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El-Attar EA, Helmy Elkaffas RM, Aglan SA, Naga IS, Nabil A, Abdallah HY. Genomics in Egypt: Current Status and Future Aspects. Front Genet 2022; 13:797465. [PMID: 35664315 PMCID: PMC9157251 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.797465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Egypt is the third most densely inhabited African country. Due to the economic burden and healthcare costs of overpopulation, genomic and genetic testing is a huge challenge. However, in the era of precision medicine, Egypt is taking a shift in approach from “one-size-fits all” to more personalized healthcare via advancing the practice of medical genetics and genomics across the country. This shift necessitates concrete knowledge of the Egyptian genome and related diseases to direct effective preventive, diagnostic and counseling services of prevalent genetic diseases in Egypt. Understanding disease molecular mechanisms will enhance the capacity for personalized interventions. From this perspective, we highlight research efforts and available services for rare genetic diseases, communicable diseases including the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID19), and cancer. The current state of genetic services in Egypt including availability and access to genetic services is described. Drivers for applying genomics in Egypt are illustrated with a SWOT analysis of the current genetic/genomic services. Barriers to genetic service development in Egypt, whether economic, geographic, cultural or educational are discussed as well. The sensitive topic of communicating genomic results and its ethical considerations is also tackled. To understand disease pathogenesis, much can be gained through the advancement and integration of genomic technologies via clinical applications and research efforts in Egypt. Three main pillars of multidisciplinary collaboration for advancing genomics in Egypt are envisaged: resources, infrastructure and training. Finally, we highlight the recent national plan to establish a genome center that will aim to prepare a map of the Egyptian human genome to discover and accurately determine the genetic characteristics of various diseases. The Reference Genome Project for Egyptians and Ancient Egyptians will initialize a new genomics era in Egypt. We propose a multidisciplinary governance system in Egypt to support genomic medicine research efforts and integrate into the healthcare system whilst ensuring ethical conduct of data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman Ahmed El-Attar
- Chemical Pathology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
- *Correspondence: Eman Ahmed El-Attar,
| | | | - Sarah Ahmed Aglan
- Chemical Pathology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Iman S. Naga
- Department of Microbiology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Amira Nabil
- Department of Human Genetics, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Hoda Y. Abdallah
- Medical Genetics Unit, Histology and Cell Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
- Center of Excellence in Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
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de Macena Sobreira NL, Repetto GM, Temtamy SA, Alvarez Perez AB. Using Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man in low- and middle-income countries. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 185:3284-3286. [PMID: 34492150 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM®), an online catalog of human genes and genetic disorders, has been used in the low- and middle-income countries largely as a tool for improving clinical care, teaching genetics and genomics, and for clinical and research analysis of next-generation sequencing. By facilitating free access to curated, updated, and comprehensive information in genetics and genomics, OMIM has led to better clinical care and research advancement in countries where clinicians and researchers in private or public hospitals and universities cannot afford to pay for other resources including journal subscriptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nara Lygia de Macena Sobreira
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gabriela M Repetto
- Rare Diseases Program, Institute of Science and Innovation in Medicine, Facultad de Medicina Clinica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Samia A Temtamy
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Division of Human Genetics and Genome Research, National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
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Kamp M, Krause A, Ramsay M. Has translational genomics come of age in Africa? Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:R164-R173. [PMID: 34240178 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid increase in genomics research in Africa and the growing promise of precision public health begs the question of whether African genomics has come of age and is being translated into improved healthcare for Africans. An assessment of the continent's readiness suggests that genetic service delivery remains limited and extremely fragile. The paucity of data on mutation profiles for monogenic disorders and lack of large genome-wide association cohorts for complex traits in African populations is a significant barrier, coupled with extreme genetic variation across different regions and ethnic groups. Data from many different populations is essential to developing appropriate genetic services. Of the proposed genetic service delivery models currently used in Africa-Uncharacterized, Limited, Disease-focused, Emerging and Established-the first three best describe the situation in most African countries. Implementation is fraught with difficulties related to the scarcity of an appropriately skilled medical genetic workforce, limited infrastructure and processes, insufficient health funding and lack of political support, and overstretched health systems. There is a strong nucleus of determined and optimistic clinicians and scientists with a clear vision, and there is hope for innovative solutions and technological leapfrogging. However, a multi-dimensional approach with active interventions to stimulate genomic research, clinical genetics and overarching healthcare systems is needed to reduce genetic service inequalities and accelerate precision public health on the continent. Human and infrastructure capacity development, dedicated funding, political will and supporting legislation, and public education and awareness, are critical elements for success. Africa-relevant genomic and related health economics research remains imperative with an overarching need to translate knowledge into improved healthcare. Given the limited data and genetic services across most of Africa, the continent has not yet come of 'genomics' age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Kamp
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of the Witwatersrand, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa.,Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
| | - Amanda Krause
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of the Witwatersrand, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
| | - Michèle Ramsay
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of the Witwatersrand, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa.,Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2193, South Africa
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Bejaoui Y, Witte M, Abdelhady M, Eldarouti M, Abdallah NMA, Elghzaly AA, Tawhid Z, Gaballah MA, Busch H, Munz M, Wendorff M, Ellinghaus E, Franke A, Ibrahim SM. Genome-wide association study of psoriasis in an Egyptian population. Exp Dermatol 2020; 28:623-627. [PMID: 30921485 DOI: 10.1111/exd.13926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the skin, with genetic factors reportedly involved in the disease pathogenesis. Numerous studies reported psoriasis candidate genes. However, these tend to involve mostly in the European and Asian populations. Here, we report the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) in an Egyptian population, identifying susceptibility variants for psoriasis using a two-stage case-control design. In the first discovery stage, we carried out a genome-wide association analysis using the Infinium® Global Screening Array-24 v1.0, on 253 cases and 449 control samples of Egyptian descent. In the second replication stage, 26 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected for replication in additional 321 cases and 253 controls. In concordance with the findings from previous studies on other populations, we found a genome-wide significant association between the MHC locus and the disease at rs12199223 (Pcomb = 6.57 × 10-18 ) and rs1265181 (Pcomb = 1.03 × 10-10 ). Additionally, we identified a novel significant association with the disease at locus, 4q32.1 (rs12650590, Pcomb = 4.49 × 10-08 ) in the vicinity of gene GUCY1A3, and multiple suggestive associations, for example rs10832027 (Pcomb = 7.28 × 10-06 ) and rs3770019 (Pcomb = 1.02 × 10-05 ). This proposes the existence of important interethnic genetic differences in psoriasis susceptibility. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the downstream pathways of the new candidate loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosra Bejaoui
- Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Mareike Witte
- Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Mohamed Abdelhady
- Faculty of Medicine, Department Dermatology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohammad Eldarouti
- Faculty of Medicine, Department Dermatology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Nermeen M A Abdallah
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ashraf Antar Elghzaly
- Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Immunology Unit, Clinical Pathology Department, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Ziyad Tawhid
- Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Immunology Unit, Clinical Pathology Department, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mohammad Ali Gaballah
- Faculty of Medicine, Dermatology, Andrology and STD Department, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Hauke Busch
- Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Matthias Munz
- Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Mareike Wendorff
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Eva Ellinghaus
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Andre Franke
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Saleh M Ibrahim
- Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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Temtamy SA. The Development of Human Genetics at the National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt: A Story of 50 Years. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2019; 20:1-19. [PMID: 30848958 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-083118-015201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This article describes my experiences over more than 50 years in initiating and maintaining research on human genetics and genomics at the National Research Centre in Cairo, Egypt, from its beginnings in a small unit of human genetics to the creation of the Center of Excellence for Human Genetics. This was also the subject of a lecture I gave at the 10th Conference of the African Society of Human Genetics, held in Cairo in November 2017, after which Professor Michèle Ramsay, president of the society, suggested that I write an autobiographical article for the Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics. I hope that I succeeded in the difficult assignment of summarizing the efforts of a researcher from a developing country to initiate and maintain the rapidly advancing science of human genetics and genomics in my own country and make contributions to the worldwide scientific community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samia A Temtamy
- Center of Excellence for Human Genetics, National Research Centre, Cairo 12622, Egypt;
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Muenke
- National Human Genome Research InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Suzanne Hart
- National Human Genome Research InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
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