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Thomford NE, Dzobo K, Yao NA, Chimusa E, Evans J, Okai E, Kruszka P, Muenke M, Awandare G, Wonkam A, Dandara C. Genomics and Epigenomics of Congenital Heart Defects: Expert Review and Lessons Learned in Africa. OMICS : A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2018; 22:301-321. [PMID: 29762087 PMCID: PMC6016577 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2018.0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHD) are structural malformations found at birth with a prevalence of 1%. The clinical trajectory of CHD is highly variable and thus in need of robust diagnostics and therapeutics. Major surgical interventions are often required for most CHDs. In Africa, despite advances in life sciences infrastructure and improving education of medical scholars, the limited clinical data suggest that CHD detection and correction are still not at par with the rest of the world. But the toll and genetics of CHDs in Africa has seldom been systematically investigated. We present an expert review on CHD with lessons learned on Africa. We found variable CHD phenotype prevalence in Africa across countries and populations. There are important gaps and paucity in genomic studies of CHD in African populations. Among the available genomic studies, the key findings in Africa were variants in GATA4 (P193H), MTHFR 677TT, and MTHFR 1298CC that were associated with atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect (VSD), Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), and patent ductus arteriosus phenotypes and 22q.11 deletion, which is associated with TOF. There were no data on epigenomic association of CHD in Africa, however, other studies have shown an altered expression of miR-421 and miR-1233-3p to be associated with TOF and hypermethylation of CpG islands in the promoter of SCO2 gene also been associated with TOF and VSD in children with non-syndromic CHD. These findings signal the urgent need to develop and implement genetic and genomic research on CHD to identify the hereditary and genome-environment interactions contributing to CHD. These projected studies would also offer comparisons on CHD pathophysiology between African and other populations worldwide. Genomic research on CHD in Africa should be developed in parallel with next generation technology policy research and responsible innovation frameworks that examine the social and political factors that shape the emergence and societal embedding of new technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Ekow Thomford
- 1 Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town , Cape Town, South Africa
- 2 School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Kevin Dzobo
- 3 ICGEB, Cape Town Component, University of Cape Town , Cape Town, South Africa
- 4 Division of Medical Biochemistry, IIDMM, Department of IBM, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town , Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nana Akyaa Yao
- 5 National Cardiothoracic Centre, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital , Accra, Ghana
- 6 University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana , Accra, Ghana
| | - Emile Chimusa
- 1 Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town , Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jonathan Evans
- 1 Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town , Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Emmanuel Okai
- 2 School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast , Cape Coast, Ghana
- 7 Cape Coast Teaching Hospital , Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Paul Kruszka
- 8 National Human Genome Research Institute, Medical Genetics Branch, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Maximilian Muenke
- 8 National Human Genome Research Institute, Medical Genetics Branch, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Gordon Awandare
- 9 Department of Biochemistry, WACCBIP, University of Ghana , Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ambroise Wonkam
- 1 Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town , Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Collet Dandara
- 1 Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute for Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town , Cape Town, South Africa
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