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Song QH, Zhao KX, Huang S, Chen T, He L. Escape from X-chromosome inactivation and sex differences in Alzheimer's disease. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:341-354. [PMID: 38157427 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0108] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Sex differences exist in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Globally, women have a higher prevalence, while men with Alzheimer's disease experience earlier mortality and more pronounced cognitive decline than women. The cause of sex differences in Alzheimer's disease remains unclear. Accumulating evidence suggests the potential role of X-linked genetic factors in the sex difference of Alzheimer's disease (AD). During embryogenesis, a remarkable process known as X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) occurs in females, leading to one of the X chromosomes undergoing transcriptional inactivation, which balances the effects of two X chromosomes in females. Nevertheless, certain genes exceptionally escape from XCI, which provides a basis for dual expression dosage of specific genes in females. Based on recent research findings, we explore key escape genes and their potential therapeutic use associated with Alzheimer's disease. Also, we discuss their possible role in driving the sex differences in Alzheimer's disease. This will provide new perspectives for precision medicine and gender-specific treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Hua Song
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ke-Xuan Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Shuai Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Tong Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ling He
- Department of Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, China
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2
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Kundakovic M, Tickerhoof M. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in the brain and behavior. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:18-35. [PMID: 37968206 PMCID: PMC10841872 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.09.007] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences are found across brain regions, behaviors, and brain diseases. Sexual differentiation of the brain is initiated prenatally but it continues throughout life, as a result of the interaction of three major factors: gonadal hormones, sex chromosomes, and the environment. These factors are thought to act, in part, via epigenetic mechanisms which control chromatin and transcriptional states in brain cells. In this review, we discuss evidence that epigenetic mechanisms underlie sex-specific neurobehavioral changes during critical organizational periods, across the estrous cycle, and in response to diverse environments throughout life. We further identify future directions for the field that will provide novel mechanistic insights into brain sex differences, inform brain disease treatments and women's brain health in particular, and apply to people across genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA.
| | - Maria Tickerhoof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
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3
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Wiese CB, Avetisyan R, Reue K. The impact of chromosomal sex on cardiometabolic health and disease. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2023; 34:652-665. [PMID: 37598068 PMCID: PMC11090013 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2023.07.003] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Many aspects of metabolism are sex-biased, from gene expression in metabolic tissues to the prevalence and presentation of cardiometabolic diseases. The influence of hormones produced by male and female gonads has been widely documented, but recent studies have begun to elucidate the impact of genetic sex (XX or XY chromosomes) on cellular and organismal metabolism. XX and XY cells have differential gene dosage conferred by specific genes that escape X chromosome inactivation or the presence of Y chromosome genes that are absent from XX cells. Studies in mouse models that dissociate chromosomal and gonadal sex have uncovered mechanisms for sex-biased epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in conditions such as obesity, atherosclerosis, pulmonary hypertension, autoimmune disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie B Wiese
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rozeta Avetisyan
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Karen Reue
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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4
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Youness A, Cenac C, Faz-López B, Grunenwald S, Barrat FJ, Chaumeil J, Mejía JE, Guéry JC. TLR8 escapes X chromosome inactivation in human monocytes and CD4 + T cells. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:60. [PMID: 37723501 PMCID: PMC10506212 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00544-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human endosomal Toll-like receptors TLR7 and TLR8 recognize self and non-self RNA ligands, and are important mediators of innate immunity and autoimmune pathogenesis. TLR7 and TLR8 are, respectively, encoded by adjacent X-linked genes. We previously established that TLR7 evades X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in female immune cells. Whether TLR8 also evades XCI, however, has not yet been explored. METHOD In the current study, we used RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (RNA FISH) to directly visualize, on a single-cell basis, primary transcripts of TLR7 and TLR8 relative to X chromosome territories in CD14+ monocytes and CD4+ T lymphocytes from women, Klinefelter syndrome (KS) men, and euploid men. To assign X chromosome territories in cells lacking robust expression of a XIST compartment, we designed probes specific for X-linked genes that do not escape XCI and therefore robustly label the active X chromosome. We also assessed whether XCI escape of TLR8 was associated with sexual dimorphism in TLR8 protein expression by western blot and flow cytometry. RESULTS Using RNA FISH, we show that TLR8, like TLR7, evades XCI in immune cells, and that cells harboring simultaneously TLR7 and TLR8 transcript foci are more frequent in women and KS men than in euploid men, resulting in a sevenfold difference in frequency. This transcriptional bias was again observable when comparing the single X of XY males with the active X of cells from females or KS males. Interestingly, TLR8 protein expression was significantly higher in female mononuclear blood cells, including all monocyte subsets, than in male cells. CONCLUSIONS TLR8, mirroring TLR7, escapes XCI in human monocytes and CD4+ T cells. Co-dependent transcription from the active X chromosome and escape from XCI could both contribute to higher TLR8 protein abundance in female cells, which may have implications for the response to viruses and bacteria, and the risk of developing inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Youness
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), UMR 1291 INSERM, CNRS, Hôpital Purpan, Université de Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Claire Cenac
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), UMR 1291 INSERM, CNRS, Hôpital Purpan, Université de Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Berenice Faz-López
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), UMR 1291 INSERM, CNRS, Hôpital Purpan, Université de Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Solange Grunenwald
- Service d’Endocrinologie, Maladies Métaboliques et Nutrition, Hôpital Larrey, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Toulouse, 31059 Toulouse, France
| | - Franck J. Barrat
- Hospital for Special Surgery, HSS Research Institute and David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center, New York, NY 10021 USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021 USA
| | - Julie Chaumeil
- INSERM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Institut Cochin, 75014 Paris, France
| | - José Enrique Mejía
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), UMR 1291 INSERM, CNRS, Hôpital Purpan, Université de Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Charles Guéry
- Institut Toulousain des Maladies Infectieuses et Inflammatoires (INFINITY), UMR 1291 INSERM, CNRS, Hôpital Purpan, Université de Toulouse, 31024 Toulouse, France
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5
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Tariq MB, Lee J, McCullough LD. Sex differences in the inflammatory response to stroke. Semin Immunopathol 2023; 45:295-313. [PMID: 36355204 PMCID: PMC10924671 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-022-00969-x] [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: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and disproportionally affects women, in part due to their higher longevity. Older women have poorer outcomes after stroke with high rates of cognitive deficits, depression, and reduced quality of life. Post-stroke inflammatory responses are also sexually dimorphic and drive differences in infarct size and recovery. Factors that influence sex-specific immune responses can be both intrinsic and extrinsic. Differences in gonadal hormone exposure, sex chromosome compliment, and environmental/social factors can drive changes in transcriptional and metabolic profiles. In addition, how these variables interact, changes across the lifespan. After the onset of ischemic injury, necrosis and apoptosis occur, which activate microglia and other glial cells within the central nervous system, promoting the release of cytokines and chemokines and neuroinflammation. Cells involved in innate and adaptive immune responses also have dual functions after stroke as they can enhance inflammation acutely, but also contribute to suppression of the inflammatory cascade and later repair. In this review, we provide an overview of the current literature on sex-specific inflammatory responses to ischemic stroke. Understanding these differences is critical to identifying therapeutic options for both men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal Tariq
- Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Juneyoung Lee
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Louise D McCullough
- Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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6
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Miquel CH, Faz-Lopez B, Guéry JC. Influence of X chromosome in sex-biased autoimmune diseases. J Autoimmun 2023; 137:102992. [PMID: 36641351 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2023.102992] [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: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Females have better ability to resolve infections, compared to males, but also, a greater susceptibility to develop autoimmunity. Besides the initial interest on the contribution of sex-steroid hormone signaling, the role of genetic factors linked to X chromosome has recently focused much attention. In human and mouse, the number of X chromosomes, rather than sex-steroid hormones, have been found associated with higher risk or susceptibility to develop autoimmunity, particularly rheumatic diseases, such as SLE, Sjögren's syndrome or Scleroderma. For all of these diseases, the Toll-like receptor TLR7 and TLR8, encoded on the same locus in the human Xp, have been demonstrated to be causal in disease development through gene dosage effect or gain of function mutations. During embryonic development in female mammals, one X chromosome is stochastically inactivated to balance X-linked gene expression between males and females, a process known as X chromosome inactivation (XCI). Nevertheless, some genes including immune related genes can escape XCI to variable degree and penetrance, resulting in a bi-allelic expression in some immune cells, such as TLR7. Because tight regulation of TLR expression is necessary for a healthy, self-tolerant immune environment, XCI escape has been proposed as a mechanism contributing to this sexual dimorphism. In this review, we will summarize general mechanisms of XCI, and describe the known escapee's genes in immune cells, the cellular diversity created by such mechanisms and its potential implication in autoimmune diseases, with a particular focus on the X-linked genes and immune cell populations involved in SLE. Whether dysregulated expression of X-linked genes could contribute to the enhanced susceptibility of females to develop such diseases remains to be proven. Shedding lights onto the X-linked genetic mechanisms contributing to modulation of immune cell functions will undoubtedly provide new insights into the intricate mechanisms underlying sex differences in immunity and autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles-Henry Miquel
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, INSERM, CNRS, UPS, 31300, France; Arthritis R&D, Neuilly-Sur-Seine, France
| | - Berenice Faz-Lopez
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, INSERM, CNRS, UPS, 31300, France
| | - Jean-Charles Guéry
- Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases (INFINITY), Université de Toulouse, INSERM, CNRS, UPS, 31300, France.
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7
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Baraibar I, Ros J, Saoudi N, Salvà F, García A, Castells M, Tabernero J, Élez E. Sex and gender perspectives in colorectal cancer. ESMO Open 2023; 8:101204. [PMID: 37018873 PMCID: PMC10163160 DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2023.101204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Historically women were frequently excluded from clinical trials and drug usage to protect unborn babies from potential harm. As a consequence, the impact of sex and gender on both tumour biology and clinical outcomes has been largely underestimated. Although interrelated and often used interchangeably, sex and gender are not equivalent concepts. Sex is a biological attribute that defines species according to their chromosomal makeup and reproductive organ, while gender refers to a chosen sexual identity. Sex dimorphisms are rarely taken into account, in either preclinical or clinical research, with inadequate analysis of differences in outcomes according to sex or gender still widespread, reflecting a gap in our knowledge for a large proportion of the target population. Underestimation of sex-based differences in study design and analyses has invariably led to 'one-drug' treatment regimens for both males and females. For patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), sex also has an impact on the disease incidence, clinicopathological features, therapeutic outcomes, and tolerability to anticancer treatments. Although the global incidence of CRC is higher in male subjects, the proportion of patients presenting right-sided tumours and BRAF mutations is higher among females. Concerning sex-related differences in treatment efficacy and toxicity, drug dosage does not take into account sex-specific differences in pharmacokinetics. Toxicity associated with fluoropyrimidines, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies has been reported to be more extensive for females with CRC than for males, although evidence about differences in efficacy is more controversial. This article aims to provide an overview of the research achieved so far into sex and gender differences in cancer and summarize the growing body of literature illustrating the sex and gender perspective in CRC and their impact in relation to tumour biology and treatment efficacy and toxicity. We propose endorsing research on how biological sex and gender influence CRC as an added value for precision oncology.
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8
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Kong YF, Li SZ, Wang KW, Zhu B, Yuan YX, Li MK, Zhou JY. An Efficient Bayesian Method for Estimating the Degree of the Skewness of X Chromosome Inactivation Based on the Mixture of General Pedigrees and Unrelated Females. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030543. [PMID: 36979477 PMCID: PMC10046098 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI-S) has been reported to be associated with some X-linked diseases. Several methods have been proposed to estimate the degree of XCI-S (denoted as γ) for quantitative and qualitative traits based on unrelated females. However, there is no method available for estimating γ based on general pedigrees. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a Bayesian method to obtain the point estimate and the credible interval of γ based on the mixture of general pedigrees and unrelated females (called mixed data for brevity), which is also suitable for only general pedigrees. We consider the truncated normal prior and the uniform prior for γ. Further, we apply the eigenvalue decomposition and Cholesky decomposition to our proposed methods to accelerate the computation speed. We conduct extensive simulation studies to compare the performances of our proposed methods and two existing Bayesian methods which are only applicable to unrelated females. The simulation results show that the incorporation of general pedigrees can improve the efficiency of the point estimation and the precision and the accuracy of the interval estimation of γ. Finally, we apply the proposed methods to the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data for their practical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Fan Kong
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shi-Zhu Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kai-Wen Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu-Xin Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Meng-Kai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ji-Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Correspondence:
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9
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Cabrera Zapata LE, Garcia-Segura LM, Cambiasso MJ, Arevalo MA. Genetics and Epigenetics of the X and Y Chromosomes in the Sexual Differentiation of the Brain. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012288. [PMID: 36293143 PMCID: PMC9603441 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
For many decades to date, neuroendocrinologists have delved into the key contribution of gonadal hormones to the generation of sex differences in the developing brain and the expression of sex-specific physiological and behavioral phenotypes in adulthood. However, it was not until recent years that the role of sex chromosomes in the matter started to be seriously explored and unveiled beyond gonadal determination. Now we know that the divergent evolutionary process suffered by X and Y chromosomes has determined that they now encode mostly dissimilar genetic information and are subject to different epigenetic regulations, characteristics that together contribute to generate sex differences between XX and XY cells/individuals from the zygote throughout life. Here we will review and discuss relevant data showing how particular X- and Y-linked genes and epigenetic mechanisms controlling their expression and inheritance are involved, along with or independently of gonadal hormones, in the generation of sex differences in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas E. Cabrera Zapata
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5016, Argentina
- Instituto Cajal (IC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - María Julia Cambiasso
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5016, Argentina
- Cátedra de Biología Celular, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
- Correspondence: (M.J.C.); (M.A.A.)
| | - Maria Angeles Arevalo
- Instituto Cajal (IC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28002 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.J.C.); (M.A.A.)
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10
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Pallier PN, Ferrara M, Romagnolo F, Ferretti MT, Soreq H, Cerase A. Chromosomal and environmental contributions to sex differences in the vulnerability to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders: Implications for therapeutic interventions. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 219:102353. [PMID: 36100191 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102353] [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: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders affect men and women differently. Multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, anxiety disorders, depression, meningiomas and late-onset schizophrenia affect women more frequently than men. By contrast, Parkinson's disease, autism spectrum condition, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tourette's syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and early-onset schizophrenia are more prevalent in men. Women have been historically under-recruited or excluded from clinical trials, and most basic research uses male rodent cells or animals as disease models, rarely studying both sexes and factoring sex as a potential source of variation, resulting in a poor understanding of the underlying biological reasons for sex and gender differences in the development of such diseases. Putative pathophysiological contributors include hormones and epigenetics regulators but additional biological and non-biological influences may be at play. We review here the evidence for the underpinning role of the sex chromosome complement, X chromosome inactivation, and environmental and epigenetic regulators in sex differences in the vulnerability to brain disease. We conclude that there is a pressing need for a better understanding of the genetic, epigenetic and environmental mechanisms sustaining sex differences in such diseases, which is critical for developing a precision medicine approach based on sex-tailored prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick N Pallier
- Blizard Institute, Centre for Neuroscience, Surgery and Trauma, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK.
| | - Maria Ferrara
- Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Women's Brain Project (WBP), Switzerland
| | - Francesca Romagnolo
- Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Hermona Soreq
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center of Brain Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Andrea Cerase
- EMBL-Rome, Via Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo, RM, Italy; Blizard Institute, Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, UK; Department of Biology, University of Pisa, SS12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
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11
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Abstract
Understanding sex differences in physiology and disease requires the identification of the molecular agents that cause phenotypic sex differences. Two groups of such agents are genes located on the sex chromosomes, and gonadal hormones. The former have coherent linkage to chromosomes that form differently in the two sexes under the influence of genomic forces that are not related to reproductive function, whereas the latter have a direct or indirect relationship to reproduction. Evidence published in the past 5 years supports the identification of several agents of sexual differentiation encoded by the X chromosome in mice, including Kdm5c, Kdm6a, Ogt and Xist. These X chromosome agents have wide pleiotropic effects, potentially influencing sex differences in many different tissues, a characteristic shared with the gonadal hormones. The identification of X chromosome agents of sexual differentiation will facilitate understanding of complex intersecting gene pathways underlying sex differences in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur P Arnold
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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12
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Bauer M, Payer B, Filion GJ. Causality in transcription and genome folding: Insights from X inactivation. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200105. [PMID: 36028473 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200105] [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: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The spatial organization of genomes is becoming increasingly understood. In mammals, where it is most investigated, this organization ties in with transcription, so an important research objective is to understand whether gene activity is a cause or a consequence of genome folding in space. In this regard, the phenomena of X-chromosome inactivation and reactivation open a unique window of investigation because of the singularities of the inactive X chromosome. Here we focus on the cause-consequence nexus between genome conformation and transcription and explain how recent results about the structural changes associated with inactivation and reactivation of the X chromosome shed light on this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Bauer
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Payer
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guillaume J Filion
- Dept. Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
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13
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Yang T, Ou J, Yildirim E. Xist exerts gene-specific silencing during XCI maintenance and impacts lineage-specific cell differentiation and proliferation during hematopoiesis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4464. [PMID: 35915095 PMCID: PMC9343370 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32273-5] [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: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a dosage compensation phenomenon that occurs in females. Initiation of XCI depends on Xist RNA, which triggers silencing of one of the two X chromosomes, except for XCI escape genes that continue to be biallelically expressed. In the soma XCI is stably maintained with continuous Xist expression. How Xist impacts XCI maintenance remains an open question. Here we conditionally delete Xist in hematopoietic system of mice and report differentiation and cell cycle defects in female hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). By utilizing female HSPCs and mouse embryonic fibroblasts, we find that X-linked genes show variable tolerance to Xist loss. Specifically, XCI escape genes exhibit preferential transcriptional upregulation, which associates with low H3K27me3 occupancy and high chromatin accessibility that accommodates preexisting binding of transcription factors such as Yin Yang 1 (YY1) at the basal state. We conclude that Xist is necessary for gene-specific silencing during XCI maintenance and impacts lineage-specific cell differentiation and proliferation during hematopoiesis. Here the authors investigate the functional relevance of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) regulator Xist in hematopoiesis. They find that Xist loss leads to changes in the ratio of hematopoietic progenitor cells and results in chromatin accessibility and transcriptional upregulation on the inactive X chromosome, including XCI escape genes known to be associated with cell cycle and immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqi Yang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Jianhong Ou
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Eda Yildirim
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA. .,Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA. .,Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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14
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Ichihara S, Nagao K, Sakaguchi T, Obuse C, Sado T. SmcHD1 underlies the formation of H3K9me3 blocks on the inactive X chromosome in mice. Development 2022; 149:dev200864. [PMID: 38771307 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Stable silencing of the inactive X chromosome (Xi) in female mammals is crucial for the development of embryos and their postnatal health. SmcHD1 is essential for stable silencing of the Xi, and its functional deficiency results in derepression of many X-inactivated genes. Although SmcHD1 has been suggested to play an important role in the formation of higher-order chromatin structure of the Xi, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we explore the epigenetic state of the Xi in SmcHD1-deficient epiblast stem cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts in comparison with their wild-type counterparts. The results suggest that SmcHD1 underlies the formation of H3K9me3-enriched blocks on the Xi, which, although the importance of H3K9me3 has been largely overlooked in mice, play a crucial role in the establishment of the stably silenced state. We propose that the H3K9me3 blocks formed on the Xi facilitate robust heterochromatin formation in combination with H3K27me3, and that the substantial loss of H3K9me3 caused by SmcHD1 deficiency leads to aberrant distribution of H3K27me3 on the Xi and derepression of X-inactivated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saya Ichihara
- Department of Advanced Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nara 631-8505, Japan
| | - Koji Nagao
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Takehisa Sakaguchi
- Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Chikashi Obuse
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Takashi Sado
- Department of Advanced Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nara 631-8505, Japan
- Agricultural Technology and Innovation Research Institute, Kindai University, Nara 631-8505, Japan
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15
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Sex-specific multi-level 3D genome dynamics in the mouse brain. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3438. [PMID: 35705546 PMCID: PMC9200740 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30961-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The female mammalian brain exhibits sex hormone-driven plasticity during the reproductive period. Recent evidence implicates chromatin dynamics in gene regulation underlying this plasticity. However, whether ovarian hormones impact higher-order chromatin organization in post-mitotic neurons in vivo is unknown. Here, we mapped the 3D genome of ventral hippocampal neurons across the oestrous cycle and by sex in mice. In females, we find cycle-driven dynamism in 3D chromatin organization, including in oestrogen response elements-enriched X chromosome compartments, autosomal CTCF loops, and enhancer-promoter interactions. With rising oestrogen levels, the female 3D genome becomes more similar to the male 3D genome. Cyclical enhancer-promoter interactions are partially associated with gene expression and enriched for brain disorder-relevant genes and pathways. Our study reveals unique 3D genome dynamics in the female brain relevant to female-specific gene regulation, neuroplasticity, and disease risk. Here the authors provide evidence that 3D chromatin structure in the mouse brain differs between males and females and undergoes dynamic remodelling during the female ovarian cycle. They show female-specific 3D genome dynamics affects neuronal gene expression and brain disorder-relevant genes, and could play a role in reproductive hormone-induced brain plasticity and female-specific risk for brain disorders.
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16
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Yu WY, Zhang Y, Li MK, Yang ZY, Fung WK, Zhao PZ, Zhou JY. BEXCIS: Bayesian methods for estimating the degree of the skewness of X chromosome inactivation. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 23:193. [PMID: 35610583 PMCID: PMC9128296 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-022-04721-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an epigenetic phenomenon that one of two X chromosomes in females is transcriptionally silenced during early embryonic development. Skewed XCI has been reported to be associated with some X-linked diseases. There have been several methods measuring the degree of the skewness of XCI. However, these methods may still have several limitations. Results We propose a Bayesian method to obtain the point estimate and the credible interval of the degree of XCI skewing by incorporating its prior information of being between 0 and 2. We consider a normal prior and a uniform prior for it (respectively denoted by BN and BU). We also propose a penalized point estimate based on the penalized Fieller’s method and derive the corresponding confidence interval. Simulation results demonstrate that the BN and BU methods can solve the problems of extreme point estimates, noninformative intervals, empty sets and discontinuous intervals. The BN method generally outperforms other methods with the lowest mean squared error in the point estimation, and well controls the coverage probability with the smallest median and the least variation of the interval width in the interval estimation. We apply all the methods to the Graves’ disease data and the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data, and find that SNP rs3827440 in the Graves’ disease data may undergo skewed XCI towards the allele C. Conclusions We recommend the BN method for measuring the degree of the skewness of XCI in practice. The R package BEXCIS is publicly available at https://github.com/Wen-YiYu/BEXCIS. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12859-022-04721-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yi Yu
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meng-Kai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Ying Yang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wing Kam Fung
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Pei-Zhen Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ji-Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. .,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China.
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17
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Severino J, Bauer M, Mattimoe T, Arecco N, Cozzuto L, Lorden P, Hamada N, Nosaka Y, Nagaoka SI, Audergon P, Tarruell A, Heyn H, Hayashi K, Saitou M, Payer B. Controlled X-chromosome dynamics defines meiotic potential of female mouse in vitro germ cells. EMBO J 2022; 41:e109457. [PMID: 35603814 PMCID: PMC9194795 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109457] [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: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian germline is characterized by extensive epigenetic reprogramming during its development into functional eggs and sperm. Specifically, the epigenome requires resetting before parental marks can be established and transmitted to the next generation. In the female germline, X‐chromosome inactivation and reactivation are among the most prominent epigenetic reprogramming events, yet very little is known about their kinetics and biological function. Here, we investigate X‐inactivation and reactivation dynamics using a tailor‐made in vitro system of primordial germ cell‐like cell (PGCLC) differentiation from mouse embryonic stem cells. We find that X‐inactivation in PGCLCs in vitro and in germ cell‐competent epiblast cells in vivo is moderate compared to somatic cells, and frequently characterized by escaping genes. X‐inactivation is followed by step‐wise X‐reactivation, which is mostly completed during meiotic prophase I. Furthermore, we find that PGCLCs which fail to undergo X‐inactivation or reactivate too rapidly display impaired meiotic potential. Thus, our data reveal fine‐tuned X‐chromosome remodelling as a critical feature of female germ cell development towards meiosis and oogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Severino
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Moritz Bauer
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tom Mattimoe
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Niccolò Arecco
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luca Cozzuto
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Patricia Lorden
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Norio Hamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Nosaka
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - So I Nagaoka
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Pauline Audergon
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Tarruell
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Holger Heyn
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Katsuhiko Hayashi
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Bernhard Payer
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
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18
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Li MK, Yuan YX, Zhu B, Wang KW, Fung WK, Zhou JY. Gene-Based Methods for Estimating the Degree of the Skewness of X Chromosome Inactivation. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050827. [PMID: 35627212 PMCID: PMC9140558 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI-S) has been reported to be associated with some X-linked diseases, and currently several methods have been proposed to estimate the degree of the XCI-S (denoted as γ) for a single locus. However, no method has been available to estimate γ for genes. Therefore, in this paper, we first propose the point estimate and the penalized point estimate of γ for genes, and then derive its confidence intervals based on the Fieller’s and penalized Fieller’s methods, respectively. Further, we consider the constraint condition of γ∈[0, 2] and propose the Bayesian methods to obtain the point estimates and the credible intervals of γ, where a truncated normal prior and a uniform prior are respectively used (denoted as GBN and GBU). The simulation results show that the Bayesian methods can avoid the extreme point estimates (0 or 2), the empty sets, the noninformative intervals ([0, 2]) and the discontinuous intervals to occur. GBN performs best in both the point estimation and the interval estimation. Finally, we apply the proposed methods to the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data for their practical use. In summary, in practical applications, we recommend using GBN to estimate γ of genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Kai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu-Xin Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kai-Wen Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wing Kam Fung
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
| | - Ji-Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Correspondence:
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19
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Ugidos IF, Pistono C, Korhonen P, Gómez-Budia M, Sitnikova V, Klecki P, Stanová I, Jolkkonen J, Malm T. Sex Differences in Poststroke Inflammation: a Focus on Microglia Across the Lifespan. Stroke 2022; 53:1500-1509. [PMID: 35468000 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.122.039138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and currently only few therapeutic options are available. Stroke is a sexually dimorphic disease contributing to the difficulty in finding efficient treatments. Poststroke neuroinflammation is geared largely by brain microglia and infiltrating peripheral immune cells and largely contributes to sex differences in the outcome of stroke. Microglia, since very early in the development, are sexually divergent, imprinting specific sex-related features. The diversity in terms of microglial density, morphology, and transcriptomic and proteomic profiles between sexes remains in the adulthood and is likely to contribute to the observed sex-differences on the postischemic inflammation. The impact of sexual hormones is fundamental: changes in terms of risk and severity have been observed for females before and after menopause underlining the importance of altered circulating sexual hormones. Moreover, aging is a driving force for changes that interact with sex, shifting the inflammatory response in a sex-dependent manner. This review summarizes the present literature on sex differences in stroke-induced inflammatory responses, with the focus on different microglial responses along lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene F Ugidos
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.).,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA (I.F.U.)
| | - Cristiana Pistono
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.)
| | - Paula Korhonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.)
| | - Mireia Gómez-Budia
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.)
| | - Valeriia Sitnikova
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.)
| | - Pamela Klecki
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.)
| | - Iveta Stanová
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.)
| | - Jukka Jolkkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.)
| | - Tarja Malm
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio (I.F.U., C.P., P.K., M.G.-B., V.S., P.K., I.S., J.J., T.M.)
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20
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Expanding the phenotype of males with OFD1 pathogenic variants-a case report and literature review. Eur J Med Genet 2022; 65:104496. [PMID: 35398350 PMCID: PMC10369588 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2022.104496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Pathogenic variants in the OFD1 gene have been classically associated with the Orofaciodigital syndrome type 1 in females, a condition previously considered to be X-linked dominant with male embryonic lethality. However, an increasing number of males with pathogenic OFD1 variants who survived beyond the neonatal period have now been reported in the literature. Although each new report has added to the ever-broadening spectrum of clinical findings seen in males, many questions about genotype-phenotype correlations and disease mechanism remain. Herein, we describe a 9-year-old male child with a novel hemizygous pathogenic OFD1 variant identified by exome sequencing and a unique combination of findings, not previously reported, including presence of both a hypothalamic hamartoma and the molar tooth sign. His clinical features overlap multiple ciliopathy phenotypes, blurring the boundaries of distinct ciliopathy gene-disease relationships. This case provides further evidence for the consideration of a broad OFD1-relateddisorder spectrum in affected males rather than multiple distinct phenotypes. Additionally, a review of previously published cases of the disorder in males support the inclusion of the OFD1 gene in the differential diagnosis and work up for all individuals who present with primary ciliopathy-type features, regardless of their gender. We also highlight current information about OFD1 variant types and pathogenesis and explore how these could mechanistically drive some of the observed phenotypic differences.
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21
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Wang YC, Wu Y, Choi J, Allington G, Zhao S, Khanfar M, Yang K, Fu PY, Wrubel M, Yu X, Mekbib KY, Ocken J, Smith H, Shohfi J, Kahle KT, Lu Q, Jin SC. Computational Genomics in the Era of Precision Medicine: Applications to Variant Analysis and Gene Therapy. J Pers Med 2022; 12:175. [PMID: 35207663 PMCID: PMC8878256 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12020175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid methodological advances in statistical and computational genomics have enabled researchers to better identify and interpret both rare and common variants responsible for complex human diseases. As we continue to see an expansion of these advances in the field, it is now imperative for researchers to understand the resources and methodologies available for various data types and study designs. In this review, we provide an overview of recent methods for identifying rare and common variants and understanding their roles in disease etiology. Additionally, we discuss the strategy, challenge, and promise of gene therapy. As computational and statistical approaches continue to improve, we will have an opportunity to translate human genetic findings into personalized health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Chun Wang
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
| | - Yuchang Wu
- Department of Biostatistics & Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
| | - Julie Choi
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
| | - Garrett Allington
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA;
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (H.S.); (K.T.K.)
| | - Shujuan Zhao
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
| | - Mariam Khanfar
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
| | - Kuangying Yang
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
| | - Po-Ying Fu
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
| | - Max Wrubel
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xiaobing Yu
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Kedous Y. Mekbib
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.Y.M.); (J.O.); (J.S.)
| | - Jack Ocken
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.Y.M.); (J.O.); (J.S.)
| | - Hannah Smith
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (H.S.); (K.T.K.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.Y.M.); (J.O.); (J.S.)
| | - John Shohfi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (K.Y.M.); (J.O.); (J.S.)
| | - Kristopher T. Kahle
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; (H.S.); (K.T.K.)
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Qiongshi Lu
- Department of Biostatistics & Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA;
| | - Sheng Chih Jin
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (Y.-C.W.); (J.C.); (S.Z.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (P.-Y.F.); (M.W.); (X.Y.)
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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22
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Konwar C, Asiimwe R, Inkster AM, Merrill SM, Negri GL, Aristizabal MJ, Rider CF, MacIsaac JL, Carlsten C, Kobor MS. Risk-focused differences in molecular processes implicated in SARS-CoV-2 infection: corollaries in DNA methylation and gene expression. Epigenetics Chromatin 2021; 14:54. [PMID: 34895312 PMCID: PMC8665859 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-021-00428-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the molecular basis of susceptibility factors to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a global health imperative. It is well-established that males are more likely to acquire SARS-CoV-2 infection and exhibit more severe outcomes. Similarly, exposure to air pollutants and pre-existing respiratory chronic conditions, such as asthma and chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) confer an increased risk to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS We investigated molecular patterns associated with risk factors in 398 candidate genes relevant to COVID-19 biology. To accomplish this, we downloaded DNA methylation and gene expression data sets from publicly available repositories (GEO and GTEx Portal) and utilized data from an empirical controlled human exposure study conducted by our team. RESULTS First, we observed sex-biased DNA methylation patterns in autosomal immune genes, such as NLRP2, TLE1, GPX1, and ARRB2 (FDR < 0.05, magnitude of DNA methylation difference Δβ > 0.05). Second, our analysis on the X-linked genes identified sex associated DNA methylation profiles in genes, such as ACE2, CA5B, and HS6ST2 (FDR < 0.05, Δβ > 0.05). These associations were observed across multiple respiratory tissues (lung, nasal epithelia, airway epithelia, and bronchoalveolar lavage) and in whole blood. Some of these genes, such as NLRP2 and CA5B, also exhibited sex-biased gene expression patterns. In addition, we found differential DNA methylation patterns by COVID-19 status for genes, such as NLRP2 and ACE2 in an exploratory analysis of an empirical data set reporting on human COVID-9 infections. Third, we identified modest DNA methylation changes in CpGs associated with PRIM2 and TATDN1 (FDR < 0.1, Δβ > 0.05) in response to particle-depleted diesel exhaust in bronchoalveolar lavage. Finally, we captured a DNA methylation signature associated with COPD diagnosis in a gene involved in nicotine dependence (COMT) (FDR < 0.1, Δβ > 0.05). CONCLUSION Our findings on sex differences might be of clinical relevance given that they revealed molecular associations of sex-biased differences in COVID-19. Specifically, our results hinted at a potentially exaggerated immune response in males linked to autosomal genes, such as NLRP2. In contrast, our findings at X-linked loci such as ACE2 suggested a potentially distinct DNA methylation pattern in females that may interact with its mRNA expression and inactivation status. We also found tissue-specific DNA methylation differences in response to particulate exposure potentially capturing a nitrogen dioxide (NO2) effect-a contributor to COVID-19 susceptibility. While we identified a molecular signature associated with COPD, all COPD-affected individuals were smokers, which may either reflect an association with the disease, smoking, or may highlight a compounded effect of these two risk factors in COVID-19. Overall, our findings point towards a molecular basis of variation in susceptibility factors that may partly explain disparities in the risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaini Konwar
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6H 0B3, Canada
| | - Rebecca Asiimwe
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6H 0B3, Canada
| | - Amy M Inkster
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- The Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Sarah M Merrill
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6H 0B3, Canada
| | - Gian L Negri
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Maria J Aristizabal
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6H 0B3, Canada
- The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biology, Queen' University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
- Program in Child and Brain Development, CIFAR, MaRS Centre, 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Christopher F Rider
- The Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Julie L MacIsaac
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6H 0B3, Canada
| | - Christopher Carlsten
- The Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Michael S Kobor
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), 950 West 28th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6H 0B3, Canada.
- Program in Child and Brain Development, CIFAR, MaRS Centre, 661 University Ave, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada.
- The Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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23
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Spiering AE, de Vries TJ. Why Females Do Better: The X Chromosomal TLR7 Gene-Dose Effect in COVID-19. Front Immunol 2021; 12:756262. [PMID: 34858409 PMCID: PMC8632002 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.756262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A male sex bias has emerged in the COVID-19 pandemic, fitting to the sex-biased pattern in other viral infections. Males are 2.84 times more often admitted to the ICU and mortality is 1.39 times higher as a result of COVID-19. Various factors play a role in this, and novel studies suggest that the gene-dose of Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) 7 could contribute to the sex-skewed severity. TLR7 is one of the crucial pattern recognition receptors for SARS-CoV-2 ssRNA and the gene-dose effect is caused by X chromosome inactivation (XCI) escape. Female immune cells with TLR7 XCI escape have biallelic TLR7 expression and produce more type 1 interferon (IFN) upon TLR7 stimulation. In COVID-19, TLR7 in plasmacytoid dendritic cells is one of the pattern recognition receptors responsible for IFN production and a delayed IFN response has been associated with immunopathogenesis and mortality. Here, we provide a hypothesis that females may be protected to some extend against severe COVID-19, due to the biallelic TLR7 expression, allowing them to mount a stronger and more protective IFN response early after infection. Studies exploring COVID-19 treatment via the TLR7-mediated IFN pathway should consider this sex difference. Various factors such as age, sex hormones and escape modulation remain to be investigated concerning the TLR7 gene-dose effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna E. Spiering
- Amsterdam University College, University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Teun J. de Vries
- Amsterdam University College, University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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24
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X-linked histone H3K27 demethylase Kdm6a regulates sexually dimorphic differentiation of hypothalamic neurons. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:7043-7060. [PMID: 34633482 PMCID: PMC8558156 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03945-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Several X-linked genes are involved in neuronal differentiation and may contribute to the generation of sex dimorphisms in the brain. Previous results showed that XX hypothalamic neurons grow faster, have longer axons, and exhibit higher expression of the neuritogenic gene neurogenin 3 (Ngn3) than XY before perinatal masculinization. Here we evaluated the participation of candidate X-linked genes in the development of these sex differences, focusing mainly on Kdm6a, a gene encoding for an H3K27 demethylase with functions controlling gene expression genome-wide. We established hypothalamic neuronal cultures from wild-type or transgenic Four Core Genotypes mice, a model that allows evaluating the effect of sex chromosomes independently of gonadal type. X-linked genes Kdm6a, Eif2s3x and Ddx3x showed higher expression in XX compared to XY neurons, regardless of gonadal sex. Moreover, Kdm6a expression pattern with higher mRNA levels in XX than XY did not change with age at E14, P0, and P60 in hypothalamus or under 17β-estradiol treatment in culture. Kdm6a pharmacological blockade by GSK-J4 reduced axonal length only in female neurons and decreased the expression of neuritogenic genes Neurod1, Neurod2 and Cdk5r1 in both sexes equally, while a sex-specific effect was observed in Ngn3. Finally, Kdm6a downregulation using siRNA reduced axonal length and Ngn3 expression only in female neurons, abolishing the sex differences observed in control conditions. Altogether, these results point to Kdm6a as a key mediator of the higher axogenesis and Ngn3 expression observed in XX neurons before the critical period of brain masculinization.
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25
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Checknita D, Tiihonen J, Hodgins S, Nilsson KW. Associations of age, sex, sexual abuse, and genotype with monoamine oxidase a gene methylation. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2021; 128:1721-1739. [PMID: 34424394 PMCID: PMC8536631 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-021-02403-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Epigenome-wide studies report higher methylation among women than men with decreasing levels with age. Little is known about associations of sex and age with methylation of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA). Methylation of the first exonic and partial first intronic region of MAOA has been shown to strengthen associations of interactions of MAOA-uVNTR genotypes and adversity with aggression and substance misuse. Our study examined associations of sex and age with MAOA first exon and intron methylation levels in 252 women and 157 men aged 14–73 years. Participants included adolescents recruited at a substance misuse clinic, their siblings and parents, and healthy women. Women showed ~ 50% higher levels of exonic, and ~ 15% higher intronic, methylation than men. Methylation levels were similar between younger (M = 22.7 years) and older (M = 46.1 years) participants, and stable across age. Age modified few associations of methylation levels with sex. MAOA genotypes modified few associations of methylation with sex and age. Higher methylation levels among women were not explained by genotype, nor interaction of genotype and sexual abuse. Findings were similar after adjusting for lifetime diagnoses of substance dependence (women = 24.3%; men = 34.2%). Methylation levels were higher among women who experienced sexual abuse than women who did not. Results extend on prior studies by showing that women display higher levels of methylation than men within first intronic/exonic regions of MAOA, which did not decrease with age in either sex. Findings were not conditioned by genotype nor interactions of genotype and trauma, and indicate X-chromosome inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Checknita
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. .,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Psychiatry Building R5:00 c/o Jari Tiihonen, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Centre for Clinical Research, Västmanland County Council, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Jari Tiihonen
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Psychiatry Building R5:00 c/o Jari Tiihonen, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm City Council, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Niuvanniemi Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sheilagh Hodgins
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Psychiatry Building R5:00 c/o Jari Tiihonen, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden.,Département de Psychiatrie et Addictologie, Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Kent W Nilsson
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Centre for Clinical Research, Västmanland County Council, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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26
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A statistical measure for the skewness of X chromosome inactivation for quantitative traits and its application to the MCTFR data. BMC Genom Data 2021; 22:24. [PMID: 34215184 PMCID: PMC8254321 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-021-00978-z] [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: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is that one of two chromosomes in mammalian females is silenced during early development of embryos. There has been a statistical measure for the degree of the skewness of XCI for qualitative traits. However, no method is available for such task at quantitative trait loci. Results In this article, we extend the existing statistical measure for the skewness of XCI for qualitative traits, and the likelihood ratio, Fieller’s and delta methods for constructing the corresponding confidence intervals, and make them accommodate quantitative traits. The proposed measure is a ratio of two linear regression coefficients when association exists. Noting that XCI may cause variance heterogeneity of the traits across different genotypes in females, we obtain the point estimate and confidence intervals of the measure by incorporating such information. The hypothesis testing of the proposed methods is also investigated. We conduct extensive simulation studies to assess the performance of the proposed methods. Simulation results demonstrate that the median of the point estimates of the measure is very close to the pre-specified true value. The likelihood ratio and Fieller’s methods control the size well, and have the similar test power and accurate coverage probability, which perform better than the delta method. So far, we are not aware of any association study for the X-chromosomal loci in the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data. So, we apply our proposed methods to these data for their practical use and find that only the rs792959 locus, which is simultaneously associated with the illicit drug composite score and behavioral disinhibition composite score, may undergo XCI skewing. However, this needs to be confirmed by molecular genetics. Conclusions We recommend the Fieller’s method in practical use because it is a non-iterative procedure and has the similar performance to the likelihood ratio method. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12863-021-00978-z.
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27
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Haupt S, Caramia F, Klein SL, Rubin JB, Haupt Y. Sex disparities matter in cancer development and therapy. Nat Rev Cancer 2021; 21:393-407. [PMID: 33879867 PMCID: PMC8284191 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-021-00348-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Curing cancer through precision medicine is the paramount aim of the new wave of molecular and genomic therapies. Currently, whether patients with non-reproductive cancers are male or female according to their sex chromosomes is not adequately considered in patient standard of care. This is a matter of consequence because there is growing evidence that these cancer types generally initiate earlier and are associated with higher overall incidence and rates of death in males compared with females. Gender, in contrast to sex, refers to a chosen sexual identity. Hazardous lifestyle choices (notably tobacco smoking) differ in prevalence between genders, aligned with disproportionate cancer risk. These add to underlying genetic predisposition and influences of sex steroid hormones. Together, these factors affect metabolism, immunity and inflammation, and ultimately the fidelity of the genetic code. To accurately understand how human defences against cancer erode, it is crucial to establish the influence of sex. Our Perspective highlights evidence from basic and translational research indicating that including genetic sex considerations in treatments for patients with cancer will improve outcomes. It is now time to adopt the challenge of overhauling cancer medicine based on optimized treatment strategies for females and males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue Haupt
- Tumor Suppression and Cancer Sex Disparity Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Franco Caramia
- Tumor Suppression and Cancer Sex Disparity Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sabra L Klein
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joshua B Rubin
- Department of Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ygal Haupt
- Tumor Suppression and Cancer Sex Disparity Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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28
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Kouvidi E, Zachaki S, Selenti N, Veltra D, Evmorfopoulou T, Tsoutsou E, Tzifa G, Sofocleous C, Gagos S, Mavrou A. Detection of a novel unbalanced X;21 translocation in a girl with Turner syndrome phenotype. Gynecol Endocrinol 2021; 37:377-381. [PMID: 33356667 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2020.1865907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe a novel unbalanced X;21 translocation resulting in a derivative pseudodicentric chromosome X;21 lacking the critical region for ovarian development and function, in a 16-year-old girl referred for cytogenetic analysis due to primary amenorrhea and Turner-like features. METHODS Cytogenetic analysis of the proband and her parents was performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes by GTG banding. Molecular cytogenetic FISH analysis was performed on metaphase preparations, using X chromosome centromeric probe and telomeric and pancentromeric peptide nucleic acid (PNA) analog probes. The HUMARA assay as well as methylation studies for PCSK1N and FMR-1 loci were performed. RESULTS Cytogenetic analysis revealed a de novo unbalanced X;21 translocation, described as 45,X,der(X)t(X;21)(q22.2;p11.2),-21. FISH analysis showed that the derivative X chromosome carried both the X and 21 centromeres, as well as, the Xp and 21q telomeres. The karyotype was thus reevaluated as 45,X,psu dic(21;X)(21qter→21p13::Xq22.2→Xpter),-21. X inactivation studies revealed that the derivative chromosome was of paternal origin and confirmed the selective inactivation of the derivative X segment of the pseudodicentric chromosome. CONCLUSIONS Primary amenorrhea and other Turner-like characteristics of the proband are apparently due to the loss of the Xq22.2→Xqter critical region which contains critical genes for the ovarian development and function. The chromosome X segment of the derivative pseudodicentric chromosome is selectively inactivated, but inactivation does not seem to spread onto the translocated chromosome 21, accounting probably for the lack of severe clinical consequences which would result from monosomy 21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisavet Kouvidi
- Genesis Genoma Lab, Genetic Diagnosis, Clinical Genetics & Research, Athens, Greece
| | - Sophia Zachaki
- Genesis Genoma Lab, Genetic Diagnosis, Clinical Genetics & Research, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikoletta Selenti
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Athens, «Aghia Sophia» Childrens' Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Danai Veltra
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Athens, «Aghia Sophia» Childrens' Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Theodora Evmorfopoulou
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery & Translational Research, Laboratory of Genetics, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens Greece (BRFAA), Athens, Greece
| | - Eirini Tsoutsou
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Athens, «Aghia Sophia» Childrens' Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Christalena Sofocleous
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Athens, «Aghia Sophia» Childrens' Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Sarantis Gagos
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery & Translational Research, Laboratory of Genetics, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens Greece (BRFAA), Athens, Greece
| | - Ariadni Mavrou
- Genesis Genoma Lab, Genetic Diagnosis, Clinical Genetics & Research, Athens, Greece
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Qi S, Al Mamun A, Ngwa C, Romana S, Ritzel R, Arnold AP, McCullough LD, Liu F. X chromosome escapee genes are involved in ischemic sexual dimorphism through epigenetic modification of inflammatory signals. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:70. [PMID: 33712031 PMCID: PMC7953638 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02120-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stroke is a sexually dimorphic disease. Previous studies have found that young females are protected against ischemia compared to males, partially due to the protective effect of ovarian hormones, particularly estrogen (E2). However, there are also genetic and epigenetic effects of X chromosome dosage that contribute to stroke sensitivity and neuroinflammation after injury, especially in the aged. Genes that escape from X chromosome inactivation (XCI) contribute to sex-specific phenotypes in many disorders. Kdm5c and kdm6a are X escapee genes that demethylate H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, respectively. We hypothesized that the two demethylases play critical roles in mediating the stroke sensitivity. METHODS To identify the X escapee genes involved in stroke, we performed RNA-seq in flow-sorted microglia from aged male and female wild type (WT) mice subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The expression of these genes (kdm5c/kdm6a) were confirmed in four core genotypes (FCG) mice and in post-mortem human stroke brains by immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blot, and RT-PCR. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were conducted to detect DNA levels of inflammatory interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 4/5 precipitated by histone H3K4 and H3K27 antibodies. Manipulation of kdm5c/kdm6a expression with siRNA or lentivirus was performed in microglial culture, to determine downstream pathways and examine the regulatory roles in inflammatory cytokine production. RESULTS Kdm5c and kdm6a mRNA levels were significantly higher in aged WT female vs. male microglia, and the sex difference also existed in ischemic brains from FCG mice and human stroke patients. The ChIP assay showed the IRF 4/5 had higher binding levels to demethylated H3K4 or H3K27, respectively, in female vs. male ischemic microglia. Knockdown or over expression of kdm5c/kdm6a with siRNA or lentivirus altered the methylation of H3K4 or H3K27 at the IRF4/5 genes, which in turn, impacted the production of inflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSIONS The KDM-Histone-IRF pathways are suggested to mediate sex differences in cerebral ischemia. Epigenetic modification of stroke-related genes constitutes an important mechanism underlying the ischemic sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohua Qi
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Abdullah Al Mamun
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Conelius Ngwa
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Sharmeen Romana
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Rodney Ritzel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research (STAR) Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Arthur P Arnold
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, UCLA, 610 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Louise D McCullough
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Fudong Liu
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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30
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Rehnitz J, Youness B, Nguyen XP, Dietrich JE, Roesner S, Messmer B, Strowitzki T, Vogt PH. FMR1 expression in human granulosa cells and variable ovarian response: control by epigenetic mechanisms. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 27:6119639. [PMID: 33493269 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaab001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, FMR1 (fragile X mental retardation 1) is strongly expressed in granulosa cells (GCs) of the female germline and apparently controls efficiency of folliculogenesis. Major control mechanism(s) of the gene transcription rate seem to be based on the rate of CpG-methylation along the CpG island promoter. Conducting CpG-methylation-specific bisulfite-treated PCR assays and subsequent sequence analyses of both gene alleles, revealed three variably methylated CpG domains (FMR1-VMR (variably methylated region) 1, -2, -3) and one completely unmethylated CpG-region (FMR1-UMR) in this extended FMR1-promoter-region. FMR1-UMR in the core promoter was exclusively present only in female GCs, suggesting expression from both gene alleles, i.e., escaping the female-specific X-inactivation mechanism for the second gene allele. Screening for putative target sites of transcription factors binding with CpG methylation dependence, we identified a target site for the transcriptional activator E2F1 in FMR1-VMR3. Using specific electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we found E2F1 binding efficiency to be dependent on CpG-site methylation in its target sequence. Comparative analysis of these CpGs revealed that CpG 94-methylation in primary GCs of women with normal and reduced efficiency of folliculogenesis statistically significant differences. We therefore conclude that E2F1 binding to FMR1-VMR3 in human GCs is part of an epigenetic mechanism regulating the efficiency of human folliculogenesis. Our data indicate that epigenetic mechanisms may control GC FMR1-expression rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Rehnitz
- Division of Reproduction Genetics, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Berthe Youness
- Division of Reproduction Genetics, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xuan Phuoc Nguyen
- Division of Reproduction Genetics, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jens E Dietrich
- Department of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabine Roesner
- Department of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Birgitta Messmer
- Division of Reproduction Genetics, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Strowitzki
- Department of Gynecologic Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peter H Vogt
- Division of Reproduction Genetics, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, University Women Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Lambrou GI, Adamaki M, Hatziagapiou K, Vlahopoulos S. Gene Expression and Resistance to Glucocorticoid-Induced Apoptosis in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Brief Review and Update. Curr Drug Res Rev 2021; 12:131-149. [PMID: 32077838 DOI: 10.2174/2589977512666200220122650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resistance to glucocorticoid (GC)-induced apoptosis in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), is considered one of the major prognostic factors for the disease. Prednisolone is a corticosteroid and one of the most important agents in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The mechanics of GC resistance are largely unknown and intense ongoing research focuses on this topic. AIM The aim of the present study is to review some aspects of GC resistance in ALL, and in particular of Prednisolone, with emphasis on previous and present knowledge on gene expression and signaling pathways playing a role in the phenomenon. METHODS An electronic literature search was conducted by the authors from 1994 to June 2019. Original articles and systematic reviews selected, and the titles and abstracts of papers screened to determine whether they met the eligibility criteria, and full texts of the selected articles were retrieved. RESULTS Identification of gene targets responsible for glucocorticoid resistance may allow discovery of drugs, which in combination with glucocorticoids may increase the effectiveness of anti-leukemia therapies. The inherent plasticity of clinically evolving cancer justifies approaches to characterize and prevent undesirable activation of early oncogenic pathways. CONCLUSION Study of the pattern of intracellular signal pathway activation by anticancer drugs can lead to development of efficient treatment strategies by reducing detrimental secondary effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- George I Lambrou
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Choremeio Research Laboratory, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Adamaki
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Choremeio Research Laboratory, Athens, Greece
| | - Kyriaki Hatziagapiou
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Choremeio Research Laboratory, Athens, Greece
| | - Spiros Vlahopoulos
- First Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Choremeio Research Laboratory, Athens, Greece
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32
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Mousavi MJ, Mahmoudi M, Ghotloo S. Escape from X chromosome inactivation and female bias of autoimmune diseases. Mol Med 2020; 26:127. [PMID: 33297945 PMCID: PMC7727198 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-020-00256-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Generally, autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in females than males. Various predisposing factors, including female sex hormones, X chromosome genes, and the microbiome have been implicated in the female bias of autoimmune diseases. During embryogenesis, one of the X chromosomes in the females is transcriptionally inactivated, in a process called X chromosome inactivation (XCI). This equalizes the impact of two X chromosomes in the females. However, some genes escape from XCI, providing a basis for the dual expression dosage of the given gene in the females. In the present review, the contribution of the escape genes to the female bias of autoimmune diseases will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Javad Mousavi
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Mahmoudi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Somayeh Ghotloo
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
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33
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Wayhelova M, Ryzí M, Oppelt J, Hladilkova E, Vallova V, Krskova L, Vilemova M, Polackova H, Gaillyova R, Kuglik P. Novel familial IQSEC2 pathogenic sequence variant associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy. Neurogenetics 2020; 21:269-278. [PMID: 32564198 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-020-00616-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic sequence variants in the IQ motif- and Sec7 domain-containing protein 2 (IQSEC2) gene have been confirmed as causative in the aetiopathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders (intellectual disability, autism) and epilepsy. We report on a case of a family with three sons; two of them manifest delayed psychomotor development and epilepsy. Initially proband A was examined using a multistep molecular diagnostics algorithm, including karyotype and array-comparative genomic hybridization analysis, both with negative results. Therefore, probands A and B and their unaffected parents were enrolled for an analysis using targeted "next-generation" sequencing (NGS) with a gene panel ClearSeq Inherited DiseaseXT (Agilent Technologies) and verification analysis by Sanger sequencing. A novel frameshift variant in the X-linked IQSEC2 gene NM_001111125.2:c.1813_1814del, p.(Asp605Profs*3) on protein level, was identified in both affected probands and their asymptomatic mother, having skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) (100:0). As the IQSEC2 gene is a known gene escaping from XCI in humans, we expect the existence of mechanisms maintaining the normal or enough level of the IQSEC2 protein in the asymptomatic mother. Further analyses may help to the characterization of the presented novel frameshift variant in the IQSEC2 gene as well as to elucidate the mechanisms leading to the rare asymptomatic phenotypes in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marketa Wayhelova
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Ryzí
- Clinic of Children's Neurology, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Oppelt
- CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Hladilkova
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimira Vallova
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Krskova
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marcela Vilemova
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Polackova
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Renata Gaillyova
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kuglik
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. .,Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
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34
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Understanding the Landscape of X-linked Variants Causing Intellectual Disability in Females Through Extreme X Chromosome Inactivation Skewing. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:3671-3684. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-01981-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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35
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Haupt S, Caramia F, Herschtal A, Soussi T, Lozano G, Chen H, Liang H, Speed TP, Haupt Y. Identification of cancer sex-disparity in the functional integrity of p53 and its X chromosome network. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5385. [PMID: 31772231 PMCID: PMC6879765 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13266-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The disproportionately high prevalence of male cancer is poorly understood. We tested for sex-disparity in the functional integrity of the major tumor suppressor p53 in sporadic cancers. Our bioinformatics analyses expose three novel levels of p53 impact on sex-disparity in 12 non-reproductive cancer types. First, TP53 mutation is more frequent in these cancers among US males than females, with poorest survival correlating with its mutation. Second, numerous X-linked genes are associated with p53, including vital genomic regulators. Males are at unique risk from alterations of their single copies of these genes. High expression of X-linked negative regulators of p53 in wild-type TP53 cancers corresponds with reduced survival. Third, females exhibit an exceptional incidence of non-expressed mutations among p53-associated X-linked genes. Our data indicate that poor survival in males is contributed by high frequencies of TP53 mutations and an inability to shield against deregulated X-linked genes that engage in p53 networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue Haupt
- Tumor Suppression Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia. .,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
| | - Franco Caramia
- Tumor Suppression Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Alan Herschtal
- Department of Biometrics Novotech, Carlton, Victoria, 3053, Australia
| | - Thierry Soussi
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Cancer Center Karolinska, Solna, Sweden.,INSERM, U1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France
| | - Guillermina Lozano
- The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Hu Chen
- Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Han Liang
- Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Terence P Speed
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.,Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Ygal Haupt
- Tumor Suppression Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia.,Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.,Department of Clinical Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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36
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Wainer Katsir K, Linial M. Human genes escaping X-inactivation revealed by single cell expression data. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:201. [PMID: 30871455 PMCID: PMC6419355 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-5507-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In mammals, sex chromosomes pose an inherent imbalance of gene expression between sexes. In each female somatic cell, random inactivation of one of the X-chromosomes restores this balance. While most genes from the inactivated X-chromosome are silenced, 15-25% are known to escape X-inactivation (termed escapees). The expression levels of these genes are attributed to sex-dependent phenotypic variability. RESULTS We used single-cell RNA-Seq to detect escapees in somatic cells. As only one X-chromosome is inactivated in each cell, the origin of expression from the active or inactive chromosome can be determined from the variation of sequenced RNAs. We analyzed primary, healthy fibroblasts (n = 104), and clonal lymphoblasts with sequenced parental genomes (n = 25) by measuring the degree of allelic-specific expression (ASE) from heterozygous sites. We identified 24 and 49 candidate escapees, at varying degree of confidence, from the fibroblast and lymphoblast transcriptomes, respectively. We critically test the validity of escapee annotations by comparing our findings with a large collection of independent studies. We find that most genes (66%) from the unified set were previously reported as escapees. Furthermore, out of the overlooked escapees, 11 are long noncoding RNA (lncRNAs). CONCLUSIONS X-chromosome inactivation and escaping from it are robust, permanent phenomena that are best studies at a single-cell resolution. The cumulative information from individual cells increases the potential of identifying escapees. Moreover, despite the use of a limited number of cells, clonal cells (i.e., same X- chromosomes are coordinately inhibited) with genomic phasing are valuable for detecting escapees at high confidence. Generalizing the method to uncharacterized genomic loci resulted in lncRNAs escapees which account for 20% of the listed candidates. By confirming genes as escapees and propose others as candidates from two different cell types, we contribute to the cumulative knowledge and reliability of human escapees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerem Wainer Katsir
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 9190400, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michal Linial
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 9190400, Jerusalem, Israel.
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37
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Lin S, Liu Y, Goldin LR, Lyu C, Kong X, Zhang Y, Caporaso NE, Xiang S, Gao Y. Sex-related DNA methylation differences in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Biol Sex Differ 2019; 10:2. [PMID: 30616686 PMCID: PMC6322323 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-018-0213-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Men are at higher risk of developing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) than women. DNA methylation has been shown to play important roles in a number of cancers. There are differences in the DNA methylation pattern between men and women. In this study, we investigated whether this contributes to the sex-related difference of B cell CLL risk. METHODS Using the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, we profiled the genome-wide DNA methylation pattern of CD19+ B cells from 48 CLL patients (29 female patients and 19 male patients) and 28 healthy people (19 women and 9 men). RESULTS We identified 1043 sex-related differentially methylated positions (DMPs) related to CLL, 56 of which are located on autosomes and 987 on the X chromosome. Using published B cell RNA-sequencing data, we found 18 genes covered by the DMPs also have different expression levels in male and female CLL patients. Among them, TRIB1, an autosome gene, has been shown to promote tumor growth by suppressing apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS Our study represents the first epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) that investigates the sex-related differences in cancer, and indicated that DNA methylation differences might contribute to the sex-related difference in CLL risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuchun Lin
- Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lynn R Goldin
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chen Lyu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Xiangyin Kong
- Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Neil E Caporaso
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Song Xiang
- Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
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38
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TIMP3 and TIMP1 are risk genes for bicuspid aortic valve and aortopathy in Turner syndrome. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007692. [PMID: 30281655 PMCID: PMC6188895 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Turner syndrome is caused by complete or partial loss of the second sex chromosome, occurring in ~1 in 2,000 female births. There is a greatly increased incidence of aortopathy of unknown etiology, including bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), thoracic aortic aneurysms, aortic dissection and rupture. We performed whole exome sequencing on 188 Turner syndrome participants from the National Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Related Conditions (GenTAC). A gene-based burden test, the optimal sequence kernel association test (SKAT-O), was used to evaluate the data with BAV and aortic dimension z-scores as covariates. Genes on chromosome Xp were analyzed for the potential to contribute to aortopathy when hemizygous. Exome analysis revealed that TIMP3 was associated with indices of aortopathy at exome-wide significance (p = 2.27 x 10−7), which was replicated in a separate cohort. The analysis of Xp genes revealed that TIMP1, which is a functionally redundant paralogue of TIMP3, was hemizygous in >50% of our discovery cohort and that having only one copy of TIMP1 increased the odds of having aortopathy (OR = 9.76, 95% CI = 1.91–178.80, p = 0.029). The combinatorial effect of a single copy of TIMP1 and TIMP3 risk alleles further increased the risk for aortopathy (OR = 12.86, 95% CI = 2.57–99.39, p = 0.004). The products of genes encoding tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are involved in development of the aortic valve and protect tissue integrity of the aorta. We propose that the combination of X chromosome TIMP1 hemizygosity and variants of its autosomal paralogue TIMP3, significantly increases the risk of aortopathy in Turner syndrome. BAV is the most frequent congenital heart defect, occurring in about 1–2% of the population with 70% of cases occurring in males. BAV increases risk for thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and early death. Approximately 30% of individuals with Turner syndrome have BAV/TAA, making this an important population for the study of this disease. Given that individuals with Turner syndrome are missing a complete or partial second sex chromosome, it is presumed that X chromosome genes are involved in causing the defect. This is consistent with the bias towards occurrence in euploid males. However, not everyone with Turner syndrome has a BAV, so we hypothesized that autosomal genes may also play a role. Using whole exome sequencing we have shown that deleterious variation in TIMP3 is associated with BAV and indices of TAA. We further found that there is a synergistic interaction between loss of the X chromosome gene, TIMP1, and deleterious variation in TIMP3 that significantly increases that risk. TIMP1 and TIMP3 play roles in aortic valve morphogenesis and in stabilizing the aortic wall, loss of which leads to TAA. Hence our findings have implications for understanding the cause of BAV/TAA in all populations and as a potential therapeutic target.
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39
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Sakakibara Y, Nagao K, Blewitt M, Sasaki H, Obuse C, Sado T. Role of SmcHD1 in establishment of epigenetic states required for the maintenance of the X-inactivated state in mice. Development 2018; 145:dev.166462. [PMID: 30126901 DOI: 10.1242/dev.166462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
X inactivation in mammals is regulated by epigenetic modifications. Functional deficiency of SmcHD1 has been shown to cause de-repression of X-inactivated genes in post-implantation female mouse embryos, suggesting a role of SmcHD1 in the maintenance of X inactivation. Here, we show that de-repression of X-inactivated genes accompanied a local reduction in the enrichment of H3K27me3 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts deficient for SmcHD1. Furthermore, many of these genes overlapped with those having a significantly lower enrichment of H3K27me3 at the blastocyst stage in wild type. Intriguingly, however, depletion of SmcHD1 did not compromise the X-inactivated state in immortalized female mouse embryonic fibroblasts, in which X inactivation had been established and maintained. Taking all these findings together, we suggest that SmcHD1 facilitates the incorporation of H3K27me3 and perhaps other epigenetic modifications at gene loci that are silenced even with the lower enrichment of H3K27me3 at the early stage of X inactivation. The epigenetic state at these loci would, however, remain as it is at the blastocyst stage in the absence of SmcHD1 after implantation, which would eventually compromise the maintenance of the X-inactivated state at later stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Sakakibara
- Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Koji Nagao
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Marnie Blewitt
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Pde, Parkville 3052 VIC, Australia; The Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia
| | - Hiroyuki Sasaki
- Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Chikashi Obuse
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Takashi Sado
- Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1, Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan .,Department of Advanced Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University, 3327-204, Nakamachi, Nara, 630-8505, Japan
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40
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Luijk R, Wu H, Ward-Caviness CK, Hannon E, Carnero-Montoro E, Min JL, Mandaviya P, Müller-Nurasyid M, Mei H, van der Maarel SM, Relton C, Mill J, Waldenberger M, Bell JT, Jansen R, Zhernakova A, Franke L, 't Hoen PAC, Boomsma DI, van Duijn CM, van Greevenbroek MMJ, Veldink JH, Wijmenga C, van Meurs J, Daxinger L, Slagboom PE, van Zwet EW, Heijmans BT. Autosomal genetic variation is associated with DNA methylation in regions variably escaping X-chromosome inactivation. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3738. [PMID: 30218040 PMCID: PMC6138682 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05714-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), i.e., the inactivation of one of the female X chromosomes, restores equal expression of X-chromosomal genes between females and males. However, ~10% of genes show variable degrees of escape from XCI between females, although little is known about the causes of variable XCI. Using a discovery data-set of 1867 females and 1398 males and a replication sample of 3351 females, we show that genetic variation at three autosomal loci is associated with female-specific changes in X-chromosome methylation. Through cis-eQTL expression analysis, we map these loci to the genes SMCHD1/METTL4, TRIM6/HBG2, and ZSCAN9. Low-expression alleles of the loci are predominantly associated with mild hypomethylation of CpG islands near genes known to variably escape XCI, implicating the autosomal genes in variable XCI. Together, these results suggest a genetic basis for variable escape from XCI and highlight the potential of a population genomics approach to identify genes involved in XCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Luijk
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Haoyu Wu
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Cavin K Ward-Caviness
- Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Eilis Hannon
- University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Elena Carnero-Montoro
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, SE1 7EH, UK
- Pfizer - University of Granada - Andalusian Government Center for Genomics and Oncological Research (GENYO), Granada, 18016, Spain
| | - Josine L Min
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TH, UK
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UD, UK
| | - Pooja Mandaviya
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 CE, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 CE, The Netherlands
| | - Martina Müller-Nurasyid
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site: Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, 80802, Germany
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, D-85764, Germany
- Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, 80336, Germany
| | - Hailiang Mei
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Silvere M van der Maarel
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Caroline Relton
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TH, UK
| | - Jonathan Mill
- University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Melanie Waldenberger
- Institute of Epidemiology II, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, D-85764, Germany
| | - Jordana T Bell
- Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Rick Jansen
- Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandra Zhernakova
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands
| | - Lude Franke
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A C 't Hoen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081 TB, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelia M van Duijn
- Department of Epidemiology, Genetic Epidemiology Unit, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, 3015 GE, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen M J van Greevenbroek
- Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, 6211 LK, The Netherlands
- School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, 6229 ER, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584 CG, The Netherlands
| | - Cisca Wijmenga
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, 9713 AV, The Netherlands
| | - Joyce van Meurs
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 CE, The Netherlands
| | - Lucia Daxinger
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - P Eline Slagboom
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Erik W van Zwet
- Medical Statistics, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Bastiaan T Heijmans
- Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands.
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Mignot C, McMahon AC, Bar C, Campeau PM, Davidson C, Buratti J, Nava C, Jacquemont ML, Tallot M, Milh M, Edery P, Marzin P, Barcia G, Barnerias C, Besmond C, Bienvenu T, Bruel AL, Brunga L, Ceulemans B, Coubes C, Cristancho AG, Cunningham F, Dehouck MB, Donner EJ, Duban-Bedu B, Dubourg C, Gardella E, Gauthier J, Geneviève D, Gobin-Limballe S, Goldberg EM, Hagebeuk E, Hamdan FF, Hančárová M, Hubert L, Ioos C, Ichikawa S, Janssens S, Journel H, Kaminska A, Keren B, Koopmans M, Lacoste C, Laššuthová P, Lederer D, Lehalle D, Marjanovic D, Métreau J, Michaud JL, Miller K, Minassian BA, Morales J, Moutard ML, Munnich A, Ortiz-Gonzalez XR, Pinard JM, Prchalová D, Putoux A, Quelin C, Rosen AR, Roume J, Rossignol E, Simon MEH, Smol T, Shur N, Shelihan I, Štěrbová K, Vyhnálková E, Vilain C, Soblet J, Smits G, Yang SP, van der Smagt JJ, van Hasselt PM, van Kempen M, Weckhuysen S, Helbig I, Villard L, Héron D, Koeleman B, Møller RS, Lesca G, Helbig KL, Nabbout R, Verbeek NE, Depienne C. IQSEC2-related encephalopathy in males and females: a comparative study including 37 novel patients. Genet Med 2018; 21:837-849. [PMID: 30206421 PMCID: PMC6752297 DOI: 10.1038/s41436-018-0268-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Variants in IQSEC2, escaping X inactivation, cause X-linked intellectual disability with frequent epilepsy in males and females. We aimed to investigate sex-specific differences. Methods We collected the data of 37 unpublished patients (18 males and 19 females) with IQSEC2 pathogenic variants and 5 individuals with variants of unknown significance and reviewed published variants. We compared variant types and phenotypes in males and females and performed an analysis of IQSEC2 isoforms. Results IQSEC2 pathogenic variants mainly led to premature truncation and were scattered throughout the longest brain-specific isoform, encoding the synaptic IQSEC2/BRAG1 protein. Variants occurred de novo in females but were either de novo (2/3) or inherited (1/3) in males, with missense variants being predominantly inherited. Developmental delay and intellectual disability were overall more severe in males than in females. Likewise, seizures were more frequently observed and intractable, and started earlier in males than in females. No correlation was observed between the age at seizure onset and severity of intellectual disability or resistance to antiepileptic treatments. Conclusion This study provides a comprehensive overview of IQSEC2-related encephalopathy in males and females, and suggests that an accurate dosage of IQSEC2 at the synapse is crucial during normal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Mignot
- INSERM, U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle epiniere, ICM, Paris, France. .,APHP, Hôpital Pitie-Salpetriere, Departement de Genetique et de Cytogenetique; Centre de Reference Deficience Intellectuelle de Causes Rares; GRC UPMC «Deficience Intellectuelle et Autisme», Paris, France.
| | - Aoife C McMahon
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Claire Bar
- APHP, Reference Centre for Rare Epilepsies, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Imagine Institute, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.,INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Philippe M Campeau
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine and University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Claire Davidson
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Julien Buratti
- APHP, Hôpital Pitie-Salpetriere, Departement de Genetique et de Cytogenetique; Centre de Reference Deficience Intellectuelle de Causes Rares; GRC UPMC «Deficience Intellectuelle et Autisme», Paris, France
| | - Caroline Nava
- INSERM, U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle epiniere, ICM, Paris, France.,APHP, Hôpital Pitie-Salpetriere, Departement de Genetique et de Cytogenetique; Centre de Reference Deficience Intellectuelle de Causes Rares; GRC UPMC «Deficience Intellectuelle et Autisme», Paris, France
| | | | - Marilyn Tallot
- CHU La Reunion-Groupe Hospitalier Sud Reunion, La Reunion, France
| | - Mathieu Milh
- APHM, Hôpital d'Enfants de La Timone, Service de Neurologie Pediatrique, centre de reference deficiences intellectuelles de cause rare, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille University, INSERM, MMG, UMR-S 1251, Faculte de medecine, Marseille, France
| | - Patrick Edery
- Service de Genetique, Centre de Reference Anomalies du Developpement, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France.,INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, GENDEV Team, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France.,Claude Bernard Lyon I University, Lyon, France
| | - Pauline Marzin
- APHP, Hôpital Pitie-Salpetriere, Departement de Genetique et de Cytogenetique; Centre de Reference Deficience Intellectuelle de Causes Rares; GRC UPMC «Deficience Intellectuelle et Autisme», Paris, France
| | - Giulia Barcia
- INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.,APHP, Service de genetique medicale, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Imagine Institute, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Christine Barnerias
- APHP, Unite fonctionnelle de Neurologie, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Imagine Institute, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Claude Besmond
- INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Thierry Bienvenu
- APHP, Laboratoire de Genetique et Biologie Moleculaires, Hôpital Cochin, HUPC, Paris, France.,Universite Paris Descartes Paris, Institut de Psychiatrie et de Neurosciences de Paris, Inserm U894, Paris, France
| | - Ange-Line Bruel
- FHU-TRANSLAD, Universite de Bourgogne/CHU Dijon, Dijon, France.,INSERM UMR 1231 GAD team, Genetics of Developmental disorders, Universite de Bourgogne-Franche Comte, Dijon, France
| | - Ledia Brunga
- Division of Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Berten Ceulemans
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, University Hospital and University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christine Coubes
- Departement de Genetique Medicale, Maladies rares et Medecine Personnalisee, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Ana G Cristancho
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fiona Cunningham
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Elizabeth J Donner
- Division of Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bénédicte Duban-Bedu
- Centre de Genetique Chromosomique, Hôpital St-Vincent-de-Paul, GHICL, Lille, France
| | - Christèle Dubourg
- CHU Rennes, Service de Genetique Moleculaire et Genomique, Rennes, France
| | - Elena Gardella
- Danish Epilepsy Centre Filadelfia, Dianalund, Denmark.,Institute for Regional Health Services, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Julie Gauthier
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine and University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - David Geneviève
- Departement de Genetique Medicale, Maladies rares et Medecine Personnalisee, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,INSERM U1183, Montpellier, France
| | - Stéphanie Gobin-Limballe
- APHP, Service de genetique medicale, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Imagine Institute, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Ethan M Goldberg
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Eveline Hagebeuk
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland, SEIN, Zwolle, The Netherlands
| | - Fadi F Hamdan
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine and University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Miroslava Hančárová
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, Charles University 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Laurence Hubert
- INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Christine Ioos
- APHP, University Hospital of Paris ïle-de-France ouest, Raymond Poincare Hospital, Garches, France
| | - Shoji Ichikawa
- Department of Clinical Diagnostics, Ambry Genetics, Aliso Viejo, CA, USA
| | - Sandra Janssens
- Centre for Medical Genetics Ghent, Ghent University Hospital, C. Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hubert Journel
- Service de Genetique Medicale, Hôpital Chubert, Vannes, France
| | - Anna Kaminska
- APHP, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Boris Keren
- APHP, Hôpital Pitie-Salpetriere, Departement de Genetique et de Cytogenetique; Centre de Reference Deficience Intellectuelle de Causes Rares; GRC UPMC «Deficience Intellectuelle et Autisme», Paris, France
| | - Marije Koopmans
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Caroline Lacoste
- Departement de Genetique Medicale, APHM, Hopital d'Enfants de La Timone, Marseille, France
| | - Petra Laššuthová
- Child Neurology Department, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Damien Lederer
- Centre de Genetique Humaine, Institut de Pathologie et de Genetique, Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Daphné Lehalle
- FHU-TRANSLAD, Universite de Bourgogne/CHU Dijon, Dijon, France.,Unite fonctionnelle de genetique clinique, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Creteil, Creteil, France
| | | | - Julia Métreau
- APHP, Service de neurologie pediatrique, Hôpital Universitaire Bicetre, Le Kremlin-Bicetre, France
| | - Jacques L Michaud
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine and University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kathryn Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Berge A Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joannella Morales
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marie-Laure Moutard
- APHP, Hôpital Trousseau, service de neuropediatrie, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universite, GRC n°19, pathologies Congenitales du Cervelet-LeucoDystrophies, APHP, Hôpital Armand Trousseau, Paris, France
| | - Arnold Munnich
- INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.,APHP, Service de genetique medicale, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Imagine Institute, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | | | - Jean-Marc Pinard
- Division of Neuropediatrics, CHU Raymond Poincare (APHP), Garches, France
| | - Darina Prchalová
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, Charles University 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Audrey Putoux
- Service de Genetique, Centre de Reference Anomalies du Developpement, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France.,INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, GENDEV Team, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France.,Claude Bernard Lyon I University, Lyon, France
| | - Chloé Quelin
- Service de Genetique Medicale, CLAD Ouest CHU Hôpital Sud, Rennes, France
| | - Alyssa R Rosen
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joelle Roume
- Unite de Genetique Medicale, Centre de Reference des Maladies rares du Developpement (AnD DI Rares), CHI Poissy-St Germain en Laye, Poissy, France
| | - Elsa Rossignol
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurosciences, CHU Sainte-Justine and University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marleen E H Simon
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Smol
- Institut de Genetique Medicale, CHRU Lille, Universite de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Natasha Shur
- Department of Pediatrics, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Ivan Shelihan
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine and University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Katalin Štěrbová
- Child Neurology Department, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Emílie Vyhnálková
- Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, Charles University 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Catheline Vilain
- Department of Genetics, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola, ULB Center of Human Genetics, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Genetics, Hôpital Erasme, ULB Center of Human Genetics, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Julie Soblet
- Department of Genetics, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola, ULB Center of Human Genetics, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Genetics, Hôpital Erasme, ULB Center of Human Genetics, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guillaume Smits
- Department of Genetics, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola, ULB Center of Human Genetics, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Genetics, Hôpital Erasme, ULB Center of Human Genetics, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.,Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Samuel P Yang
- Clinical Genomics & Predictive Medicine, Providence Medical Group, Dayton, WA, USA
| | | | - Peter M van Hasselt
- Department of Metabolic Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marjan van Kempen
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah Weckhuysen
- Neurogenetics Group, Center of Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium.,Neurology Department, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ingo Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Laurent Villard
- Aix Marseille University, INSERM, MMG, UMR-S 1251, Faculte de medecine, Marseille, France.,Departement de Genetique Medicale, APHM, Hopital d'Enfants de La Timone, Marseille, France
| | - Delphine Héron
- APHP, Hôpital Pitie-Salpetriere, Departement de Genetique et de Cytogenetique; Centre de Reference Deficience Intellectuelle de Causes Rares; GRC UPMC «Deficience Intellectuelle et Autisme», Paris, France
| | - Bobby Koeleman
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rikke S Møller
- CHU Rennes, Service de Genetique Moleculaire et Genomique, Rennes, France.,Danish Epilepsy Centre Filadelfia, Dianalund, Denmark
| | - Gaetan Lesca
- Service de Genetique, Centre de Reference Anomalies du Developpement, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France.,INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, GENDEV Team, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France.,Claude Bernard Lyon I University, Lyon, France
| | - Katherine L Helbig
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rima Nabbout
- APHP, Reference Centre for Rare Epilepsies, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Imagine Institute, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France.,INSERM U1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.,Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Nienke E Verbeek
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christel Depienne
- INSERM, U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle epiniere, ICM, Paris, France. .,IGBMC, CNRS UMR 7104/INSERM U964/Universite de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France. .,Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
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Dosage compensation and DNA methylation landscape of the X chromosome in mouse liver. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10138. [PMID: 29973619 PMCID: PMC6031675 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28356-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation plays a key role in X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), a process that achieves dosage compensation for X-encoded gene products between mammalian female and male cells. However, differential sex chromosome dosage complicates genome-wide epigenomic assessments, and the X chromosome is frequently excluded from female-to-male comparative analyses. Using the X chromosome in the sexually dimorphic mouse liver as a model, we provide a general framework for comparing base-resolution DNA methylation patterns across samples that have different chromosome numbers and ask at a systematic level if predictions by historical analyses of X-linked DNA methylation hold true at a base-resolution chromosome-wide level. We demonstrate that sex-specific methylation patterns on the X chromosome largely reflect the effects of XCI. While our observations concur with longstanding observations of XCI at promoter-proximal CpG islands, we provide evidence that sex-specific DNA methylation differences are not limited to CpG island boundaries. Moreover, these data support a model in which maintenance of CpG islands in the inactive state does not require complete regional methylation. Further, we validate an intragenic non-CpG methylation signature in genes escaping XCI in mouse liver. Our analyses provide insight into underlying methylation patterns that should be considered when assessing sex differences in genome-wide methylation analyses.
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Engel N. Sex Differences in Early Embryogenesis: Inter-Chromosomal Regulation Sets the Stage for Sex-Biased Gene Networks: The dialogue between the sex chromosomes and autosomes imposes sexual identity soon after fertilization. Bioessays 2018; 40:e1800073. [PMID: 29943439 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201800073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Sex-specific transcriptional and epigenomic profiles are detectable in the embryo very soon after fertilization. I propose that in male (XY) and female (XX) pre-implantation embryos sex chromosomes establish sexually dimorphic interactions with the autosomes, before overt differences become apparent and long before gonadogenesis. Lineage determination restricts expression biases between the sexes, but the epigenetic differences are less constrained and can be perpetuated, accounting for dimorphisms that arise later in life. In this way, sexual identity is registered in the epigenome very early in development. As development progresses, sex-specific regulatory modules are harbored within shared transcriptional networks that delineate common traits. In reviewing this field, I propose that analyzing the mechanisms for sexual dimorphisms at the molecular and biochemical level and incorporating developmental and environmental factors will lead to a greater understanding of sex differences in health and disease. Also see the video abstract here: https://youtu.be/9BPlbrHtkHQ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Engel
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University - Fels Institute for Cancer Research, 3400 North Broad St., AHB Room 201, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19140, USA
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44
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Qiao Y, Bagheri H, Tang F, Badduke C, Martell S, Lewis SME, Robinson W, Connolly MB, Arbour L, Rajcan-Separovic E. Exome sequencing identified a de novo mutation of PURA gene in a patient with familial Xp22.31 microduplication. Eur J Med Genet 2018; 62:103-108. [PMID: 29908350 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2018.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The clinical significance of Xp22.31 microduplication is controversial as it is reported in subjects with developmental delay (DD), their unaffected relatives and unrelated controls. We performed multifaceted studies in a family of a boy with hypotonia, dysmorphic features and DD who carried a 600 Kb Xp22.31 microduplication (7515787-8123310bp, hg19) containing two genes, VCX and PNPLA4. The duplication was transmitted from his cognitively normal maternal grandfather. We found no evidence of the duplication causing the proband's DD and congenital anomalies based on unaltered expression of PNPLA4 in the proband and his mother in comparison to controls and preferential activation of the paternal chromosome X with Xp22.31 duplication in proband's mother. However, a de novo, previously reported deleterious, missense mutation in Pur-alpha gene (PURA) (5q31.2), with a role in neuronal differentiation was detected in the proband by exome sequencing. We propose that the variability in the phenotype in carriers of Xp22.31 microduplication can be due to a second and more deleterious genetic mutation in more severely affected carriers. Widespread use of whole genome next generation sequencing in families with Xp22.31 CNV could help identify such cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Qiao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hani Bagheri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Flamingo Tang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Sally Martell
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Suzanne M E Lewis
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Wendy Robinson
- Department of Medical Genetics, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mary B Connolly
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, UBC and BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Laura Arbour
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
| | - Evica Rajcan-Separovic
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Shenoda BB, Tian Y, Alexander GM, Aradillas-Lopez E, Schwartzman RJ, Ajit SK. miR-34a-mediated regulation of XIST in female cells under inflammation. J Pain Res 2018; 11:935-945. [PMID: 29773953 PMCID: PMC5947841 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s159458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Evidence is overwhelming for sex differences in pain, with women representing the majority of the chronic pain patient population. There is a need to explore novel avenues to elucidate this sex bias in the development of chronic inflammatory pain conditions. Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic neuropathic pain disorder, and the incidence of CRPS is greater in women than in men by ~4:1. Since neurogenic inflammation is a key feature of CRPS, dysregulation of inflammatory responses can be a factor in predisposing women to chronic pain. Methods Our studies investigating alterations in circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in whole blood from female CRPS patients showed significant differential expression of miRNAs between responders and poor responders to ketamine treatment. Several of these miRNAs are predicted to target the long noncoding RNA, X-inactive-specific transcript (XIST). XIST mediates X-chromosome inactivation and is essential for equalizing the expression of X-linked genes between females and males. Based on the well-established role in inflammatory process, we focused on miR-34a, one of the miRNAs predicted to target XIST, and downregulated in CRPS patients responding poorly to ketamine. Results Our in vitro and in vivo models of acute inflammation and data from patients with CRPS showed that miR-34a can regulate XIST under inflammation directly, and through pro-inflammatory transcription factor Yin-Yang 1 (YY1). XIST was significantly upregulated in a subset of CRPS patients responding poorly to ketamine. Conclusion Since dysregulation of XIST can result in genes escaping inactivation or reactivation in female cells, further investigations on the role of XIST in the predominance of chronic inflammatory and pain disorders in women is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Botros B Shenoda
- Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yuzhen Tian
- Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Enrique Aradillas-Lopez
- Neurology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Vincera Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Seena K Ajit
- Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Mougeot JL, Noll BD, Bahrani Mougeot FK. Sjögren's syndrome X-chromosome dose effect: An epigenetic perspective. Oral Dis 2018; 25:372-384. [PMID: 29316023 DOI: 10.1111/odi.12825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting exocrine glands leading to mouth and eyes dryness. The extent to which epigenetic DNA methylation changes are responsible for an X-chromosome dose effect has yet to be determined. Our objectives were to (i) describe how epigenetic DNA methylation changes could explain an X-chromosome dose effect in SS for women with normal 46,XX genotype and (ii) determine the relevant relationships to this dose effect, between X-linked genes, genes controlling X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) and genes encoding associated transcription factors, all of which are differentially expressed and/or differentially methylated in the salivary glands of patients with SS. We identified 58 upregulated X-chromosome genes, including 22 genes previously shown to escape XCI, based on the analysis of SS patient salivary gland GEO2R gene expression datasets. Moreover, we found XIST and its cis regulators RLIM, FTX, and CHIC1, and polycomb repressor genes of the PRC1/2 complexes to be upregulated. Many of the X-chromosome genes implicated in SS pathogenesis can be regulated by transcription factors which we found to be overexpressed and/or differentially methylated in patients with SS. Determination of the mechanisms underlying methylation-dependent gene expression and impaired XCI is needed to further elucidate the etiopathogenesis of SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- J-Lc Mougeot
- Department of Oral Medicine-Cannon Research Center, Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte, NC, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - B D Noll
- Department of Oral Medicine-Cannon Research Center, Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte, NC, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - F K Bahrani Mougeot
- Department of Oral Medicine-Cannon Research Center, Carolinas HealthCare System, Charlotte, NC, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
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Nino CL, Perez GF, Isaza N, Gutierrez MJ, Gomez JL, Nino G. Characterization of Sex-Based Dna Methylation Signatures in the Airways During Early Life. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5526. [PMID: 29615635 PMCID: PMC5882800 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23063-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human respiratory conditions are largely influenced by the individual’s sex resulting in overall higher risk for males. Sex-based respiratory differences are present at birth suggesting a strong genetic component. Our objective was to characterize early life sex-based genomic signatures determined by variable X-chromosome methylation in the airways. We compared male versus female genome-wide DNA methylation in nasal airway samples from newborns and infants aged 1–6 months (N = 12). We analyzed methylation signals across CpG sites mapped to each X-linked gene using an unsupervised classifier (principal components) followed by an internal evaluation and an exhaustive cross-validation. Results were validated in an independent population of children (N = 72) following the same algorithm. X-linked genes with significant sex-based differential methylation in the nasal airway of infants represented only about 50% of the unique protein coding transcripts. X-linked genes without significant sex-based differential methylation included genes with evidence of escaping X-inactivation and female-biased airway expression. These genes showed similar methylation patterns in males and females suggesting unbalanced X-chromosome dosage. In conclusion, we identified that the human airways have already sex-based DNA methylation signatures at birth. These early airway epigenomic marks may determine sex-based respiratory phenotypes and overall predisposition to develop respiratory disorders later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar L Nino
- Department of Electronics Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Geovanny F Perez
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.,Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Natalia Isaza
- Division of Neonatology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Maria J Gutierrez
- Division of Pediatric Allergy Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jose L Gomez
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New-Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gustavo Nino
- Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA. .,Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
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Hannibal RL, Cardoso-Moreira M, Chetty SP, Lau J, Qi Z, Gonzalez-Maldonado E, Cherry AM, Yu J, Norton ME, Baker JC. Investigating human placentation and pregnancy using first trimester chorionic villi. Placenta 2018; 65:65-75. [PMID: 29908643 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS), routinely used for prenatal diagnosis of cytogenetic disorders, also possesses great potential for the study of placentation. To better understand villus biology, human placentation, and how these relate to pregnancy outcomes, we examined the morphology and transcriptomes of villi obtained via CVS from 10 to 14 weeks of pregnancy and correlated these with pregnancy attributes and clinical outcomes. First, we established a morphological scoring system based on three main villus features: branching, budding and vascularization. We then tested whether morphology scores were predictive of pregnancy attributes and clinical outcomes. Finally, we used RNA sequencing to assess the transcriptional basis of villus morphology and tested the hypothesis that gene expression may predict pregnancy outcomes. We demonstrate that villus morphology varies tremendously between patients, irrespective of gestational age, and that transcriptional differences are highly predictive of villus morphology. We show that pre-eclampsia markers are associated with villi with low morphology scores. Additionally, we identify SVEP1 as a possible biomarker for defining gestational age. Overall, chorionic villi in the first trimester remain one of the few means to correlate placental function with pregnancy outcome and these samples are a valuable and increasingly rare resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta L Hannibal
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | | | - Shilpa P Chetty
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Joanne Lau
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Zhongxia Qi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Eduardo Gonzalez-Maldonado
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Athena M Cherry
- Department of Pathology and Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Jingwei Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Mary E Norton
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Julie C Baker
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.
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Carr CE, Ganugula R, Shikiya R, Soto AM, Marky LA. Effect of dC → d(m 5C) substitutions on the folding of intramolecular triplexes with mixed TAT and C +GC base triplets. Biochimie 2018; 146:156-165. [PMID: 29277568 PMCID: PMC5811340 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2017.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Oligonucleotide-directed triple helix formation has been recognized as a potential tool for targeting genes with high specificity. Cystosine methylation in the 5' position is both ubiquitous and a stable regulatory modification, which could potentially stabilize triple helix formation. In this work, we have used a combination of calorimetric and spectroscopic techniques to study the intramolecular unfolding of four triplexes and two duplexes. We used the following triplex control sequence, named Control Tri, d(AGAGAC5TCTCTC5TCTCT), where C5 are loops of five cytosines. From this sequence, we studied three other sequences with dC → d(m5C) substitutions on the Hoogsteen strand (2MeH), Crick strand (2MeC) and both strands (4MeHC). Calorimetric studies determined that methylation does increase the thermal and enthalpic stability, leading to an overall favorable free energy, and that this increased stability is cumulative, i.e. methylation on both the Hoogsteen and Crick strands yields the largest favorable free energy. The differential uptake of protons, counterions and water was determined. It was found that methylation increases cytosine protonation by shifting the apparent pKa value to a higher pH; this increase in proton uptake coincides with a release of counterions during folding of the triplex, likely due to repulsion from the increased positive charge from the protonated cytosines. The immobilization of water was not affected for triplexes with methylated cytosines on their Hoogsteen or Crick strands, but was seen for the triplex where both strands are methylated. This may be due to the alignment in the major groove of the methyl groups on the cytosines with the methyl groups on the thymines which causes an increase in structural water along the spine of the triplex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn E Carr
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6025, USA
| | - Rajkumar Ganugula
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6025, USA
| | - Ronald Shikiya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6025, USA
| | - Ana Maria Soto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6025, USA
| | - Luis A Marky
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-6025, USA.
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50
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Skare Ø, Lie RT, Haaland ØA, Gjerdevik M, Romanowska J, Gjessing HK, Jugessur A. Analysis of Parent-of-Origin Effects on the X Chromosome in Asian and European Orofacial Cleft Triads Identifies Associations with DMD, FGF13, EGFL6, and Additional Loci at Xp22.2. Front Genet 2018. [PMID: 29520293 PMCID: PMC5827165 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Although both the mother's and father's alleles are present in the offspring, they may not operate at the same level. These parent-of-origin (PoO) effects have not yet been explored on the X chromosome, which motivated us to develop new methods for detecting such effects. Orofacial clefts (OFCs) exhibit sex-specific differences in prevalence and are examples of traits where a search for various types of effects on the X chromosome might be relevant. Materials and Methods: We upgraded our R-package Haplin to enable genome-wide analyses of PoO effects, as well as power simulations for different statistical models. 14,486 X-chromosome SNPs in 1,291 Asian and 1,118 European case-parent triads of isolated OFCs were available from a previous GWAS. For each ethnicity, cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) and cleft palate only (CPO) were analyzed separately using two X-inactivation models and a sliding-window approach to haplotype analysis. In addition, we performed analyses restricted to female offspring. Results: Associations were identified in "Dystrophin" (DMD, Xp21.2-p21.1), "Fibroblast growth factor 13" (FGF13, Xq26.3-q27.1) and "EGF-like domain multiple 6" (EGFL6, Xp22.2), with biologically plausible links to OFCs. Unlike EGFL6, the other associations on chromosomal region Xp22.2 had no apparent connections to OFCs. However, the Xp22.2 region itself is of potential interest because it contains genes for clefting syndromes [for example, "Oral-facial-digital syndrome 1" (OFD1) and "Midline 1" (MID1)]. Overall, the identified associations were highly specific for ethnicity, cleft subtype and X-inactivation model, except for DMD in which associations were identified in both CPO and CL/P, in the model with X-inactivation and in Europeans only. Discussion/Conclusion: The specificity of the associations for ethnicity, cleft subtype and X-inactivation model underscores the utility of conducting subanalyses, despite the ensuing need to adjust for additional multiple testing. Further investigations are needed to confirm the associations with DMD, EGF16, and FGF13. Furthermore, chromosomal region Xp22.2 appears to be a hotspot for genes implicated in clefting syndromes and thus constitutes an exciting direction to pursue in future OFCs research. More generally, the new methods presented here are readily adaptable to the study of X-linked PoO effects in other outcomes that use a family-based design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Øivind Skare
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rolv T Lie
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Fertility and Health (CeFH), Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Øystein A Haaland
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Miriam Gjerdevik
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Julia Romanowska
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Computational Biology Unit, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Håkon K Gjessing
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Fertility and Health (CeFH), Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Astanand Jugessur
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Fertility and Health (CeFH), Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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