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Das S, Brown L, Nikkel SM, Saunders J, Dunham C. Dual white matter pathology in fetal holoprosencephaly featuring concurrent malformative and destructive features: A case series. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024:nlae070. [PMID: 38981113 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is a classic brain malformation involving defective forebrain induction and patterning. Cases of HPE bearing white matter abnormalities have not been well documented, with only rare cases exhibiting hypoxic-ischemic damage. However, neuroradiologic studies of HPE using diffusion tensor imaging have suggested the presence of white matter architectural disarray. Described in this case series are the clinicopathologic features of 8 fetuses with HPE who underwent autopsy at BC Children's Hospital. All 8 cases exhibited subacute to chronic, periventricular leukomalacia (PVL)-like white matter pathology, with 7 of 8 cases also demonstrating aberrant white matter tracts, one of which manifested as a discreet bundle crossing the midline within the ventral aspects of the fused deep gray nuclei. In 6 of these 7 cases, the PVL-like pathology resided within this aberrant white matter tract. Original workup, alongside an additional HPE-focused next-generation sequencing panel identified a likely etiologic cause for the HPE in 4 cases, with an additional 2 cases exhibiting a variant of unknown significance in genes previously suggested to be involved in HPE. Despite our in-depth clinicopathologic and molecular review, no unifying etiology was definitively identified among our series of fetal HPE bearing this unusual pattern of white matter pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Das
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, University of Alberta and Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Lindsay Brown
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Genome Diagnostics, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sarah M Nikkel
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Provincial Medical Genetics Program, BC Women's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jessica Saunders
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Anatomic Pathology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Christopher Dunham
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Anatomic Pathology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Engelhardt D, Marean A, McKean D, Petersen J, Niswander L. RSG1 is required for cilia-dependent neural tube closure. Genesis 2024; 62:e23602. [PMID: 38721990 PMCID: PMC11141724 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Cilia play a key role in the regulation of signaling pathways required for embryonic development, including the proper formation of the neural tube, the precursor to the brain and spinal cord. Forward genetic screens were used to generate mouse lines that display neural tube defects (NTD) and secondary phenotypes useful in interrogating function. We describe here the L3P mutant line that displays phenotypes of disrupted Sonic hedgehog signaling and affects the initiation of cilia formation. A point mutation was mapped in the L3P line to the gene Rsg1, which encodes a GTPase-like protein. The mutation lies within the GTP-binding pocket and disrupts the highly conserved G1 domain. The mutant protein and other centrosomal and IFT proteins still localize appropriately to the basal body of cilia, suggesting that RSG1 GTPase activity is not required for basal body maturation but is needed for a downstream step in axonemal elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Engelhardt
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
| | - Amber Marean
- Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - David McKean
- Cells, Stem Cells and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Juliette Petersen
- Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
| | - Lee Niswander
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
- Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
- Cells, Stem Cells and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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3
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Berrino C, Omar A. Unravelling the Mysteries of the Sonic Hedgehog Pathway in Cancer Stem Cells: Activity, Crosstalk and Regulation. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:5397-5419. [PMID: 38920995 PMCID: PMC11202538 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46060323] [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: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signalling pathway plays a critical role in normal development and tissue homeostasis, guiding cell differentiation, proliferation, and survival. Aberrant activation of this pathway, however, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various cancers, largely due to its role in regulating cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are a subpopulation of cancer cells with the ability to self-renew, differentiate, and initiate tumour growth, contributing significantly to tumorigenesis, recurrence, and resistance to therapy. This review focuses on the intricate activity of the Shh pathway within the context of CSCs, detailing the molecular mechanisms through which Shh signalling influences CSC properties, including self-renewal, differentiation, and survival. It further explores the regulatory crosstalk between the Shh pathway and other signalling pathways in CSCs, highlighting the complexity of this regulatory network. Here, we delve into the upstream regulators and downstream effectors that modulate Shh pathway activity in CSCs. This review aims to cast a specific focus on the role of the Shh pathway in CSCs, provide a detailed exploration of molecular mechanisms and regulatory crosstalk, and discuss current and developing inhibitors. By summarising key findings and insights gained, we wish to emphasise the importance of further elucidating the interplay between the Shh pathway and CSCs to develop more effective cancer therapies.
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Shimekit MA, Yesuf EF, Teferi SM, Lemma MG. Cartilage within lipomyelomeningocele and ulnar longitudinal deficiency syndrome as VACTERL association, alliance in SHH/GLI3, and Wnt pathway: illustrative case. JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY. CASE LESSONS 2024; 7:CASE24177. [PMID: 38684130 PMCID: PMC11058404 DOI: 10.3171/case24177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lipomyelomeningocele associated with an ulnar club hand in the spectrum of VACTERL association ([costo-]vertebral abnormalities; anal atresia; cardiac defects; tracheal-esophageal abnomalities, including atresia, stenosis, and fistula; renal and radial abnormalities; limb abnormalities; single umbilical artery) is a very rare and infrequently reported phenomenon. Within the fat mass of the lipoma, it is not common to find a well-defined cartilaginous mass with no attachments to the surrounding tissue. OBSERVATIONS The authors present the case of a 3-month-old male with low-back swelling that was off-center to the left, accompanied by a left short forearm displaying outward bowing. Echocardiography showed an atrial septal defect. This rare VACTERL association comprises lipomyelomeningocele, atrial septal defect, and ulnar longitudinal deficiency syndrome. During surgical intervention for the lipoma, a well-defined cartilaginous mass was discovered within the adipose tissue. LESSONS The manifestation of VACTERL association can be partially explained by the Shh/Gli and Wnt pathway defects. It is prudent to screen children with neural tube defects to be aware of any associated syndromes. This case is very rare, and the literature has contained no prior report on the VACTERL association of lipomyelomeningocele, atrial septal defect, and ulnar longitudinal deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikael Aseged Shimekit
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Ermias Fikru Yesuf
- Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Simon Mulugeta Teferi
- Department of Pathology, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia; and
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Parashar A, Jha D, Mehta V, Chauhan B, Ghosh P, Deb PK, Jaiswal M, Prajapati SK. Sonic hedgehog signalling pathway contributes in age-related disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 96:102271. [PMID: 38492808 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102271] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by the aging process and manifested by cognitive deficits and progressive memory loss. During aging, several conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and cholesterol, have been identified as potential causes of AD by affecting Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signalling. In addition to being essential for cell differentiation and proliferation, Shh signalling is involved in tissue repair and the prevention of neurodegeneration. Neurogenesis is dependent on Shh signalling; inhibition of this pathway results in neurodegeneration. Several protein-protein interactions that are involved in Shh signalling are implicated in the pathophysiology of AD like overexpression of the protein nexin-1 inhibits the Shh pathway in AD. A protein called Growth Arrest Specific-1 works with another protein called cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) to boost Shh signalling. CDO is involved in the development of the central nervous system (CNS). Shh signalling strengthened the blood brain barrier and therefore prevent the entry of amyloid beta and other toxins to the brain from periphery. Further, several traditional remedies used for AD and dementia, including Epigallocatechin gallate, yokukansan, Lycium barbarum polysaccharides, salvianolic acid, and baicalin, are known to stimulate the Shh pathway. In this review, we elaborated that the Shh signalling exerts a substantial influence on the pathogenesis of AD. In this article, we have tried to explore the various possible connections between the Shh signalling and various known pathologies of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Parashar
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology & Management Sciences, Solan 173 212, India.
| | - Dhruv Jha
- Birla Institute of Technology, India
| | - Vineet Mehta
- Department of Pharmacology, Government College of Pharmacy, Rohru, District Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171207, India
| | - Bonney Chauhan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology & Management Sciences, Solan 173 212, India
| | - Pappu Ghosh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology & Management Sciences, Solan 173 212, India
| | - Prashanta Kumar Deb
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology & Management Sciences, Solan 173 212, India
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Caiaffa CD, Ambekar YS, Singh M, Lin YL, Wlodarczyk B, Aglyamov SR, Scarcelli G, Larin KV, Finnell RH. Disruption of Fuz in mouse embryos generates hypoplastic hindbrain development and reduced cranial nerve ganglia. Dev Dyn 2024. [PMID: 38501709 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brain and spinal cord formation is initiated in the earliest stages of mammalian pregnancy in a highly organized process known as neurulation. Environmental or genetic interferences can impair neurulation, resulting in clinically significant birth defects known collectively as neural tube defects. The Fuz gene encodes a subunit of the CPLANE complex, a macromolecular planar polarity effector required for ciliogenesis. Ablation of Fuz in mouse embryos results in exencephaly and spina bifida, including dysmorphic craniofacial structures due to defective cilia formation and impaired Sonic Hedgehog signaling. RESULTS We demonstrate that knocking Fuz out during embryonic mouse development results in a hypoplastic hindbrain phenotype, displaying abnormal rhombomeres with reduced length and width. This phenotype is associated with persistent reduction of ventral neuroepithelial stiffness in a notochord adjacent area at the level of the rhombomere 5. The formation of cranial and paravertebral ganglia is also impaired in these embryos. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals that hypoplastic hindbrain development, identified by abnormal rhombomere morphology and persistent loss of ventral neuroepithelial stiffness, precedes exencephaly in Fuz ablated murine mutants, indicating that the gene Fuz has a critical function sustaining normal neural tube development and neuronal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Donato Caiaffa
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Yogeshwari S Ambekar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Manmohan Singh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ying Linda Lin
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Bogdan Wlodarczyk
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Salavat R Aglyamov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Giuliano Scarcelli
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Kirill V Larin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Molecular and Human Genetics and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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Ye Y, Zhang J, Feng X, Chen C, Chang Y, Qiu G, Wu Z, Zhang TJ, Gao B, Wu N. Exploring the association between congenital vertebral malformations and neural tube defects. J Med Genet 2023; 60:1146-1152. [PMID: 37775263 DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2023-109501] [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: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Congenital vertebral malformations (CVMs) and neural tube defects (NTDs) are common birth defects affecting the spine and nervous system, respectively, due to defects in somitogenesis and neurulation. Somitogenesis and neurulation rely on factors secreted from neighbouring tissues and the integrity of the axial structure. Crucial signalling pathways like Wnt, Notch and planar cell polarity regulate somitogenesis and neurulation with significant crosstalk. While previous studies suggest an association between CVMs and NTDs, the exact mechanism underlying this relationship remains unclear. In this review, we explore embryonic development, signalling pathways and clinical phenotypes involved in the association between CVMs and NTDs. Moreover, we provide a summary of syndromes that exhibit occurrences of both CVMs and NTDs. We aim to provide insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the association between CVMs and NTDs, thereby facilitating clinical diagnosis and management of these anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyu Ye
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianan Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Feng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chong Chen
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yunbing Chang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guixing Qiu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Key Laboratory of Big Data for Spinal Deformities, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihong Wu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Key Laboratory of Big Data for Spinal Deformities, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing, China
| | - Terry Jianguo Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Key Laboratory of Big Data for Spinal Deformities, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Gao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, Hong Kong, China
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Key Laboratory of Big Data for Spinal Deformities, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing, China
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Gopalakrishnan J, Feistel K, Friedrich BM, Grapin‐Botton A, Jurisch‐Yaksi N, Mass E, Mick DU, Müller R, May‐Simera H, Schermer B, Schmidts M, Walentek P, Wachten D. Emerging principles of primary cilia dynamics in controlling tissue organization and function. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113891. [PMID: 37743763 PMCID: PMC10620770 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023113891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia project from the surface of most vertebrate cells and are key in sensing extracellular signals and locally transducing this information into a cellular response. Recent findings show that primary cilia are not merely static organelles with a distinct lipid and protein composition. Instead, the function of primary cilia relies on the dynamic composition of molecules within the cilium, the context-dependent sensing and processing of extracellular stimuli, and cycles of assembly and disassembly in a cell- and tissue-specific manner. Thereby, primary cilia dynamically integrate different cellular inputs and control cell fate and function during tissue development. Here, we review the recently emerging concept of primary cilia dynamics in tissue development, organization, remodeling, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Gopalakrishnan
- Institute for Human Genetics, Heinrich‐Heine‐UniversitätUniversitätsklinikum DüsseldorfDüsseldorfGermany
| | - Kerstin Feistel
- Department of Zoology, Institute of BiologyUniversity of HohenheimStuttgartGermany
| | | | - Anne Grapin‐Botton
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU DresdenDresdenGermany
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and GeneticsDresdenGermany
- Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden of the Helmholtz Center Munich at The University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Faculty of Medicine of the TU DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Nathalie Jurisch‐Yaksi
- Department of Clinical and Molecular MedicineNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | - Elvira Mass
- Life and Medical Sciences Institute, Developmental Biology of the Immune SystemUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
| | - David U Mick
- Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB)Saarland School of MedicineHomburgGermany
| | - Roman‐Ulrich Müller
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging‐Associated Diseases (CECAD), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
| | - Helen May‐Simera
- Institute of Molecular PhysiologyJohannes Gutenberg‐UniversityMainzGermany
| | - Bernhard Schermer
- Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging‐Associated Diseases (CECAD), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital CologneUniversity of CologneCologneGermany
| | - Miriam Schmidts
- Pediatric Genetics Division, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent MedicineUniversity Hospital FreiburgFreiburgGermany
- CIBSS‐Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling StudiesUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Peter Walentek
- CIBSS‐Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling StudiesUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
- Renal Division, Internal Medicine IV, Medical CenterUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Dagmar Wachten
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical FacultyUniversity of BonnBonnGermany
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Keuls RA, Finnell RH, Parchem RJ. Maternal metabolism influences neural tube closure. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2023; 34:539-553. [PMID: 37468429 PMCID: PMC10529122 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Changes in maternal nutrient availability due to diet or disease significantly increase the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). Because the incidence of metabolic disease continues to rise, it is urgent that we better understand how altered maternal nutrient levels can influence embryonic neural tube development. Furthermore, primary neurulation occurs before placental function during a period of histiotrophic nutrient exchange. In this review we detail how maternal metabolites are transported by the yolk sac to the developing embryo. We discuss recent advances in understanding how altered maternal levels of essential nutrients disrupt development of the neuroepithelium, and identify points of intersection between metabolic pathways that are crucial for NTD prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Keuls
- Development, Disease Models, and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine. Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ronald J Parchem
- Development, Disease Models, and Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine. Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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10
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Caiaffa CD, Ambekar YS, Singh M, Lin YL, Wlodarczyk B, Aglyamov SR, Scarcelli G, Larin KV, Finnell R. Disruption of Fuz in mouse embryos generates hypoplastic hindbrain development and reduced cranial nerve ganglia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.04.552068. [PMID: 37577618 PMCID: PMC10418252 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.04.552068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The formation of the brain and spinal cord is initiated in the earliest stages of mammalian pregnancy in a highly organized process known as neurulation. Convergent and extension movements transforms a flat sheet of ectodermal cells into a narrow and elongated line of neuroepithelia, while a major source of Sonic Hedgehog signaling from the notochord induces the overlying neuroepithelial cells to form two apposed neural folds. Afterward, neural tube closure occurs by synchronized coordination of the surface ectoderm and adjacent neuroepithelial walls at specific axial regions known as neuropores. Environmental or genetic interferences can impair neurulation resulting in neural tube defects. The Fuz gene encodes a subunit of the CPLANE complex, which is a macromolecular planar polarity effector required for ciliogenesis. Ablation of Fuz in mouse embryos results in exencephaly and spina bifida, including dysmorphic craniofacial structures due to defective cilia formation and impaired Sonic Hedgehog signaling. In this work, we demonstrate that knocking Fuz out during embryonic mouse development results in a hypoplastic hindbrain phenotype, displaying abnormal rhombomeres with reduced length and width. This phenotype is associated with persistent loss of ventral neuroepithelial stiffness, in a notochord adjacent area at the level of the rhombomere 5, preceding the development of exencephaly in Fuz ablated mutants. The formation of cranial and paravertebral ganglia is also impaired in these embryos, indicating that Fuz has a critical function sustaining normal neural tube development and neuronal differentiation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a common cause of disability in children, representing the second most common congenital structural malformation in humans following only congenital cardiovascular malformations. NTDs affect approximately 1 to 2 pregnancies per 1000 births every year worldwide, when the mechanical forces folding the neural plate fails to close at specific neuropores located anteriorly (cranial) or posteriorly (caudal) along the neural tube, in a process known as neurulation, which happens throughout the third and fourth weeks of human pregnancy.
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Zemet R, Krispin E, Johnson RM, Kumar NR, Westerfield LE, Stover S, Mann DG, Castillo J, Castillo HA, Nassr AA, Sanz Cortes M, Donepudi R, Espinoza J, Whitehead WE, Belfort MA, Shamshirsaz AA, Van den Veyver IB. Implication of chromosomal microarray analysis prior to in-utero repair of fetal open neural tube defect. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 61:719-727. [PMID: 36610024 PMCID: PMC10238557 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In-utero repair of open neural tube defects (ONTD) is an accepted treatment option with demonstrated superior outcome for eligible patients. While current guidelines recommend genetic testing by chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) when a major congenital anomaly is detected prenatally, the requirement for an in-utero repair, based on the Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) criteria, is a normal karyotype. In this study, we aimed to evaluate if CMA should be recommended as a prerequisite for in-utero ONTD repair. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of pregnancies complicated by ONTD that underwent laparotomy-assisted fetoscopic repair or open-hysterotomy fetal surgery at a single tertiary center between September 2011 and July 2021. All patients met the MOMS eligibility criteria and had a normal karyotype. In a subset of the pregnancies (n = 77), CMA testing was also conducted. We reviewed the CMA results and divided the cohort into two groups according to whether clinically reportable copy-number variants (CNV) were detected (reportable-CNV group) or not (normal-CMA group). Surgical characteristics, complications, and maternal and early neonatal outcomes were compared between the two groups. The primary outcomes were fetal or neonatal death, hydrocephalus, motor function at 12 months of age and walking status at 30 months of age. Standard parametric and non-parametric statistical tests were employed as appropriate. RESULTS During the study period, 146 fetuses with ONTD were eligible for and underwent in-utero repair. CMA results were available for 77 (52.7%) patients. Of those, 65 (84%) had a normal CMA and 12 (16%) had a reportable CNV, two of which were classified as pathogenic. The first case with a pathogenic CNV was diagnosed with a 749-kb central 22q11.21 deletion spanning low-copy-repeat regions B-D of chromosome 22; the second case was diagnosed with a 1.3-Mb interstitial deletion at 1q21.1q21.2. Maternal demographics, clinical characteristics, operative data and postoperative complications were similar between those with normal CMA results and those with reportable CNVs. There were no significant differences in gestational age at delivery or any obstetric and early neonatal outcome between the study groups. Motor function at birth and at 12 months of age, and walking status at 30 months of age, were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Standard diagnostic testing with CMA should be offered when an ONTD is detected prenatally, as this approach has implications for counseling regarding prognosis and recurrence risk. Our results indicate that the presence of a clinically reportable CNV should not a priori affect eligibility for in-utero repair, as overall pregnancy outcome is similar in these cases to that of cases with normal CMA. Nevertheless, significant CMA results will require a case-by-case multidisciplinary discussion to evaluate eligibility. To generalize the conclusion of this single-center series, a larger, multicenter long-term study should be considered. © 2023 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Zemet
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - E. Krispin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - R. M. Johnson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - N. R. Kumar
- School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - L. E. Westerfield
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal–Fetal Medicine and Reproductive and Prenatal Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - S. Stover
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - D. G. Mann
- Department of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Clinical Ethics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J. Castillo
- Division of Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - H. A. Castillo
- Division of Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - A. A. Nassr
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - M. Sanz Cortes
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - R. Donepudi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J. Espinoza
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - W. E. Whitehead
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - M. A. Belfort
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - A. A. Shamshirsaz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - I. B. Van den Veyver
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Therapy and Surgery and Maternal–Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal–Fetal Medicine and Reproductive and Prenatal Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Fetal Center, Houston, TX, USA
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12
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Rai S, Leydier L, Sharma S, Katwala J, Sahu A. A quest for genetic causes underlying signaling pathways associated with neural tube defects. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1126209. [PMID: 37284286 PMCID: PMC10241075 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1126209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious congenital deformities of the nervous system that occur owing to the failure of normal neural tube closures. Genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to the etiology of neural tube defects in humans, indicating the role of gene-gene and gene-environment interaction in the occurrence and recurrence risk of neural tube defects. Several lines of genetic studies on humans and animals demonstrated the role of aberrant genes in the developmental risk of neural tube defects and also provided an understanding of the cellular and morphological programs that occur during embryonic development. Other studies observed the effects of folate and supplementation of folic acid on neural tube defects. Hence, here we review what is known to date regarding altered genes associated with specific signaling pathways resulting in NTDs, as well as highlight the role of various genetic, and non-genetic factors and their interactions that contribute to NTDs. Additionally, we also shine a light on the role of folate and cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) in neural tube defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Rai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Medical University of the Americas, Charlestown, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Larissa Leydier
- Department of Molecular Biology, Medical University of the Americas, Charlestown, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Shivani Sharma
- Department of Molecular Biology, Medical University of the Americas, Charlestown, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Jigar Katwala
- Department of Molecular Biology, Medical University of the Americas, Charlestown, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - Anurag Sahu
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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13
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Yan L, Yin H, Mi Y, Wu Y, Zheng Y. Deficiency of Wdr60 and Wdr34 cause distinct neural tube malformation phenotypes in early embryos. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1084245. [PMID: 37228654 PMCID: PMC10203710 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1084245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cilia are specialized organelles that extend from plasma membrane, functioning as antennas for signal transduction and are involved in embryonic morphogenesis. Dysfunction of cilia lead to many developmental defects, including neural tube defects (NTDs). Heterodimer WDR60-WDR34 (WD repeat domain 60 and 34) are intermediate chains of motor protein dynein-2, which play important roles in ciliary retrograde transport. It has been reported that disruption of Wdr34 in mouse model results in NTDs and defects of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling. However, no Wdr60 deficiency mouse model has been reported yet. In this study, piggyBac (PB) transposon is used to interfere Wdr60 and Wdr34 expression respectively to establish Wdr60 PB/PB and Wdr34 PB/PB mouse models. We found that the expression of Wdr60 or Wdr34 is significantly decreased in the homozygote mice. Wdr60 homozygote mice die around E13.5 to E14.5, while Wdr34 homozygote mice die around E10.5 to E11.5. WDR60 is highly expressed in the head region at E10.5 and Wdr60 PB/PB embryos have head malformation. RNAseq and qRT-PCR experiments revealed that Sonic Hedgehog signaling is also downregulated in Wdr60 PB/PB head tissue, demonstrating that WDR60 is also required for promoting SHH signaling. Further experiments on mouse embryos also revealed that the expression levels of planar cell polarity (PCP) components such as CELSR1 and downstream signal molecule c-Jun were downregulated in WDR34 homozygotes compared to wildtype littermates. Coincidently, we observed much higher ratio of open cranial and caudal neural tube in Wdr34 PB/PB mice. CO-IP experiment showed that WDR60 and WDR34 both interact with IFT88, but only WDR34 interacts with IFT140. Taken together, WDR60 and WDR34 play overlapped and distinct functions in modulating neural tube development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yan
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, The Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hailing Yin
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, The Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Obstetrics Department of the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yiwei Mi
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Wu
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yufang Zheng
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, The Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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14
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Dilower I, Niloy AJ, Kumar V, Kothari A, Lee EB, Rumi MAK. Hedgehog Signaling in Gonadal Development and Function. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030358. [PMID: 36766700 PMCID: PMC9913308 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Three distinct hedgehog (HH) molecules, (sonic, desert, and indian), two HH receptors (PTCH1 and PTCH2), a membrane bound activator (SMO), and downstream three transcription factors (GLI1, GLI2, and GLI3) are the major components of the HH signaling. These signaling molecules were initially identified in Drosophila melanogaster. Later, it has been found that the HH system is highly conserved across species and essential for organogenesis. HH signaling pathways play key roles in the development of the brain, face, skeleton, musculature, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. While the sonic HH (SHH) pathway plays a major role in the development of the central nervous system, the desert HH (DHH) regulates the development of the gonads, and the indian HH (IHH) acts on the development of bones and joints. There are also overlapping roles among the HH molecules. In addition to the developmental role of HH signaling in embryonic life, the pathways possess vital physiological roles in testes and ovaries during adult life. Disruption of DHH and/or IHH signaling results in ineffective gonadal steroidogenesis and gametogenesis. While DHH regulates the male gonadal functions, ovarian functions are regulated by both DHH and IHH. This review article focuses on the roles of HH signaling in gonadal development and reproductive functions with an emphasis on ovarian functions. We have acknowledged the original research work that initially reported the findings and discussed the subsequent studies that have further analyzed the role of HH signaling in testes and ovaries.
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15
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Costa MR, Dos Santos AYI, de Miranda TB, Aires R, de Camargo Coque A, Hurtado ECP, Bernardi MM, Pecorari VGA, Andia DC, Birbrair A, Guillemin GJ, Latini A, da Silva RA. Impact of neuroinflammation on epigenetic transcriptional control of Sonic Hedgehog members in the central nervous system. Brain Res 2023; 1799:148180. [PMID: 36463954 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.148180] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling plays a critical role during central nervous system (CNS) development, and its dysregulation leads to neurological disorders. Nevertheless, little is known about Shh signaling regulation in the adult brain. Here, we investigated the contribution of DNA methylation on the transcriptional control of Shh signaling pathway members and its basal distribution impact on the brain, as well as its modulation by inflammation. The methylation status of the promoter regions of these members and the transcriptional profile of DNA-modifying enzymes (DNA Methyltransferases - DNMTs and Tet Methylcytosine Dioxygenase - TETs) were investigated in a murine model of neuroinflammation by qPCR. We showed that, in the adult brain, methylation in the CpG promoter regions of the Shh signaling pathway members was critical to determine the endogenous differential transcriptional pattern observed between distinct brain regions. We also found that neuroinflammation differentially modulates gene expression of DNA-modifying enzymes. This study reveals the basal transcriptional profile of DNMTs and TETs enzymes in the CNS and demonstrates the effect of neuroinflammation on the transcriptional control of members of the Shh Signaling pathway in the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rogério Aires
- Epigenetic Study Center and Gene Regulation - CEEpiRG, Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, São Paulo 04026-002, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alex de Camargo Coque
- Epigenetic Study Center and Gene Regulation - CEEpiRG, Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, São Paulo 04026-002, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Cristina Perez Hurtado
- Epigenetic Study Center and Gene Regulation - CEEpiRG, Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, São Paulo 04026-002, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Maria Martha Bernardi
- Epigenetic Study Center and Gene Regulation - CEEpiRG, Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, São Paulo 04026-002, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Denise Carleto Andia
- School of Dentistry, Health Science Institute, Paulista University, São Paulo 04026-002, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Alexander Birbrair
- Department of Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Gilles J Guillemin
- Neuroinflammation Group, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Alexandra Latini
- Bioenergetics and Oxidative Stress Lab - LABOX, Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo A da Silva
- School of Dentistry, University of Taubaté, 12020-3400 Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil; Epigenetic Study Center and Gene Regulation - CEEpiRG, Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, São Paulo 04026-002, São Paulo, Brazil.
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16
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Munch TN, Hedley PL, Hagen CM, Bækvad-Hansen M, Geller F, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Nordentoft M, Børglum AD, Werge TM, Melbye M, Hougaard DM, Larsen LA, Christensen ST, Christiansen M. The genetic background of hydrocephalus in a population-based cohort: implication of ciliary involvement. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad004. [PMID: 36694575 PMCID: PMC9866251 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrocephalus is one of the most common congenital disorders of the central nervous system and often displays psychiatric co-morbidities, in particular autism spectrum disorder. The disease mechanisms behind hydrocephalus are complex and not well understood, but some association with dysfunctional cilia in the brain ventricles and subarachnoid space has been indicated. A better understanding of the genetic aetiology of hydrocephalus, including the role of ciliopathies, may bring insights into a potentially shared genetic aetiology. In this population-based case-cohort study, we, for the first time, investigated variants of postulated hydrocephalus candidate genes. Using these data, we aimed to investigate potential involvement of the ciliome in hydrocephalus and describe genotype-phenotype associations with an autism spectrum disorder. One-hundred and twenty-one hydrocephalus candidate genes were screened in a whole-exome-sequenced sub-cohort of the Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research study, comprising 72 hydrocephalus patients and 4181 background population controls. Candidate genes containing high-impact variants of interest were systematically evaluated for their involvement in ciliary function and an autism spectrum disorder. The median age at diagnosis for the hydrocephalus patients was 0 years (range 0-27 years), the median age at analysis was 22 years (11-35 years), and 70.5% were males. The median age for controls was 18 years (range 11-26 years) and 53.3% were males. Fifty-two putative hydrocephalus-associated variants in 34 genes were identified in 42 patients (58.3%). In hydrocephalus cases, we found increased, but not significant, enrichment of high-impact protein altering variants (odds ratio 1.51, 95% confidence interval 0.92-2.51, P = 0.096), which was driven by a significant enrichment of rare protein truncating variants (odds ratio 2.71, 95% confidence interval 1.17-5.58, P = 0.011). Fourteen of the genes with high-impact variants are part of the ciliome, whereas another six genes affect cilia-dependent processes during neurogenesis. Furthermore, 15 of the 34 genes with high-impact variants and three of eight genes with protein truncating variants were associated with an autism spectrum disorder. Because symptoms of other diseases may be neglected or masked by the hydrocephalus-associated symptoms, we suggest that patients with congenital hydrocephalus undergo clinical genetic assessment with respect to ciliopathies and an autism spectrum disorder. Our results point to the significance of hydrocephalus as a ciliary disease in some cases. Future studies in brain ciliopathies may not only reveal new insights into hydrocephalus but also, brain disease in the broadest sense, given the essential role of cilia in neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina N Munch
- Correspondence to: Tina Nørgaard Munch, MD Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery 6031 Copenhagen University Hospital, Inge Lehmanns Vej 6 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark E-mail:
| | - Paula L Hedley
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark,Brazen Bio, Los Angeles, 90502 CA, USA
| | - Christian M Hagen
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marie Bækvad-Hansen
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Frank Geller
- Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas Bybjerg-Grauholm
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Merete Nordentoft
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark,Mental Health Centre, Capital Region of Denmark, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Anders D Børglum
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark,Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark,Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thomas M Werge
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark,Mental Health Centre, Capital Region of Denmark, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Mads Melbye
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark,Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA,Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo 0473, Norway,K.G. Jebsen Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim 7491, Norway
| | - David M Hougaard
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lars A Larsen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren T Christensen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Christiansen
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen, Denmark,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark,Department of Biomedical Science, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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17
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Kumar A, Singh A, Barolia D, Solanki N, Bathia H. Double encephalocele: A rare neural tube defect. J Pediatr Neurosci 2023. [DOI: 10.4103/jpn.jpn_116_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
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18
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Amack JD. Structures and functions of cilia during vertebrate embryo development. Mol Reprod Dev 2022; 89:579-596. [PMID: 36367893 PMCID: PMC9805515 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Cilia are hair-like structures that project from the surface of cells. In vertebrates, most cells have an immotile primary cilium that mediates cell signaling, and some specialized cells assemble one or multiple cilia that are motile and beat synchronously to move fluids in one direction. Gene mutations that alter cilia structure or function cause a broad spectrum of disorders termed ciliopathies that impact virtually every system in the body. A wide range of birth defects associated with ciliopathies underscores critical functions for cilia during embryonic development. In many cases, the mechanisms underlying cilia functions during development and disease remain poorly understood. This review describes different types of cilia in vertebrate embryos and discusses recent research results from diverse model systems that provide novel insights into how cilia form and function during embryo development. The work discussed here not only expands our understanding of in vivo cilia biology, but also opens new questions about cilia and their roles in establishing healthy embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D. Amack
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA,,BioInspired Syracuse: Institute for Material and Living Systems, Syracuse, New York, USA
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19
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Mispatterning and interneuron deficit in Tourette Syndrome basal ganglia organoids. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:5007-5019. [PMID: 36447010 PMCID: PMC9949887 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01880-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder thought to involve a reduction of basal ganglia (BG) interneurons and malfunctioning of the BG circuitry. However, whether interneurons fail to develop or are lost postnatally remains unknown. To investigate the pathophysiology of early development in TS, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived BG organoids from TS patients and healthy controls were compared on multiple levels of measurement and analysis. BG organoids from TS individuals manifested an impaired medial ganglionic eminence fate and a decreased differentiation of cholinergic and GABAergic interneurons. Transcriptome analyses revealed organoid mispatterning in TS, with a preference for dorsolateral at the expense of ventromedial fates. Our results point to altered expression of GLI transcription factors downstream of the Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway with cilia disruption at the earliest stages of BG organoid differentiation as a potential mechanism for the BG mispatterning in TS. This study uncovers early neurodevelopmental underpinnings of TS neuropathological deficits using organoids as a model system.
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20
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Han X, Cao X, Aguiar-Pulido V, Yang W, Karki M, Ramirez PAP, Cabrera RM, Lin YL, Wlodarczyk BJ, Shaw GM, Ross ME, Zhang C, Finnell RH, Lei Y. CIC missense variants contribute to susceptibility for spina bifida. Hum Mutat 2022; 43:2021-2032. [PMID: 36054333 PMCID: PMC9772115 DOI: 10.1002/humu.24460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are congenital malformations resulting from abnormal embryonic development of the brain, spine, or spinal column. The genetic etiology of human NTDs remains poorly understood despite intensive investigation. CIC, homolog of the Capicua transcription repressor, has been reported to interact with ataxin-1 (ATXN1) and participate in the pathogenesis of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. Our previous study demonstrated that CIC loss of function (LoF) variants contributed to the cerebral folate deficiency syndrome by downregulating folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) expression. Given the importance of folate transport in neural tube formation, we hypothesized that CIC variants could contribute to increased risk for NTDs by depressing embryonic folate concentrations. In this study, we examined CIC variants from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of 140 isolated spina bifida cases and identified eight missense variants of CIC gene. We tested the pathogenicity of the observed variants through multiple in vitro experiments. We determined that CIC variants decreased the FOLR1 protein level and planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway signaling in a human cell line (HeLa). In a murine cell line (NIH3T3), CIC loss of function variants downregulated PCP signaling. Taken together, this study provides evidence supporting CIC as a risk gene for human NTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Han
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Henan
Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Xuanye Cao
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Vanessa Aguiar-Pulido
- Center for Neurogenetics, Brain and Mind Research
Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Miami, Coral
Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of
Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Menuka Karki
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Paula Andrea Pimienta Ramirez
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Robert M. Cabrera
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Ying Linda Lin
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Bogdan J. Wlodarczyk
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Gary M. Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of
Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - M. Elizabeth Ross
- Center for Neurogenetics, Brain and Mind Research
Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cuilian Zhang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Henan
Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Richard H. Finnell
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Medicine,
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Yunping Lei
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
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21
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Platova S, Poliushkevich L, Kulakova M, Nesterenko M, Starunov V, Novikova E. Gotta Go Slow: Two Evolutionarily Distinct Annelids Retain a Common Hedgehog Pathway Composition, Outlining Its Pan-Bilaterian Core. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214312. [PMID: 36430788 PMCID: PMC9695228 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hedgehog signaling is one of the key regulators of morphogenesis, cell differentiation, and regeneration. While the Hh pathway is present in all bilaterians, it has mainly been studied in model animals such as Drosophila and vertebrates. Despite the conservatism of its core components, mechanisms of signal transduction and additional components vary in Ecdysozoa and Deuterostomia. Vertebrates have multiple copies of the pathway members, which complicates signaling implementation, whereas model ecdysozoans appear to have lost some components due to fast evolution rates. To shed light on the ancestral state of Hh signaling, models from the third clade, Spiralia, are needed. In our research, we analyzed the transcriptomes of two spiralian animals, errantial annelid Platynereis dumerilii (Nereididae) and sedentarian annelid Pygospio elegans (Spionidae). We found that both annelids express almost all Hh pathway components present in Drosophila and mouse. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of the core pathway components and built multiple sequence alignments of the additional key members. Our results imply that the Hh pathway compositions of both annelids share more similarities with vertebrates than with the fruit fly. Possessing an almost complete set of single-copy Hh pathway members, lophotrochozoan signaling composition may reflect the ancestral features of all three bilaterian branches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Platova
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | | | - Milana Kulakova
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Correspondence: (M.K.); (E.N.)
| | | | - Viktor Starunov
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Elena Novikova
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg 199034, Russia
- Correspondence: (M.K.); (E.N.)
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22
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Wang S, Zeng Y, Pei P, He X, Liu F, Zhang T. Abnormal transcriptome-wide DNA demethylation induced by folate deficiency causes neural tube defects. Front Genet 2022; 13:987210. [PMID: 36199572 PMCID: PMC9529027 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.987210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defect (NTDs) is one of the most common and serious fetal and neonatal birth defects. Neural tube closure (NTC) is an exquisitely coordinated process and this procedure is influenced by both genetic and environmental factor. Folic acid (FA) supplementation is an effective for prevention of a proportion of NTDs, however, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, our data demonstrated genome-wide enrichment of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) modification on active transcriptional start sites (TSS) and decreased 5-methylcytosine (5mC) binding to TSS under folate deficiency in mESCs (mouse embryonic stem cells). Furthermore, folate deficiency promoted 5hmC enrichment enhancer histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) binding to Shh pathway genes in mESCs. Upregulation of Shh target genes was observed in mouse brain tissue under low levels of maternal serum folate, along with increased expression of 5-methylcytosine dioxygenase Tet1 levels. Taken together, we found that folate deficiency promoted DNA demethylation and enriched 5hmC through recruitment of H3K27ac to activate the Shh signaling pathway. These results suggest that the 5hmC modification increases concomitantly with a positive correlation to Shh gene expression in folate deficiency-induced mouse NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Wang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics-Peking University Teaching Hospital, Beijing, China
- Children’s Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Shan Wang, ; Ting Zhang,
| | - Yubing Zeng
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Pei Pei
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Xuejia He
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics-Peking University Teaching Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Liu
- Children’s Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics-Peking University Teaching Hospital, Beijing, China
- Children’s Hospital Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Shan Wang, ; Ting Zhang,
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23
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Cilia and their role in neural tube development and defects. REPRODUCTIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.1097/rd9.0000000000000014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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24
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Delalande JM, Nagy N, McCann CJ, Natarajan D, Cooper JE, Carreno G, Dora D, Campbell A, Laurent N, Kemos P, Thomas S, Alby C, Attié-Bitach T, Lyonnet S, Logan MP, Goldstein AM, Davey MG, Hofstra RMW, Thapar N, Burns AJ. TALPID3/KIAA0586 Regulates Multiple Aspects of Neuromuscular Patterning During Gastrointestinal Development in Animal Models and Human. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:757646. [PMID: 35002618 PMCID: PMC8733242 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.757646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
TALPID3/KIAA0586 is an evolutionary conserved protein, which plays an essential role in protein trafficking. Its role during gastrointestinal (GI) and enteric nervous system (ENS) development has not been studied previously. Here, we analyzed chicken, mouse and human embryonic GI tissues with TALPID3 mutations. The GI tract of TALPID3 chicken embryos was shortened and malformed. Histologically, the gut smooth muscle was mispatterned and enteric neural crest cells were scattered throughout the gut wall. Analysis of the Hedgehog pathway and gut extracellular matrix provided causative reasons for these defects. Interestingly, chicken intra-species grafting experiments and a conditional knockout mouse model showed that ENS formation did not require TALPID3, but was dependent on correct environmental cues. Surprisingly, the lack of TALPID3 in enteric neural crest cells (ENCC) affected smooth muscle and epithelial development in a non-cell-autonomous manner. Analysis of human gut fetal tissues with a KIAA0586 mutation showed strikingly similar findings compared to the animal models demonstrating conservation of TALPID3 and its necessary role in human GI tract development and patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Marie Delalande
- Centre for Immunobiology, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Birth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nandor Nagy
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Conor J McCann
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Birth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dipa Natarajan
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Birth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julie E Cooper
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Program, Birth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriela Carreno
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Program, Birth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Dora
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Alison Campbell
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Nicole Laurent
- Génétique et Anomalies du Développement, Université de Bourgogne, Service d'Anatomie Pathologique, Dijon, France
| | - Polychronis Kemos
- Centre for Immunobiology, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie Thomas
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, INSERM UMR 1163 Institut Imagine, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Alby
- Department of Genetics, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France
| | - Tania Attié-Bitach
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, INSERM UMR 1163 Institut Imagine, Paris, France.,Department of Genetics, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France.,Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Stanislas Lyonnet
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Congenital Malformations, INSERM UMR 1163 Institut Imagine, Paris, France.,Department of Genetics, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Paris, France.,Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Malcolm P Logan
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Megan G Davey
- Division of Developmental Biology, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Robert M W Hofstra
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Nikhil Thapar
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Birth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Alan J Burns
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Birth Defects Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom.,Division of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Department of Gastroenterology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.,Gastrointestinal Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Cambridge, MA, United States
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25
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Leong JCK, Li Y, Uesaka M, Uchida Y, Omori A, Hao M, Wan W, Dong Y, Ren Y, Zhang S, Zeng T, Wang F, Chen L, Wessel G, Livingston BT, Bradham C, Wang W, Irie N. Derivedness Index for Estimating Degree of Phenotypic Evolution of Embryos: A Study of Comparative Transcriptomic Analyses of Chordates and Echinoderms. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:749963. [PMID: 34900995 PMCID: PMC8661034 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.749963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Species retaining ancestral features, such as species called living fossils, are often regarded as less derived than their sister groups, but such discussions are usually based on qualitative enumeration of conserved traits. This approach creates a major barrier, especially when quantifying the degree of phenotypic evolution or degree of derivedness, since it focuses only on commonly shared traits, and newly acquired or lost traits are often overlooked. To provide a potential solution to this problem, especially for inter-species comparison of gene expression profiles, we propose a new method named "derivedness index" to quantify the degree of derivedness. In contrast to the conservation-based approach, which deals with expressions of commonly shared genes among species being compared, the derivedness index also considers those that were potentially lost or duplicated during evolution. By applying our method, we found that the gene expression profiles of penta-radial phases in echinoderm tended to be more highly derived than those of the bilateral phase. However, our results suggest that echinoderms may not have experienced much larger modifications to their developmental systems than chordates, at least at the transcriptomic level. In vertebrates, we found that the mid-embryonic and organogenesis stages were generally less derived than the earlier or later stages, indicating that the conserved phylotypic period is also less derived. We also found genes that potentially explain less derivedness, such as Hox genes. Finally, we highlight technical concerns that may influence the measured transcriptomic derivedness, such as read depth and library preparation protocols, for further improvement of our method through future studies. We anticipate that this index will serve as a quantitative guide in the search for constrained developmental phases or processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Cheok Kuan Leong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yongxin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Masahiro Uesaka
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Kobe, Japan
| | - Yui Uchida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihito Omori
- Sado Island Center for Ecological Sustainability, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Meng Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Wenting Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Yang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Yandong Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Si Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Zeng
- Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Fayou Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Luonan Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Biology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gary Wessel
- Providence Institute of Molecular Oogenesis, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Brian T Livingston
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, CA, United States
| | - Cynthia Bradham
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Wen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Naoki Irie
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Universal Biology Institute, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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26
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Kuang L, Jiang Y, Chen S, Su K, Peng R, Yang X, Wang H. Rare variants in TULP3 abolish the suppressive effect on sonic hedgehog signaling and contribute to human neural tube defects. Genes Dis 2021; 9:1174-1177. [PMID: 35873022 PMCID: PMC9293713 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2021.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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27
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Nair NM, Swarr DT, Barnes‐Davis ME. Preterm infant with diprosopus and holoprosencephaly. Clin Case Rep 2021; 9:e05163. [PMID: 34987809 PMCID: PMC8695654 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.5163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Diprosopus is an extremely rare congenital anomaly involving craniofacial duplication. The etiology and pathophysiology remain unknown, and no genetic mutations have been definitively associated with the condition. This case describes an infant born at 27-weeks completed gestation with multiple congenital anomalies including diprosopus and discusses the implications of prenatal diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitya M. Nair
- Division of NeonatologyDepartment of PediatricsEmory University School of Medicine and Children’s Healthcare of AtlantaAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Daniel T. Swarr
- Perinatal InstituteSection of NeonatologyCincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical CenterCincinnatiOhioUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of Cincinnati College of MedicineCincinnatiOhioUSA
| | - Maria E. Barnes‐Davis
- Perinatal InstituteSection of NeonatologyCincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical CenterCincinnatiOhioUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of Cincinnati College of MedicineCincinnatiOhioUSA
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28
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Zhu H, Wang L, Ren A. [Research progress on the etiology and pathogenesis of spina bifida]. ZHONGGUO XIU FU CHONG JIAN WAI KE ZA ZHI = ZHONGGUO XIUFU CHONGJIAN WAIKE ZAZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF REPARATIVE AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY 2021; 35:1368-1373. [PMID: 34779160 DOI: 10.7507/1002-1892.202106052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Objective To review the research progress on etiology and pathogenesis of spina bifida. Methods By consulting relevant domestic and foreign research literature on spina bifida, the classification, epidemic trend, pathogenesis, etiology, prevention and treatment of it were analyzed and summarized. Results Spina bifida, a common phenotype of neural tube defects, is classified based on the degree and pattern of malformation associated with neuroectodermal involvement and is due to the disturbance of neural tube closure 28 days before embryonic development. The prevalence of spina bifida varies greatly among different ethnic groups and regions, and its etiology is complex. Currently, some spina bifida patients can be prevented by folic acid supplements, and with the improvement of treatment technology, the short-term and long-term survival rate of children with spina bifida has improved. Conclusion The research on the pathogenesis of spina bifida will be based on the refined individual information on exposure, genetics, and complex phenotype, and will provide a theoretical basis for improving prevention and treatment strategies through multidisciplinary cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Zhu
- Institute of Reproductive Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, P.R.China
| | - Linlin Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, P.R.China
| | - Aiguo Ren
- Institute of Reproductive Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, P.R.China
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29
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Studying Hedgehog Signaling During Mouse Neural Tube Development. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34562243 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1701-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The identity of ventral neural progenitors in the neural tube is largely dependent on Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. Variations in staining patterns are excellent indicators of aberrant Hh signaling. Here we describe the basic protocol to stain for progenitor populations based on transcription factor expression. We also provide an overview of ciliary and centrosomal staining in the neural tube.
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30
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Tian T, Cao X, Kim SE, Lin YL, Steele JW, Cabrera RM, Karki M, Yang W, Marini NJ, Hoffman EN, Han X, Hu C, Wang L, Wlodarczyk BJ, Shaw GM, Ren A, Finnell RH, Lei Y. FKBP8 variants are risk factors for spina bifida. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:3132-3144. [PMID: 32969478 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a group of severe congenital malformations caused by a failure of neural tube closure during early embryonic development. Although extensively investigated, the genetic etiology of NTDs remains poorly understood. FKBP8 is critical for proper mammalian neural tube closure. Fkbp8-/- mouse embryos showed posterior NTDs consistent with a diagnosis of spina bifida (SB). To date, no publication has reported any association between FKBP8 and human NTDs. Using Sanger sequencing on genomic DNA samples from 472 SB and 565 control samples, we identified five rare (MAF ≤ 0.001) deleterious variants in SB patients, while no rare deleterious variant was identified in the controls (P = 0.0191). p.Glu140* affected FKBP8 localization to the mitochondria and created a truncated form of the FKBP8 protein, thus impairing its interaction with BCL2 and ultimately leading to an increase in cellular apoptosis. p.Ser3Leu, p.Lys315Asn and p.Ala292Ser variants decreased FKBP8 protein level. p.Lys315Asn further increased the cellular apoptosis. RNA sequencing on anterior and posterior tissues isolated from Fkbp8-/- and wildtype mice at E9.5 and E10.5 showed that Fkbp8-/- embryos have an abnormal expression profile within tissues harvested at posterior sites, thus leading to a posterior NTD. Moreover, we found that Fkbp8 knockout mouse embryos have abnormal expression of Wnt3a and Nkx2.9 during the early stage of neural tube development, perhaps also contributing to caudal specific NTDs. These findings provide evidence that functional variants of FKBP8 are risk factors for SB, which may involve a novel mechanism by which Fkbp8 mutations specifically cause SB in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Tian
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.,Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Xuanye Cao
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Sung-Eun Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX 78723, USA
| | - Ying Linda Lin
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - John W Steele
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Robert M Cabrera
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Menuka Karki
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nicholas J Marini
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ethan N Hoffman
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Xiao Han
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Cindy Hu
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX 78723, USA
| | - Linlin Wang
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Bogdan J Wlodarczyk
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Gary M Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Aiguo Ren
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA.,Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Yunping Lei
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
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31
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Hwang SH, Somatilaka BN, White K, Mukhopadhyay S. Ciliary and extraciliary Gpr161 pools repress hedgehog signaling in a tissue-specific manner. eLife 2021; 10:67121. [PMID: 34346313 PMCID: PMC8378848 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of compartmentalized signaling in primary cilia during tissue morphogenesis is not well understood. The cilia localized G protein-coupled receptor, Gpr161, represses hedgehog pathway via cAMP signaling. We engineered a knock-in at the Gpr161 locus in mice to generate a variant (Gpr161mut1), which was ciliary localization defective but cAMP signaling competent. Tissue phenotypes from hedgehog signaling depend on downstream bifunctional Gli transcriptional factors functioning as activators or repressors. Compared to knockout (ko), Gpr161mut1/ko had delayed embryonic lethality, moderately increased hedgehog targets, and partially down-regulated Gli3 repressor. Unlike ko, the Gpr161mut1/ko neural tube did not show Gli2 activator-dependent expansion of ventral-most progenitors. Instead, the intermediate neural tube showed progenitor expansion that depends on loss of Gli3 repressor. Increased extraciliary receptor levels in Gpr161mut1/mut1 prevented ventralization. Morphogenesis in limb buds and midface requires Gli repressor; these tissues in Gpr161mut1/mut1 manifested hedgehog hyperactivation phenotypes—polydactyly and midfacial widening. Thus, ciliary and extraciliary Gpr161 pools likely establish tissue-specific Gli repressor thresholds in determining morpho-phenotypic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun-Hee Hwang
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Bandarigoda N Somatilaka
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Kevin White
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
| | - Saikat Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, United States
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32
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Azzarà A, Rendeli C, Crivello AM, Brugnoletti F, Rumore R, Ausili E, Sangiorgi E, Gurrieri F. Identification of new candidate genes for spina bifida through exome sequencing. Childs Nerv Syst 2021; 37:2589-2596. [PMID: 33855610 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-021-05153-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neural tube defects are a group of birth defects caused by failure of neural tube closure during development. The etiology of NTD, requiring a complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors, is not well understood. METHODS We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) in six trios, with a single affected proband with spina bifida, to identify rare/novel variants as potential causes of the NTD. RESULTS Our analysis identified four de novo and ten X-linked recessive variants in four of the six probands, all of them in genes previously never implicated in NTD. Among the 14 variants, we ruled out six of them, based on different criteria and pursued the evaluation of eight potential candidates in the following genes: RXRγ, DTX1, COL15A1, ARHGAP36, TKTL1, AMOT, GPR50, and NKRF. The de novo variants where located in the RXRγ, DTX1, and COL15A1 genes while ARHGAP36, TKTL1, AMOT, GPR50, and NKRF carry X-linked recessive variants. This analysis also revealed that four patients presented multiple variants, while we were unable to identify any significant variant in two patients. CONCLUSIONS Our preliminary conclusion support a major role for the de novo variants with respect to the X-linked recessive variants where the X-linked could represent a contribution to the phenotype in an oligogenic model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Azzarà
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italia. .,Unità di Genetica Medica, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Roma, Italia.
| | - Claudia Rendeli
- Spina Bifida Center, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e di Sanità Pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italia
| | - Anna Maria Crivello
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italia
| | - Fulvia Brugnoletti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italia
| | - Roberto Rumore
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italia
| | - Emanuele Ausili
- Spina Bifida Center, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e di Sanità Pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italia
| | - Eugenio Sangiorgi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italia.,Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italia
| | - Fiorella Gurrieri
- Unità di Genetica Medica, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Roma, Italia
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Libby ARG, Joy DA, Elder NH, Bulger EA, Krakora MZ, Gaylord EA, Mendoza-Camacho F, Butts JC, McDevitt TC. Axial elongation of caudalized human organoids mimics aspects of neural tube development. Development 2021; 148:269182. [PMID: 34142711 DOI: 10.1242/dev.198275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Axial elongation of the neural tube is crucial during mammalian embryogenesis for anterior-posterior body axis establishment and subsequent spinal cord development, but these processes cannot be interrogated directly in humans as they occur post-implantation. Here, we report an organoid model of neural tube extension derived from human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) aggregates that have been caudalized with Wnt agonism, enabling them to recapitulate aspects of the morphological and temporal gene expression patterns of neural tube development. Elongating organoids consist largely of neuroepithelial compartments and contain TBXT+SOX2+ neuro-mesodermal progenitors in addition to PAX6+NES+ neural progenitors. A critical threshold of Wnt agonism stimulated singular axial extensions while maintaining multiple cell lineages, such that organoids displayed regionalized anterior-to-posterior HOX gene expression with hindbrain (HOXB1) regions spatially distinct from brachial (HOXC6) and thoracic (HOXB9) regions. CRISPR interference-mediated silencing of TBXT, a Wnt pathway target, increased neuroepithelial compartmentalization, abrogated HOX expression and disrupted uniaxial elongation. Together, these results demonstrate the potent capacity of caudalized hPSC organoids to undergo axial elongation in a manner that can be used to dissect the cellular organization and patterning decisions that dictate early human nervous system development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley R G Libby
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology PhD Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.,Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - David A Joy
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco Graduate Program in Bioengineering, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nicholas H Elder
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology PhD Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.,Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Emily A Bulger
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology PhD Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.,Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Eliza A Gaylord
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology PhD Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Frederico Mendoza-Camacho
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology PhD Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | | | - Todd C McDevitt
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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34
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Yue H, Li S, Qin J, Gao T, Lyu J, Liu Y, Wang X, Guan Z, Zhu Z, Niu B, Zhong R, Guo J, Wang J. Down-Regulation of Inpp5e Associated With Abnormal Ciliogenesis During Embryonic Neurodevelopment Under Inositol Deficiency. Front Neurol 2021; 12:579998. [PMID: 34093381 PMCID: PMC8170399 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.579998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase E (Inpp5e) gene is located on chromosome 9q34.3. The enzyme it encodes mainly hydrolyzes the 5-phosphate groups of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PtdIns (3,4,5) P3) and phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate (PtdIns (4,5)P2), which are closely related to ciliogenesis and embryonic neurodevelopment, through mechanisms that are largely unknown. Here we studied the role of Inpp5e gene in ciliogenesis during embryonic neurodevelopment using inositol-deficiency neural tube defects (NTDs) mouse and cell models. Confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscope were used to examine the number and the length of primary cilia. The dynamic changes of Inpp5e expression in embryonic murine brain tissues were observed during Embryonic Day 10.5-13.5 (E 10.5-13.5). Immunohistochemistry, western blot, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays were applied to detect the expression of Inpp5e and cilia-related genes of the embryonic brain tissues in inositol deficiency NTDs mouse. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to validate the candidate genes in cell models. The levels of inositol and PtdIns(3,4) P2 were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Our results showed that the expression levels of Inpp5e gradually decreased in the forebrain tissues of the control embryos, but no stable trend was observed in the inositol deficiency NTDs embryos. Inpp5e expression in inositol deficiency NTDs embryos was significantly decreased compared with the control tissues. The expression levels of Inpp5e gene and the PtdIns (3,4) P2 levels were also significantly decreased in the inositol deficient cell model. A reduced number and length of primary cilia were observed in NIH3T3 cells when inositol deficient. Three important cilia-related genes (Ift80, Mkks, Smo) were down-regulated significantly in the inositol-deficient NTDs mouse and cell models, and Smo was highly involved in NTDs. In summary, these findings suggested that down-regulation of Inpp5e might be associated with abnormal ciliogenesis during embryonic neurodevelopment, under conditions of inositol deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huixuan Yue
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shen Li
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxing Qin
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Gao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Viral Oncology, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jianjun Lyu
- Department of Pathology, InnoStar Bio-Tech Nantong Co., Ltd., Nantong, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Viral Oncology, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Xiuwei Wang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Guan
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhu
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Niu
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Rugang Zhong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environment and Viral Oncology, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Guo
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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35
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Nano PR, Johnson TK, Kudo T, Mooney NA, Ni J, Demeter J, Jackson PK, Chen JK. Structure-activity mapping of ARHGAP36 reveals regulatory roles for its GAP homology and C-terminal domains. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251684. [PMID: 33999959 PMCID: PMC8128262 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
ARHGAP36 is an atypical Rho GTPase-activating protein (GAP) family member that drives both spinal cord development and tumorigenesis, acting in part through an N-terminal motif that suppresses protein kinase A and activates Gli transcription factors. ARHGAP36 also contains isoform-specific N-terminal sequences, a central GAP-like module, and a unique C-terminal domain, and the functions of these regions remain unknown. Here we have mapped the ARHGAP36 structure-activity landscape using a deep sequencing-based mutagenesis screen and truncation mutant analyses. Using this approach, we have discovered several residues in the GAP homology domain that are essential for Gli activation and a role for the C-terminal domain in counteracting an N-terminal autoinhibitory motif that is present in certain ARHGAP36 isoforms. In addition, each of these sites modulates ARHGAP36 recruitment to the plasma membrane or primary cilium. Through comparative proteomics, we also have identified proteins that preferentially interact with active ARHGAP36, and we demonstrate that one binding partner, prolyl oligopeptidase-like protein, is a novel ARHGAP36 antagonist. Our work reveals multiple modes of ARHGAP36 regulation and establishes an experimental framework that can be applied towards other signaling proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia R. Nano
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Taylor K. Johnson
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Takamasa Kudo
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Nancie A. Mooney
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Jun Ni
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Janos Demeter
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Peter K. Jackson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - James K. Chen
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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36
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Brady MV, Vaccarino FM. Role of SHH in Patterning Human Pluripotent Cells towards Ventral Forebrain Fates. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040914. [PMID: 33923415 PMCID: PMC8073580 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The complexities of human neurodevelopment have historically been challenging to decipher but continue to be of great interest in the contexts of healthy neurobiology and disease. The classic animal models and monolayer in vitro systems have limited the types of questions scientists can strive to answer in addition to the technical ability to answer them. However, the tridimensional human stem cell-derived organoid system provides the unique opportunity to model human development and mimic the diverse cellular composition of human organs. This strategy is adaptable and malleable, and these neural organoids possess the morphogenic sensitivity to be patterned in various ways to generate the different regions of the human brain. Furthermore, recapitulating human development provides a platform for disease modeling. One master regulator of human neurodevelopment in many regions of the human brain is sonic hedgehog (SHH), whose expression gradient and pathway activation are responsible for conferring ventral identity and shaping cellular phenotypes throughout the neural axis. This review first discusses the benefits, challenges, and limitations of using organoids for studying human neurodevelopment and disease, comparing advantages and disadvantages with other in vivo and in vitro model systems. Next, we explore the range of control that SHH exhibits on human neurodevelopment, and the application of SHH to various stem cell methodologies, including organoids, to expand our understanding of human development and disease. We outline how this strategy will eventually bring us much closer to uncovering the intricacies of human neurodevelopment and biology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Flora M. Vaccarino
- Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Yale Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Correspondence:
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37
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Tian T, Lai X, Xiang K, Han X, Yin S, Cabrera RM, Steele JW, Lei Y, Cao X, Finnell RH, Wang L, Ren A. Hypermethylation of PI3K-AKT signalling pathway genes is associated with human neural tube defects. Epigenetics 2021; 17:133-146. [PMID: 33491544 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1878725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a group of common and severe congenital malformations. The PI3K-AKT signalling pathway plays a crucial role in the neural tube development. There is limited evidence concerning any possible association between aberrant methylation in PI3K-AKT signalling pathway genes and NTDs. Therefore, we aimed to investigate potential associations between aberrant methylation of PI3K-AKT pathway genes and NTDs. Methylation studies of PI3K-AKT pathway genes utilizing microarray genome-methylation data derived from neural tissues of ten NTD cases and eight non-malformed controls were performed. Targeted DNA methylation analysis was subsequently performed in an independent cohort of 73 NTD cases and 32 controls to validate the methylation levels of identified genes. siRNAs were used to pull-down the target genes in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to examine the effects of the aberrant expression of target genes on neural cells. As a result, 321 differentially hypermethylated CpG sites in the promoter regions of 30 PI3K-AKT pathway genes were identified in the microarray data. In target methylation analysis, CHRM1, FGF19, and ITGA7 were confirmed to be significantly hypermethylated in NTD cases and were associated with increased risk for NTDs. The down-regulation of FGF19, CHRM1, and ITGA7 impaired the formation of rosette-like cell aggregates. The down-regulation of those three genes affected the expression of PAX6, SOX2 and MAP2, implying their influence on the differentiation of neural cells. This study for the first time reported that hypermethylation of PI3K-AKT pathway genes such as CHRM1, FGF19, and ITGA7 is associated with human NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Tian
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyuan Lai
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Kuanhui Xiang
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Disease Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Han
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shengju Yin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Robert M Cabrera
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John W Steele
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yunping Lei
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Xuanye Cao
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Linlin Wang
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Aiguo Ren
- Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
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38
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Au KS, Hebert L, Hillman P, Baker C, Brown MR, Kim DK, Soldano K, Garrett M, Ashley-Koch A, Lee S, Gleeson J, Hixson JE, Morrison AC, Northrup H. Human myelomeningocele risk and ultra-rare deleterious variants in genes associated with cilium, WNT-signaling, ECM, cytoskeleton and cell migration. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3639. [PMID: 33574475 PMCID: PMC7878900 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83058-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Myelomeningocele (MMC) affects one in 1000 newborns annually worldwide and each surviving child faces tremendous lifetime medical and caregiving burdens. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to disease risk but the mechanism is unclear. This study examined 506 MMC subjects for ultra-rare deleterious variants (URDVs, absent in gnomAD v2.1.1 controls that have Combined Annotation Dependent Depletion score ≥ 20) in candidate genes either known to cause abnormal neural tube closure in animals or previously associated with human MMC in the current study cohort. Approximately 70% of the study subjects carried one to nine URDVs among 302 candidate genes. Half of the study subjects carried heterozygous URDVs in multiple genes involved in the structure and/or function of cilium, cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix, WNT signaling, and/or cell migration. Another 20% of the study subjects carried heterozygous URDVs in candidate genes associated with gene transcription regulation, folate metabolism, or glucose metabolism. Presence of URDVs in the candidate genes involving these biological function groups may elevate the risk of developing myelomeningocele in the study cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- K S Au
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - L Hebert
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - P Hillman
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - C Baker
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - M R Brown
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - D-K Kim
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - K Soldano
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - M Garrett
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - A Ashley-Koch
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - S Lee
- Department of Neurosciences and Pediatrics, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, San Diego, CA, 92025, USA
| | - J Gleeson
- Department of Neurosciences and Pediatrics, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.,Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, San Diego, CA, 92025, USA
| | - J E Hixson
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - A C Morrison
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - H Northrup
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
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39
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Kopinke D, Norris AM, Mukhopadhyay S. Developmental and regenerative paradigms of cilia regulated hedgehog signaling. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 110:89-103. [PMID: 32540122 PMCID: PMC7736055 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2020.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Primary cilia are immotile appendages that have evolved to receive and interpret a variety of different extracellular cues. Cilia play crucial roles in intercellular communication during development and defects in cilia affect multiple tissues accounting for a heterogeneous group of human diseases called ciliopathies. The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is one of these cues and displays a unique and symbiotic relationship with cilia. Not only does Hh signaling require cilia for its function but the majority of the Hh signaling machinery is physically located within the cilium-centrosome complex. More specifically, cilia are required for both repressing and activating Hh signaling by modifying bifunctional Gli transcription factors into repressors or activators. Defects in balancing, interpreting or establishing these repressor/activator gradients in Hh signaling either require cilia or phenocopy disruption of cilia. Here, we will summarize the current knowledge on how spatiotemporal control of the molecular machinery of the cilium allows for a tight control of basal repression and activation states of the Hh pathway. We will then discuss several paradigms on how cilia influence Hh pathway activity in tissue morphogenesis during development. Last, we will touch on how cilia and Hh signaling are being reactivated and repurposed during adult tissue regeneration. More specifically, we will focus on mesenchymal stem cells within the connective tissue and discuss the similarities and differences of how cilia and ciliary Hh signaling control the formation of fibrotic scar and adipose tissue during fatty fibrosis of several tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kopinke
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
| | - Alessandra M Norris
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Saikat Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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40
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Wang Y, Qin Y, Peng R, Wang H. Loss-of-function or gain-of-function variations in VINCULIN (VCL) are risk factors of human neural tube defects. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2021; 9:e1563. [PMID: 33491343 PMCID: PMC8077129 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1563] [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: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe birth defects resulting from the failure of neural tube closure during embryogenesis. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the occurrence of NTDs and the heritability of NTDs is approximately 70%. As a key component of focal adhesions, Vinculin (VCL) plays pivotal roles in cell skeleton remodeling and signal transduction. Vcl deficient mice displayed NTD, but how VCL variants contribute to human NTDs has not been addressed yet. Methods We screened VCL variants in a Chinese cohort of 387 NTDs and 244 controls by targeted next‐generation sequencing. Results We identified four case‐specific VCL variations (p.M209L, p.D256fs, p.L555V and p.R586Q). VCL p.D256fs and p.L555V are novel variations that have never been reported. Our analysis revealed that p.D256fs is a loss‐of‐function variant, while p.L555V showed a gain of function in planner cell polarity (PCP) pathway regulation and cell migration, probably due to its enhanced protein stability. Conclusion Our study reports human NTD specific novel variations in VCL and provides the functional evaluation of VCL variants related to the etiology of human NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalan Wang
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction & Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic, Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Peng
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction & Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital, Institute of Reproduction & Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Genetic, Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Brown HM, Murray SA, Northrup H, Au KS, Niswander LA. Snx3 is important for mammalian neural tube closure via its role in canonical and non-canonical WNT signaling. Development 2020; 147:147/22/dev192518. [PMID: 33214242 DOI: 10.1242/dev.192518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Disruptions in neural tube (NT) closure result in neural tube defects (NTDs). To understand the molecular processes required for mammalian NT closure, we investigated the role of Snx3, a sorting nexin gene. Snx3-/- mutant mouse embryos display a fully-penetrant cranial NTD. In vivo, we observed decreased canonical WNT target gene expression in the cranial neural epithelium of the Snx3-/- embryos and a defect in convergent extension of the neural epithelium. Snx3-/- cells show decreased WNT secretion, and live cell imaging reveals aberrant recycling of the WNT ligand-binding protein WLS and mis-trafficking to the lysosome for degradation. The importance of SNX3 in WNT signaling regulation is demonstrated by rescue of NT closure in Snx3-/- embryos with a WNT agonist. The potential for SNX3 to function in human neurulation is revealed by a point mutation identified in an NTD-affected individual that results in functionally impaired SNX3 that does not colocalize with WLS and the degradation of WLS in the lysosome. These data indicate that Snx3 is crucial for NT closure via its role in recycling WLS in order to control levels of WNT signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Mary Brown
- Cell Biology, Stem Cells, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | | | - Hope Northrup
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kit Sing Au
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Lee A Niswander
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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Bosakova M, Abraham SP, Nita A, Hruba E, Buchtova M, Taylor SP, Duran I, Martin J, Svozilova K, Barta T, Varecha M, Balek L, Kohoutek J, Radaszkiewicz T, Pusapati GV, Bryja V, Rush ET, Thiffault I, Nickerson DA, Bamshad MJ, Rohatgi R, Cohn DH, Krakow D, Krejci P. Mutations in GRK2 cause Jeune syndrome by impairing Hedgehog and canonical Wnt signaling. EMBO Mol Med 2020; 12:e11739. [PMID: 33200460 PMCID: PMC7645380 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201911739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in genes affecting primary cilia cause ciliopathies, a diverse group of disorders often affecting skeletal development. This includes Jeune syndrome or asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy (ATD), an autosomal recessive skeletal disorder. Unraveling the responsible molecular pathology helps illuminate mechanisms responsible for functional primary cilia. We identified two families with ATD caused by loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding adrenergic receptor kinase 1 (ADRBK1 or GRK2). GRK2 cells from an affected individual homozygous for the p.R158* mutation resulted in loss of GRK2, and disrupted chondrocyte growth and differentiation in the cartilage growth plate. GRK2 null cells displayed normal cilia morphology, yet loss of GRK2 compromised cilia-based signaling of Hedgehog (Hh) pathway. Canonical Wnt signaling was also impaired, manifested as a failure to respond to Wnt ligand due to impaired phosphorylation of the Wnt co-receptor LRP6. We have identified GRK2 as an essential regulator of skeletogenesis and demonstrate how both Hh and Wnt signaling mechanistically contribute to skeletal ciliopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Bosakova
- Department of BiologyFaculty of MedicineMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
- International Clinical Research CenterSt. Anne's University HospitalBrnoCzech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the CASBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Sara P Abraham
- Department of BiologyFaculty of MedicineMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Alexandru Nita
- Department of BiologyFaculty of MedicineMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Eva Hruba
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the CASBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Marcela Buchtova
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the CASBrnoCzech Republic
| | - S Paige Taylor
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLALos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Ivan Duran
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLALos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Jorge Martin
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLALos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Katerina Svozilova
- Department of BiologyFaculty of MedicineMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the CASBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Tomas Barta
- Department of Histology and EmbryologyFaculty of MedicineMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Miroslav Varecha
- Department of BiologyFaculty of MedicineMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Lukas Balek
- Department of BiologyFaculty of MedicineMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | | | - Tomasz Radaszkiewicz
- Institute of Experimental BiologyFaculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Ganesh V Pusapati
- Department of BiochemistryStanford UniversityPalo AltoCAUSA
- Department of MedicineStanford UniversityPalo AltoCAUSA
| | - Vitezslav Bryja
- Institute of Experimental BiologyFaculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Eric T Rush
- Children's Mercy Kansas City, Center for Pediatric Genomic MedicineKansas CityMOUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of MissouriKansas CityMOUSA
| | - Isabelle Thiffault
- Children's Mercy Kansas City, Center for Pediatric Genomic MedicineKansas CityMOUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of MissouriKansas CityMOUSA
| | | | - Michael J Bamshad
- Department of Genome SciencesUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
- Division of Genetic MedicineSeattle Children's HospitalSeattleWAUSA
| | | | - Rajat Rohatgi
- Department of BiochemistryStanford UniversityPalo AltoCAUSA
- Department of MedicineStanford UniversityPalo AltoCAUSA
| | - Daniel H Cohn
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLALos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity of California at Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Deborah Krakow
- Department of Orthopaedic SurgeryDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLALos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Human GeneticsDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLALos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLALos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Pavel Krejci
- Department of BiologyFaculty of MedicineMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
- International Clinical Research CenterSt. Anne's University HospitalBrnoCzech Republic
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics of the CASBrnoCzech Republic
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Brooks ER, Islam MT, Anderson KV, Zallen JA. Sonic hedgehog signaling directs patterned cell remodeling during cranial neural tube closure. eLife 2020; 9:60234. [PMID: 33103996 PMCID: PMC7655103 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural tube closure defects are a major cause of infant mortality, with exencephaly accounting for nearly one-third of cases. However, the mechanisms of cranial neural tube closure are not well understood. Here, we show that this process involves a tissue-wide pattern of apical constriction controlled by Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling. Midline cells in the mouse midbrain neuroepithelium are flat with large apical surfaces, whereas lateral cells are taller and undergo synchronous apical constriction, driving neural fold elevation. Embryos lacking the Shh effector Gli2 fail to produce appropriate midline cell architecture, whereas embryos with expanded Shh signaling, including the IFT-A complex mutants Ift122 and Ttc21b and embryos expressing activated Smoothened, display apical constriction defects in lateral cells. Disruption of lateral, but not midline, cell remodeling results in exencephaly. These results reveal a morphogenetic program of patterned apical constriction governed by Shh signaling that generates structural changes in the developing mammalian brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Brooks
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
| | - Mohammed Tarek Islam
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
| | - Kathryn V Anderson
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
| | - Jennifer A Zallen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, New York, United States
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44
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Somatilaka BN, Hwang SH, Palicharla VR, White KA, Badgandi H, Shelton JM, Mukhopadhyay S. Ankmy2 Prevents Smoothened-Independent Hyperactivation of the Hedgehog Pathway via Cilia-Regulated Adenylyl Cyclase Signaling. Dev Cell 2020; 54:710-726.e8. [PMID: 32702291 PMCID: PMC9042708 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.06.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying subcellular targeting of cAMP-generating adenylyl cyclases and processes regulated by their compartmentalization are poorly understood. Here, we identify Ankmy2 as a repressor of the Hedgehog pathway via adenylyl cyclase targeting. Ankmy2 binds to multiple adenylyl cyclases, determining their maturation and trafficking to primary cilia. Mice lacking Ankmy2 are mid-embryonic lethal. Knockout embryos have increased Hedgehog signaling and completely open neural tubes showing co-expansion of all ventral neuroprogenitor markers, comparable to the loss of the Hedgehog receptor Patched1. Ventralization in Ankmy2 knockout is completely independent of the Hedgehog pathway transducer Smoothened. Instead, ventralization results from the reduced formation of Gli2 and Gli3 repressors and early depletion of adenylyl cyclase III in neuroepithelial cilia, implicating deficient pathway repression. Ventralization in Ankmy2 knockout requires both cilia and Gli2 activation. These findings indicate that cilia-dependent adenylyl cyclase signaling represses the Hedgehog pathway and promotes morphogenetic patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sun-Hee Hwang
- Department of Cell Biology, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Vivek Reddy Palicharla
- Department of Cell Biology, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kevin Andrew White
- Department of Cell Biology, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hemant Badgandi
- Department of Cell Biology, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - John Michael Shelton
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Saikat Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Cell Biology, Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Karunakaran KB, Chaparala S, Lo CW, Ganapathiraju MK. Cilia interactome with predicted protein-protein interactions reveals connections to Alzheimer's disease, aging and other neuropsychiatric processes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15629. [PMID: 32973177 PMCID: PMC7515907 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72024-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cilia are dynamic microtubule-based organelles present on the surface of many eukaryotic cell types and can be motile or non-motile primary cilia. Cilia defects underlie a growing list of human disorders, collectively called ciliopathies, with overlapping phenotypes such as developmental delays and cognitive and memory deficits. Consistent with this, cilia play an important role in brain development, particularly in neurogenesis and neuronal migration. These findings suggest that a deeper systems-level understanding of how ciliary proteins function together may provide new mechanistic insights into the molecular etiologies of nervous system defects. Towards this end, we performed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of known intraflagellar transport, BBSome, transition zone, ciliary membrane and motile cilia proteins. Known PPIs of ciliary proteins were assembled from online databases. Novel PPIs were predicted for each ciliary protein using a computational method we developed, called High-precision PPI Prediction (HiPPIP) model. The resulting cilia "interactome" consists of 165 ciliary proteins, 1,011 known PPIs, and 765 novel PPIs. The cilia interactome revealed interconnections between ciliary proteins, and their relation to several pathways related to neuropsychiatric processes, and to drug targets. Approximately 184 genes in the cilia interactome are targeted by 548 currently approved drugs, of which 103 are used to treat various diseases of nervous system origin. Taken together, the cilia interactome presented here provides novel insights into the relationship between ciliary protein dysfunction and neuropsychiatric disorders, for e.g. interconnections of Alzheimer's disease, aging and cilia genes. These results provide the framework for the rational design of new therapeutic agents for treatment of ciliopathies and neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalyani B Karunakaran
- Supercomputer Education and Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Srilakshmi Chaparala
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Cecilia W Lo
- Department of Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Madhavi K Ganapathiraju
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Intelligent Systems Program, School of Computing and Information, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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46
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Hebert L, Hillman P, Baker C, Brown M, Ashley-Koch A, Hixson JE, Morrison AC, Northrup H, Au KS. Burden of rare deleterious variants in WNT signaling genes among 511 myelomeningocele patients. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239083. [PMID: 32970752 PMCID: PMC7514064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes in the noncanonical WNT signaling pathway controlling planar cell polarity have been linked to the neural tube defect myelomeningocele. We hypothesized that some genes in the WNT signaling network have a higher mutational burden in myelomeningocele subjects than in reference subjects in gnomAD. Exome sequencing data from 511 myelomeningocele subjects was obtained in-house and data from 29,940 ethnically matched subjects was provided by version 2 of the publicly available Genome Aggregation Database. To compare mutational burden, we collapsed rare deleterious variants across each of 523 human WNT signaling genes in case and reference populations. Ten WNT signaling genes were disrupted with a higher mutational burden among Mexican American myelomeningocele subjects compared to reference subjects (Fishers exact test, P ≤ 0.05) and seven different genes were disrupted among individuals of European ancestry compared to reference subjects. Gene ontology enrichment analyses indicate that genes disrupted only in the Mexican American population play a role in planar cell polarity whereas genes identified in both populations are important for the regulation of canonical WNT signaling. In summary, evidence for WNT signaling genes that may contribute to myelomeningocele in humans is presented and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Hebert
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Paul Hillman
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Craig Baker
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Michael Brown
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Allison Ashley-Koch
- Department of Medicine and Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
| | - James E. Hixson
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Alanna C. Morrison
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Hope Northrup
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Kit Sing Au
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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47
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A Novel Co-occurrence of VACTERL and Closed Neural Tube Defect. JOURNAL OF FETAL MEDICINE 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40556-020-00267-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Zalenski AA, Majumder S, De K, Venere M. An interphase pool of KIF11 localizes at the basal bodies of primary cilia and a reduction in KIF11 expression alters cilia dynamics. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13946. [PMID: 32811879 PMCID: PMC7434902 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70787-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
KIF11 is a homotetrameric kinesin that peaks in protein expression during mitosis. It is a known mitotic regulator, and it is well-described that KIF11 is necessary for the formation and maintenance of the bipolar spindle. However, there has been a growing appreciation for non-mitotic roles for KIF11. KIF11 has been shown to function in such processes as axon growth and microtubule polymerization. We previously demonstrated that there is an interphase pool of KIF11 present in glioblastoma cancer stem cells that drives tumor cell invasion. Here, we identified a previously unknown association between KIF11 and primary cilia. We confirmed that KIF11 localized to the basal bodies of primary cilia in multiple cell types, including neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells. Further, we determined that KIF11 has a role in regulating cilia dynamics. Upon the reduction of KIF11 expression, the number of ciliated cells in asynchronously growing populations was significantly increased. We rescued this effect by the addition of exogenous KIF11. Lastly, we found that depleting KIF11 resulted in an increase in cilium length and an attenuation in the kinetics of cilia disassembly. These findings establish a previously unknown link between KIF11 and the dynamics of primary cilia and further support non-mitotic functions for this kinesin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail A Zalenski
- Department of Radiation Oncology, James Cancer Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner School of Medicine, 440 Tzagournis Medical Research Facility, 420 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Shubhra Majumder
- Department of Radiation Oncology, James Cancer Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner School of Medicine, 440 Tzagournis Medical Research Facility, 420 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Life Sciences and the School of Biotechnology, Presidency University, Kolkata, 700073, India
| | - Kuntal De
- Department of Radiation Oncology, James Cancer Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner School of Medicine, 440 Tzagournis Medical Research Facility, 420 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Bioscience Division, Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, USA
| | - Monica Venere
- Department of Radiation Oncology, James Cancer Hospital and Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner School of Medicine, 440 Tzagournis Medical Research Facility, 420 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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WDR34 mutation from anencephaly patients impaired both SHH and PCP signaling pathways. J Hum Genet 2020; 65:985-993. [PMID: 32576942 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-020-0793-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are debilitating human congenital abnormalities due to failure of neural tube closure. Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling is required for dorsal-ventral patterning of the neural tube. The loss of activation in SHH signaling normally causes holoprosencephaly while the loss of inhibition causes exencephaly due to failure in neural tube closure. WDR34 is a dynein intermedia chain component which is required for SHH activation. However, Wdr34 knockout mouse exhibit exencephaly. Here we screened mutations in WDR34 gene in 100 anencephaly patients of Chinese Han population. Compared to 1000 Genome Project data, two potentially disease causing missense mutations of WDR34 gene (c.1177G>A; p.G393S and c.1310A>G; p.Y437C) were identified in anencephaly patients. These two mutations did not affect the protein expression level of WDR34. Luciferase reporter and endogenous target gene expression level showed that both mutations are lose-of-function mutations in SHH signaling. Surprisingly, WDR34 could promote planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling and the G393S lost this promoting effect on PCP signaling. Morpholino knockdown of wdr34 in zebrafish caused severe convergent extension defects and pericardial abnormalities. The G393S mutant has less rescuing effects than both WT and Y437C WDR34 in zebrafish. Our results suggested that mutation in WDR34 could contribute to human NTDs by affecting both SHH and PCP signaling.
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50
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Closing in on Mechanisms of Open Neural Tube Defects. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:519-532. [PMID: 32423763 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) represent a failure of the neural plate to complete the developmental transition to a neural tube. NTDs are the most common birth anomaly of the CNS. Following mandatory folic acid fortification of dietary grains, a dramatic reduction in the incidence of NTDs was observed in areas where the policy was implemented, yet the genetic drivers of NTDs in humans, and the mechanisms by which folic acid prevents disease, remain disputed. Here, we discuss current understanding of human NTD genetics, recent advances regarding potential mechanisms by which folic acid might modify risk through effects on the epigenome and transcriptome, and new approaches to study refined phenotypes for a greater appreciation of the developmental and genetic causes of NTDs.
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