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Yang L, Cai Y, Chen H, Ke L, Wu S. Relationship between diagnosis of conus arteriosus malformation and genetic diagnosis results in fetal cardiac axis abnormalities by echocardiography during middle pregnancy. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1377095. [PMID: 38832316 PMCID: PMC11144880 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1377095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the clinical value of echocardiography in detecting fetal cardiac axis abnormalities during middle pregnancy for diagnosing conus arteriosus malformation, and to compare and analyze the genetic diagnosis results, in order to provide evidence for clinical diagnosis and intervention. Methods Four hundred twenty-one fetuses with conus arteriosus malformation from January 2020 to October 2023 were included as the conus arteriosus malformation group, and 917 healthy fetuses (all single fetuses) matched at the same gestational age were selected as the healthy group. Results There was no significant difference in gestational weeks between two groups (P > 0.05). The age of pregnant women in conus arteriosus malformation group was lower compared to healthy group (P < 0.05), and the fetal cardiac axis in conus arteriosus malformation group was significantly higher compared to healthy group (P < 0.05). Among the fetuses with conus arteriosus malformation, tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and double outlet right ventricle (DORV) had the highest proportions, accounting for 38.00%, 18.29% and 17.58%, respectively. Among all types of conus arteriosus malformations, atresia pulmonary valve syndrome associated with TOF, persistent truncus arteriosus and DORV exhibited higher proportions of fetal cardiac axis abnormalities, at 75.00%, 36.84% and 27.03%, respectively, while TGA and interrupted aortic arch associated with B-type interruption had lower proportions of fetal cardiac axis abnormalities, at 2.60% and 4.55%, respectively. Genetic testing was conducted on 73 cases (17.34%) of fetuses with conus arteriosus malformation in this study. Among them, fetal cardiac axis abnormalities were considered positive for genetic results due to factors such as aneuploidy, copy number abnormalities, and single-gene pathogenicity. A total of 31 cases tested positive for genetic anomalies, with a positive rate of approximately 42.47%. Conclusion In the middle pregnancy, the fetal cardiac axis in cases of conus arteriosus malformation was significantly higher than in normal fetuses. Moreover, there were variations in fetal cardiac axis among different types of conus arteriosus malformations, and these differences were notably associated with genetic diagnostic results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Yang
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Yuting Cai
- Department of Obstetrics, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Huie Chen
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Linfang Ke
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
| | - Shufen Wu
- Department of Ultrasound, Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, China
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Li T, Wu Y, Chen WC, Xue X, Suo MJ, Li P, Sheng W, Huang GY. Functional analysis of HECA variants identified in congenital heart disease in the Chinese population. J Clin Lab Anal 2022; 36:e24649. [PMID: 35949005 PMCID: PMC9459261 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24649] [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: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a class of cardiovascular defects that includes septal defects, outflow tract abnormalities, and valve defects. Human homolog of Drosophila headcase (HECA) is a novel cell cycle regulator whose role in CHD has not been elucidated. This is the first study to determine the frequency of HECA mutations in patients with CHD and the association between HECA variants and CHD. Methods In this study, we identified a candidate gene, HECA, by whole‐exome sequencing of an atrial septal defect family. To investigate the association between HECA variants and CHD risk, targeted exon sequencing was conducted in 689 individuals with sporadic CHD. We further analyzed the effect of HECA gene abnormalities on cardiomyocyte phenotype behavior and related signaling pathways by Western blotting, reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and scratch assay. Results We found a novel de novo mutation, c.409_410insA (p. W137fs), in the HECA gene and identified five rare deleterious variants that met the filtering criteria in 689 individuals with sporadic CHD. Fisher's exact test revealed a significant association between HECA variations and CHD compared with those in gnomADv2‐East Asians(p = 0.0027). Further functional analysis suggested that the variant p. W137fs resulted in a deficiency of the normal HECA protein, and HECA deficiency altered AC16 cell cycle progression, increased cell proliferation, and migration, and promoted the activation of the PDGF‐BB/PDGFRB/AKT pathway. Conclusions Our study identified HECA and its six rare variants, expanding the spectrum of genes associated with CHD pathogenesis in the Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Wu
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Cheng Chen
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Xue
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei-Jiao Suo
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Li
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Sheng
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Ying Huang
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Shanghai, China.,Research Unit of Early Intervention of Genetically Related Childhood Cardiovascular Diseases(2018RU002), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Cappuccio G, Brunetti-Pierri N, Clift P, Learn C, Dykes JC, Mercer CL, Callewaert B, Meerschaut I, Spinelli AM, Bruno I, Gillespie MJ, Dorfman AT, Grimberg A, Lindsay ME, Lin AE. Expanded cardiovascular phenotype of Myhre syndrome includes tetralogy of Fallot suggesting a role for SMAD4 in human neural crest defects. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:1384-1395. [PMID: 35025139 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) can be associated with a wide range of extracardiac anomalies, with an underlying etiology identified in approximately 10% of cases. Individuals affected with Myhre syndrome due to recurrent SMAD4 mutations frequently have cardiovascular anomalies, including congenital heart defects. In addition to two patients in the literature with ToF, we describe five additional individuals with Myhre syndrome and classic ToF, ToF with pulmonary atresia and multiple aorto-pulmonary collaterals, and ToF with absent pulmonary valve. Aorta hypoplasia was documented in one patient and suspected in another two. In half of these individuals, postoperative cardiac dysfunction was thought to be more severe than classic postoperative ToF repair. There may be an increase in right ventricular pressure, and right ventricular dysfunction due to free pulmonic regurgitation. Noncardiac developmental abnormalities in our series and the literature, including corectopia, heterochromia iridis, and congenital miosis suggest an underlying defect of neural crest cell migration in Myhre syndrome. We advise clinicians that Myhre syndrome should be considered in the genetic evaluation of a child with ToF, short stature, unusual facial features, and developmental delay, as these children may be at risk for increased postoperative morbidity. Additional research is needed to investigate the hypothesis that postoperative hemodynamics in these patients may be consistent with restrictive myocardial physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerarda Cappuccio
- Department of Translational Medicine, Section of Pediatrics, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.,Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy
| | - Nicola Brunetti-Pierri
- Department of Translational Medicine, Section of Pediatrics, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.,Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli (Naples), Italy
| | - Paul Clift
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease Unit, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Christopher Learn
- Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John C Dykes
- Departments of Pediatrics, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Catherine L Mercer
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, UK
| | - Bert Callewaert
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ilse Meerschaut
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Pediatrics, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Irene Bruno
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Matthew J Gillespie
- Division of Cardiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aaron T Dorfman
- Division of Cardiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Adda Grimberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mark E Lindsay
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Center, Division of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Angela E Lin
- Genetics Unit, Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Abstract
Cardiac development is a complex developmental process that is initiated soon after gastrulation, as two sets of precardiac mesodermal precursors are symmetrically located and subsequently fused at the embryonic midline forming the cardiac straight tube. Thereafter, the cardiac straight tube invariably bends to the right, configuring the first sign of morphological left–right asymmetry and soon thereafter the atrial and ventricular chambers are formed, expanded and progressively septated. As a consequence of all these morphogenetic processes, the fetal heart acquired a four-chambered structure having distinct inlet and outlet connections and a specialized conduction system capable of directing the electrical impulse within the fully formed heart. Over the last decades, our understanding of the morphogenetic, cellular, and molecular pathways involved in cardiac development has exponentially grown. Multiples aspects of the initial discoveries during heart formation has served as guiding tools to understand the etiology of cardiac congenital anomalies and adult cardiac pathology, as well as to enlighten novels approaches to heal the damaged heart. In this review we provide an overview of the complex cellular and molecular pathways driving heart morphogenesis and how those discoveries have provided new roads into the genetic, clinical and therapeutic management of the diseased hearts.
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