparisons, we assessed the effect of SLE on XCI and combined clinical, cellular and genetic data via a polygenic score to explore underlying mechanisms. RESULTS Accommodating the powerful confounder of age, XCI-skew was reduced in females with SLE compared with controls (p=1.3×10-5), with the greatest effect seen in those with more severe disease. Applying an XCI threshold of >80%, we observed XCI-skew in 6.6% of SLE cases compared with 22% of controls. This difference was not explained by differential white cell counts, medication or genetic susceptibility to SLE. Instead, XCI-skew correlated with a biomarker for type I interferon-regulated gene expression. CONCLUSIONS These results refute current views on XCI-skew in autoimmunity and suggest, in lupus, XCI patterns of immune cells reflect the impact of disease state, specifically interferon signalling, on the haematopoietic stem cells from which they derive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Roberts
- Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alessandro Morea
- Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
- Foundation Institute of Molecular Oncology, IFOM, Milano, Italy
| | - Ariella Amar
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Magdalena West
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Karrar
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Rhiannon Lehane
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Philip Tombleson
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - John A Reynolds
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Chloe C Y Wong
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - David L Morris
- Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kerrin S Small
- Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
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2
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Pastva O, Klein K. Long Non-Coding RNAs in Sjögren's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5162. [PMID: 38791207 PMCID: PMC11121283 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Sjögren's disease (SjD) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease characterized by severe dryness of mucosal surfaces, particularly the mouth and eyes; fatigue; and chronic pain. Chronic inflammation of the salivary and lacrimal glands, auto-antibody formation, and extra-glandular manifestations occur in subsets of patients with SjD. An aberrant expression of long, non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been described in many autoimmune diseases, including SjD. Here, we review the current literature on lncRNAs in SjD and their role in regulating X chromosome inactivation, immune modulatory functions, and their potential as biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Pastva
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Klein
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
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3
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Sakkas LI, Chikanza IC. Sex bias in immune response: it is time to include the sex variable in studies of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Rheumatol Int 2024; 44:203-209. [PMID: 37716925 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-023-05446-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Healthy females and males differ in their immune cell composition and function and females generally mount stronger immune response than males and are much more susceptible to autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Females differ from males in sex hormones, and X-chromosome genes. Sex hormones affect immune cells and responses, and may induce epigenetic DNA changes. The importance of X-chromosome genes is exemplified in men with the Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY) who have an additional X-chromosome and develop systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) as frequently as women. X-chromosome contains genes critical for the immune response, such as FOXP3, toll-like receptor(TLR)7, TLR8, CD40 Ligand, IL2RG, IL9R, BTK, and others. Whereas one X-chromosome in females is randomly inactivated early in embryonic development, around 25% of X-linked genes escape inactivation and result in more X-linked gene dosage in females. We use two key female-biased autoimmune rheumatic diseases, SLE and systemic sclerosis, to review differences in immune response, and clinical manifestations between females and males. The inclusion of sex variable in research will facilitate precision medicine and optimal patient outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lazaros I Sakkas
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
- Division of Rheumatology, IASO Thessalias General Hospital, Larissa, Greece.
| | - Ian C Chikanza
- Professor in Rheumatology and Immunology, Paediatrics Department, Catholic University, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
- International Arthritis and Hypermobility Centre, Harley Street Clinic, London, UK
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4
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Buono MF, Benavente ED, Daniels M, Mol BM, Mekke JM, de Borst GJ, de Kleijn DPV, van der Laan SW, Pasterkamp G, Onland-Moret C, Mokry M, den Ruijter HM. X chromosome inactivation skewing is common in advanced carotid atherosclerotic lesions in females and predicts secondary peripheral artery events. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:43. [PMID: 37408072 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00527-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Sex differences in atherosclerosis have been described with female plaques being mostly perceived as stable and fibrous. Sex-specific mechanisms such as mosaic loss of the Y chromosome in men have been linked to cardiovascular health. In women, X-linked mechanisms such as X chromosome inactivation (XCI) skewing is common in several tissues. Yet, information on the role of XCI in female atherosclerotic plaques is lacking. Here, we investigated the presence of XCI skewing in advanced atherosclerotic lesions and its association with cardiovascular risk factors, histological plaque data, and clinical data. METHODS XCI skewing was quantified in 154 atherosclerotic plaque and 55 blood DNA samples of women included in the Athero-Express study. The skewing status was determined performing the HUMARA assay. Then, we studied the relationship of XCI skewing in female plaque and cardiovascular risk factors using regression models. In addition, we studied if plaque XCI predicted plaque composition, and adverse events during 3-years follow-up using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS XCI skewing was detected in 76 of 154 (49.4%) plaques and in 27 of 55 (67%) blood samples. None of the clinical risk factors were associated with plaque skewing. Plaque skewing was more often detected in plaques with a plaque hemorrhage (OR [95% CI]: 1.44 [1.06-1.98], P = 0.02). Moreover, skewed plaques were not associated with a higher incidence of composite and major events but were specifically associated with peripheral artery events during a 3-year follow-up period in a multivariate model (HR [95%CI]: 1.46 [1.09-1.97]; P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS XCI skewing is common in carotid plaques of females and is predictive for the occurrence of peripheral artery events within 3 years after carotid endarterectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele F Buono
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ernest Diez Benavente
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mark Daniels
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Barend M Mol
- Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joost M Mekke
- Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gert J de Borst
- Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dominique P V de Kleijn
- Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sander W van der Laan
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard Pasterkamp
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Onland-Moret
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michal Mokry
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Central Diagnostics Laboratory, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hester M den Ruijter
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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5
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Kong YF, Li SZ, Wang KW, Zhu B, Yuan YX, Li MK, Zhou JY. An Efficient Bayesian Method for Estimating the Degree of the Skewness of X Chromosome Inactivation Based on the Mixture of General Pedigrees and Unrelated Females. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030543. [PMID: 36979477 PMCID: PMC10046098 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI-S) has been reported to be associated with some X-linked diseases. Several methods have been proposed to estimate the degree of XCI-S (denoted as γ) for quantitative and qualitative traits based on unrelated females. However, there is no method available for estimating γ based on general pedigrees. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a Bayesian method to obtain the point estimate and the credible interval of γ based on the mixture of general pedigrees and unrelated females (called mixed data for brevity), which is also suitable for only general pedigrees. We consider the truncated normal prior and the uniform prior for γ. Further, we apply the eigenvalue decomposition and Cholesky decomposition to our proposed methods to accelerate the computation speed. We conduct extensive simulation studies to compare the performances of our proposed methods and two existing Bayesian methods which are only applicable to unrelated females. The simulation results show that the incorporation of general pedigrees can improve the efficiency of the point estimation and the precision and the accuracy of the interval estimation of γ. Finally, we apply the proposed methods to the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data for their practical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Fan Kong
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shi-Zhu Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kai-Wen Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu-Xin Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Meng-Kai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ji-Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Correspondence:
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6
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Gal-Oz ST, Shay T. Genetics of Sex Differences in Immunity. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2023; 441:1-19. [PMID: 37695423 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-35139-6_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Women have a stronger immune response and a higher frequency of most autoimmune diseases than men. While much of the difference between men and women is due to the effect of gonadal hormones, genetic differences play a major role in the difference between the immune response and disease frequencies in women and men. Here, we focus on the immune differences between the sexes that are not downstream of the gonadal hormones. These differences include the gene content of the sex chromosomes, the inactivation of chromosome X in women, the consequences of non-random X inactivation and escape from inactivation, and the states that are uniquely met by the immune system of women-pregnancy, birth, and breast feeding. While these female-specific states are temporary and involve gonadal hormonal changes, they may leave a long-lasting footprint on the health of women, for example, by fetal cells that remain in the mother's body for decades. We also briefly discuss the immune phenotype of congenital sex chromosomal aberrations and experimental models that enable hormonal and the non-hormonal effects of the sex chromosomes to be disentangled. The increasing human life expectancy lengthens the period during which gonadal hormones levels are reduced in both sexes. A better understanding of the non-hormonal effects of sex chromosomes thus becomes more important for improving the life quality during that period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shani T Gal-Oz
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tal Shay
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel.
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7
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Abida O, Elloumi N, Bahloul E, Hachicha H, Sellami K, Fakhfakh R, Marzouk S, Ben Ayed I, Mahfoudh N, Turki H, Masmoudi H. Evaluation of X chromosome inactivation in endemic Tunisian pemphigus foliaceus. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2022; 10:e2080. [PMID: 36349750 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.2080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Almost 5% of the world's population develops an autoimmune disease (AID), it is considered the fourth leading cause of disability for women, who represent 78% of cases. The sex ratio when it comes to the most prevalent AID varies from 9:1 in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to 13:1 in endemic Tunisian pemphigus foliaceus (PF). METHODS To test the potential involvement of skewed x-inactivation in the pathogenesis of Tunisian PF, we analyzed the methylation status of a highly polymorphic CAG repeat in the androgen receptor gene and evaluated the x chromosome inactivation (XCI) patterns in peripheral blood-leukocyte-derived DNA samples of female patients with PF (n = 98) compared to healthy control (HC) subjects (n = 150), as well as female patients with SLE (n = 98) were enrolled as a reference group. RESULTS XCI status was informative for 50 of the 98 PF patients (51%) and 70 of the 150 HC women (47%). Extremely skewed XCI patterns were more frequent in PF and SLEwomen than HC, but the difference was statistically significant only in women with SLE. No statistical difference was observed in XCI patterns between PF and SLE patients. PF phenotype-XCI correlation analysis revealed that (i) skewed XCI patterns may be involved in the disease's subtype and (ii) it was more pronounced in the endemic group than the sporadic one. Furthermore, preferential XCI showed an increase in heterozygote genotypes of PF's susceptibility polymorphisms in immunity-related X genes (FOXP3, AR, and TLR7) in PF patients compared to HC. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that skewed XCI could lead to hemizygosity of X-linked alleles that might unmask X-linked deleterious alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olfa Abida
- "Autoimmunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics" Research Laboratory (LR18SP12), Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Nesrine Elloumi
- "Autoimmunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics" Research Laboratory (LR18SP12), Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Emna Bahloul
- Dermatology Department, HediChaker Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Hend Hachicha
- "Autoimmunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics" Research Laboratory (LR18SP12), Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Khadija Sellami
- Dermatology Department, HediChaker Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Raouia Fakhfakh
- "Autoimmunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics" Research Laboratory (LR18SP12), Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Sameh Marzouk
- Internal Medicine, HediChaker Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Ikhlas Ben Ayed
- Genetic Department, HediChaker Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Nadia Mahfoudh
- Immunology Department, HediChaker Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Hamida Turki
- Dermatology Department, HediChaker Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Hatem Masmoudi
- "Autoimmunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics" Research Laboratory (LR18SP12), Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
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8
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Ozaki M, Glasgow A, Oglesby IK, Ng WL, Kelly S, Greene CM, Durcan L, Hurley K. Sexual Dimorphism in Interstitial Lung Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123030. [PMID: 36551792 PMCID: PMC9775147 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a group of heterogeneous progressive pulmonary disorders, characterised by tissue remodelling and/or fibrotic scarring of the lung parenchyma. ILD patients experience lung function decline with progressive symptoms, poor response to treatment, reduced quality of life and high mortality. ILD can be idiopathic or associated with systemic or connective tissue diseases (CTD) but idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common form. While IPF has a male predominance, women are affected more greatly by CTD and therefore associated ILDs. The mechanisms behind biological sex differences in these progressive lung diseases remain unclear. However, differences in environmental exposures, variable expression of X-chromosome related inflammatory genes and sex hormones play a role. Here, we will outline sex-related differences in the incidence, progression and mechanisms of action of these diseases and discuss existing and novel cellular and pre-clinical studies. Furthermore, we will highlight how sex-differences are not adequately considered in pre-clinical disease models, how gender bias exists in clinical diagnosis and how women are underrepresented in clinical trials. Future action on these observations will hopefully shed light on the role of biological sex in disease development, identify potential targets for intervention and increase female participant numbers in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Ozaki
- Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, D09 YD60 Dublin 9, Ireland
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, D02 YN77 Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Arlene Glasgow
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, D09 YD60 Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Irene K. Oglesby
- Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, D09 YD60 Dublin 9, Ireland
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, D02 YN77 Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Wan Lin Ng
- Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, D09 YD60 Dublin 9, Ireland
- Department of Rheumatology, Beaumont Hospital, D09V2N0 Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Sile Kelly
- Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, D09 YD60 Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Catherine M. Greene
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, D09 YD60 Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Laura Durcan
- Department of Rheumatology, Beaumont Hospital, D09V2N0 Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Killian Hurley
- Department of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, D09 YD60 Dublin 9, Ireland
- Tissue Engineering Research Group, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, D02 YN77 Dublin 2, Ireland
- Correspondence:
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9
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Shaw TM, Zhang W, McCoy SS, Pagenkopf A, Carp DM, Garg S, Parker MH, Qiu X, Scofield RH, Galipeau J, Liang Y. X-linked genes exhibit miR6891-5p-regulated skewing in Sjögren's syndrome. J Mol Med (Berl) 2022; 100:1253-1265. [PMID: 35538149 PMCID: PMC9420820 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-022-02205-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Many autoimmune diseases exhibit a strikingly increased prevalence in females, with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) being the most female-predominant example. However, the molecular basis underlying the female-bias in pSS remains elusive. To address this knowledge gap, we performed genome-wide, allele-specific profiling of minor salivary gland-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from pSS patients and control subjects, and detected major differences in the regulation of X-linked genes. In control female MSCs, X-linked genes were expressed from both paternal and maternal X chromosomes with a median paternal ratio of ~ 0.5. However, in pSS female MSCs, X-linked genes exhibited preferential expression from one of the two X chromosomes. Concomitantly, pSS MSCs showed decrease in XIST levels and reorganization of H3K27me3+ foci in the nucleus. Moreover, the HLA-locus-expressed miRNA miR6891-5p was decreased in pSS MSCs. miR6891-5p inhibition in control MSCs caused XIST dysregulation, ectopic silencing, and allelic skewing. Allelic skewing was accompanied by the mislocation of protein products encoded by the skewed genes, which was recapitulated by XIST and miR6891-5p disruption in control MSCs. Our data reveal X skewing as a molecular hallmark of pSS and highlight the importance of restoring X-chromosomal allelic balance for pSS treatment. KEY MESSAGES: X-linked genes exhibit skewing in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). X skewing in pSS associates with alterations in H3K27me3 deposition. pSS MSCs show decreased levels of miR6891-5p, a HLA-expressed miRNA. miR6891-5p inhibition causes H3K27me3 dysregulation and allelic skewing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teressa M Shaw
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Present address: Bristol Myers Squibb, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sara S McCoy
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Adam Pagenkopf
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Diana M Carp
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Shivani Garg
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Maxwell H Parker
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xueer Qiu
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Robert H Scofield
- Department of Pathology and Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Jacques Galipeau
- Department of Medicine, Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin, WI, Madison, USA
| | - Yun Liang
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
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10
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Yu WY, Zhang Y, Li MK, Yang ZY, Fung WK, Zhao PZ, Zhou JY. BEXCIS: Bayesian methods for estimating the degree of the skewness of X chromosome inactivation. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 23:193. [PMID: 35610583 PMCID: PMC9128296 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-022-04721-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an epigenetic phenomenon that one of two X chromosomes in females is transcriptionally silenced during early embryonic development. Skewed XCI has been reported to be associated with some X-linked diseases. There have been several methods measuring the degree of the skewness of XCI. However, these methods may still have several limitations. Results We propose a Bayesian method to obtain the point estimate and the credible interval of the degree of XCI skewing by incorporating its prior information of being between 0 and 2. We consider a normal prior and a uniform prior for it (respectively denoted by BN and BU). We also propose a penalized point estimate based on the penalized Fieller’s method and derive the corresponding confidence interval. Simulation results demonstrate that the BN and BU methods can solve the problems of extreme point estimates, noninformative intervals, empty sets and discontinuous intervals. The BN method generally outperforms other methods with the lowest mean squared error in the point estimation, and well controls the coverage probability with the smallest median and the least variation of the interval width in the interval estimation. We apply all the methods to the Graves’ disease data and the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data, and find that SNP rs3827440 in the Graves’ disease data may undergo skewed XCI towards the allele C. Conclusions We recommend the BN method for measuring the degree of the skewness of XCI in practice. The R package BEXCIS is publicly available at https://github.com/Wen-YiYu/BEXCIS. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12859-022-04721-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yi Yu
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meng-Kai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Ying Yang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wing Kam Fung
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Pei-Zhen Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ji-Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. .,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China.
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11
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Abstract
Strong epidemiological evidence now exists that sex is an important biologic variable in immunity. Recent studies, for example, have revealed that sex differences are associated with the severity of symptoms and mortality due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite this evidence, much remains to be learned about the mechanisms underlying associations between sex differences and immune-mediated conditions. A growing body of experimental data has made significant inroads into understanding sex-influenced immune responses. As physicians seek to provide more targeted patient care, it is critical to understand how sex-defining factors (e.g., chromosomes, gonadal hormones) alter immune responses in health and disease. In this review, we highlight recent insights into sex differences in autoimmunity; virus infection, specifically severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection; and cancer immunotherapy. A deeper understanding of underlying mechanisms will allow the development of a sex-based approach to disease screening and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M. Wilkinson
- UCLA/Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ho-Chung Chen
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Melissa G. Lechner
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Maureen A. Su
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA,Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of Los Angeles, California, USA
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12
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Preferential X Chromosome Inactivation as a Mechanism to Explain Female Preponderance in Myasthenia Gravis. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13040696. [PMID: 35456502 PMCID: PMC9031138 DOI: 10.3390/genes13040696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular autoimmune disease characterized by prevalence in young women (3:1). Several mechanisms proposed as explanations for gender bias, including skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) and dosage or sex hormones, are often involved in the development of autoimmunity. The skewed XCI pattern can lead to an unbalanced expression of some X-linked genes, as observed in several autoimmune disorders characterized by female predominance. No data are yet available regarding XCI and MG. We hypothesize that the preferential XCI pattern may contribute to the female bias observed in the onset of MG, especially among younger women. XCI analysis was performed on blood samples of 284 women between the ages of 20 and 82. XCI was tested using the Human Androgen Receptor Assay (HUMARA). XCI patterns were classified as random (XCI < 75%) and preferential (XCI ≥ 75%). In 121 informative patients, the frequency of skewed XCI patterns was 47%, significantly higher than in healthy controls (17%; p ≤ 0.00001). Interestingly, the phenomenon was observed mainly in younger patients (<45 years; p ≤ 0.00001). Furthermore, considering the XCI pattern and the other clinical characteristics of patients, no significant differences were found. In conclusion, we observed preferential XCI in MG female patients, suggesting its potential role in the aetiology of MG, as observed in other autoimmune diseases in women.
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13
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Zhang Y, Li X, Gibson A, Edberg J, Kimberly RP, Absher DM. Skewed allelic expression on X chromosome associated with aberrant expression of XIST on systemic lupus erythematosus lymphocytes. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:2523-2534. [PMID: 32628254 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A common feature of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is an increased prevalence in women. However, the molecular basis for sex disparity in SLE remains poorly understood. To examine the role of X-linked transcription in SLE adaptive immune cells, we performed RNA-seq in T cell and B cell subsets from either healthy donors or patients with SLE. Analyses of allelic expression (AE) profiles identified a pattern of increased allelic imbalance across the entire X chromosome in SLE lymphocytes. X-linked genes exhibiting AE in SLE had an extensive overlap with genes known to escape X chromosome inactivation (XCI). XIST RNA was overexpressed in SLE patients. Differential XIST expression correlated with AE profiles more positively at X-linked genes than the genome-wide background. Analysis of three independent RNA-seq data verified the XIST-associated skewed AE on X chromosome in SLE. Integrative analyses of DNA methylation profiles showed an increased variability of DNA methylation levels at these AE-related X-linked genes. In cultured lymphoblastic cells, knockdown of XIST specifically altered allelic imbalance patterns between X chromosomes. Our study provides genetic evidence that upregulation of XIST accompanied with more skewed allelic expression on X chromosome is associated with the pathogenesis of SLE and may provide mechanistic insights into the increased incidence of SLE in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfeng Zhang
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
| | - Xinrui Li
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Andrew Gibson
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jeffrey Edberg
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Robert P Kimberly
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Devin M Absher
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
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14
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Migliore L, Nicolì V, Stoccoro A. Gender Specific Differences in Disease Susceptibility: The Role of Epigenetics. Biomedicines 2021; 9:652. [PMID: 34200989 PMCID: PMC8228628 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9060652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many complex traits or diseases, such as infectious and autoimmune diseases, cancer, xenobiotics exposure, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the outcome of vaccination, show a differential susceptibility between males and females. In general, the female immune system responds more efficiently to pathogens. However, this can lead to over-reactive immune responses, which may explain the higher presence of autoimmune diseases in women, but also potentially the more adverse effects of vaccination in females compared with in males. Many clinical and epidemiological studies reported, for the SARS-CoV-2 infection, a gender-biased differential response; however, the majority of reports dealt with a comparable morbidity, with males, however, showing higher COVID-19 adverse outcomes. Although gender differences in immune responses have been studied predominantly within the context of sex hormone effects, some other mechanisms have been invoked: cellular mosaicism, skewed X chromosome inactivation, genes escaping X chromosome inactivation, and miRNAs encoded on the X chromosome. The hormonal hypothesis as well as other mechanisms will be examined and discussed in the light of the most recent epigenetic findings in the field, as the concept that epigenetics is the unifying mechanism in explaining gender-specific differences is increasingly emerging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Migliore
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Vanessa Nicolì
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
| | - Andrea Stoccoro
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, Medical School, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (V.N.); (A.S.)
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15
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Blyth U, Craciunas L, Hudson G, Choudhary M. Maternal germline factors associated with aneuploid pregnancy loss: a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update 2021; 27:866-884. [PMID: 33969392 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Miscarriage describes the spontaneous loss of pregnancy before the threshold of viability; the vast majority occur before 12 weeks of gestation. Miscarriage affects one in four couples and is the most common complication of pregnancy. Chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo are identified in ∼50% of first trimester miscarriages; aneuploidy accounts for 86% of these cases. The majority of trisomic miscarriages are of maternal origin with errors occurring during meiotic division of the oocytes. Chromosome segregation errors in oocytes may be sporadic events secondary to advancing maternal age; however, there is increasing evidence to suggest possible maternal germline contributions to this. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The objective of this review was to appraise critically the existing evidence relating to maternal germline factors associated with pregnancy loss secondary to embryo aneuploidy, identify limitations in the current evidence base and establish areas requiring further research. SEARCH METHODS The initial literature search was performed in September 2019 and updated in January 2021 using the electronic databases OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. No time or language restrictions were applied to the searches and only primary research was included. Participants were women who had suffered pregnancy loss secondary to numerical chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo. Study identification and subsequent data extraction were performed by two authors independently. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to judge the quality of the included studies. The results were synthesized narratively. OUTCOMES The literature search identified 2198 titles once duplicates were removed, of which 21 were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review. They reported on maternal germline factors having variable degrees of association with pregnancy loss of aneuploid origin. The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) gene ontology database was used as a reference to establish the functional role currently attributed to the genes reported. The majority of the cases reported and included were secondary to the inheritance of maternal structural factors such as Robertsonian translocations, deletions and insertions. Germline factors with a plausible role in aneuploid pregnancy loss of maternal origin included skewed X-inactivation and CGG repeats in the fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) gene. Studies that reported the association of single gene mutations with aneuploid pregnancy loss were conflicting. Single gene mutations with an uncertain or no role in aneuploid pregnancy loss included mutations in synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SYCP3), mitotic polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4) and meiotic stromal antigen 3 (STAG3) spindle integrity variants and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). WIDER IMPLICATIONS Identifying maternal genetic factors associated with an increased risk of aneuploidy will expand our understanding of cell division, non-disjunction and miscarriage secondary to embryo aneuploidy. The candidate germline factors identified may be incorporated in a screening panel for women suffering miscarriage of aneuploidy aetiology to facilitate counselling for subsequent pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Blyth
- Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Laurentiu Craciunas
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Gavin Hudson
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Meenakshi Choudhary
- Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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16
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Elloumi N, Fakhfakh R, Abida O, Hachicha H, Marzouk S, Fourati M, Bahloul Z, Masmoudi H. RNA receptors, TLR3 and TLR7, are potentially associated with SLE clinical features. Int J Immunogenet 2021; 48:250-259. [PMID: 33650302 DOI: 10.1111/iji.12531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The influence of intracellular Toll-like-receptors (TLR), recognized as nucleic acid sensors, in the immunopathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is increasingly explored. Yet, the results of both functional and genetic studies remain conflictual. We evaluated the association between TLR3 and TLR7 genes selected variants and SLE and investigated the possible relationship with clinical and serological parameters. Then, we studied the genetic expression of these receptors, and if the TLR7 gene evades X chromosome inactivation (XCI). Our study covers 106 cases and 200 controls, genotyped using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. TLR3 and TLR7 expression level was assessed by qPCR carried, respectively, on renal tissues and PBMC, and methylation status was evaluated by methylation-specific PCR. Results were statistically analysed using Shesis software, χ2 , and Mann-Whitney test. Significant associations with SLE susceptibility were found for the TLR3 rs3775291, rs5743305 and rs3775294 polymorphisms. Further subgroup analysis, TLR3 rs3775291 and rs3775294 polymorphisms were significantly associated with lupus nephritis (LN) and even correlate with the presence of auto-antibodies binding RNA molecules. SLE and LN were more common in men with rs3853839-G variant within TLR7 gene versus those carrying the C allele. Moreover, the role of the G allele in the TLR7 expression up-regulation was confirmed. However, gene expression analysis showed no significant differences in TLR3 and TLR7 mRNA levels between LN patient biopsies and healthy tissues (p > .05). When comparing patients and controls, no statistical difference was observed in XCI pattern. Otherwise, notable associations were raised between TLR3 and TLR7 gene variants and clinical and serological lupus features pointing towards the role of genetic background in the physiopathogenesis of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nesrine Elloumi
- Research Laboratory LR18/SP12 Auto-immunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics, Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Raouia Fakhfakh
- Research Laboratory LR18/SP12 Auto-immunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics, Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Olfa Abida
- Research Laboratory LR18/SP12 Auto-immunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics, Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Hend Hachicha
- Research Laboratory LR18/SP12 Auto-immunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics, Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Sameh Marzouk
- Urology Department, Habib Bourguiba Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Fourati
- Internal Medicine Department, Hedi Chaker Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Zouhir Bahloul
- Urology Department, Habib Bourguiba Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Hatem Masmoudi
- Research Laboratory LR18/SP12 Auto-immunity, Cancer and Immunogenetics, Immunology Department, Habib Bourguiba University Hospital, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
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17
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Zhang X, Li Y, Ma L, Zhang G, Liu M, Wang C, Zheng Y, Li R. A new sex-specific underlying mechanism for female schizophrenia: accelerated skewed X chromosome inactivation. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:39. [PMID: 32680558 PMCID: PMC7368719 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00315-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is the mechanism by which the X-linked gene dosage is adjusted between the sexes. Evidence shows that many sex-specific diseases have their basis in X chromosome biology. While female schizophrenia patients often have a delayed age of disease onset and clinical phenotypes that are different from those of males, it is unknown whether the sex differences in schizophrenia are associated with X-linked gene dosage and the choice of X chromosome silencing in female cells. Previous studies demonstrated that sex chromosome aneuploidies may be related to the pathogeneses of some psychiatric diseases. Here, we examined the changes in skewed XCI in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS A total of 109 female schizophrenia (SCZ) patients and 80 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (CNTLs) were included in this study. We evaluated clinical features including disease onset age, disease duration, clinical symptoms by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and antipsychotic treatment dosages. The XCI skewing patterns were analyzed by the methylation profile of the HUMARA gene found in DNA isolated from SCZ patient and CNTL leukocytes in the three age groups. RESULTS First, we found that the frequency of skewed XCI in SCZ patients was 4 times more than that in the age- and sex-matched CNTLs (p < 0.01). Second, we found an earlier onset of severe XCI skewing in the SCZ patients than in CNTLs. Third, we demonstrated a close relationship between the severity of skewed XCI and schizophrenic symptoms (PANSS score ≥ 90) as well as the age of disease onset. Fourth, we demonstrated that the skewed XCI in SCZ patients was not transmitted from the patients' mothers. LIMITATIONS The XCI skewing pattern might differ depending on tissues or organs. Although this is the first study to explore skewed XCI in SCZ, in the future, samples from different tissues or cells in SCZ patients might be important for understanding the impact of skewed XCI in this disease. CONCLUSION Our study, for the first time, investigated skewed XCI in female SCZ patients and presented a potential mechanism for the sex differences in SCZ. Our data also suggested that XCI might be a potential target for the development of female-specific interventions for SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhu Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhong Li
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Ma
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Guofu Zhang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Min Liu
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanyue Wang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Rena Li
- Beijing Institute of Brain Disorders, Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Ministry of Science and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. .,The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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18
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Gilli F, DiSano KD, Pachner AR. SeXX Matters in Multiple Sclerosis. Front Neurol 2020; 11:616. [PMID: 32719651 PMCID: PMC7347971 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS). An interesting feature that this debilitating disease shares with many other inflammatory disorders is that susceptibility is higher in females than in males, with the risk of MS being three times higher in women compared to men. Nonetheless, while men have a decreased risk of developing MS, many studies suggest that males have a worse clinical outcome. MS exhibits an apparent sexual dimorphism in both the immune response and the pathophysiology of the CNS damage, ultimately affecting disease susceptibility and progression differently. Overall, women are predisposed to higher rates of inflammatory relapses than men, but men are more likely to manifest signs of disease progression and worse CNS damage. The observed sexual dimorphism in MS may be due to sex hormones and sex chromosomes, acting in parallel or combination. In this review, we outline current knowledge on the sexual dimorphism in MS and discuss the interplay of sex chromosomes, sex hormones, and the immune system in driving MS disease susceptibility and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Gilli
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Krista D DiSano
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
| | - Andrew R Pachner
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States
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19
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Fioretto BS, Rosa I, Romano E, Wang Y, Guiducci S, Zhang G, Manetti M, Matucci-Cerinic M. The contribution of epigenetics to the pathogenesis and gender dimorphism of systemic sclerosis: a comprehensive overview. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis 2020; 12:1759720X20918456. [PMID: 32523636 PMCID: PMC7236401 DOI: 10.1177/1759720x20918456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a life-threatening connective tissue disorder of unknown etiology characterized by widespread vascular injury and dysfunction, impaired angiogenesis, immune dysregulation and progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Over the past few years, a new trend of investigations is increasingly reporting aberrant epigenetic modifications in genes related to the pathogenesis of SSc, suggesting that, besides genetics, epigenetics may play a pivotal role in disease development and clinical manifestations. Like many other autoimmune diseases, SSc presents a striking female predominance, and even if the reason for this gender imbalance has yet to be completely understood, it appears that the X chromosome, which contains many gender and immune-related genes, could play a role in such gender-biased prevalence. Besides a short summary of the genetic background of SSc, in this review we provide a comprehensive overview of the most recent insights into the epigenetic modifications which underlie the pathophysiology of SSc. A particular focus is given to genetic variations in genes located on the X chromosome as well as to the main X-linked epigenetic modifications that can influence SSc susceptibility and clinical phenotype. On the basis of the most recent advances, there is realistic hope that integrating epigenetic data with genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic analyses may provide in the future a better picture of their functional implications in SSc, paving the right way for a better understanding of disease pathogenesis and the development of innovative therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Saveria Fioretto
- Department of Experimental and Clinical
Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini
6, Florence, 50139, Italy
| | - Irene Rosa
- Department of Experimental and Clinical
Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Florence and Scleroderma
Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi (AOUC),Florence, Italy
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and
Histology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Eloisa Romano
- Department of Experimental and Clinical
Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Florence and Scleroderma
Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi (AOUC), Florence,
Italy
| | - Yukai Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology,
Shantou Central Hospital, Shantou, China
| | - Serena Guiducci
- Department of Experimental and Clinical
Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Florence and Scleroderma
Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi (AOUC), Florence,
Italy
| | - Guohong Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shantou University
Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Mirko Manetti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical
Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence,
Florence, Italy
| | - Marco Matucci-Cerinic
- Department of Experimental and Clinical
Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Florence and Scleroderma
Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi (AOUC), Florence,
Italy
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20
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Ciaccio C, Redaelli S, Bentivegna A, Marelli S, Crosti F, Sala EM, Cavallari U. Unbalanced X;Autosome Translocations May Lead to Mild Phenotypes and Are Associated with Autoimmune Diseases. Cytogenet Genome Res 2020; 160:80-84. [PMID: 32018271 DOI: 10.1159/000506097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Unbalanced X;autosome translocations are a rare occurrence with a wide variability in clinical presentation in which the X chromosome unbalance is usually mitigated by a favorable X inactivation pattern. In most cases, this compensation mechanism is incomplete, and the patients show a syndromic clinical presentation. We report the case of a family with 4 women, of 3 different generations, carrying an unbalanced X;7 translocation with a derivative X;7 chromosome and showing a skewed X inactivation pattern with a preferential activation of the normal X. None of the carriers show intellectual disability, and all of them have a very mild clinical presentation mainly characterized by gynecological/hormonal issues and autoimmune disorders. We underline the necessity of family testing for a correct genetic consultation, especially in the field of prenatal diagnosis. We indeed discuss the fact that X;autosome translocations may lead to self-immunization, as skewed X chromosome inactivation has already been proved to be related to autoimmune disorders.
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21
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Heritability of skewed X-inactivation in female twins is tissue-specific and associated with age. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5339. [PMID: 31767861 PMCID: PMC6877649 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13340-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Female somatic X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) balances the X-linked transcriptional dosages between the sexes. Skewed XCI toward one parental X has been observed in several complex human traits, but the extent to which genetics and environment influence skewed XCI is largely unexplored. To address this, we quantify XCI-skew in multiple tissues and immune cell types in a twin cohort. Within an individual, XCI-skew differs between blood, fat and skin tissue, but is shared across immune cell types. XCI skew increases with age in blood, but not other tissues, and is associated with smoking. XCI-skew is increased in twins with Rheumatoid Arthritis compared to unaffected identical co-twins. XCI-skew is heritable in blood of females >55 years old (h2 = 0.34), but not in younger individuals or other tissues. This results in a Gene x Age interaction that shifts the functional dosage of all X-linked heterozygous loci in a tissue-restricted manner. Skewing of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) occurs when the silencing of one parental X chromosome is non-random. Here, Zito et al. report XCI patterns in lymphoblastoid cell lines, blood, subcutaneous adipose tissue samples and skin samples of monozygotic and dizygotic twins and find XCI skew to associate with tissue and age.
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22
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Yuen GJ. Autoimmunity in women: an eX amination of eX isting models. Clin Immunol 2019; 210:108270. [PMID: 31669190 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2019.108270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Women comprise over 80% of the affected individuals for many autoimmune conditions. Although sex-specific differences in sex hormones are thought to contribute to the female predisposition to autoimmunity, emerging evidence also suggests an intriguing role of both physiological and dysregulated X-chromosome inactivation. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that many immune genes encoded on the X chromosome are expressed biallelically, and the contribution of these sex-specific differences in immune gene dosage to autoimmunity remains to be fully explored. This review highlights recent developments in this field and discusses questions that remain unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace J Yuen
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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Lambert NC. Nonendocrine mechanisms of sex bias in rheumatic diseases. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2019; 15:673-686. [PMID: 31597952 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-019-0307-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Rheumatic diseases affect a wide range of individuals of all ages, but the most common diseases occur more frequently in women than in men, at ratios of up to ten women to one man. Despite a growing number of studies on sex bias in rheumatic diseases, sex-specific health care is limited and sex specificity is not systematically integrated into treatment regimens. Women and men differ in three major biological points: the number of X chromosomes per cell, the type and quantities of sex hormones present and the ability to be pregnant, all of which have immunological consequences. Could a greater understanding of these differences lead to a new era of personalized sex-specific medicine? This Review focuses on the main genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that have been put forward to explain sex bias in rheumatic diseases, including X chromosome inactivation, sex chromosome aneuploidy and microchimerism. The influence of sex hormones is not discussed in detail in this Review, as it has been well described elsewhere. Understanding the sex-specific factors that contribute to the initiation and progression of rheumatic diseases will enable progress to be made in the diagnosis, treatment and management of all patients with these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie C Lambert
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
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Gerussi A, Cristoferi L, Carbone M, Asselta R, Invernizzi P. The immunobiology of female predominance in primary biliary cholangitis. J Autoimmun 2018; 95:124-132. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Santiwatana S, Mahachoklertwattana P, Limwongse C, Khlairit P, Pongratanakul S, Roothumnong E, Prangphan K, Choubtum L, Songdej D, Poomthavorn P. Skewed X chromosome inactivation in girls and female adolescents with autoimmune thyroid disease. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2018; 89:863-869. [PMID: 30229980 DOI: 10.1111/cen.13857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) was associated with female predominance in adult autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD). In normal females, skewed XCI is increased with age. Whether early-onset skewed XCI is associated with childhood ATD remains unknown. This study aimed to determine XCI skewing in paediatric ATD. DESIGN, PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS Ninety-one female ATD patients, aged 3-20 years and 57 age-matched, female controls were enrolled. XCI was analysed by enzymatic digestion of DNA with methylation-sensitive enzymes followed by PCR of the polymorphic CAG repeat in the androgen receptor gene. Skewed XCI was defined as having 80% or greater of the cells preferentially inactivated on the same X chromosome. XCI pattern of the enrolled patients and parental origin of the skewed XCI were determined. RESULTS After exclusion of samples with homozygous CAG repeats, skewed XCI was analysed in 83 patients (57 Graves' disease and 26 Hashimoto thyroiditis) and 52 controls. There was an increased frequency of skewed XCI in ATD patients as compared with the controls (23% vs 8%, P = 0.022). Patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis had greater frequency of skewed XCI than patients with Graves' disease (38% vs 16%, P = 0.023). There were no differences in clinical parameters between patients with skewed and random XCI. Analysis of 7 patients with skewed XCI showed a preferential inactivation of paternal X chromosome in 6 patients (86%). CONCLUSIONS Frequency of skewed XCI was increased in childhood ATD. This observation suggests a possible association of skewed XCI in the development of paediatric ATD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suttikarn Santiwatana
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pat Mahachoklertwattana
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chanin Limwongse
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Patcharin Khlairit
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sarunyu Pongratanakul
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ekkapong Roothumnong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kanjana Prangphan
- Division of Medical Genetics Research and Laboratory, Siriraj Medical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Lulin Choubtum
- Research Center, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Duantida Songdej
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Preamrudee Poomthavorn
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Schwinge D, Schramm C. Sex-related factors in autoimmune liver diseases. Semin Immunopathol 2018; 41:165-175. [DOI: 10.1007/s00281-018-0715-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Im C, Sapkota Y, Moon W, Kawashima M, Nakamura M, Tokunaga K, Yasui Y. Genome-wide haplotype association analysis of primary biliary cholangitis risk in Japanese. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7806. [PMID: 29773854 PMCID: PMC5958065 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26112-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) susceptibility loci have largely been discovered through single SNP association testing. In this study, we report genic haplotype patterns associated with PBC risk genome-wide in two Japanese cohorts. Among the 74 genic PBC risk haplotype candidates we detected with a novel methodological approach in a discovery cohort of 1,937 Japanese, nearly two-thirds were replicated (49 haplotypes, Bonferroni-corrected P < 6.8 × 10-4) in an independent Japanese cohort (N = 949). Along with corroborating known PBC-associated loci (TNFSF15, HLA-DRA), risk haplotypes may potentially model cis-interactions that regulate gene expression. For example, one replicated haplotype association (9q32-9q33.1, OR = 1.7, P = 3.0 × 10-21) consists of intergenic SNPs outside of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region that overlap regulatory histone mark peaks in liver and blood cells, and are significantly associated with TNFSF8 expression in whole blood. We also replicated a novel haplotype association involving non-HLA SNPs mapped to UMAD1 (7p21.3; OR = 15.2, P = 3.9 × 10-9) that overlap enhancer peaks in liver and memory Th cells. Our analysis demonstrates the utility of haplotype association analyses in discovering and characterizing PBC susceptibility loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Im
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada.
| | - Yadav Sapkota
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Wonjong Moon
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Minae Kawashima
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Minoru Nakamura
- Department of Hepatology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, Omura, Nagasaki, 856-8562, Japan
| | - Katsushi Tokunaga
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Yutaka Yasui
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9, Canada. .,Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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Roy SW. Intragenomic Conflict and Immune Tolerance: Do Selfish X-Linked Alleles Drive Skewed X Chromosome Inactivation? Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:857-862. [PMID: 29092048 PMCID: PMC5861445 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian females, diploid somatic cells contain two X chromosomes, one of which is transcriptionally silenced, in a process termed X chromosome inactivation (XCI). Whereas XCI is largely random in placental females, many women exhibit skewed XCI (SXCI), in which the vast majority cells have the same X chromosome inactivated. SXCI has serious health consequences, associated with conditions ranging from Alzheimer’s to various autoimmune disorders. SXCI is also associated with outcomes of pregnancies, with higher rates of recurrent spontaneous abortion in women with SXCI. Here, I suggest that SXCI could be driven by selfish X-linked alleles. Consistent with the association of SXCI with autoimmunity, I first note the possibility that recurrent spontaneous abortion could reflect immune rejection of fetuses inheriting alleles from the largely silenced maternal X chromosome. Preferential abortion of fetuses carrying silenced X-linked alleles implies a transmission advantage for X-linked alleles on the largely expressed chromosome, which could drive the emergence of X-linked alleles that make the chromosome resistant to XCI. I discuss the evolutionary dynamics, fitness tradeoffs and implications of this hypothesis, and suggest future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott W Roy
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University
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29
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Brooks WH. A Review of Autoimmune Disease Hypotheses with Introduction of the "Nucleolus" Hypothesis. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2018; 52:333-350. [PMID: 27324247 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-016-8567-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in order to explain the complexity of autoimmune diseases. These hypotheses provide frameworks towards understanding the relations between triggers, autoantigen development, symptoms, and demographics. However, testing and refining these hypotheses are difficult tasks since autoimmune diseases have a potentially overwhelming number of variables due to the influence on autoimmune diseases from environmental factors, genetics, and epigenetics. Typically, the hypotheses are narrow in scope, for example, explaining the diseases in terms of genetics without defining detailed roles for environmental factors or epigenetics. Here, we present a brief review of the major hypotheses of autoimmune diseases including a new one related to the consequences of abnormal nucleolar interactions with chromatin, the "nucleolus" hypothesis which was originally termed the "inactive X chromosome and nucleolus nexus" hypothesis. Indeed, the dynamic nucleolus can expand as part of a cellular stress response and potentially engulf portions of chromatin, leading to disruption of the chromatin. The inactive X chromosome (a.k.a. the Barr body) is particularly vulnerable due to its close proximity to the nucleolus. In addition, the polyamines, present at high levels in the nucleolus, are also suspected of contributing to the development of autoantigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley H Brooks
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Ave, CHE205, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA.
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30
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Carè A, Bellenghi M, Matarrese P, Gabriele L, Salvioli S, Malorni W. Sex disparity in cancer: roles of microRNAs and related functional players. Cell Death Differ 2018; 25:477-485. [PMID: 29352271 PMCID: PMC5864217 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-017-0051-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A sexual dimorphism at the cellular level has been suggested to play a role in cancer onset and progression. In particular, very recent studies have unraveled striking differences between cells carrying XX or XY chromosomes in terms of response to stressful stimuli, indicating the presence of genetic and epigenetic differences determining sex-specific metabolic or phenotypic traits. Although this field of investigation is still in its infancy, available data suggest a key role of sexual chromosomes in determining cell life or death. In particular, cells carrying XX chromosomes exhibit a higher adaptive potential and survival behavior in response to microenvironmental variations with respect to XY cells. Cells from females also appear to be equipped with more efficient epigenetic machinery than the male counterpart. In particular, the X chromosome contains an unexpected high number of microRNAs (miRs), at present 118, in comparison with only two miRs localized on chromosome Y, and an average of 40-50 on the autosomes. The regulatory power of these small non-coding RNAs is well recognized, as 30-50% of all protein-coding genes are targeted by miRs and their role in cell fate has been well demonstrated. In addition, several further insights, including DNA methylation patterns that are different in males and females, claim for a significant gender disparity in cancer and in the immune system activity against tumors. In this brief paper, we analyze the state of the art of our knowledge on the implication of miRs encoded on sex chromosomes, and their related functional paths, in the regulation of cell homeostasis and depict possible perspectives for the epigenetic research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Carè
- Oncology Unit, Center for Gender-specific Medicine Istituto Superiore di Sanita', Viale Regina Elena, 299 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Bellenghi
- Oncology Unit, Center for Gender-specific Medicine Istituto Superiore di Sanita', Viale Regina Elena, 299 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Matarrese
- Oncology Unit, Center for Gender-specific Medicine Istituto Superiore di Sanita', Viale Regina Elena, 299 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Gabriele
- Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanita', Viale Regina Elena, 299 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Salvioli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo 12, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Walter Malorni
- Oncology Unit, Center for Gender-specific Medicine Istituto Superiore di Sanita', Viale Regina Elena, 299 00161, Rome, Italy.
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Sharma A, Kaut O, Pavlova A, Fröhlich H, Ahmad A, Schmitt I, El-Maarri O, Oldenburg J, Wüllner U. Skewed X-chromosome inactivation and XIST locus methylation levels do not contribute to the lower prevalence of Parkinson's disease in females. Neurobiol Aging 2017; 57:248.e1-248.e5. [PMID: 28663000 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the nervous system and the cause of the majority of sporadic cases is unknown. Females are relatively protected from PD as compared with males and linkage studies suggested a PD susceptibility locus on the X chromosome. To determine a putative association of skewed X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) and PD, we examined XCI patterns using a human androgen receptor gene-based assay (HUMARA) and did not identify any association of skewed or random X inactivation with clinical heterogeneity among female PD patients. In addition, we sought to determine methylation-specific changes at the X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) locus, which is known to be responsible for initiating X inactivation. We observed a trend towards hypomethylation in the gene body region of the XIST locus in PD females which did not reach significance. Furthermore, we extended our analysis of DNA methylation across the entire X-chromosome which revealed no methylation-specific differences between PD females and healthy controls. Thus, we propose that skewed XCI and methylation levels on the entire X chromosome did not reveal changes which could account for the decreased PD susceptibility in females or suitable to use as a biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Sharma
- Department of Neurology, University Clinic Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Bonn, Germany
| | - Oliver Kaut
- Department of Neurology, University Clinic Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna Pavlova
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Bonn, Germany
| | - Holger Fröhlich
- Bonn-Aachen International Center for IT (B-IT), Bonn, Germany; UCB Biosciences GmbH, Monheim, Germany
| | - Ashar Ahmad
- Bonn-Aachen International Center for IT (B-IT), Bonn, Germany
| | - Ina Schmitt
- Department of Neurology, University Clinic Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Osman El-Maarri
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Bonn, Germany; Department of Natural Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Johannes Oldenburg
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ullrich Wüllner
- Department of Neurology, University Clinic Bonn, Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
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Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic modifications, including changes in DNA methylation, covalent modifications of histone tails, and gene silencing mediated by non-coding RNA molecules, play a substantial role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders and might be seen as the result of environmental insults that trigger these conditions. Studies in cells and tissues of patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD), and particularly in Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), are increasingly revealing altered epigenetic marks and resultant deregulation of gene expression levels, but the available data are still limited to be translated into the clinical settings. Particularly, genome-wide methylation and histone tail modification screenings are limited to a few studies in GD patients, and the diagnostic values of the observed epigenetic changes or their potential prognostic utility are still unclear. Similarly, data concerning microRNA expression in AITD patients are largely descriptive and not yet translated into the clinics. In addition, studies relating certain environmental exposures to specific epigenetic changes in AITD and studies evaluating the crosstalk between different epigenetic mechanisms are largely missing. In summary, despite that there is a clear evidence of epigenetic impairment in AITD, further research is required for a better understanding of the epigenetic networks involved in disease pathogenesis, thereby opening the way for potential diagnostic and prognostic tools, as well as for epigenetic interventions in the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Coppedè
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Section of Medical Genetics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Balachandar V, Dhivya V, Gomathi M, Mohanadevi S, Venkatesh B, Geetha B. A review of Rett syndrome (RTT) with induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Investig 2016; 3:52. [PMID: 27777941 DOI: 10.21037/sci.2016.09.05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are pluripotent stem cells generated from somatic cells by the introduction of a combination of pluripotency-associated genes such as OCT4, SOX2, along with either KLF4 and c-MYC or NANOG and LIN28 via retroviral or lentiviral vectors. Most importantly, hiPSCs are similar to human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) functionally as they are pluripotent and can potentially differentiate into any desired cell type when provided with the appropriate cues, but do not have the ethical issues surrounding hESCs. For these reasons, hiPSCs have huge potential in translational medicine such as disease modeling, drug screening, and cellular therapy. Indeed, patient-specific hiPSCs have been generated for a multitude of diseases, including many with a neurological basis, in which disease phenotypes have been recapitulated in vitro and proof-of-principle drug screening has been performed. As the techniques for generating hiPSCs are refined and these cells become a more widely used tool for understanding brain development, the insights they produce must be understood in the context of the greater complexity of the human genome and the human brain. Disease models using iPS from Rett syndrome (RTT) patient's fibroblasts have opened up a new avenue of drug discovery for therapeutic treatment of RTT. The analysis of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) upon differentiation of RTT-hiPSCs into neurons will be critical to conclusively demonstrate the isolation of pre-XCI RTT-hiPSCs in comparison to post-XCI RTT-hiPSCs. The current review projects on iPSC studies in RTT as well as XCI in hiPSC were it suggests for screening new potential therapeutic targets for RTT in future for the benefit of RTT patients. In conclusion, patient-specific drug screening might be feasible and would be particularly helpful in disorders where patients frequently have to try multiple drugs before finding a regimen that works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vellingiri Balachandar
- Human Molecular Genetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Venkatesan Dhivya
- Human Molecular Genetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mohan Gomathi
- Human Molecular Genetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Subramaniam Mohanadevi
- Human Molecular Genetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Balasubramanian Venkatesh
- Human Molecular Genetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Bharathi Geetha
- Human Molecular Genetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamil Nadu, India
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Kanaan SB, Onat OE, Balandraud N, Martin GV, Nelson JL, Azzouz DF, Auger I, Arnoux F, Martin M, Roudier J, Ozcelik T, Lambert NC. Evaluation of X Chromosome Inactivation with Respect to HLA Genetic Susceptibility in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Sclerosis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158550. [PMID: 27355582 PMCID: PMC4927113 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) are characterized by a strong genetic susceptibility from the Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA) locus. Additionally, disorders of epigenetic processes, in particular non-random X chromosome inactivation (XCI), have been reported in many female-predominant autoimmune diseases. Here we test the hypothesis that women with RA or SSc who are strongly genetically predisposed are less susceptible to XCI bias. Methods Using methylation sensitive genotyping of the androgen receptor (AR) gene, XCI profiles were performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 161 women with RA, 96 women with SSc and 100 healthy women. HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 were genotyped. Presence of specific autoantibodies was documented for patients. XCI skewing was defined as having a ratio ≥ 80:20 of cells inactivating the same X chromosome. Results 110 women with RA, 68 women with SSc, and 69 controls were informative for the AR polymorphism. Among them 40.9% of RA patients and 36.8% of SSc patients had skewed XCI compared to 17.4% of healthy women (P = 0.002 and 0.018, respectively). Presence of RA-susceptibility alleles coding for the “shared epitope” correlated with higher skewing among RA patients (P = 0.002) and such correlation was not observed in other women, healthy or with SSc. Presence of SSc-susceptibility alleles did not correlate with XCI patterns among SSc patients. Conclusion Data demonstrate XCI skewing in both RA and SSc compared to healthy women. Unexpectedly, skewed XCI occurs more often in women with RA carrying the shared epitope, which usually reflects severe disease. This reinforces the view that loss of mosaicism in peripheral blood may be a consequence of chronic autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami B. Kanaan
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Onur E. Onat
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nathalie Balandraud
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Sainte Marguerite, AP-HM, Marseille, France
| | - Gabriel V. Martin
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - J. Lee Nelson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Doua F. Azzouz
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Isabelle Auger
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Fanny Arnoux
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Marielle Martin
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Jean Roudier
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
- Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Sainte Marguerite, AP-HM, Marseille, France
| | - Tayfun Ozcelik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nathalie C. Lambert
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMRs1097, Scientific Park of Luminy, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
- * E-mail:
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35
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Gentilini D, Garagnani P, Pisoni S, Bacalini MG, Calzari L, Mari D, Vitale G, Franceschi C, Di Blasio AM. Stochastic epigenetic mutations (DNA methylation) increase exponentially in human aging and correlate with X chromosome inactivation skewing in females. Aging (Albany NY) 2016; 7:568-78. [PMID: 26342808 PMCID: PMC4586102 DOI: 10.18632/aging.100792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In this study we applied a new analytical strategy to investigate the relations between stochastic epigenetic mutations (SEMs) and aging. We analysed methylation levels through the Infinium HumanMethylation27 and HumanMethylation450 BeadChips in a population of 178 subjects ranging from 3 to 106 years. For each CpG probe, epimutated subjects were identified as the extreme outliers with methylation level exceeding three times interquartile ranges the first quartile (Q1-(3 × IQR)) or the third quartile (Q3+(3 × IQR)). We demonstrated that the number of SEMs was low in childhood and increased exponentially during aging. Using the HUMARA method, skewing of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) was evaluated in heterozygotes women. Multivariate analysis indicated a significant correlation between log(SEMs) and degree of XCI skewing after adjustment for age (β = 0.41; confidence interval: 0.14, 0.68; p-value = 0.0053). The PATH analysis tested the complete model containing the variables: skewing of XCI, age, log(SEMs) and overall CpG methylation. After adjusting for the number of epimutations we failed to confirm the well reported correlation between skewing of XCI and aging. This evidence might suggest that the known correlation between XCI skewing and aging could not be a direct association but mediated by the number of SEMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Gentilini
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, 20095 Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Garagnani
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum- University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center "L. Galvani", University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Serena Pisoni
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, 20095 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Giulia Bacalini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum- University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center "L. Galvani", University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
| | - Luciano Calzari
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, 20095 Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Mari
- Geriatric Unit, IRCCS Ca' Granda Foundation Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Vitale
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Cusano Milanino, 20095 Milan, Italy.,Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum- University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy.,Interdepartmental Center "L. Galvani", University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy
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Peoples C, Medsger TA, Lucas M, Rosario BL, Feghali-Bostwick CA. Gender differences in systemic sclerosis: relationship to clinical features, serologic status and outcomes. JOURNAL OF SCLERODERMA AND RELATED DISORDERS 2016; 1:177-240. [PMID: 29242839 PMCID: PMC5726425 DOI: 10.5301/jsrd.5000209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is a strong female preponderance reported in many connective tissue diseases and in almost all systemic sclerosis (SSc) case series. METHODS We compared gender differences in SSc patients in a large single-center cohort, including demographic features, disease subtype, environmental exposures, disease-specific serum autoantibodies, organ system involvement (frequency and severity) and survival. Adjustment for cutaneous subset (diffuse cutaneous [dc] and limited cutaneous [lc]) was performed. RESULTS We identified key characteristics which distinguished female from male SSc patients. Females were more frequently younger at disease onset with a longer disease duration at the time of their first visit. Females more often had lcSSc and, if an overlap syndrome was present, it was most often systemic lupus erythematosus. In contrast, males more frequently had dcSSc and overlap with myositis. Females more frequently had peripheral vascular involvement but in males it was more often severe. Males were more often cigarette smokers and more frequently had environmental exposures. Males more frequently had interstitial lung disease (ILD or pulmonary fibrosis) which was more severe. Females had a significantly increased frequency of anti-centromere antibody and males anti-topoisomerase I and anti-U3RNP antibody. Males had significantly reduced survival (73% at 5 years and 45% at 10 years after onset of SSc). The most frequent causes of death were ILD in males and pulmonary hypertension in females. CONCLUSIONS Gender differences may be important clues to understanding the natural history and pathogenesis of SSc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Peoples
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - USA
| | - Thomas A. Medsger
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - USA
| | - Mary Lucas
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - USA
| | - Bedda L. Rosario
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - USA
| | - Carol A. Feghali-Bostwick
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - USA
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine/Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina - USA
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D'Amico F, Skarmoutsou E, Mazzarino MC. The sex bias in systemic sclerosis: on the possible mechanisms underlying the female disease preponderance. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2015; 47:334-43. [PMID: 24126759 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-013-8392-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis is a multifactorial and heterogeneous disease. Genetic and environmental factors are known to interplay in the onset and progression of systemic sclerosis. Sex plays an important and determinant role in the development of such a disorder. Systemic sclerosis shows a significant female preponderance. However, the reason for this female preponderance is incompletely understood. Hormonal status, genetic and epigenetic differences, and lifestyle have been considered in order to explain female preponderance in systemic sclerosis. Sex chromosomes play a determinant role in contributing to systemic sclerosis onset and progression, as well as in its sex-biased prevalence. It is known, in fact, that X chromosome contains many sex- and immuno-related genes, thus contributing to immuno tolerance and sex hormone status. This review focuses mainly on the recent progress on epigenetic mechanisms--exclusively linked to the X chromosome--which would contribute to the development of systemic sclerosis. Furthermore, we report also some hypotheses (dealing with skewed X chromosome inactivation, X gene reactivation, acquired monosomy) that have been proposed in order to justify the female preponderance in autoimmune diseases. However, despite the intensive efforts in elucidating the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis, many questions remain still unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio D'Amico
- Department of Bio-medical Sciences, University of Catania, via Androne 83, 95124, Catania, Italy,
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex-specific differences in the prevalence and severity of immune disorders are well-known phenomena; however, it is only recently that we have begun to understand the possible causes of such differences. MATERIAL AND METHODS A literature search on this topic was carried out and the results are summarized. RESULTS In the last few years research has been guided by technological advances in gene sequencing and new insights into the microbiome of the gut, as well as an awareness of sex- and gender-specific risk factors for infections and autoimmunity. CONCLUSION The knowledge acquired in recent years will not only improve diagnostics and early identification of these disorders but also influence future research, prevention and therapy of infections and autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Riemekasten
- Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Deutschland,
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Abstract
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks and destroys the organs and tissues of its own host. Autoimmunity is the third most common type of disease in the United States. Because there is no cure for autoimmunity, it is extremely important to study the mechanisms that trigger these diseases. Most autoimmune diseases predominantly affect females, indicating a strong sex bias. Various factors, including sex hormones, the presence or absence of a second X chromosome, and sex-specific gut microbiota can influence gene expression in a sex-specific way. These changes in gene expression may, in turn, lead to susceptibility or protection from autoimmunity, creating a sex bias for autoimmune diseases. In this Review we discuss recent findings in the field of sex-dependent regulation of gene expression and autoimmunity.
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Abstract
We describe the trajectory of the human sex ratio from conception to birth by analyzing data from (i) 3- to 6-d-old embryos, (ii) induced abortions, (iii) chorionic villus sampling, (iv) amniocentesis, and (v) fetal deaths and live births. Our dataset is the most comprehensive and largest ever assembled to estimate the sex ratio at conception and the sex ratio trajectory and is the first, to our knowledge, to include all of these types of data. Our estimate of the sex ratio at conception is 0.5 (proportion male), which contradicts the common claim that the sex ratio at conception is male-biased. The sex ratio among abnormal embryos is male-biased, and the sex ratio among normal embryos is female-biased. These biases are associated with the abnormal/normal state of the sex chromosomes and of chromosomes 15 and 17. The sex ratio may decrease in the first week or so after conception (due to excess male mortality); it then increases for at least 10-15 wk (due to excess female mortality), levels off after ∼20 wk, and declines slowly from 28 to 35 wk (due to excess male mortality). Total female mortality during pregnancy exceeds total male mortality. The unbiased sex ratio at conception, the increase in the sex ratio during the first trimester, and total mortality during pregnancy being greater for females are fundamental insights into early human development.
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Ishido N, Inoue N, Watanabe M, Hidaka Y, Iwatani Y. The relationship between skewed X chromosome inactivation and the prognosis of Graves' and Hashimoto's diseases. Thyroid 2015; 25:256-61. [PMID: 25338305 PMCID: PMC4322037 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2014.0318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs) predominantly develop in females. One of two X chromosomes is randomly inactivated by methylation in each female cell, but it has been reported that skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) may be associated with the development of autoimmune diseases. To clarify the significance of skewed XCI in the prognosis and development of AITD, we investigated the proportion of skewed XCI in female patients with AITD. METHODS We analyzed the degree of XCI skewing in 120 female patients with AITD (77 patients with Graves' disease [GD] and 43 patients with Hashimoto's disease [HD]) and 49 female controls in DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). We performed XCI analysis by digesting inactive DNA with a methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme (HpaII) followed by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the polymorphic CAG repeat of the androgen receptor gene and electrophoresis of the PCR products. RESULTS The proportion of skewed XCI (≥65% skewing) was not significantly different between AITD patients and control subjects but was higher in patients with intractable GD (66.7%) than those with GD in remission (25.0%, p=0.0033) and control subjects (32.6%, p=0.0038). When the cutoff value for XCI skewing was relaxed, the proportion of skewed XCI (≥60% skewing) was higher in patients with severe HD (76.5%) than in those with mild HD (41.2%, p=0.0342). CONCLUSIONS Skewed XCI is related to the prognosis of AITD, particularly the intractability of GD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoko Ishido
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Naoya Inoue
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mikio Watanabe
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoh Hidaka
- Department of Laboratory Medicine; Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Iwatani
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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Wang X, Zynat J, Guo Y, Osiman R, Tuhuti A, Zhao H, Abdunaimu M, Wang H, Jin X, Xing S. Low Serum Vitamin D Is Associated with Anti-Thyroid-Globulin Antibody in Female Individuals. Int J Endocrinol 2015; 2015:285290. [PMID: 26681939 PMCID: PMC4670662 DOI: 10.1155/2015/285290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives. Some evidence has pointed out that vitamin D plays a significant role in reducing the incidence of autoimmune diseases, especially autoimmune thyroid diseases. The authors aimed to examine the relationship between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and thyroid autoantibody in a population-based health survey of Xinjiang Chinese population. Subjects and Methods. A total of 1714 Chinese adults were analyzed. 25(OH)D, anti-thyroid antibodies, and thyroid function were measured. Results. The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was 28.3% in Hans and 9.3% in Uyghurs, and the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 61.6% in Hans and 87.6% in Uyghurs. Overall prevalence of TgAb positivity was 6.2% (0.9% males; 5.3% females). In female subjects, mean serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in Hans and Uyghurs compared with males, and the difference was statistically significant. Importantly, after adjusting for age and ethnicity, a negative correlation (r = -0.121, P = 0.014) was recognized between 25(OH)D and TgAb levels only in female subjects. Conclusion. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are prevalent among Chinese adults. Low serum 25(OH)D is related to the presence of TgAb in females. The causal effect of low vitamin D level on thyroid autoimmunity should be studied further more.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinling Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Jazyra Zynat
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Yanying Guo
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
- *Yanying Guo:
| | - Reziwan Osiman
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Aihemaitjan Tuhuti
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Hongli Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Munira Abdunaimu
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Huili Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Xiaoping Jin
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
| | - Shuqing Xing
- Department of Endocrinology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830000, China
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High-resolution chromosomal microarray analysis of early-stage human embryonic stem cells reveals an association between X chromosome instability and skewed X inactivation. Cell Biosci 2014; 4:74. [PMID: 25506417 PMCID: PMC4265433 DOI: 10.1186/2045-3701-4-74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a dosage compensation mechanism that silences the majority of genes on one X chromosome in each female cell via a random process. Skewed XCI is relevant to many diseases, but the mechanism leading to it remains unclear. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocyst-stage embryos have provided an excellent model system for understanding XCI initiation and maintenance. Here, we derived hESC lines with random or skewed XCI patterns from poor-quality embryos and investigated the genome-wide copy number variation (CNV) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) patterns at the early passages of these two groups of hESC lines. It was found that the average size of CNVs on the X chromosomes in the skewed group is twice as much as that in the random group. Moreover, the LOH regions of the skewed group covered the gene locus of either XIST or XACT, which are master long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) effectors of XCI in human pluripotent stem cells. In conclusion, our work has established an experimentally tractable hESC model for study of skewed XCI and revealed an association between X chromosome instability and skewed XCI.
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Furman D. Sexual dimorphism in immunity: improving our understanding of vaccine immune responses in men. Expert Rev Vaccines 2014; 14:461-71. [PMID: 25278153 DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2015.966694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Weaker immune responses are often observed in males compared to females. Since female hormones have proinflammatory properties and androgens have potent immunomodulatory effects, this sexual dimorphism in the immune response seems to be hormone dependent. Despite our current knowledge about the effect of sex hormones on immune cells, definition of the factors driving the sex differences in immunoclinical outcomes, such as the diminished response to infection and vaccination observed in men or the higher rates of autoimmunity observed in females, remains elusive. Recently, systems approaches to immune function have started to suggest a way toward establishing this connection. Such studies promise to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the sexual dimorphism observed in the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Furman
- Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University, 279 Campus Drive, B240 Beckman Center, Stanford, CA 94305-5124, USA
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Hussein H, Lee P, Chau C, Johnson SR. The Effect of Male Sex on Survival in Systemic Sclerosis. J Rheumatol 2014; 41:2193-200. [DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.140006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Objective.Systemic sclerosis (SSc) has a female predominance, however, little is understood about the effect of sex on SSc manifestations and survival. The objectives of our study were to evaluate differences in disease manifestations, and survival rates between males and females with SSc.Methods.A retrospective cohort study of the Toronto Scleroderma Program was conducted to evaluate sex-based differences in disease manifestations and survival. A relative survival analysis compared SSc survival to the general population.Results.There were 959 patients (791 females, 168 males) identified, with a female:male ratio of 4.7:1. Males more frequently had diffuse SSc [45% vs 30%, relative risk (RR) 1.44, 95% CI 1.18–1.75] and interstitial lung disease (ILD; 41% vs 33%, RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01–1.52). There were 324 deaths (65 males, 259 females). Males had increased unadjusted mortality compared to females (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.19–2.06). In an adjusted model including immunosuppressive use, male sex (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.06–1.85), ILD (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.26–1.98), and older age at diagnosis (HR 1.05, 95% CI 1.04–1.06) were independently associated with increased mortality, whereas the limited subtype (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49–0.77) and anticentromere antibodies (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49–0.98) were independently associated with decreased mortality. Male sex was associated with increased risk of mortality (HR 1.16, p = 0.003) in patients with SSc above that observed for males in the general population.Conclusion.The differential effect of disease between sexes is small, yet males have decreased survival compared to females with SSc.
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Ngo ST, Steyn FJ, McCombe PA. Gender differences in autoimmune disease. Front Neuroendocrinol 2014; 35:347-69. [PMID: 24793874 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2014.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 583] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Revised: 04/20/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases are a range of diseases in which the immune response to self-antigens results in damage or dysfunction of tissues. Autoimmune diseases can be systemic or can affect specific organs or body systems. For most autoimmune diseases there is a clear sex difference in prevalence, whereby females are generally more frequently affected than males. In this review, we consider gender differences in systemic and organ-specific autoimmune diseases, and we summarize human data that outlines the prevalence of common autoimmune diseases specific to adult males and females in countries commonly surveyed. We discuss possible mechanisms for sex specific differences including gender differences in immune response and organ vulnerability, reproductive capacity including pregnancy, sex hormones, genetic predisposition, parental inheritance, and epigenetics. Evidence demonstrates that gender has a significant influence on the development of autoimmune disease. Thus, considerations of gender should be at the forefront of all studies that attempt to define mechanisms that underpin autoimmune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- S T Ngo
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia; University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - F J Steyn
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - P A McCombe
- University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
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Sex-biased chromatin and regulatory cross-talk between sex chromosomes, autosomes, and mitochondria. Biol Sex Differ 2014; 5:2. [PMID: 24422881 PMCID: PMC3907150 DOI: 10.1186/2042-6410-5-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/29/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Several autoimmune and neurological diseases exhibit a sex bias, but discerning the causes and mechanisms of these biases has been challenging. Sex differences begin to manifest themselves in early embryonic development, and gonadal differentiation further bifurcates the male and female phenotypes. Even at this early stage, however, there is evidence that males and females respond to environmental stimuli differently, and the divergent phenotypic responses may have consequences later in life. The effect of prenatal nutrient restriction illustrates this point, as adult women exposed to prenatal restrictions exhibited increased risk factors of cardiovascular disease, while men exposed to the same condition did not. Recent research has examined the roles of sex-specific genes, hormones, chromosomes, and the interactions among them in mediating sex-biased phenotypes. Such research has identified testosterone, for example, as a possible protective agent against autoimmune disorders and an XX chromosome complement as a susceptibility factor in murine models of lupus and multiple sclerosis. Sex-biased chromatin is an additional and likely important component. Research suggesting a role for X and Y chromosome heterochromatin in regulating epigenetic states of autosomes has highlighted unorthodox mechanisms of gene regulation. The crosstalk between the Y chromosomes and autosomes may be further mediated by the mitochondria. The organelles have solely maternal transmission and exert differential effects on males and females. Altogether, research supports the notion that the interaction between sex-biased elements might exert novel regulatory functions in the genome and contribute to sex-specific susceptibilities to autoimmune and neurological diseases.
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Selmi C, Feghali-Bostwick CA, Lleo A, Lombardi SA, De Santis M, Cavaciocchi F, Zammataro L, Mitchell MM, Lasalle JM, Medsger T, Gershwin ME. X chromosome gene methylation in peripheral lymphocytes from monozygotic twins discordant for scleroderma. Clin Exp Immunol 2012; 169:253-62. [PMID: 22861365 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2012.04621.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Scleroderma (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disease characterized by fibrosis, microvasculopathy and autoimmune features. The role of genetics is limited in SSc, as suggested by similar concordance rates in monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs, while environmental factors may act through epigenetic changes, as demonstrated for specific genes. Further, sex chromosome changes have been reported in SSc and may explain the female preponderance. In the present study we compared the methylation profile of all X chromosome genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from monozygotic twins discordant (n=7) and concordant (n=1) for SSc. Methylated DNA immunoprecipitations from each discordant twin pair were hybridized to a custom-designed array included 998 sites encompassing promoters of all X chromosome genes and randomly chosen autosomal genes. Biostatistical tools identified sites with an elevated probability to be consistently hypermethylated (n=18) or hypomethylated (n=25) in affected twins. Identified genes include transcription factors (ARX, HSFX1, ZBED1, ZNF41) and surface antigens (IL1RAPL2, PGRMC1), and pathway analysis suggests their involvement in cell proliferation (PGK1, SMS, UTP14A, SSR4), apoptosis (MTM1), inflammation (ARAF) and oxidative stress (ENOX2). In conclusion, we propose that X chromosome genes with different methylation profiles in monozygotic twin pairs may constitute candidates for SSc susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Selmi
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Genome Center and MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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