1
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Garau J, Garofalo M, Dragoni F, Scarian E, Di Gerlando R, Diamanti L, Zucca S, Bordoni M, Pansarasa O, Gagliardi S. RNA expression profiling in lymphoblastoid cell lines from mutated and non-mutated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. J Gene Med 2024; 26:e3711. [PMID: 38967638 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3711] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of upper and lower motor neurons with an unknown etiology. The difficulty of recovering biological material from patients led to employ lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) as a model for ALS because many pathways, typically located in neurons, are also activated in these cells. METHODS To investigate the expression of coding and long non-coding RNAs in LCLs, a transcriptomic profiling of sporadic ALS (SALS) and mutated patients (FUS, TARDBP, C9ORF72 and SOD1) and matched controls was realized. Thus, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were investigated among the different subgroups of patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and immortalized into LCLs via Epstein-Barr virus infection; RNA was extracted, and RNA-sequencing analysis was performed. RESULTS Gene expression profiles of LCLs were genetic-background-specific; indeed, only 12 genes were commonly deregulated in all groups. Nonetheless, pathways enriched by DEGs in each group were also compared, and a total of 89 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) terms were shared among all patients. Eventually, the similarity of affected pathways was also assessed when our data were matched with a transcriptomic profile realized in the PBMCs of the same patients. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that LCLs are a good model for the study of RNA deregulation in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Francesca Dragoni
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Eveljn Scarian
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Rosalinda Di Gerlando
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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2
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Szoszkiewicz A, Bukowska-Olech E, Jamsheer A. Molecular landscape of congenital vertebral malformations: recent discoveries and future directions. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2024; 19:32. [PMID: 38291488 PMCID: PMC10829358 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-024-03040-0] [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: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Vertebral malformations (VMs) pose a significant global health problem, causing chronic pain and disability. Vertebral defects occur as isolated conditions or within the spectrum of various congenital disorders, such as Klippel-Feil syndrome, congenital scoliosis, spondylocostal dysostosis, sacral agenesis, and neural tube defects. Although both genetic abnormalities and environmental factors can contribute to abnormal vertebral development, our knowledge on molecular mechanisms of numerous VMs is still limited. Furthermore, there is a lack of resource that consolidates the current knowledge in this field. In this pioneering review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the latest research on the molecular basis of VMs and the association of the VMs-related causative genes with bone developmental signaling pathways. Our study identifies 118 genes linked to VMs, with 98 genes involved in biological pathways crucial for the formation of the vertebral column. Overall, the review summarizes the current knowledge on VM genetics, and provides new insights into potential involvement of biological pathways in VM pathogenesis. We also present an overview of available data regarding the role of epigenetic and environmental factors in VMs. We identify areas where knowledge is lacking, such as precise molecular mechanisms in which specific genes contribute to the development of VMs. Finally, we propose future research avenues that could address knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Szoszkiewicz
- Department of Medical Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 8, 60-806, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Ewelina Bukowska-Olech
- Department of Medical Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 8, 60-806, Poznan, Poland
| | - Aleksander Jamsheer
- Department of Medical Genetics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 8, 60-806, Poznan, Poland.
- Centers for Medical Genetics GENESIS, Dąbrowskiego 77A, 60-529, Poznan, Poland.
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3
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Heterozygous variants in the DVL2 interaction region of DACT1 cause CAKUT and features of Townes-Brocks syndrome 2. Hum Genet 2023; 142:73-88. [PMID: 36066768 PMCID: PMC9839807 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-022-02481-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Most patients with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) remain genetically unexplained. In search of novel genes associated with CAKUT in humans, we applied whole-exome sequencing in a patient with kidney, anorectal, spinal, and brain anomalies, and identified a rare heterozygous missense variant in the DACT1 (dishevelled binding antagonist of beta catenin 1) gene encoding a cytoplasmic WNT signaling mediator. Our patient's features overlapped Townes-Brocks syndrome 2 (TBS2) previously described in a family carrying a DACT1 nonsense variant as well as those of Dact1-deficient mice. Therefore, we assessed the role of DACT1 in CAKUT pathogenesis. Taken together, very rare (minor allele frequency ≤ 0.0005) non-silent DACT1 variants were detected in eight of 209 (3.8%) CAKUT families, significantly more frequently than in controls (1.7%). All seven different DACT1 missense variants, predominantly likely pathogenic and exclusively maternally inherited, were located in the interaction region with DVL2 (dishevelled segment polarity protein 2), and biochemical characterization revealed reduced binding of mutant DACT1 to DVL2. Patients carrying DACT1 variants presented with kidney agenesis, duplex or (multi)cystic (hypo)dysplastic kidneys with hydronephrosis and TBS2 features. During murine development, Dact1 was expressed in organs affected by anomalies in patients with DACT1 variants, including the kidney, anal canal, vertebrae, and brain. In a branching morphogenesis assay, tubule formation was impaired in CRISPR/Cas9-induced Dact1-/- murine inner medullary collecting duct cells. In summary, we provide evidence that heterozygous hypomorphic DACT1 variants cause CAKUT and other features of TBS2, including anomalies of the skeleton, brain, distal digestive and genital tract.
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4
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Liu Y, Dong L, Zhi X, Liu Y, Zhao L, Xu X, Wang L, Zheng J, Pu L, Gu C, Shu J, Cai C. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of PCP pathway related genes participate in the occurrence and development of neural tube defect. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2022; 11:e2094. [PMID: 36378568 PMCID: PMC9834144 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.2094] [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: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To screen the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the coding regions of VANGL and FZD family members related to the plane cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway in neural tube defects (NTDs) patients, so as to provide theoretical and experimental basis for the prevention and treatment of NTDs by intervening PCP signal transduction. METHODS 112 NTDs patients were collected as the case group and 112 craniocerebral trauma patients as control. Afterwards, blood genomic DNA was extracted and sequenced. The distribution of SNP alleles and genotypes between case and control groups was analyzed. Finally, the NTD rat model was constructed, and the effect of SNPs on the expression level of VANGL and FZD genes was verified by qRT-PCR. RESULTS GC genotype was newly found at VANGL1 c.346G>A, as well as AT genotype in FZD6 c.97A>G. The distribution of VANGL1 c.346g>A allele and genotype was statistically different between the case and control groups (p < 0.05). The newly found genotype GC increased the risk of NTDs (OR = 9.918, 95% CI: 1.234%-79.709%). The results of qRT-PCR showed that the expression level of FZD6 in E11 NTD fetuses were significantly increased (p < 0.05), but there was no obvious difference in the expression of VANGL1. CONCLUSION We found a new variant of VANGL1 c.346G>A, whose GC genotype might play an important role in the pathogenesis of NTDs. The SNPs of VANGL1 had no significant effect on its expression level, indicating that it may induce NTDs through other ways. FZD6 was significantly overexpressed in NTDs fetuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Department of NephrologyTianjin Children's Hospital (Children's Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina,Graduate SchoolTianjin Medical UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Liang Dong
- Department of Pediatric General SurgeryTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina
| | - Xiufang Zhi
- Graduate SchoolTianjin Medical UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of NeonatologyTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina
| | - Linsheng Zhao
- Department of PathologyTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina
| | - Xiaowei Xu
- Institute of PediatricsTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina
| | - Lu Wang
- Institute of PediatricsTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina
| | - Jie Zheng
- Graduate SchoolTianjin Medical UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Linjie Pu
- Department of NeonatologyTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina
| | - Chunyu Gu
- Department of NeonatologyTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina
| | - Jianbo Shu
- Institute of PediatricsTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Birth Defects for Prevention and TreatmentTianjinChina
| | - Chunquan Cai
- Institute of PediatricsTianjin Children's Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University)TianjinChina,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Birth Defects for Prevention and TreatmentTianjinChina
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5
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Shi DL. Wnt/planar cell polarity signaling controls morphogenetic movements of gastrulation and neural tube closure. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:586. [PMID: 36369349 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04620-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Gastrulation and neurulation are successive morphogenetic processes that play key roles in shaping the basic embryonic body plan. Importantly, they operate through common cellular and molecular mechanisms to set up the three spatially organized germ layers and to close the neural tube. During gastrulation and neurulation, convergent extension movements driven by cell intercalation and oriented cell division generate major forces to narrow the germ layers along the mediolateral axis and elongate the embryo in the anteroposterior direction. Apical constriction also makes an important contribution to promote the formation of the blastopore and the bending of the neural plate. Planar cell polarity proteins are major regulators of asymmetric cell behaviors and critically involved in a wide variety of developmental processes, from gastrulation and neurulation to organogenesis. Mutations of planar cell polarity genes can lead to general defects in the morphogenesis of different organs and the co-existence of distinct congenital diseases, such as spina bifida, hearing deficits, kidney diseases, and limb elongation defects. This review outlines our current understanding of non-canonical Wnt signaling, commonly known as Wnt/planar cell polarity signaling, in regulating morphogenetic movements of gastrulation and neural tube closure during development and disease. It also attempts to identify unanswered questions that deserve further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Li Shi
- Institute of Medical Research, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China. .,Laboratory of Developmental Biology, CNRS-UMR7622, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
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6
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Dact1 is expressed during chicken and mouse skeletal myogenesis and modulated in human muscle diseases. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 256:110645. [PMID: 34252542 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110645] [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: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrate skeletal muscle development and repair relies on the precise control of Wnt signaling. Dact1 (Dapper/Frodo) is an important modulator of Wnt signaling, interacting with key components of the various Wnt transduction pathways. Here, we characterized Dact1 mRNA and protein expression in chicken and mouse fetal muscles in vivo and during the differentiation of chick primary and mouse C2C12 myoblasts in vitro. We also performed in silico analysis to investigate Dact1 gene expression in human myopathies, and evaluated the Dact1 protein structure to seek an explanation for the accumulation of Dact1 protein aggregates in the nuclei of myogenic cells. Our results show for the first time that in both chicken and mouse, Dact1 is expressed during myogenesis, with a strong upregulation as cells engage in terminal differentiation, cell cycle withdrawal and cell fusion. In humans, Dact1 expression was found to be altered in specific muscle pathologies, including muscular dystrophies. Our bioinformatic analyses of Dact1 proteins revealed long intrinsically disordered regions, which may underpin the ability of Dact1 to interact with its many partners in the various Wnt pathways. In addition, we found that Dact1 has strong propensity for liquid-liquid phase separation, a feature that explains its ability to form nuclear aggregates and points to a possible role as a molecular 'on'-'off' switch. Taken together, our data suggest Dact1 as a candidate, multi-faceted regulator of amniote myogenesis with a possible pathophysiological role in human muscular diseases.
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7
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Haisma S, Weersma RK, Joosse ME, de Koning BAE, de Meij T, Koot BGP, Wolters V, Norbruis O, Daly MJ, Stevens C, Xavier RJ, Koskela J, Rivas MA, Visschedijk MC, Verkade HJ, Barbieri R, Jansen DBH, Festen EAM, van Rheenen PF, van Diemen CC. Exome sequencing in patient-parent trios suggests new candidate genes for early-onset primary sclerosing cholangitis. Liver Int 2021; 41:1044-1057. [PMID: 33590606 PMCID: PMC8252477 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14831] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare bile duct disease strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Whole-exome sequencing (WES) has contributed to understanding the molecular basis of very early-onset IBD, but rare protein-altering genetic variants have not been identified for early-onset PSC. We performed WES in patients diagnosed with PSC ≤ 12 years to investigate the contribution of rare genetic variants to early-onset PSC. METHODS In this multicentre study, WES was performed on 87 DNA samples from 29 patient-parent trios with early-onset PSC. We selected rare (minor allele frequency < 2%) coding and splice-site variants that matched recessive (homozygous and compound heterozygous variants) and dominant (de novo) inheritance in the index patients. Variant pathogenicity was predicted by an in-house developed algorithm (GAVIN), and PSC-relevant variants were selected using gene expression data and gene function. RESULTS In 22 of 29 trios we identified at least 1 possibly pathogenic variant. We prioritized 36 genes, harbouring a total of 54 variants with predicted pathogenic effects. In 18 genes, we identified 36 compound heterozygous variants, whereas in the other 18 genes we identified 18 de novo variants. Twelve of 36 candidate risk genes are known to play a role in transmembrane transport, adaptive and innate immunity, and epithelial barrier function. CONCLUSIONS The 36 candidate genes for early-onset PSC need further verification in other patient cohorts and evaluation of gene function before a causal role can be attributed to its variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sjoukje‐Marije Haisma
- Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and NutritionUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Rinse K. Weersma
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Maria E. Joosse
- Department of Paediatric GastroenterologyErasmus University Medical CenterSophia Children's HospitalRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Barbara A. E. de Koning
- Department of Paediatric GastroenterologyErasmus University Medical CenterSophia Children's HospitalRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Tim de Meij
- Department of Pediatric GastroenterologyVU University Medical CenterAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Bart G. P. Koot
- Pediatric GastroenterologyEmma Children's HospitalAmsterdam UMCUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Victorien Wolters
- Department of Pediatric GastroenterologyUniversity Medical Center Utrecht – Wilhelmina Children's HospitalUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Obbe Norbruis
- Department of PediatricsIsala HospitalZwolleThe Netherlands
| | - Mark J. Daly
- Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyBostonMAUSA
| | - Christine Stevens
- Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyBostonMAUSA
| | | | - Jukka Koskela
- Massachusetts General Hospital, GastroenterologyBostonMAUSA,Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland,Clinic of Gastroenterology HelsinkiHelsinki University and Helsinki University HospitalHelsinkiFinland
| | | | - Marijn C. Visschedijk
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Henkjan J. Verkade
- Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and NutritionUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Ruggero Barbieri
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands,Department of GeneticsUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Dianne B. H. Jansen
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Eleonora A. M. Festen
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands,Department of GeneticsUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Patrick F. van Rheenen
- Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and NutritionUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Cleo C. van Diemen
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of GroningenUniversity Medical Center GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
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8
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Tamkeen N, AlOmar SY, Alqahtani SAM, Al-Jurayyan A, Farooqui A, Tazyeen S, Ahmad N, Ishrat R. Identification of the Key Regulators of Spina Bifida Through Graph-Theoretical Approach. Front Genet 2021; 12:597983. [PMID: 33889172 PMCID: PMC8056047 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.597983] [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: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Spina Bifida (SB) is a congenital spinal cord malformation. Efforts to discern the key regulators (KRs) of the SB protein-protein interaction (PPI) network are requisite for developing its successful interventions. The architecture of the SB network, constructed from 117 manually curated genes was found to self-organize into a scale-free fractal state having a weak hierarchical organization. We identified three modules/motifs consisting of ten KRs, namely, TNIP1, TNF, TRAF1, TNRC6B, KMT2C, KMT2D, NCOA3, TRDMT1, DICER1, and HDAC1. These KRs serve as the backbone of the network, they propagate signals through the different hierarchical levels of the network to conserve the network’s stability while maintaining low popularity in the network. We also observed that the SB network exhibits a rich-club organization, the formation of which is attributed to our key regulators also except for TNIP1 and TRDMT1. The KRs that were found to ally with each other and emerge in the same motif, open up a new dimension of research of studying these KRs together. Owing to the multiple etiology and mechanisms of SB, a combination of several biomarkers is expected to have higher diagnostic accuracy for SB as compared to using a single biomarker. So, if all the KRs present in a single module/motif are targetted together, they can serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of SB. Our study puts forward some novel SB-related genes that need further experimental validation to be considered as reliable future biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naaila Tamkeen
- Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Suliman Yousef AlOmar
- Doping Research Chair, Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Abdullah Al-Jurayyan
- Immunology and HLA Section, Pathology and Clinical Laboratory Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anam Farooqui
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Safia Tazyeen
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Nadeem Ahmad
- Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Romana Ishrat
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
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9
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Li B, Niswander LA. TMEM132A, a Novel Wnt Signaling Pathway Regulator Through Wntless (WLS) Interaction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:599890. [PMID: 33324648 PMCID: PMC7726220 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.599890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt signaling pathway plays indispensable roles in embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. However, the regulatory mechanisms involved in Wnt ligand trafficking within and secretion from the signal sending cells is still relatively uncharacterized. Here, we discover a novel regulator of Wnt signaling pathway called transmembrane protein 132A (TMEM132A). Our evidence shows a physical and functional interaction of TMEM132A with the Wnt ligand transporting protein Wntless (WLS). We show that TMEM132A stabilizes Wnt ligand, enhances WLS–Wnt ligand interaction, and activates the Wnt signaling pathway. Our results shed new light on the cellular mechanism underlying the fundamental aspect of WNT secretion from Wnt signal sending cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Li
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Lee A Niswander
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
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10
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Liu L, Liu W, Shi Y, Li L, Gao Y, Lei Y, Finnell R, Zhang T, Zhang F, Jin L, Li H, Tao W, Wang H. DVL mutations identified from human neural tube defects and Dandy-Walker malformation obstruct the Wnt signaling pathway. J Genet Genomics 2020; 47:301-310. [PMID: 32900645 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Wnt signaling pathways, including the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway, planar cell polarity pathway, and Wnt/Ca2+ signaling pathway, play important roles in neural development during embryonic stages. The DVL genes encode the hub proteins for Wnt signaling pathways. The mutations in DVL2 and DVL3 were identified from patients with neural tube defects (NTDs), but their functions in the pathogenesis of human neural diseases remain elusive. Here, we sequenced the coding regions of three DVL genes in 176 stillborn or miscarried fetuses with NTDs or Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) and 480 adult controls from a Han Chinese population. Four rare mutations were identified: DVL1 p.R558H, DVL1 p.R606C, DVL2 p.R633W, and DVL3 p.R222Q. To assess the effect of these mutations on NTDs and DWM, various functional analyses such as luciferase reporter assay, stress fiber formation, and in vivo teratogenic assay were performed. The results showed that the DVL2 p.R633W mutation destabilized DVL2 protein and upregulated activities for all three Wnt signalings (Wnt/β-catenin signaling, Wnt/planar cell polarity signaling, and Wnt/Ca2+ signaling) in mammalian cells. In contrast, DVL1 mutants (DVL1 p.R558H and DVL1 p.R606C) decreased canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling but increased the activity of Wnt/Ca2+ signaling, and DVL3 p.R222Q only decreased the activity of Wnt/Ca2+ signaling. We also found that only the DVL2 p.R633W mutant displayed more severe teratogenicity in zebrafish embryos than wild-type DVL2. Our study demonstrates that these four rare DVL mutations, especially DVL2 p.R633W, may contribute to human neural diseases such as NTDs and DWM by obstructing Wnt signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China; NHC Key Lab of Reproduction (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Weiqi Liu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China; NHC Key Lab of Reproduction (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yan Shi
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Ling Li
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yunqian Gao
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yunping Lei
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Richard Finnell
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China; Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ting Zhang
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China; NHC Key Lab of Reproduction (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Li Jin
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China; NHC Key Lab of Reproduction (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Huili Li
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
| | - Wufan Tao
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China; Insititute of Developmental Biology and Molecular Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China; NHC Key Lab of Reproduction (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China; Children's Hospital and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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11
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Abstract
During embryonic development, the central nervous system forms as the neural plate and then rolls into a tube in a complex morphogenetic process known as neurulation. Neural tube defects (NTDs) occur when neurulation fails and are among the most common structural birth defects in humans. The frequency of NTDs varies greatly anywhere from 0.5 to 10 in 1000 live births, depending on the genetic background of the population, as well as a variety of environmental factors. The prognosis varies depending on the size and placement of the lesion and ranges from death to severe or moderate disability, and some NTDs are asymptomatic. This chapter reviews how mouse models have contributed to the elucidation of the genetic, molecular, and cellular basis of neural tube closure, as well as to our understanding of the causes and prevention of this devastating birth defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene E Zohn
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's Research Institute, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
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12
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Mukhopadhyay P, Greene RM, Pisano MM. MicroRNA targeting of the non-canonical planar cell polarity pathway in the developing neural tube. Cell Biochem Funct 2020; 38:905-920. [PMID: 32129905 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) provide context-dependent transcriptional regulation of genes comprising signalling networks throughout the developing organism including morphogenesis of the embryonic neural tube (NT). Using a high-sensitivity, high-coverage microarray analysis platform, miRNA expression in the murine embryonic NT during the critical stages of its formation was examined. Analysis of a number of differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs enabled identification of several gene targets associated with cellular processes essential for normal NT development. Using computational pathway analysis, interactive biologic networks and functional relationships connecting DE miRNAs with their targeted messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were identified. Potential mRNA targets and a key signal transduction pathway governing critical cellular processes indispensable for normal mammalian neurulation were also identified. RNA preparations were also used to hybridize both miRNA arrays and mRNA arrays allowing miRNA-mRNA target analysis using data of DE miRNAs and DE mRNAs - co-expressed in the same developing NT tissue samples. Identification of these miRNA targets provides key insight into the epigenetic regulation of NT development as well as into potential mechanistic underpinning of NT defects. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: This study underscores the premise that microRNAs are potential coordinators of normal neural tube (NT) formation, via regulation of the crucial, planar cell polarity pathway. Any alteration in their expression during neurulation would result in abnormal NT development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Partha Mukhopadhyay
- Division of Craniofacial Development and Anomalies, Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, School of Dentistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Robert M Greene
- Division of Craniofacial Development and Anomalies, Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, School of Dentistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - M Michele Pisano
- Division of Craniofacial Development and Anomalies, Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, School of Dentistry, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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13
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Lei Y, Kim S, Chen Z, Cao X, Zhu H, Yang W, Shaw GM, Zheng Y, Zhang T, Wang H, Finnell RH. Variants identified in PTK7 associated with neural tube defects. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2019; 7:e00584. [PMID: 30689296 PMCID: PMC6465732 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Variants in planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway genes have been repeatedly implicated in the pathogenesis of NTDs in both mouse models and in human cohorts. Mouse models indicate that the homogenous disruption of the Ptk7 gene, a PCP regulator, results in craniorachischisis; while embryos that are doubly heterozygous for Ptk7XST87 and Vangl2Lp mutations present with spina bifida. METHODS In this study, we initially sequenced exons of the human PTK7 gene in 192 spina bifida patients and 190 controls from a California population. A phase II validation study was performed in 343 Chinese NTD cohort. Functional assays including immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation were used to study identified variants effect on PTK7 function. RESULTS We identified three rare (MAF <0.001) missense heterozygous PTK7 variants (NM_001270398.1:c.581C>T, p.Arg630Ser and p.Tyr725Phe) in the spina bifida patients. In our functional analyses, p.Arg630Ser affected PTK7 mutant protein stability and increased interaction with Dvl2, while the p.Thr186Met variant decreased PTK7 interactions with Dvl2. No novel predicted-to-be-damaging variant or function-disrupted PTK7 variant was identified among the control subjects. We subsequently re-sequenced the PTK7 CDS region in 343 NTDs from China to validate the association between PTK7 and NTDs. The frequency of PTK7 rare missense variants in the Chinese NTD samples is significantly higher than in gnomAD controls. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that rare missense variants in PTK7 contribute to the genetic risk of NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunping Lei
- Department of Nutritional SciencesDell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical SchoolAustinTexas
- Present address:
Center for Precision Environmental Health, Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and MedicineBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTexas77030
| | - Sung‐Eun Kim
- Department of Nutritional SciencesDell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical SchoolAustinTexas
| | - Zhongzhong Chen
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and DevelopmentFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Xuanye Cao
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and MedicineBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTexas
| | - Huiping Zhu
- Department of Nutritional SciencesDell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical SchoolAustinTexas
- Present address:
Asuragen Inc.2150 Woodward St #100AustinTX78744
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of NeonatologyStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCalifornia
| | - Gary M. Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of NeonatologyStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCalifornia
| | - Yufang Zheng
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and DevelopmentFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Ting Zhang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and NutriomicsCapital Institute of PediatricsBeijingChina
| | - Hong‐Yan Wang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and DevelopmentFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Richard H. Finnell
- Department of Nutritional SciencesDell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical SchoolAustinTexas
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics & Development, School of Life SciencesFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
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14
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Insights into the Etiology of Mammalian Neural Tube Closure Defects from Developmental, Genetic and Evolutionary Studies. J Dev Biol 2018; 6:jdb6030022. [PMID: 30134561 PMCID: PMC6162505 DOI: 10.3390/jdb6030022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human neural tube defects (NTD), anencephaly, spina bifida and craniorachischisis, originate from a failure of the embryonic neural tube to close. Human NTD are relatively common and both complex and heterogeneous in genetic origin, but the genetic variants and developmental mechanisms are largely unknown. Here we review the numerous studies, mainly in mice, of normal neural tube closure, the mechanisms of failure caused by specific gene mutations, and the evolution of the vertebrate cranial neural tube and its genetic processes, seeking insights into the etiology of human NTD. We find evidence of many regions along the anterior–posterior axis each differing in some aspect of neural tube closure—morphology, cell behavior, specific genes required—and conclude that the etiology of NTD is likely to be partly specific to the anterior–posterior location of the defect and also genetically heterogeneous. We revisit the hypotheses explaining the excess of females among cranial NTD cases in mice and humans and new developments in understanding the role of the folate pathway in NTD. Finally, we demonstrate that evidence from mouse mutants strongly supports the search for digenic or oligogenic etiology in human NTD of all types.
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15
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Chen Z, Lei Y, Cao X, Zheng Y, Wang F, Bao Y, Peng R, Finnell RH, Zhang T, Wang H. Genetic analysis of Wnt/PCP genes in neural tube defects. BMC Med Genomics 2018; 11:38. [PMID: 29618362 PMCID: PMC5885375 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-018-0355-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mouse homozygous mutants in Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway genes have been shown to cause neural tube defects (NTDs) through the disruption of normal morphogenetic processes critical to neural tube closure (NTC). Knockout mice that are heterozygotes of single PCP genes likely fail to produce NTD phenotypes, yet damaging variants detected in human NTDs are almost always heterozygous, suggesting that other deleterious interacting variants are likely to be present. Nonetheless, the Wnt/PCP pathway remains a genetic hotspot. Addressing these issues is essential for understanding the genetic etiology of human NTDs. Methods We performed targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) on 30 NTD-predisposing Wnt/PCP pathway genes in 184 Chinese NTD cases. We subsequently replicated our findings for the CELSR1 gene in an independent cohort of 292 Caucasian NTD samples from the USA. Functional validations were confirmed using in vitro assays. Results CELSR1, CELSR2 and CELSR3 genes were significantly clustered with rare driver coding mutations (q-value< 0.05) demonstrated by OncodriveCLUST. During the validation stage, the number of rare loss of function (LoF) variants in CELSR1 was significantly enriched in NTDs compared with the LoF counts in the ExAC database (p < 0.001). Functional studies indicated compound heterozygote variants of CELSR2 p.Thr2026Met and DVL3 p.Asp403Asn result in down regulation of PCP signals. Conclusions These data indicate rare damaging variants of the CELSR genes, identified in ~ 14% of NTD cases, are expected to be driver genes in the Wnt/PCP pathway. Compound damaging variants of CELSR genes and other Wnt/PCP genes, which were observed in 3.3% of the studied NTD cohort, are also expected to amplify these effects at the pathway level. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12920-018-0355-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongzhong Chen
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yunping Lei
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Xuanye Cao
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yufang Zheng
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Children's Hospital and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Yihua Bao
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China
| | - Rui Peng
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China. .,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX, 78723, USA.
| | - Ting Zhang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China.
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China. .,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Children's Hospital and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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16
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Chen Z, Kuang L, Finnell RH, Wang H. Genetic and functional analysis of SHROOM1-4 in a Chinese neural tube defect cohort. Hum Genet 2018; 137:195-202. [PMID: 29423651 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-017-1864-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs), which include spina bifida and anencephaly, are the second most common form of human structural congenital malformations. While it is well established that SHROOM3 plays a pivotal role in the complex morphogenetic processes involved in neural tube closure (NTC), the underlying genetic contributions of SHROOM gene family members in the etiology of human NTDs remain poorly understood. Herein, we systematically investigated the mutation patterns of SHROOM1-4 in a Chinese population composed of 343 NTD cases and 206 controls, using targeted next-generation sequencing. Functional variants were further confirmed by western blot and the mammalian two-hybrid assays. Loss of function (LoF) variants were identified in SHROOM3. We observed 1.56 times as many rare [minor allele frequency (MAF) < 0.01] coding variants (p = 2.9 × 10-3) in SHROOM genes, and 4.5 times as many rare D-Mis (deleterious missense) variants in SHROOM2 genes in the NTD cases compared with the controls. D-Mis variants of SHROOM2 (p.A1331S; p.R1557H) were confirmed by Sanger sequencing, and these variants were determined to have profound effects on gene function that disrupted their binding with ROCK1 in vitro. These findings provide genetic and molecular insights into the effects of rare damaging variants in SHROOM2, indicating that such variants of SHROOM2 might contribute to the risk of human NTDs. This research enhances our understanding of the genetic contribution of the SHROOM gene family to the etiology of human NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongzhong Chen
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lele Kuang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Jiangwan Campus, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Institute of Reproduction and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China. .,Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,Children's Hospital and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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17
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Chen X, An Y, Gao Y, Guo L, Rui L, Xie H, Sun M, Lam Hung S, Sheng X, Zou J, Bao Y, Guan H, Niu B, Li Z, Finnell RH, Gusella JF, Wu BL, Zhang T. Rare Deleterious PARD3 Variants in the aPKC-Binding Region are Implicated in the Pathogenesis of Human Cranial Neural Tube Defects Via Disrupting Apical Tight Junction Formation. Hum Mutat 2017; 38:378-389. [PMID: 27925688 DOI: 10.1002/humu.23153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence that mutation of planar cell polarity (PCP) genes contributes to human cranial neural tube defect (NTD) susceptibility prompted us to hypothesize that rare variants of genes in the core apical-basal polarity (ABP) pathway are risk factors for cranial NTDs. In this study, we screened for rare genomic variation of PARD3 in 138 cranial NTD cases and 274 controls. Overall, the rare deleterious variants of PARD3 were significantly associated with increased risk for cranial NTDs (11/138 vs.7/274, P < 0.05, OR = 3.3). These NTD-specific variants were significantly enriched in the aPKC-binding region (6/138 vs. 0/274, P < 0.01). The East Asian cohort in the ExAC database and another Chinese normal cohort further supported this association. Over-expression analysis in HEK293T and MDCK cells confirmed abnormal aPKC binding or interaction for two PARD3 variants (p.P913Q and p.D783G), resulting in defective tight junction formation via disrupted aPKC binding. Functional analysis in human neural progenitor cells and chick embryos revealed that PARD3 knockdown gave rise to abnormal cell polarity and compromised the polarization process of neuroepithelial tissue. Our studies suggest that rare deleterious variants of PARD3 in the aPKC-binding region contribute to human cranial NTDs, possibly by disrupting apical tight junction formation and subsequent polarization process of the neuroepithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Chen
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Yu An
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Science, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yonghui Gao
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.,Institute of Acu-moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liu Guo
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Rui
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Xie
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Sun
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Siv Lam Hung
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Xiaoming Sheng
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jizhen Zou
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Yihua Bao
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Hongyan Guan
- Department of Integrated Early Childhood Development, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Niu
- Department of Biotechnology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Zandong Li
- State Key Laboratories for Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Richard H Finnell
- Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - James F Gusella
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bai-Lin Wu
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Science, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ting Zhang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
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18
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Webb BD, Metikala S, Wheeler PG, Sherpa MD, Houten SM, Horb ME, Schadt EE. Heterozygous Pathogenic Variant in DACT1 Causes an Autosomal-Dominant Syndrome with Features Overlapping Townes-Brocks Syndrome. Hum Mutat 2017; 38:373-377. [PMID: 28054444 DOI: 10.1002/humu.23171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A heterozygous nonsense variant was identified in dapper, antagonist of beta-catenin, 1 (DACT1) via whole-exome sequencing in family members with imperforate anus, structural renal abnormalities, genitourinary anomalies, and/or ear anomalies. The DACT1 c.1256G>A;p.Trp419* variant segregated appropriately in the family consistent with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. DACT1 is a member of the Wnt-signaling pathway, and mice homozygous for null alleles display multiple congenital anomalies including absent anus with blind-ending colon and genitourinary malformations. To investigate the DACT1 c.1256G>A variant, HEK293 cells were transfected with mutant DACT1 cDNA plasmid, and immunoblotting revealed stability of the DACT1 p.Trp419* protein. Overexpression of DACT1 c.1256G>A mRNA in Xenopus embryos revealed a specific gastrointestinal phenotype of enlargement of the proctodeum. Together, these findings suggest that the DACT1 c.1256G>A nonsense variant is causative of a specific genetic syndrome with features overlapping Townes-Brocks syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryn D Webb
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.,Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.,Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Sanjeeva Metikala
- Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering and National Xenopus Resource, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
| | - Patricia G Wheeler
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics, Nemours Children's Clinic, Orlando, Florida
| | - Mingma D Sherpa
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Sander M Houten
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.,Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Marko E Horb
- Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering and National Xenopus Resource, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
| | - Eric E Schadt
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.,Icahn Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
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19
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Mulligan KA, Cheyette BNR. Neurodevelopmental Perspectives on Wnt Signaling in Psychiatry. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2017; 2:219-246. [PMID: 28277568 DOI: 10.1159/000453266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates that Wnt signaling is relevant to pathophysiology of diverse mental illnesses including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. In the 35 years since Wnt ligands were first described, animal studies have richly explored how downstream Wnt signaling pathways affect an array of neurodevelopmental processes and how their disruption can lead to both neurological and behavioral phenotypes. Recently, human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) models have begun to contribute to this literature while pushing it in increasingly translational directions. Simultaneously, large-scale human genomic studies are providing evidence that sequence variation in Wnt signal pathway genes contributes to pathogenesis in several psychiatric disorders. This article reviews neurodevelopmental and postneurodevelopmental functions of Wnt signaling, highlighting mechanisms, whereby its disruption might contribute to psychiatric illness, and then reviews the most reliable recent genetic evidence supporting that mutations in Wnt pathway genes contribute to psychiatric illness. We are proponents of the notion that studies in animal and hiPSC models informed by the human genetic data combined with the deep knowledge base and tool kits generated over the last several decades of basic neurodevelopmental research will yield near-term tangible advances in neuropsychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Mulligan
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin N R Cheyette
- Department of Psychiatry, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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20
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Genetic analysis of rare coding mutations of CELSR1-3 in congenital heart and neural tube defects in Chinese people. Clin Sci (Lond) 2016; 130:2329-2340. [PMID: 27756857 DOI: 10.1042/cs20160686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Revised: 10/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway is critical for proper embryonic development of the neural tube and heart. Mutations in these genes have previously been implicated in the pathogenesis of neural tube defects (NTDs), but not in congenital heart defects (CHDs) in humans. We systematically identified the mutation patterns of CELSR1-3, one family of the core PCP genes, in human cohorts composed of 352 individuals with NTDs, 412 with CHDs and matched controls. A total of 72 disease-specific, rare, novel, coding mutations were identified, of which 37 were identified in patients with CHDs and 36 in patients with NTDs. Most of these mutations differed between the two cohorts, because only one novel missense mutation in CELSR1 (c.2609G>A p.P870L) was identified in both NTD and CHD patients. Both in vivo and in vitro assays revealed that CELSR1 P870L is a gain-of-function mutation. It up-regulates not only the PCP pathway, but also canonical WNT signalling in cells, and also induces both NTDs and CHDs in zebrafish embryos. As almost equal numbers of mutations were identified in each cohort, our results provided the first evidence that mutations in CELSR genes are as likely to be associated with CHDs as with NTDs, although the specific mutations differ between the two cohorts. Such differences in mutation panels suggested that CELSRs [cadherin, EGF (epidermal growth factor), LAG (laminin A G-type repeat), seven-pass receptors)] might be regulated differently during the development of these two organ systems.
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21
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Francesca LC, Claudia R, Molinario C, Annamaria M, Chiara F, Natalia C, Emanuele A, Valentina P, Giovanni N, Costantino R, Eugenio S, Fiorella G. Variants in TNIP1, a regulator of the NF-kB pathway, found in two patients with neural tube defects. Childs Nerv Syst 2016; 32:1061-7. [PMID: 27125519 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-016-3087-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neural tube defects (NTDs) occur in 1:1000 births. The etiology is complex, with the influence of environmental and genetic factors. Environmental factors, such as folate deficiency, diabetes, or hypoxia strongly contribute to the occurrence of NTD. Also, there is a strong genetic contribution to NTD, as highlighted by the number of genes so far identified in several different developmental pathways usually altered in NTD. Each gene identified so far accounts for a small percentage of all NTD cases, indicating a very high heterogeneity. METHODS Exome sequencing was performed in seven sporadic patients with severe mielomeningocele. Novel coding variants shared by two or more patients were selected for further analysis. RESULTS We identified in two unrelated patients two different variants in TNIP1, a gene not previously involved in NTD whose main role is downregulation of the NF-kB pathway. One variant, c.1089T>G (p.Phe363Leu), is de novo, whereas the c.1781C>T (p.Pro594Leu) is absent in the mother, but could not be tested in the father, as he was unavailable. The latter variant is a very rare variant in the ExAC database. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that TNIP1 is a new potential predisposing gene to spina bifida (SB) and its pathway needs to be investigated in human NTD in order to confirm its role and to plan appropriate counseling to families.
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Affiliation(s)
- La Carpia Francesca
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, Columbia, NY, USA
| | - Rendeli Claudia
- Istituto di Pediatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", Rome, Italy
| | - Clelia Molinario
- Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", L.go Francesco Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Milillo Annamaria
- Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", L.go Francesco Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Farroni Chiara
- Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", L.go Francesco Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Cannelli Natalia
- Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", L.go Francesco Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Ausili Emanuele
- Istituto di Pediatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", Rome, Italy
| | - Paolucci Valentina
- Istituto di Pediatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", Rome, Italy
| | - Neri Giovanni
- Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", L.go Francesco Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Romagnoli Costantino
- Istituto di Pediatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", Rome, Italy
| | - Sangiorgi Eugenio
- Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", L.go Francesco Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Gurrieri Fiorella
- Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore "A. Gemelli", L.go Francesco Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.
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Puvirajesinghe TM, Borg JP. Neural tube defects: from a proteomic standpoint. Metabolites 2015; 5:164-83. [PMID: 25789708 PMCID: PMC4381295 DOI: 10.3390/metabo5010164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 02/08/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are congenital birth defects classified according to their resulting morphological characteristics in newborn patients. Current diagnosis of NTDs relies largely on the structural evaluation of fetuses using ultrasound imaging, with biochemical characterization used as secondary screening tools. The multigene etiology of NTDs has been aided by genetic studies, which have discovered panels of genes mutated in these diseases that encode receptors and cytoplasmic signaling molecules with poorly defined functions. Animal models ranging from flies to mice have been used to determine the function of these genes and identify their associated molecular cascades. More emphasis is now being placed on the identification of biochemical markers from clinical samples and model systems based on mass spectrometry, which open novel avenues in the understanding of NTDs at protein, metabolic and molecular levels. This article reviews how the use of proteomics can push forward the identification of novel biomarkers and molecular networks implicated in NTDs, an indispensable step in the improvement of patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania M Puvirajesinghe
- CRCM, Cell Polarity, Cell signalling and Cancer, Equipe labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Inserm, U1068, Marseille F-13009, France.
- Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille F-13009, France.
- Aix-Marseille University, F-13284 Marseille, France.
- The National Center for Scientific Research, CNRS, UMR7258, F-13009, France.
| | - Jean-Paul Borg
- CRCM, Cell Polarity, Cell signalling and Cancer, Equipe labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Inserm, U1068, Marseille F-13009, France.
- Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille F-13009, France.
- Aix-Marseille University, F-13284 Marseille, France.
- The National Center for Scientific Research, CNRS, UMR7258, F-13009, France.
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23
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Mandal A, Waxman J. Retinoic acid negatively regulates dact3b expression in the hindbrain of zebrafish embryos. Gene Expr Patterns 2014; 16:122-9. [PMID: 25266145 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2014.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Revised: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Wnt signaling plays important roles in normal development as well as pathophysiological conditions. The Dapper antagonist of β-catenin (Dact) proteins are modulators of both canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling via direct interactions with Dishevelled (Dvl) and Van Gogh like-2 (Vangl2). Here, we report the dynamic expression patterns of two zebrafish dact3 paralogs during early embryonic development. Our whole mount in situ hybridization (WISH) analysis indicates that specific dact3a expression starts by the tailbud stage in adaxial cells. Later, it is expressed in the anterior lateral plate mesoderm, somites, migrating cranial neural crest, and hindbrain neurons. By comparison, dact3b expression initiates on the dorsal side at the dome stage and soon after is expressed in the dorsal forerunner cells (DFCs) during gastrulation. At later stages, dact3b expression becomes restricted to the branchial neurons of the hindbrain and to the second pharyngeal arch. To investigate how zebrafish dact3 gene expression is regulated, we manipulated retinoic acid (RA) signaling during development and found that it negatively regulates dact3b in the hindbrain. Our study is the first to document the expression of the paralogous zebrafish dact3 genes during early development and demonstrate dact3b can be regulated by RA signaling. Therefore, our study opens up new avenues to study Dact3 function in the development of multiple tissues and suggests a previously unappreciated cross regulation of Wnt signaling by RA signaling in the developing vertebrate hindbrain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Mandal
- Heart Institute, Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati OH, USA; Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45208, USA
| | - Joshua Waxman
- Heart Institute, Molecular Cardiovascular Biology Division, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati OH, USA.
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24
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Merello E, Mascelli S, Raso A, Piatelli G, Consales A, Cama A, Kibar Z, Capra V, Marco PD. Expanding the mutational spectrum associated to neural tube defects: literature revision and description of novel VANGL1 mutations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 103:51-61. [PMID: 25208524 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.23305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neural Tube Defects (NTD) are a common class of birth defects that occur in approximately 1 in 1000 live births. Both genetic and nongenetic factors are involved in the etiology of NTD. Planar cell polarity (PCP) genes plays a critical role in neural tube closure in model organisms. Studies in humans have identified nonsynonymous mutations in PCP pathway genes, including the VANGL genes, that may play a role as risk factors for NTD. METHODS Here, we present the results of VANGL1 and VANGL2 mutational screening in a series of 53 NTD patients and 27 couples with a previous NTD affected pregnancy. RESULTS We identified three heterozygous missense variants in VANGL1, p.Ala187Val, p.Asp389His, and p.Arg517His, that are absent in controls and predicted to be detrimental on the protein function and, thus, we expanded the mutational spectrum of VANGL1 in NTD cases. We did not identify any new variants having an evident pathogenic effect on protein function in VANGL2. Moreover, we reviewed all the rare nonsynonymous or synonymous variants of VANGL1 and VANGL2 found in patients and controls so far published and re-evaluated them for their pathogenic role by in silico prediction tools. Association tests were performed to demonstrate the enrichment of deleterious variants in reviewed cases versus controls from Exome Variant Server (EVS). CONCLUSION We showed a significant (p = 7.0E-5) association between VANGL1 rare genetic variants, especially missense mutations, and NTDs risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Merello
- Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy
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25
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Murdoch JN, Damrau C, Paudyal A, Bogani D, Wells S, Greene NDE, Stanier P, Copp AJ. Genetic interactions between planar cell polarity genes cause diverse neural tube defects in mice. Dis Model Mech 2014; 7:1153-63. [PMID: 25128525 PMCID: PMC4174526 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.016758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the commonest and most severe forms of developmental defect, characterized by disruption of the early embryonic events of central nervous system formation. NTDs have long been known to exhibit a strong genetic dependence, yet the identity of the genetic determinants remains largely undiscovered. Initiation of neural tube closure is disrupted in mice homozygous for mutations in planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway genes, providing a strong link between NTDs and PCP signaling. Recently, missense gene variants have been identified in PCP genes in humans with NTDs, although the range of phenotypes is greater than in the mouse mutants. In addition, the sequence variants detected in affected humans are heterozygous, and can often be detected in unaffected individuals. It has been suggested that interactions between multiple heterozygous gene mutations cause the NTDs in humans. To determine the phenotypes produced in double heterozygotes, we bred mice with all three pairwise combinations of Vangl2(Lp), Scrib(Crc) and Celsr1(Crsh) mutations, the most intensively studied PCP mutants. The majority of double-mutant embryos had open NTDs, with the range of phenotypes including anencephaly and spina bifida, therefore reflecting the defects observed in humans. Strikingly, even on a uniform genetic background, variability in the penetrance and severity of the mutant phenotypes was observed between the different double-heterozygote combinations. Phenotypically, Celsr1(Crsh);Vangl2(Lp);Scrib(Crc) triply heterozygous mutants were no more severe than doubly heterozygous or singly homozygous mutants. We propose that some of the variation between double-mutant phenotypes could be attributed to the nature of the protein disruption in each allele: whereas Scrib(Crc) is a null mutant and produces no Scrib protein, Celsr1(Crsh) and Vangl2(Lp) homozygotes both express mutant proteins, consistent with dominant effects. The variable outcomes of these genetic interactions are of direct relevance to human patients and emphasize the importance of performing comprehensive genetic screens in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N Murdoch
- Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW20 0RD, UK. MRC Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK.
| | - Christine Damrau
- MRC Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Anju Paudyal
- MRC Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Debora Bogani
- MRC Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Sara Wells
- MRC Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Nicholas D E Greene
- Newlife Birth Defects Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Philip Stanier
- Newlife Birth Defects Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Andrew J Copp
- Newlife Birth Defects Research Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
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26
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Suzuki D, Leu NA, Brice AK, Senoo M. Expression analysis of Dact1 in mice using a LacZ reporter. Gene Expr Patterns 2014; 15:21-30. [PMID: 24681206 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2014.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Revised: 03/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The Wnt signaling pathway is essential for cell fate decisions during embryonic development as well as for homeostasis after birth. Dapper antagonist of catenin-1 (Dact1) plays an important role during embryogenesis by regulating Wnt signaling pathways. Consequently, targeted disruption of the Dact1 gene in mice leads to perinatal lethality due to severe developmental defects involving the central nervous system, genitourinary system and distal digestive tract. However, the expression and potential function of Dact1 in other tissues during development and postnatal life have not been well studied. Here, we have generated reporter mice in which LacZ expression is driven by the Dact1 gene promoter and characterized Dact1-LacZ expression in embryos and adult tissues. Our data show that while Dact1-LacZ is expressed in multiple mesoderm- and neuroectoderm-derived tissues during development, high expression of Dact1-LacZ is restricted to a small subset of adult tissues, including the brain, eye, heart, and some reproductive organs. These results will serve as a basis for future investigation of Dact1 function in Wnt-mediated organogenesis and tissue homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Suzuki
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - N Adrian Leu
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Angela K Brice
- University Laboratory Animal Resources, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Makoto Senoo
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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27
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Genetic evidence in planar cell polarity signaling pathway in human neural tube defects. Front Med 2013; 8:68-78. [PMID: 24307374 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-014-0308-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 10/09/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a group of birth anomalies having a profound physical, emotional, and financial effects on families and communities. Their etiology is complex, involving environmental and genetic factors that interact to modulate the incidence and severity of the developing phenotype. The planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway controls the process of convergent extension (CE) during gastrulation and neural tube closure and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of NTDs in animal models and human cohorts. This review summarizes the cumulative results of recent studies on PCP signaling pathway and human NTDs. These results demonstrate that PCP gene alterations contribute to the etiology of human NTDs.
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28
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Yang X, Cheyette BNR. SEC14 and spectrin domains 1 (Sestd1) and Dapper antagonist of catenin 1 (Dact1) scaffold proteins cooperatively regulate the Van Gogh-like 2 (Vangl2) four-pass transmembrane protein and planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway during embryonic development in mice. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:20111-20. [PMID: 23696638 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.465427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway is a conserved non-canonical (β-catenin-independent) branch of Wnt signaling crucial to embryogenesis, during which it regulates cell polarity and polarized cell movements. Disruption of PCP components in mice, including Vangl2 and Dact1, results in defective neural tube closure and other developmental defects. Here, we show that Sestd1 is a novel binding partner of Vangl2 and Dact1. The Sestd1-Dact1 interface is formed by circumscribed regions of Sestd1 (the carboxyl-terminal region) and Dact1 (the amino-terminal region). Remarkably, we show that loss of Sestd1 precisely phenocopies loss of Dact1 during embryogenesis in mice, leading to a spectrum of birth malformations, including neural tube defects, a shortened and/or curly tail, no genital tubercle, blind-ended colons, hydronephrotic kidneys, and no bladder. Moreover, as with Dact1, a knock-out mutation at the Sestd1 locus exhibits reciprocal genetic rescue interactions during development with a semidominant mutation at the Vangl2 locus. Consistent with this, examination of Wnt pathway activities in Sestd1 mutant mouse embryonic tissue reveals disrupted PCP pathway biochemistry similar to that characterized in Dact1 mutant embryos. The Sestd1 protein is a divergent member of the Trio family of GTPase regulatory proteins that lacks a guanine nucleotide exchange factor domain. Nonetheless, in cell-based assays the Sestd1-Dact1 interaction can induce Rho GTPase activation. Together, our data indicate that Sestd1 cooperates with Dact1 in Vangl2 regulation and in the PCP pathway during mammalian embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- XiaoYong Yang
- Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158-2324, USA
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29
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Yang XY, Zhou XY, Wang QQ, Li H, Chen Y, Lei YP, Ma XH, Kong P, Shi Y, Jin L, Zhang T, Wang HY. Mutations in the COPII Vesicle Component GeneSEC24Bare Associated with Human Neural Tube Defects. Hum Mutat 2013; 34:1094-101. [DOI: 10.1002/humu.22338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2012] [Accepted: 04/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Yan Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang-Yu Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Qing Wang
- School of Life Sciences; Shaanxi Normal University; Xi'an People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Li
- The Center for Reproduction and Genetics, Suzhou Maternal-Child Medical Center; Suzhou General Hospital; Suzhou People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Chen
- The Center for Reproduction and Genetics, Suzhou Maternal-Child Medical Center; Suzhou General Hospital; Suzhou People's Republic of China
| | - Yun-Ping Lei
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Hang Ma
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
| | - Pan Kong
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Shi
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
| | - Li Jin
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Zhang
- The Capital Institute of Pediatrics; Beijing People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Yan Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and MOE Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
- The Institutes of Biomedical Sciences; Fudan University; Shanghai People's Republic of China
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30
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Xue H, Xiao Z, Zhang J, Wen J, Wang Y, Chang Z, Zhao J, Gao X, Du J, Chen YG. Disruption of the Dapper3 gene aggravates ureteral obstruction-mediated renal fibrosis by amplifying Wnt/β-catenin signaling. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:15006-14. [PMID: 23580654 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.458448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays key roles in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Dapper3/Dact3, one of the three members of the Dapper gene family, is transcriptionally repressed in colorectal cancer and may function as a negative regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. To investigate its physiological functions, we generated a mouse strain harboring conditional null alleles of Dapper3 (Dapper3(flox/flox)), and homozygous Dapper3-deficient (Dapper3(-/-)) mice were produced after crossing with EIIa-cre transgenic mice. We found that Dapper3 is not essential for mouse embryogenesis, postnatal survival, and reproduction. However, adult Dapper3(-/-) mice exhibited a mild reduction in body weight compared with their wild-type littermates, suggesting a functional role of Dapper3 in postnatal growth. To investigate the role of Dapper3 in renal fibrosis, we employed the unilateral ureteral obstruction model. Dapper3 mRNA expression was up-regulated in kidney after unilateral ureteral obstruction. Loss of the Dapper3 gene enhanced myofibroblast activation and extracellular matrix overproduction in the obstructed kidney. Moreover, this aggravated fibrotic phenotype was accompanied with accumulation of Dishevelled2 and β-catenin proteins and activation of Wnt-targeted fibrotic genes. In primary renal tubular cells, Dapper3 inhibits Wnt-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Consistently, Dapper3 interacted with and down-regulated Dishevelled2 protein and attenuated the Wnt-responsive Topflash reporter expression. These findings together suggest that Dapper3 antagonizes the fibrotic actions of Wnt signaling in kidney.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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31
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Chen X, Shen Y, Gao Y, Zhao H, Sheng X, Zou J, Lip V, Xie H, Guo J, Shao H, Bao Y, Shen J, Niu B, Gusella JF, Wu BL, Zhang T. Detection of copy number variants reveals association of cilia genes with neural tube defects. PLoS One 2013; 8:e54492. [PMID: 23349908 PMCID: PMC3547935 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2012] [Accepted: 12/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the most common birth defects caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Currently, little is known about the genetic basis of NTDs although up to 70% of human NTDs were reported to be attributed to genetic factors. Here we performed genome-wide copy number variants (CNVs) detection in a cohort of Chinese NTD patients in order to exam the potential role of CNVs in the pathogenesis of NTDs. Methods The genomic DNA from eighty-five NTD cases and seventy-five matched normal controls were subjected for whole genome CNVs analysis. Non-DGV (the Database of Genomic Variants) CNVs from each group were further analyzed for their associations with NTDs. Gene content in non-DGV CNVs as well as participating pathways were examined. Results Fifty-five and twenty-six non-DGV CNVs were detected in cases and controls respectively. Among them, forty and nineteen CNVs involve genes (genic CNV). Significantly more non-DGV CNVs and non-DGV genic CNVs were detected in NTD patients than in control (41.2% vs. 25.3%, p<0.05 and 37.6% vs. 20%, p<0.05). Non-DGV genic CNVs are associated with a 2.65-fold increased risk for NTDs (95% CI: 1.24–5.87). Interestingly, there are 41 cilia genes involved in non-DGV CNVs from NTD patients which is significantly enriched in cases compared with that in controls (24.7% vs. 9.3%, p<0.05), corresponding with a 3.19-fold increased risk for NTDs (95% CI: 1.27–8.01). Pathway analyses further suggested that two ciliogenesis pathways, tight junction and protein kinase A signaling, are top canonical pathways implicated in NTD-specific CNVs, and these two novel pathways interact with known NTD pathways. Conclusions Evidence from the genome-wide CNV study suggests that genic CNVs, particularly ciliogenic CNVs are associated with NTDs and two ciliogenesis pathways, tight junction and protein kinase A signaling, are potential pathways involved in NTD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Chen
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yiping Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yonghui Gao
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
- Institute of Acu-moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huizhi Zhao
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoming Sheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jizhen Zou
- Department of Pathology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Va Lip
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Hua Xie
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Guo
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Shao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yihua Bao
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Jianliang Shen
- Department of Hematology, Navy General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Niu
- Department of Biotechnology, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - James F. Gusella
- Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Bai-Lin Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Children's Hospital and Institutes of Biomedical Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (BLW); (TZ)
| | - Ting Zhang
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
- * E-mail: (BLW); (TZ)
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32
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Juriloff DM, Harris MJ. A consideration of the evidence that genetic defects in planar cell polarity contribute to the etiology of human neural tube defects. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 94:824-40. [PMID: 23024041 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.23079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2012] [Revised: 07/21/2012] [Accepted: 08/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
A variety of human birth defects originate in failure of closure of the embryonic neural tube. The genetic cause of the most common nonsyndromic defects, spina bifida (SB) or anencephaly, is considered to be combinations of variants at multiple genes. The genes contributing to the etiology of neural tube closure defects (NTDs) are unknown. Mutations in planar cell polarity (PCP) genes in mice cause a variety of defects including the NTD, craniorachischisis, and sometimes SB or exencephaly (EX); they also demonstrate the role of digenic combinations of PCP mutants in NTDs. Recent studies have sought rare predicted-to-be-deleterious alterations (putative mutations) in coding sequence of PCP genes in human cases with various anomalies of the neural tube. This review summarizes the cumulative results of these studies according to a framework based on the embryopathogenesis of NTDs, and considers some of the insights from the approaches used and the limitations. Rare putative mutations in the PCP genes VANGL2, SCRIB, DACT1, and CELSR1 cumulatively contributed to over 20% of cases with craniorachischisis, a rare defect; no contributing variants were found for PRICKLE1 or PTK7. PCP rare putative mutations had a weaker role in myelomeningocele (SB), being found in approximately 6% of cases and cumulated across CELSR1, FUZ, FZD6, PRICKLE1, VANGL1, and VANGL2. These results demonstrate that PCP gene alterations contribute to the etiology of human NTDs. We recommend that future research should explore other types of PCP gene variant such as regulatory mutations and low frequency (1 to 5%) deleterious polymorphisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana M Juriloff
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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