1
|
Pandey S, Gao XD, Krasnow NA, McElroy A, Tao YA, Duby JE, Steinbeck BJ, McCreary J, Pierce SE, Tolar J, Meissner TB, Chaikof EL, Osborn MJ, Liu DR. Efficient site-specific integration of large genes in mammalian cells via continuously evolved recombinases and prime editing. Nat Biomed Eng 2024:10.1038/s41551-024-01227-1. [PMID: 38858586 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-024-01227-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Methods for the targeted integration of genes in mammalian genomes suffer from low programmability, low efficiencies or low specificities. Here we show that phage-assisted continuous evolution enhances prime-editing-assisted site-specific integrase gene editing (PASSIGE), which couples the programmability of prime editing with the ability of recombinases to precisely integrate large DNA cargoes exceeding 10 kilobases. Evolved and engineered Bxb1 recombinase variants (evoBxb1 and eeBxb1) mediated up to 60% donor integration (3.2-fold that of wild-type Bxb1) in human cell lines with pre-installed recombinase landing sites. In single-transfection experiments at safe-harbour and therapeutically relevant sites, PASSIGE with eeBxb1 led to an average targeted-gene-integration efficiencies of 23% (4.2-fold that of wild-type Bxb1). Notably, integration efficiencies exceeded 30% at multiple sites in primary human fibroblasts. PASSIGE with evoBxb1 or eeBxb1 outperformed PASTE (for 'programmable addition via site-specific targeting elements', a method that uses prime editors fused to recombinases) on average by 9.1-fold and 16-fold, respectively. PASSIGE with continuously evolved recombinases is an unusually efficient method for the targeted integration of genes in mammalian cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Smriti Pandey
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xin D Gao
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas A Krasnow
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Amber McElroy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Y Allen Tao
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jordyn E Duby
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin J Steinbeck
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Julia McCreary
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah E Pierce
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jakub Tolar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Torsten B Meissner
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elliot L Chaikof
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark J Osborn
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Upadia J, Crivelly K, Noh G, Cunningham A, Cerminaro C, Li Y, Mckoin M, Chenevert M, Andersson HC. Maximal dietary responsiveness after tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) in 19 phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency patients: What super-responders can expect. Mol Genet Metab Rep 2024; 38:101050. [PMID: 38469087 PMCID: PMC10926188 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgmr.2024.101050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Inherited phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency, also known as phenylketonuria (PKU), causes poor growth and neurologic deficits in the untreated state. After ascertainment through newborn screen and dietary phenylalanine (Phe) restriction to achieve plasma Phe in the range of 120-360 μmol/L, these disease manifestations can be prevented. Poor compliance with protein restricted diets supported by medical food is typical in later years, beginning in the late toddler and teenage years. Pharmacologic doses of oral tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4; sapropterin dihydrochloride) is effective in reducing plasma Phe in about 40-50% of PKU patients but effectiveness is highly variable. Objective To assess the maximal responsiveness to 20 mg/kg/day oral BH4 as it affects plasma Phe and dietary Phe allowance in PKU patients. Materials and methods This was a single-center, retrospective observational study, combining case reports of individual patients. We reported an outcome of 85 patients with PKU who were trialed on BH4. Phe levels and dietary records of 19 BH4 "super-responders" were analyzed. Results Overall, 63.5% of the patients (54/85) were considered BH4 responders. However, we quantitated the dietary liberalization of 19 of our responsive patients (35%), those with at least a 2-fold increase in dietary Phe and maintenance of plasma Phe in treatment range. In these "super-responders", the mean plasma Phe at baseline was 371 ± 237 μmol/L and decreased to 284 ± 273 μmol/L after 1 year on BH4. Mean dietary Phe tolerance increased significantly from 595 ± 256 to 2260 ± 1414 mg/day (p ≤0.0001), while maintaining mean plasma Phe levels within treatment range. Four patients no longer required dietary Phe restriction and could discontinue medical food. The majority of patients had at least one BH4-responsive genotype. Conclusion This cohort demonstrates the maximally achievable dietary liberalization which some PKU patients may expect with BH4 therapy. Health benefits are considered to accrue in patients with increased intact protein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jariya Upadia
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Kea Crivelly
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Grace Noh
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Amy Cunningham
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Caroline Cerminaro
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Yuwen Li
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Meredith Mckoin
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Madeline Chenevert
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Hans C. Andersson
- Hayward Genetics Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tokatly Latzer I, Roullet JB, Cesaro S, DiBacco ML, Arning E, Rotenberg A, Lee HHC, Opladen T, Jeltsch K, García-Cazorla À, Juliá-Palacios N, Gibson KM, Bertoldi M, Pearl PL. Phenotypic correlates of structural and functional protein impairments resultant from ALDH5A1 variants. Hum Genet 2023; 142:1755-1776. [PMID: 37962671 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02613-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the genotype-to-protein-to-phenotype correlations of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADHD), an inherited metabolic disorder of γ-aminobutyric acid catabolism. Bioinformatics and in silico mutagenesis analyses of ALDH5A1 variants were performed to evaluate their impact on protein stability, active site and co-factor binding domains, splicing, and homotetramer formation. Protein abnormalities were then correlated with a validated disease-specific clinical severity score and neurological, neuropsychological, biochemical, neuroimaging, and neurophysiological metrics. A total of 58 individuals (1:1 male/female ratio) were affected by 32 ALDH5A1 pathogenic variants, eight of which were novel. Compared to individuals with single homotetrameric or multiple homo and heterotetrameric proteins, those predicted not to synthesize any functional enzyme protein had significantly lower expression of ALDH5A1 (p = 0.001), worse overall clinical outcomes (p = 0.008) and specifically more severe cognitive deficits (p = 0.01), epilepsy (p = 0.04) and psychiatric morbidity (p = 0.04). Compared to individuals with predictions of having no protein or a protein impaired in catalytic functions, subjects whose proteins were predicted to be impaired in stability, folding, or oligomerization had a better overall clinical outcome (p = 0.02) and adaptive skills (p = 0.04). The quantity and type of enzyme proteins (no protein, single homotetramers, or multiple homo and heterotetramers), as well as their structural and functional impairments (catalytic or stability, folding, or oligomerization), contribute to phenotype severity in SSADHD. These findings are valuable for assessment of disease prognosis and management, including patient selection for gene replacement therapy. Furthermore, they provide a roadmap to determine genotype-to-protein-to-phenotype relationships in other autosomal recessive disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Itay Tokatly Latzer
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jean-Baptiste Roullet
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Samuele Cesaro
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, VR, Italy
| | - Melissa L DiBacco
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Erland Arning
- Institute of Metabolic Disease, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Henry H C Lee
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Thomas Opladen
- Division of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, University Children's Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 430, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Jeltsch
- Division of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, University Children's Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 430, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Àngels García-Cazorla
- Neurometabolic Unit, Neurology Department, Institut de Recerca, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natalia Juliá-Palacios
- Neurometabolic Unit, Neurology Department, Institut de Recerca, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - K Michael Gibson
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Mariarita Bertoldi
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, VR, Italy.
| | - Phillip L Pearl
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Latzer IT, Roullet JB, Cesaro S, DiBacco ML, Arning E, Rotenberg A, Lee HHC, Opladen T, Jeltsch K, García-Cazorla À, Juliá-Palacios N, Gibson KM, Bertoldi M, Pearl PL. Phenotypic Correlates of Structural and Functional Protein Impairments Resultant from ALDH5A1 Variants. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3111263. [PMID: 37503297 PMCID: PMC10371128 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3111263/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Objective To investigate the genotype-to-protein-to-phenotype correlations of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (SSADHD), an inherited metabolic disorder of γ-aminobutyric acid catabolism. Methods Bioinformatics and in silico mutagenesis analyses of ALDH5A1 variants were performed to evaluate their impact on protein stability, active site and co-factor binding domains, splicing, and homotetramer formation. Protein abnormalities were then correlated with a validated disease-specific clinical severity score and neurological, neuropsychological, biochemical, neuroimaging, and neurophysiological metrics. Results A total of 58 individuals (1:1 male/female ratio) were affected by 32 ALDH5A1 pathogenic variants, eight of which were novel. Compared to individuals with single homotetrameric or multiple homo and heterotetrameric proteins, those predicted not to synthesize any functional enzyme protein had significantly lower expression of ALDH5A1 (p = 0.001), worse overall clinical outcomes (p = 0.008) and specifically more severe cognitive deficits (p = 0.01), epilepsy (p = 0.04) and psychiatric morbidity (p = 0.04). Compared to individuals with predictions of having no protein or a protein impaired in catalytic functions, subjects whose proteins were predicted to be impaired in stability, folding, or oligomerization had a better overall clinical outcome (p = 0.02) and adaptive skills (p = 0.04). Conclusions The quantity and type of enzyme proteins (no protein, single homotetramers, or multiple homo and heterotetramers), as well as their structural and functional impairments (catalytic or stability, folding, or oligomerization), contribute to phenotype severity in SSADHD. These findings are valuable for assessment of disease prognosis and management, including patient selection for gene replacement therapy. Furthermore, they provide a roadmap to determine genotype-to-protein-to-phenotype relationships in other autosomal recessive disorders.
Collapse
|
5
|
Guo Y, Jiang J, Xu Z. Chinese genetic variation database of inborn errors of metabolism: a systematic review of published variants in 13 genes. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:148. [PMID: 37308883 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02726-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population-specific variation database of inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) is essential for precise genetic diagnosis and disease prevention. Here we presented a systematic review of clinically relevant variants of 13 IEMs genes reported among Chinese patients. METHODS A systematic search of the following electronic databases for 13 IEMs genes was conducted: PubMed-NCBI, China national knowledge infrastructure and Wanfang databases. Patient data was extracted from articles eligible for inclusion and recorded in Excel electronic form using a case-by-case approach. RESULTS A total of 218 articles, 93 published in English and 125 in Chinese, were retrieved. After variant annotation and deduplication, 575 unique patients (241 from articles published in Chinese) were included in the population-specific variation database. Patients identified by newborn screening and symptomatic presentation were 231 (40.17%) and 344 (59.83%), respectively. Biallelic variants were observed in 525/575 (91.3%). Among the 581 unique variants identified, 83 (14.28%) were described ≥ 3 times and 97 (16.69%) were not recorded in Clinvar or HGMD. Four variants were reclassified as benign and dozens of confusing variants deserved further research. CONCLUSION This review provides a unique resource of the well-characterized diseases and causative variants that have accumulated in Chinese population and is a preliminary attempt to build the Chinese genetic variation database of IEMs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongchao Guo
- Shenzhen Uni-medica Technology Co., Ltd, Liuxian Culture Park, Nanshan District, 5180553, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianhui Jiang
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangdong Province, No.13 Guangyuan West Road, Yuexiu District, 510010, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Zhongyao Xu
- Shenzhen Uni-medica Technology Co., Ltd, Liuxian Culture Park, Nanshan District, 5180553, Shenzhen, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang C, Yan Y, Zhou B, Wang Y, Tian X, Hao S, Ma P, Zheng L, Zhang Q, Hui L, Wang Y, Cao Z, Ma X. Identification of deep intronic variants of PAH in phenylketonuria using full-length gene sequencing. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:128. [PMID: 37237386 PMCID: PMC10214626 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02742-1] [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: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive congenital metabolic disorder caused by PAH variants. Previously, approximately 5% of PKU patients remained undiagnosed after Sanger sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. To date, increasing numbers of pathogenic deep intronic variants have been reported in more than 100 disease-associated genes. METHODS In this study, we performed full-length sequencing of PAH to investigate the deep intronic variants in PAH of PKU patients without definite genetic diagnosis. RESULTS We identified five deep intronic variants (c.1199+502A>T, c.1065+241C>A, c.706+368T>C, c.706+531>C, and c.706+608A>C). Of these, the c.1199+502A>T variant was found at high frequency and may be a hotspot PAH variant in Chinese PKU. c.706+531T>C and c.706+608A>C are two novel variants that extend the deep intronic variant spectrum of PAH. CONCLUSION Deep intronic variant pathogenicity analysis can further improve the genetic diagnosis of PKU patients. In silico prediction and minigene analysis are powerful approaches for studying the functions and effects of deep intronic variants. Targeted sequencing after full-length gene amplification is an economical and effective tool for the detection of deep intron variation in genes with small fragments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Zhang
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- National Research Institute for Health and Family Planning, National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
- Graduate School of Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yousheng Yan
- Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University; Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bingbo Zhou
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yupei Wang
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xinyuan Tian
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shengju Hao
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Panpan Ma
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qinghua Zhang
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ling Hui
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zongfu Cao
- National Research Institute for Health and Family Planning, National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China.
| | - Xu Ma
- National Research Institute for Health and Family Planning, National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China.
- Graduate School of Peking, Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang C, Zhang P, Yan Y, Zhou B, Wang Y, Tian X, Hao S, Ma P, Zheng L, Zhang Q, Hui L, Wang Y, Cao Z, Ma X. The spectrum of phenylalanine hydroxylase variants and genotype-phenotype correlation in phenylketonuria patients in Gansu, China. Hum Genomics 2023; 17:36. [PMID: 37098607 PMCID: PMC10127316 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-023-00475-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a common, congenital, autosomal recessive, metabolic disorder caused by Phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) variants. METHODS 967 PKU patients from Gansu, China were genotyped by Sanger sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, and whole exome sequencing. We analyzed the variants of PAH exons, their flanking sequences, and introns. RESULTS The detection of deep intronic variants in PAH gene can significantly improve the genetic diagnostic rate of PKU. The distribution of PAH variants among PKU subtypes may be related to the unique genetic background in Gansu, China. CONCLUSION The identification of PAH hotspot variants will aid the development of large-scale neonatal genetic screening for PKU. The five new PAH variants found in this study further expand the spectrum of PAH variants. Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis may help predict the prognosis of PKU patients and enable precise treatment regimens to be developed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Zhang
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- National Research Institute for Family Planning , National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- Department of Nosocomial Infection Management, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yousheng Yan
- Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Bingbo Zhou
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yupei Wang
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xinyuan Tian
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shengju Hao
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Panpan Ma
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qinghua Zhang
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Ling Hui
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Gansu Province Medical Genetics Center,Gansu Provincial Clinical Research Center for Birth Defects and Rare Diseases, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-Care Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zongfu Cao
- National Research Institute for Family Planning , National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China.
| | - Xu Ma
- National Research Institute for Family Planning , National Human Genetic Resources Center, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Luo X, Wang R, Sun Y, Qiu W, Lu D, Wang Y, Gong Z, Zhang H, Han L, Liang L, Gu X, Yu Y, Xiao B. Deep Intronic PAH Variants Explain Missing Heritability in Hyperphenylalaninemia. J Mol Diagn 2023; 25:284-294. [PMID: 36849017 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency or phenylketonuria (PKU) is the most common cause of hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA), and approximately 5% of patients remain genetically unsolved. Identifying deep intronic PAH variants may help improve their molecular diagnostic rate. Next-generation sequencing was utilized to detect the whole PAH gene in 96 patients with genetically unsolved HPA from 2013 to 2022. The effects of deep intronic variants on pre-mRNA splicing were investigated by minigene-based assay. The allelic phenotype values of recurrent deep intronic variants were calculated. Twelve deep intronic PAH variants, located in intron 5 (c.509+434C>T), intron 6 (c.706+288T>G, c.706+519T>C, c.706+531T>C, c.706+535G>T, c.706+600A>C, c.706+603T>G, and c.706+608A>C), intron 10 (c.1065+241C>A and c.1065+258C>A), and intron 11 (c.1199+502A>T and c.1199+745T>A) were identified in 80.2% (77/96) patients. Ten of the 12 variants were novel, and they all generated pseudoexons in mRNA, leading to frameshift or lengthened proteins. The most prevalent deep intronic variant was c.1199+502A>T, followed by c.1065+241C>A, c.1065+258C>A, and c.706+531T>C. The metabolic phenotypes of the four variants were assigned as classic PKU, mild HPA, mild HPA, and mild PKU, respectively. The results suggest that deep intronic PAH variants improved the diagnostic rate from 95.3% to 99.3% in the overall patients with HPA. Our data demonstrate the importance of assessing noncoding variants in genetic diseases. Pseudoexon inclusion caused by deep intronic variants could represent a recurrent mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Luo
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruifang Wang
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjuan Qiu
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Deyun Lu
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhuwen Gong
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiwen Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Lianshu Han
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Lili Liang
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuefan Gu
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongguo Yu
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China.
| | - Bing Xiao
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gao J, Li X, Guo Y, Yu H, Song L, Fang Y, Yuan E, Shi Q, Zhao D, Yuan E, Zhang L. Identification of phenylketonuria patient genotypes using single-gene full-length sequencing. Hum Genomics 2022; 16:23. [PMID: 35869558 PMCID: PMC9308354 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-022-00397-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a common, autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism caused by PAH gene variants. After routine genetic analysis methods were applied, approximately 5% of PKU patients were still not diagnosed with a definite genotype.
Methods
In this study, for the first time, we identified PKU patients with unknown genotypes via single-gene full-length sequencing.
Results
The detection rate of PKU genotype increased from 94.6 to 99.4%, an increase of approximately 5%. The variants c.1199 + 502A > T and 1065 + 241C > A were found at a high frequency in Chinese PKU patients.
Conclusion
Our study suggest that single-gene full-length sequencing is a rapid, efficient and cost-effective tool to improve the genotype detection rate of PKU patients. Moreover, we provides additional case data to support pathogenicity of deep intronic variants in PAH.
Collapse
|
10
|
Rodrigues KF, Yong WTL, Bhuiyan MSA, Siddiquee S, Shah MD, Venmathi Maran BA. Current Understanding on the Genetic Basis of Key Metabolic Disorders: A Review. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11091308. [PMID: 36138787 PMCID: PMC9495729 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Metabolic disorders (MD) are a challenge to healthcare systems; the emergence of the modern socio-economic system has led to a profound change in lifestyles in terms of dietary habits, exercise regimens, and behavior, all of which complement the genetic factors associated with MD. Diabetes Mellitus and Familial hypercholesterolemia are two of the 14 most widely researched MD, as they pose the greatest challenge to the public healthcare system and have an impact on productivity and the economy. Research findings have led to the development of new therapeutic molecules for the mitigation of MD as well as the invention of experimental strategies, which target the genes themselves via gene editing and RNA interference. Although these approaches may herald the emergence of a new toolbox to treat MD, the current therapeutic approaches still heavily depend on substrate reduction, dietary restrictions based on genetic factors, exercise, and the maintenance of good mental health. The development of orphan drugs for the less common MD such as Krabbe, Farber, Fabry, and Gaucher diseases, remains in its infancy, owing to the lack of investment in research and development, and this has driven the development of personalized therapeutics based on gene silencing and related technologies. Abstract Advances in data acquisition via high resolution genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic platforms have driven the discovery of the underlying factors associated with metabolic disorders (MD) and led to interventions that target the underlying genetic causes as well as lifestyle changes and dietary regulation. The review focuses on fourteen of the most widely studied inherited MD, which are familial hypercholesterolemia, Gaucher disease, Hunter syndrome, Krabbe disease, Maple syrup urine disease, Metachromatic leukodystrophy, Mitochondrial encephalopathy lactic acidosis stroke-like episodes (MELAS), Niemann-Pick disease, Phenylketonuria (PKU), Porphyria, Tay-Sachs disease, Wilson’s disease, Familial hypertriglyceridemia (F-HTG) and Galactosemia based on genome wide association studies, epigenetic factors, transcript regulation, post-translational genetic modifications and biomarker discovery through metabolomic studies. We will delve into the current approaches being undertaken to analyze metadata using bioinformatic approaches and the emerging interventions using genome editing platforms as applied to animal models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Francis Rodrigues
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (K.F.R.); (B.A.V.M.); Tel.: +60-16-2096905 (B.A.V.M.)
| | - Wilson Thau Lym Yong
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Muhammad Dawood Shah
- Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia
| | - Balu Alagar Venmathi Maran
- Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (K.F.R.); (B.A.V.M.); Tel.: +60-16-2096905 (B.A.V.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Keegan NP, Wilton SD, Fletcher S. Analysis of Pathogenic Pseudoexons Reveals Novel Mechanisms Driving Cryptic Splicing. Front Genet 2022; 12:806946. [PMID: 35140743 PMCID: PMC8819188 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.806946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding pre-mRNA splicing is crucial to accurately diagnosing and treating genetic diseases. However, mutations that alter splicing can exert highly diverse effects. Of all the known types of splicing mutations, perhaps the rarest and most difficult to predict are those that activate pseudoexons, sometimes also called cryptic exons. Unlike other splicing mutations that either destroy or redirect existing splice events, pseudoexon mutations appear to create entirely new exons within introns. Since exon definition in vertebrates requires coordinated arrangements of numerous RNA motifs, one might expect that pseudoexons would only arise when rearrangements of intronic DNA create novel exons by chance. Surprisingly, although such mutations do occur, a far more common cause of pseudoexons is deep-intronic single nucleotide variants, raising the question of why these latent exon-like tracts near the mutation sites have not already been purged from the genome by the evolutionary advantage of more efficient splicing. Possible answers may lie in deep intronic splicing processes such as recursive splicing or poison exon splicing. Because these processes utilize intronic motifs that benignly engage with the spliceosome, the regions involved may be more susceptible to exonization than other intronic regions would be. We speculated that a comprehensive study of reported pseudoexons might detect alignments with known deep intronic splice sites and could also permit the characterisation of novel pseudoexon categories. In this report, we present and analyse a catalogue of over 400 published pseudoexon splice events. In addition to confirming prior observations of the most common pseudoexon mutation types, the size of this catalogue also enabled us to suggest new categories for some of the rarer types of pseudoexon mutation. By comparing our catalogue against published datasets of non-canonical splice events, we also found that 15.7% of pseudoexons exhibit some splicing activity at one or both of their splice sites in non-mutant cells. Importantly, this included seven examples of experimentally confirmed recursive splice sites, confirming for the first time a long-suspected link between these two splicing phenomena. These findings have the potential to improve the fidelity of genetic diagnostics and reveal new targets for splice-modulating therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niall P. Keegan
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Niall P. Keegan,
| | - Steve D. Wilton
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Sue Fletcher
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| |
Collapse
|