1
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Jenkins D. How do stochastic processes and genetic threshold effects explain incomplete penetrance and inform causal disease mechanisms? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230045. [PMID: 38432317 PMCID: PMC10909503 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0045] [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] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Incomplete penetrance is the rule rather than the exception in Mendelian disease. In syndromic monogenic disorders, phenotypic variability can be viewed as the combination of incomplete penetrance for each of multiple independent clinical features. Within genetically identical individuals, such as isogenic model organisms, stochastic variation at molecular and cellular levels is the primary cause of incomplete penetrance according to a genetic threshold model. By defining specific probability distributions of causal biological readouts and genetic liability values, stochasticity and incomplete penetrance provide information about threshold values in biological systems. Ascertainment of threshold values has been achieved by simultaneous scoring of relatively simple phenotypes and quantitation of molecular readouts at the level of single cells. However, this is much more challenging for complex morphological phenotypes using experimental and reductionist approaches alone, where cause and effect are separated temporally and across multiple biological modes and scales. Here I consider how causal inference, which integrates observational data with high confidence causal models, might be used to quantify the relative contribution of different sources of stochastic variation to phenotypic diversity. Collectively, these approaches could inform disease mechanisms, improve predictions of clinical outcomes and prioritize gene therapy targets across modes and scales of gene function. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Causes and consequences of stochastic processes in development and disease'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagan Jenkins
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
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2
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Farhat NY, Alexander D, McKee K, Iben J, Rodriguez-Gil JL, Wassif CA, Cawley NX, Balch WE, Porter FD. Sterol O-Acyltransferase 1 ( SOAT1): A Genetic Modifier of Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C1. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4217. [PMID: 38673803 PMCID: PMC11050712 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084217] [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: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1) is a lysosomal disorder due to impaired intracellular cholesterol transport out of the endolysosomal compartment.. Marked heterogeneity has been observed in individuals with the same NPC1 genotype, thus suggesting a significant effect of modifier genes. Prior work demonstrated that decreased SOAT1 activity decreased disease severity in an NPC1 mouse model. Thus, we hypothesized that a polymorphism associated with decreased SOAT1 expression might influence the NPC1 phenotype. Phenotyping and genomic sequencing of 117 individuals with NPC1 was performed as part of a Natural History trial. Phenotyping included determination of disease severity and disease burden. Significant clinical heterogeneity is present in individuals homozygous for the NPC1I1061T variant and in siblings. Analysis of the SOAT1 polymorphism, rs1044925 (A>C), showed a significant association of the C-allele with earlier age of neurological onset. The C-allele may be associated with a higher Annualized Severity Index Score as well as increased frequency of liver disease and seizures. A polymorphism associated with decreased expression of SOAT1 appears to be a genetic modifier of the NPC1 phenotype. This finding is consistent with prior data showing decreased phenotypic severity in Npc1-/-:Soat1-/- mice and supports efforts to investigate the potential of SOAT1 inhibitors as a potential therapy for NPC1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Y. Farhat
- Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.Y.F.); (D.A.); (K.M.); (C.A.W.); (N.X.C.)
| | - Derek Alexander
- Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.Y.F.); (D.A.); (K.M.); (C.A.W.); (N.X.C.)
| | - Kyli McKee
- Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.Y.F.); (D.A.); (K.M.); (C.A.W.); (N.X.C.)
| | - James Iben
- Molecular Genomics Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Jorge L. Rodriguez-Gil
- Division of Medical Genetics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA;
| | - Christopher A. Wassif
- Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.Y.F.); (D.A.); (K.M.); (C.A.W.); (N.X.C.)
| | - Niamh X. Cawley
- Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.Y.F.); (D.A.); (K.M.); (C.A.W.); (N.X.C.)
| | - William E. Balch
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA;
| | - Forbes D. Porter
- Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (N.Y.F.); (D.A.); (K.M.); (C.A.W.); (N.X.C.)
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3
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Keseroglu K, Zinani OQH, Keskin S, Seawall H, Alpay EE, Özbudak EM. Stochastic gene expression and environmental stressors trigger variable somite segmentation phenotypes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6497. [PMID: 37838784 PMCID: PMC10576776 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42220-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations of several genes cause incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity of phenotypes, which are usually attributed to modifier genes or gene-environment interactions. Here, we show stochastic gene expression underlies the variability of somite segmentation defects in embryos mutant for segmentation clock genes her1 or her7. Phenotypic strength is further augmented by low temperature and hypoxia. By performing live imaging of the segmentation clock reporters, we further show that groups of cells with higher oscillation amplitudes successfully form somites while those with lower amplitudes fail to do so. In unfavorable environments, the number of cycles with high amplitude oscillations and the number of successful segmentations proportionally decrease. These results suggest that individual oscillation cycles stochastically fail to pass a threshold amplitude, resulting in segmentation defects in mutants. Our quantitative methodology is adaptable to investigate variable phenotypes of mutant genes in different tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kemal Keseroglu
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Oriana Q H Zinani
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Sevdenur Keskin
- Allergy and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Science and Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA
| | - Hannah Seawall
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Eslim E Alpay
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Ertuğrul M Özbudak
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
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4
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Ünlü B, Pons C, Ho UL, Batté A, Aloy P, van Leeuwen J. Global analysis of suppressor mutations that rescue human genetic defects. Genome Med 2023; 15:78. [PMID: 37821946 PMCID: PMC10568808 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-023-01232-0] [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: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic suppression occurs when the deleterious effects of a primary "query" mutation, such as a disease-causing mutation, are rescued by a suppressor mutation elsewhere in the genome. METHODS To capture existing knowledge on suppression relationships between human genes, we examined 2,400 published papers for potential interactions identified through either genetic modification of cultured human cells or through association studies in patients. RESULTS The resulting network encompassed 476 unique suppression interactions covering a wide spectrum of diseases and biological functions. The interactions frequently linked genes that operate in the same biological process. Suppressors were strongly enriched for genes with a role in stress response or signaling, suggesting that deleterious mutations can often be buffered by modulating signaling cascades or immune responses. Suppressor mutations tended to be deleterious when they occurred in absence of the query mutation, in apparent contrast with their protective role in the presence of the query. We formulated and quantified mechanisms of genetic suppression that could explain 71% of interactions and provided mechanistic insight into disease pathology. Finally, we used these observations to predict suppressor genes in the human genome. CONCLUSIONS The global suppression network allowed us to define principles of genetic suppression that were conserved across diseases, model systems, and species. The emerging frequency of suppression interactions among human genes and range of underlying mechanisms, together with the prevalence of suppression in model organisms, suggest that compensatory mutations may exist for most genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betül Ünlü
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Génopode Building, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carles Pons
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Uyen Linh Ho
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Génopode Building, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Amandine Batté
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Génopode Building, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Aloy
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jolanda van Leeuwen
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Génopode Building, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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5
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Burban A, Pucyło S, Sikora A, Opolski G, Grabowski M, Kołodzińska A. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy versus Storage Diseases with Myocardial Involvement. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13239. [PMID: 37686045 PMCID: PMC10488064 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the main causes of heart failure is cardiomyopathies. Among them, the most common is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), characterized by thickening of the left ventricular muscle. This article focuses on HCM and other cardiomyopathies with myocardial hypertrophy, including Fabry disease, Pompe disease, and Danon disease. The genetics and pathogenesis of these diseases are described, as well as current and experimental treatment options, such as pharmacological intervention and the potential of gene therapies. Although genetic approaches are promising and have the potential to become the best treatments for these diseases, further research is needed to evaluate their efficacy and safety. This article describes current knowledge and advances in the treatment of the aforementioned cardiomyopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Burban
- First Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland; (A.B.); (S.P.); (A.S.); (G.O.); (M.G.)
- Doctoral School, Medical University of Warsaw, 81 Żwirki i Wigury Street, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Szymon Pucyło
- First Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland; (A.B.); (S.P.); (A.S.); (G.O.); (M.G.)
| | - Aleksandra Sikora
- First Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland; (A.B.); (S.P.); (A.S.); (G.O.); (M.G.)
| | - Grzegorz Opolski
- First Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland; (A.B.); (S.P.); (A.S.); (G.O.); (M.G.)
| | - Marcin Grabowski
- First Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland; (A.B.); (S.P.); (A.S.); (G.O.); (M.G.)
| | - Agnieszka Kołodzińska
- First Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 1A, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland; (A.B.); (S.P.); (A.S.); (G.O.); (M.G.)
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6
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Leggatt GP, Seaby EG, Veighey K, Gast C, Gilbert RD, Ennis S. A Role for Genetic Modifiers in Tubulointerstitial Kidney Diseases. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1582. [PMID: 37628633 PMCID: PMC10454709 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increased availability of genomic sequencing technologies, the molecular bases for kidney diseases such as nephronophthisis and mitochondrially inherited and autosomal-dominant tubulointerstitial kidney diseases (ADTKD) has become increasingly apparent. These tubulointerstitial kidney diseases (TKD) are monogenic diseases of the tubulointerstitium and result in interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA). However, monogenic inheritance alone does not adequately explain the highly variable onset of kidney failure and extra-renal manifestations. Phenotypes vary considerably between individuals harbouring the same pathogenic variant in the same putative monogenic gene, even within families sharing common environmental factors. While the extreme end of the disease spectrum may have dramatic syndromic manifestations typically diagnosed in childhood, many patients present a more subtle phenotype with little to differentiate them from many other common forms of non-proteinuric chronic kidney disease (CKD). This review summarises the expanding repertoire of genes underpinning TKD and their known phenotypic manifestations. Furthermore, we collate the growing evidence for a role of modifier genes and discuss the extent to which these data bridge the historical gap between apparently rare monogenic TKD and polygenic non-proteinuric CKD (excluding polycystic kidney disease).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary P. Leggatt
- Human Genetics & Genomic Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; (E.G.S.); (K.V.); (C.G.); (R.D.G.); (S.E.)
- Wessex Kidney Centre, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Portsmouth PO6 3LY, UK
- Renal Department, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Eleanor G. Seaby
- Human Genetics & Genomic Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; (E.G.S.); (K.V.); (C.G.); (R.D.G.); (S.E.)
| | - Kristin Veighey
- Human Genetics & Genomic Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; (E.G.S.); (K.V.); (C.G.); (R.D.G.); (S.E.)
- Renal Department, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Christine Gast
- Human Genetics & Genomic Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; (E.G.S.); (K.V.); (C.G.); (R.D.G.); (S.E.)
- Wessex Kidney Centre, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Portsmouth PO6 3LY, UK
| | - Rodney D. Gilbert
- Human Genetics & Genomic Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; (E.G.S.); (K.V.); (C.G.); (R.D.G.); (S.E.)
- Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Southampton Children’s Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Sarah Ennis
- Human Genetics & Genomic Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK; (E.G.S.); (K.V.); (C.G.); (R.D.G.); (S.E.)
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7
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Lee RMQ, Koh TW. Genetic modifiers of synucleinopathies-lessons from experimental models. OXFORD OPEN NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 2:kvad001. [PMID: 38596238 PMCID: PMC10913850 DOI: 10.1093/oons/kvad001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a pleiotropic protein underlying a group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Together, these are known as synucleinopathies. Like all neurological diseases, understanding of disease mechanisms is hampered by the lack of access to biopsy tissues, precluding a real-time view of disease progression in the human body. This has driven researchers to devise various experimental models ranging from yeast to flies to human brain organoids, aiming to recapitulate aspects of synucleinopathies. Studies of these models have uncovered numerous genetic modifiers of α-synuclein, most of which are evolutionarily conserved. This review discusses what we have learned about disease mechanisms from these modifiers, and ways in which the study of modifiers have supported ongoing efforts to engineer disease-modifying interventions for synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Min Qi Lee
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Tong-Wey Koh
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Block S3 #05-01, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
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8
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Moreno-Ruiz N, Lao O, Aróstegui JI, Laayouni H, Casals F. Assessing the digenic model in rare disorders using population sequencing data. Eur J Hum Genet 2022; 30:1439-1443. [PMID: 36192439 PMCID: PMC9712436 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-022-01191-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
An important fraction of patients with rare disorders remains with no clear genetic diagnostic, even after whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing, posing a difficulty in giving adequate treatment and genetic counseling. The analysis of genomic data in rare disorders mostly considers the presence of single gene variants in coding regions that follow a concrete monogenic mode of inheritance. A digenic inheritance, with variants in two functionally-related genes in the same individual, is a plausible alternative that might explain the genetic basis of the disease in some cases. In this case, digenic disease combinations should be absent or underrepresented in healthy individuals. We develop a framework to evaluate the significance of digenic combinations and test its statistical power in different scenarios. We suggest that this approach will be relevant with the advent of new sequencing efforts including hundreds of thousands of samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerea Moreno-Ruiz
- Servei de Genòmica, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Oscar Lao
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Ignacio Aróstegui
- Departament d'Immunologia, Hospital Clínic - Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
- Escola de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hafid Laayouni
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Bioinformatics Studies, ESCI-UPF, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ferran Casals
- Servei de Genòmica, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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9
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Zhuri D, Gurkan H, Eker D, Karal Y, Yalcintepe S, Atli E, Demir S, Atli EI. Investigation on the Effects of Modifying Genes on the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Phenotype. Glob Med Genet 2022; 9:226-236. [PMID: 36071912 PMCID: PMC9444347 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1751302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder caused by the degeneration of motor neurons, muscle weakness, and atrophy that leads to infant's death. The duplication of exon 7/8 in the
SMN2
gene reduces the clinical severity of disease, and it is defined as modifying effect. In this study, we aim to investigate the expression of modifying genes related to the prognosis of SMA like
PLS3
,
PFN2
,
ZPR1
,
CORO1C
,
GTF2H2
,
NRN1
,
SERF1A
,
NCALD
,
NAIP
, and
TIA1. Methods
Seventeen patients, who came to Trakya University, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Genetics Department, with a preliminary diagnosis of SMA disease, and eight healthy controls were included in this study after multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis. Gene expression levels were determined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and delta–delta CT method by the isolation of RNA from peripheral blood of patients and controls.
Results
SERF1A
and
NAIP
genes compared between A group and B + C + D groups, and A group of healthy controls, showed statistically significant differences (
p
= 0.037,
p
= 0.001).
Discussion
PLS3, NAIP
, and
NRN1
gene expressions related to SMA disease have been reported before in the literature. In our study, the expression levels of
SERF1A
,
GTF2H2
,
NCALD
,
ZPR1
,
TIA1
,
PFN2
, and
CORO1C
genes have been studied for the first time in SMA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drenushe Zhuri
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Hakan Gurkan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Damla Eker
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Yasemin Karal
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Sinem Yalcintepe
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Engin Atli
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Selma Demir
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
| | - Emine Ikbal Atli
- Department of Medical Genetics, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey
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10
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Prediction of Regulatory SNPs in Putative Minor Genes of the Neuro-Cardiovascular Variant in Fabry Reveals Insights into Autophagy/Apoptosis and Fibrosis. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11091287. [PMID: 36138766 PMCID: PMC9495465 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Even though a mutation in monogenic diseases leads to a “classic” manifestation, many disorders exhibit great clinical variability that could be due to modifying genes also called minor genes. Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked inborn error resulting from the deficient or absent activity of alpha-galactosidase A (α-GAL) enzyme, that leads to deposits of globotriaosylceramide. With our proprietary software SNPclinic v.1.0, we analyzed 110 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the proximal promoter of 14 genes that could modify the FD phenotype FD. We found seven regulatory-SNP (rSNPs) in three genes (IL10, TGFB1 and EDN1) in five cell lines relevant to FD (Cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts, Astrocytes-cerebellar, endothelial cells and T helper cells 1-TH1). Each SNP was confirmed as a true rSNP in public eQTL databases, and additional software suggested the prediction of variants. The two proposed rSNPs in IL10, could explain components for the regulation of active B cells that influence the fibrosis process. The three predicted rSNPs in TGFB1, could act in apoptosis-autophagy regulation. The two putative rSNPs in EDN1, putatively regulate chronic inflammation. The seven rSNPs described here could act to modulate Fabry’s clinical phenotype so we propose that IL10, TGFB1 and EDN1 be considered minor genes in FD.
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11
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Herzig AF, Clerget-Darpoux F, Génin E. The False Dawn of Polygenic Risk Scores for Human Disease Prediction. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12081266. [PMID: 36013215 PMCID: PMC9409868 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12081266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) are being constructed for many diseases and are presented today as a promising avenue in the field of human genetics. These scores aim at predicting the risk of developing a disease by leveraging the many genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted during the two last decades. Important investments are being made to improve score estimates by increasing GWAS sample sizes, by developing more sophisticated methods, and by proposing different corrections for potential biases. PRSs have entered the market with direct-to-consumer companies proposing to compute them from saliva samples and even recently to help parents select the healthiest embryos. In this paper, we recall how PRSs arose and question the credit they are given by revisiting underlying assumptions in light of the history of human genetics and by comparing them with estimated breeding values (EBVs) used for selection in livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony F. Herzig
- Inserm, Université de Brest, EFS, CHU Brest, UMR 1078, GGB, F-29200 Brest, France;
| | - Françoise Clerget-Darpoux
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, Institut Imagine, Laboratoire Embryologie et Génétique des Malformations, F-75015 Paris, France
- Correspondence: (F.C.-D.); (E.G.)
| | - Emmanuelle Génin
- Inserm, Université de Brest, EFS, CHU Brest, UMR 1078, GGB, F-29200 Brest, France;
- Correspondence: (F.C.-D.); (E.G.)
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12
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Jimenez Y, Paulsen C, Turner E, Iturra S, Cuevas O, Lay-son G, Repetto GM, Rojas M, Calderon JF. Exome Sequencing Identifies Genetic Variants Associated with Extreme Manifestations of the Cardiovascular Phenotype in Marfan Syndrome. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13061027. [PMID: 35741789 PMCID: PMC9223058 DOI: 10.3390/genes13061027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Marfan Syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant condition caused by variants in the fibrillin-1 (FBN1) gene. Cardinal features of MFS include ectopia lentis (EL), musculoskeletal features and aortic root aneurysm and dissection. Although dissection of the ascending aorta is the main cause of mortality in MFS, the clinical course differs considerably in age of onset and severity, even among individuals who share the same causative variant, suggesting the existence of additional genetic variants that modify the severity of the cardiovascular phenotype in MFS. We recruited MFS patients and classified them into severe (n = 8) or mild aortic phenotype (n = 14) according to age of presentation of the first aorta-related incident. We used Exome Sequencing to identify the genetic variants associated with the severity of aortic manifestations and we performed linkage analysis where suitable. We found five genes associated with severe aortic phenotype and three genes that could be protective for this phenotype in MFS. These genes regulate components of the extracellular matrix, TGFβ pathway and other signaling pathways that are involved in the maintenance of the ECM or angiogenesis. Further studies will be required to understand the functional effect of these variants and explore novel, personalized risk management and, potentially, therapies for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanireth Jimenez
- Doctorado en Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (Y.J.); (M.R.)
| | - Cesar Paulsen
- Servicio de Cirugía Cardiovascular, Instituto Nacional del Tórax, Santiago 7500808, Chile; (C.P.); (E.T.); (S.I.); (O.C.)
| | - Eduardo Turner
- Servicio de Cirugía Cardiovascular, Instituto Nacional del Tórax, Santiago 7500808, Chile; (C.P.); (E.T.); (S.I.); (O.C.)
| | - Sebastian Iturra
- Servicio de Cirugía Cardiovascular, Instituto Nacional del Tórax, Santiago 7500808, Chile; (C.P.); (E.T.); (S.I.); (O.C.)
| | - Oscar Cuevas
- Servicio de Cirugía Cardiovascular, Instituto Nacional del Tórax, Santiago 7500808, Chile; (C.P.); (E.T.); (S.I.); (O.C.)
- Departamento de Cirugía Cardiovascular, Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 8320000, Chile
| | - Guillermo Lay-son
- Unidad de Genética, División de Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile;
| | - Gabriela M. Repetto
- Programa de Enfermedades Poco Frecuentes, Centro de Genética y Genómica, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 8320000, Chile;
| | - Marcelo Rojas
- Doctorado en Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 8320000, Chile; (Y.J.); (M.R.)
| | - Juan F. Calderon
- Centro de Genética y Genómica, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 8320000, Chile
- Research Center for the Development of Novel Therapeutic Alternatives for Alcohol Use Disorders, Santiago 8320000, Chile
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +56-22-578-5778
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13
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Pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE-ALDH7A1) in adulthood: A Dutch pilot study exploring clinical and patient-reported outcomes. Mol Genet Metab Rep 2022; 31:100853. [PMID: 35782612 PMCID: PMC9248223 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgmr.2022.100853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Little is known about pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy due to α-aminoadipic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (PDE-ALDH7A1) in adulthood, as the genetic basis of the disorder has only been elucidated 15 years ago. This creates a knowledge gap for physicians, pediatric patients and their parents, which was aimed to address in this study using clinical data as well as patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for the patient's perspective. Methods Dutch, genetically confirmed PDE-ALDH7A1 patients ≥18 years were eligible for inclusion. Clinical data were collected as well as PROMs (PROMIS item banks Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Physical Functioning, Cognitive Functioning, Cognitive Abilities, Ability to Participate and Satisfaction with Social Roles). Results Ten out of 11 patients agreed to participate (91% response rate). Seizure control at last follow up (median age 25.2 years, range 17.8–29.8 years) was achieved with pyridoxine monotherapy in 70%, 20% with adjunct common-anti epileptic drugs and 10% did not obtain complete seizure control. Neurologic symptoms were present in all but one patient (90%) and included tremors, noted in 40%. Neuro-imaging abnormalities were present in 80%. Intellectual disability was present in 70%. One patient (10%) attended university, three maintained a job without assistance, five maintained a job with assistance or attended social daycare, and one patient never followed regular education. The cohort scored significantly lower on the PROMIS Cognitive Functioning compared to the general (age-related) population. Distribution of scores was wide on all PROMIS item banks. Discussion & conclusion Outcomes of this young adult cohort are heterogeneous and individualized approaches are therefore needed. Long-term seizure control with pyridoxine was achieved for almost all patients. Neurologic symptoms were noted in the majority, including tremors, as well as neuro-imaging abnormalities and intellectual disability, additionally reflected by the PROMIS Cognitive Functioning. PDE-ALDH7A1 patients scored comparable to the general population on all other PROMs, especially regarding Ability to Participate and Satisfaction with Social Roles this may indicate a positive interpretation of their functioning. The aim is to expand this pilot study to larger populations to obtain more solid data, and to advance the use of PROMs to engage patients in research and provide the opportunity for personalized care.
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14
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Rossi A, Kontarakis Z. Beyond Mendelian Inheritance: Genetic Buffering and Phenotype Variability. PHENOMICS (CHAM, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 2:79-87. [PMID: 36939776 PMCID: PMC9590499 DOI: 10.1007/s43657-021-00030-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the way genes work amongst individuals and across generations to shape form and function is a common theme for many genetic studies. The recent advances in genetics, genome engineering and DNA sequencing reinforced the notion that genes are not the only players that determine a phenotype. Due to physiological or pathological fluctuations in gene expression, even genetically identical cells can behave and manifest different phenotypes under the same conditions. Here, we discuss mechanisms that can influence or even disrupt the axis between genotype and phenotype; the role of modifier genes, the general concept of genetic redundancy, genetic compensation, the recently described transcriptional adaptation, environmental stressors, and phenotypic plasticity. We furthermore highlight the usage of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), the generation of isogenic lines through genome engineering, and sequencing technologies can help extract new genetic and epigenetic mechanisms from what is hitherto considered 'noise'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Rossi
- Genome Engineering and Model Development Lab (GEMD), IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Zacharias Kontarakis
- Genome Engineering and Measurement Laboratory (GEML), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich of ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Zhou D, Jia S, Yi L, Wu Z, Song Y, Zhang B, Li Y, Yang X, Xu A, Li X, Zhang W, Duan W, Li Z, Qi S, Chen Z, Ouyang Q, Jia J, Huang J, Ou X, You H. OUP accepted manuscript. Metallomics 2022; 14:6561631. [PMID: 35357466 PMCID: PMC9154322 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfac024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The mutations in modifier genes may contribute to some inherited diseases including Wilson disease (WD). This study was designed to identify potential modifier genes that contribute to WD. A total of 10 WD patients with single or no heterozygous ATP7B mutations were recruited for whole-exome sequencing (WES). Five hundred and thirteen candidate genes, of which the genetic variants present in at least two patients, were identified. In order to clarify which proteins might be involved in copper transfer or metabolism processes, the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) was performed to identify the differentially expressed proteins between normal and CuSO4-treated cell lines. Thirteen genes/proteins were identified by both WES and iTRAQ, indicating that disease-causing variants of these genes may actually contribute to the aberrant copper ion accumulation. Additionally, the c.86C > T (p.S29L) mutation in the SLC31A2 gene (coding CTR2) has a relative higher frequency in our cohort of WD patients (6/191) than reported (0.0024 in gnomAD database) in our healthy donors (0/109), and CTR2S29L leads to increased intracellular Cu concentration and Cu-induced apoptosis in cultured cell lines. In conclusion, the WES and iTRAQ approaches successfully identified several disease-causing variants in potential modifier genes that may be involved in the WD phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Yi Song
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Yanmeng Li
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxi Yang
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Anjian Xu
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojin Li
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Liver Cirrhosis, Beijing, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Weijia Duan
- Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Liver Cirrhosis, Beijing, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenkun Li
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Saiping Qi
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Zhibin Chen
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Ouyang
- Experimental Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
- Clinical Research Center for Rare Liver Diseases, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, On behalf of China Registry of Genetic/Metabolic Liver Diseases (CR-GMLD) Group, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | - Hong You
- Correspondence: E-mail: (Hong You)
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16
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Raposo M, Bettencourt C, Melo ARV, Ferreira AF, Alonso I, Silva P, Vasconcelos J, Kay T, Saraiva-Pereira ML, Costa MD, Vilasboas-Campos D, Bettencourt BF, Bruges-Armas J, Houlden H, Heutink P, Jardim LB, Sequeiros J, Maciel P, Lima M. Novel Machado-Joseph disease-modifying genes and pathways identified by whole-exome sequencing. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 162:105578. [PMID: 34871736 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105578] [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: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Machado-Joseph disease (MJD/SCA3) is a neurodegenerative polyglutamine disorder exhibiting a wide spectrum of phenotypes. The abnormal size of the (CAG)n at ATXN3 explains ~55% of the age at onset variance, suggesting the involvement of other factors, namely genetic modifiers, whose identification remains limited. Our aim was to find novel genetic modifiers, analyse their epistatic effects and identify disease-modifying pathways contributing to MJD variable expressivity. We performed whole-exome sequencing in a discovery sample of four age at onset concordant and four discordant first-degree relative pairs of Azorean patients, to identify candidate variants which genotypes differed for each discordant pair but were shared in each concordant pair. Variants identified by this approach were then tested in an independent multi-origin cohort of 282 MJD patients. Whole-exome sequencing identified 233 candidate variants, from which 82 variants in 53 genes were prioritized for downstream analysis. Eighteen disease-modifying pathways were identified; two of the most enriched pathways were relevant for the nervous system, namely the neuregulin signaling and the agrin interactions at neuromuscular junction. Variants at PARD3, NFKB1, CHD5, ACTG1, CFAP57, DLGAP2, ITGB1, DIDO1 and CERS4 modulate age at onset in MJD, with those identified in CFAP57, ACTG1 and DIDO1 showing consistent effects across cohorts of different geographical origins. Network analyses of the nine novel MJD modifiers highlighted several important molecular interactions, including genes/proteins previously related with MJD pathogenesis, namely between ACTG1/APOE and VCP/ITGB1. We describe novel pathways, modifiers, and their interaction partners, providing a broad molecular portrait of age at onset modulation to be further exploited as new disease-modifying targets for MJD and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda Raposo
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal.
| | - Conceição Bettencourt
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
| | - Ana Rosa Vieira Melo
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Ana F Ferreira
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal.
| | - Isabel Alonso
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Silva
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - João Vasconcelos
- Departamento de Neurologia, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Teresa Kay
- Departamento de Genética Clínica, Hospital D. Estefânia, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria Luiza Saraiva-Pereira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Serviço de Genética Médica/Centro de Pesquisa Clínica e Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Marta D Costa
- Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde (ICVS), Escola de Medicina, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - Laboratório Associado, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Daniela Vilasboas-Campos
- Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde (ICVS), Escola de Medicina, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - Laboratório Associado, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Bruno Filipe Bettencourt
- Serviço Especializado de Epidemiologia e Biologia Molecular (SEEBMO), Hospital de Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira (HSEIT), Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal
| | - Jácome Bruges-Armas
- Serviço Especializado de Epidemiologia e Biologia Molecular (SEEBMO), Hospital de Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira (HSEIT), Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, Portugal; CHRC - Comprehensive Health Research Centre, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas & CEDOC - Chronic Diseases Research Center, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London and Neurogenetics Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals, London, United Kingdom, London.
| | - Peter Heutink
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Laura Bannach Jardim
- Departamento de Medicina Interna, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Serviço de Genética Médica/Centro de Pesquisa Clínica e Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Jorge Sequeiros
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde (ICVS), Escola de Medicina, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - Laboratório Associado, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - Manuela Lima
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade dos Açores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal.
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17
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Gu Q, Xu F, Orgil BO, Khuchua Z, Munkhsaikhan U, Johnson JN, Alberson NR, Pierre JF, Black DD, Dong D, Brennan JA, Cathey BM, Efimov IR, Towbin JA, Purevjav E, Lu L. Systems Genetics Analysis Defines Importance Of TMEM43/LUMA For Cardiac And Metabolic Related Pathways. Physiol Genomics 2021; 54:22-35. [PMID: 34766515 PMCID: PMC8721901 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00066.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Broad cellular functions and diseases including muscular dystrophy,
arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC5) and cancer are
associated with transmembrane protein43 (TMEM43/LUMA). The
study aimed to investigate biological roles of TMEM43 through
genetic regulation, gene pathways and gene networks, candidate interacting
genes, and up- or downstream regulators. Cardiac transcriptomes from 40 strains
of recombinant inbred BXD mice and two parental strains representing murine
genetic reference population (GRP) were applied for genetic correlation,
functional enrichment, and coexpression network analysis using systems genetics
approach. The results were validated in a newly created knock-in
Tmem43-S358L mutation mouse model (Tmem43S358L)
that displayed signs of cardiac dysfunction, resembling ARVC5 phenotype seen in
humans. We found high Tmem43 levels among BXDs with broad
variability in expression. Expression of Tmem43 highly
negatively correlated with heart mass and heart rate among BXDs, whereas levels
of Tmem43 highly positively correlated with plasma high-density
lipoproteins (HDL). Through finding differentially expressed genes (DEGs)
between Tmem43S358L mutant and wild-type (Tmem43WT) lines,
18 pathways (out of 42 found in BXDs GRP) that are involved in ARVC,
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and
Huntington’s disease were verified. We further constructed
Tmem43-mediated gene network, in which
Ctnna1, Adcy6, Gnas,
Ndufs6, and Uqcrc2 were significantly
altered in Tmem43S358L mice versus Tmem43WT controls. Our
study defined the importance of Tmem43 for cardiac- and
metabolism-related pathways, suggesting that cardiovascular disease-relevant
risk factors may also increase risk of metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases
via TMEM43-mediated pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Gu
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, China
| | - Fuyi Xu
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Buyan-Ochir Orgil
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Zaza Khuchua
- The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Undral Munkhsaikhan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Jason N Johnson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Neely R Alberson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Joseph F Pierre
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Dennis Darrel Black
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Deli Dong
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, China
| | - Jaclyn A Brennan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Brianna M Cathey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Igor R Efimov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Jeffrey A Towbin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN, United States.,Pediatric Cardiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Enkhsaikhan Purevjav
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.,Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Lu Lu
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
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18
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Pavani G, Amendola M. Targeted Gene Delivery: Where to Land. Front Genome Ed 2021; 2:609650. [PMID: 34713234 PMCID: PMC8525409 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2020.609650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-editing technologies have the potential to correct most genetic defects involved in blood disorders. In contrast to mutation-specific editing, targeted gene insertion can correct most of the mutations affecting the same gene with a single therapeutic strategy (gene replacement) or provide novel functions to edited cells (gene addition). Targeting a selected genomic harbor can reduce insertional mutagenesis risk, while enabling the exploitation of endogenous promoters, or selected chromatin contexts, to achieve specific transgene expression levels/patterns and the modulation of disease-modifier genes. In this review, we will discuss targeted gene insertion and the advantages and limitations of different genomic harbors currently under investigation for various gene therapy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Pavani
- INTEGRARE, UMR_S951, Genethon, Inserm, Univ Evry, Univ Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Mario Amendola
- INTEGRARE, UMR_S951, Genethon, Inserm, Univ Evry, Univ Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
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19
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Kukhtar D, Rubio-Peña K, Serrat X, Cerón J. Mimicking of splicing-related retinitis pigmentosa mutations in C. elegans allow drug screens and identification of disease modifiers. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:756-765. [PMID: 31919495 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas and the high conservation of the spliceosome components facilitate the mimicking of human pathological mutations in splicing factors of model organisms. The degenerative retinal disease retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is caused by mutations in distinct types of genes, including missense mutations in splicing factors that provoke RP in an autosomal dominant form (s-adRP). Using CRISPR in Caenorhabditis elegans, we generated mutant strains to mimic s-adRP mutations reported in PRPF8 and SNRNP200. Whereas these inherited mutations are present in heterozygosis in patients, C. elegans allows the maintenance of these mutations as homozygotes, which is advantageous for genetic and drug screens. We found that snrp-200(cer23[V676L]) and prp-8(cer14[H2302del]) display pleiotropic phenotypes, including reduced fertility. However, snrp-200(cer24[S1080L]) and prp-8(cer22[R2303G]) are weak alleles suitable for RNAi screens for identifying genetic interactions, which could uncover potential disease modifiers. We screened a collection of RNAi clones for splicing-related genes and identified three splicing factors: isy-1/ISY1, cyn-15/PPWD1 and mog-2/SNRPA1, whose partial inactivation may modify the course of the disease. Interestingly, these three genes act as modifiers of prp-8(cer22) but not of snrp-200(cer24). Finally, a screen of the strong allele prp-8(cer14) with FDA-approved drugs did not identify molecules capable of alleviating the temperature-sensitive sterility. Instead, we detected drugs, such as dequalinium chloride, which exacerbated the phenotype, and therefore, are potentially harmful to s-adRP patients since they may accelerate the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmytro Kukhtar
- Modeling human diseases in C. elegans Group. Genes, Disease and Therapy Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Karinna Rubio-Peña
- Modeling human diseases in C. elegans Group. Genes, Disease and Therapy Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xènia Serrat
- Modeling human diseases in C. elegans Group. Genes, Disease and Therapy Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julián Cerón
- Modeling human diseases in C. elegans Group. Genes, Disease and Therapy Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Serrano C, Teixeira CSS, Cooper DN, Carneiro J, Lopes-Marques M, Stenson PD, Amorim A, Prata MJ, Sousa SF, Azevedo L. Compensatory epistasis explored by molecular dynamics simulations. Hum Genet 2021; 140:1329-1342. [PMID: 34173867 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-021-02307-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
A non-negligible proportion of human pathogenic variants are known to be present as wild type in at least some non-human mammalian species. The standard explanation for this finding is that molecular mechanisms of compensatory epistasis can alleviate the mutations' otherwise pathogenic effects. Examples of compensated variants have been described in the literature but the interacting residue(s) postulated to play a compensatory role have rarely been ascertained. In this study, the examination of five human X-chromosomally encoded proteins (FIX, GLA, HPRT1, NDP and OTC) allowed us to identify several candidate compensated variants. Strong evidence for a compensated/compensatory pair of amino acids in the coagulation FIXa protein (involving residues 270 and 271) was found in a variety of mammalian species. Both amino acid residues are located within the 60-loop, spatially close to the 39-loop that performs a key role in coagulation serine proteases. To understand the nature of the underlying interactions, molecular dynamics simulations were performed. The predicted conformational change in the 39-loop consequent to the Glu270Lys substitution (associated with hemophilia B) appears to impair the protein's interaction with its substrate but, importantly, such steric hindrance is largely mitigated in those proteins that carry the compensatory residue (Pro271) at the neighboring amino acid position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Serrano
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Population Genetics and Evolution Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla S S Teixeira
- UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, BioSIM, Departamento de Biomedicina, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - David N Cooper
- Institute of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK
| | - João Carneiro
- CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Mónica Lopes-Marques
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Population Genetics and Evolution Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Peter D Stenson
- Institute of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK
| | - António Amorim
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Population Genetics and Evolution Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria J Prata
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Population Genetics and Evolution Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sérgio F Sousa
- UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, BioSIM, Departamento de Biomedicina, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Luísa Azevedo
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Population Genetics and Evolution Group, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
- IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal.
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21
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George MN, Leavens KF, Gadue P. Genome Editing Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Model β-Cell Disease and Unmask Novel Genetic Modifiers. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:682625. [PMID: 34149620 PMCID: PMC8206553 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.682625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
A mechanistic understanding of the genetic basis of complex diseases such as diabetes mellitus remain elusive due in large part to the activity of genetic disease modifiers that impact the penetrance and/or presentation of disease phenotypes. In the face of such complexity, rare forms of diabetes that result from single-gene mutations (monogenic diabetes) can be used to model the contribution of individual genetic factors to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and the breakdown of glucose homeostasis. Here we review the contribution of protein coding and non-protein coding genetic disease modifiers to the pathogenesis of diabetes subtypes, as well as how recent technological advances in the generation, differentiation, and genome editing of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) enable the development of cell-based disease models. Finally, we describe a disease modifier discovery platform that utilizes these technologies to identify novel genetic modifiers using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from patients with monogenic diabetes caused by heterozygous mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N. George
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Karla F. Leavens
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Paul Gadue
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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22
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Warnecke A, Giesemann A. Embryology, Malformations, and Rare Diseases of the Cochlea. Laryngorhinootologie 2021; 100:S1-S43. [PMID: 34352899 PMCID: PMC8354575 DOI: 10.1055/a-1349-3824] [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] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Despite the low overall prevalence of individual rare diseases, cochlear
dysfunction leading to hearing loss represents a symptom in a large
proportion. The aim of this work was to provide a clear overview of rare
cochlear diseases, taking into account the embryonic development of the
cochlea and the systematic presentation of the different disorders. Although
rapid biotechnological and bioinformatic advances may facilitate the
diagnosis of a rare disease, an interdisciplinary exchange is often required
to raise the suspicion of a rare disease. It is important to recognize that
the phenotype of rare inner ear diseases can vary greatly not only in
non-syndromic but also in syndromic hearing disorders. Finally, it becomes
clear that the phenotype of the individual rare diseases cannot be
determined exclusively by classical genetics even in monogenetic
disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasia Warnecke
- Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover.,Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Exzellenzcluster"Hearing4all" - EXC 2177/1 - Project ID 390895286
| | - Anja Giesemann
- Institut für Neuroradiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover
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23
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Russo R, Marra R, Rosato BE, Iolascon A, Andolfo I. Genetics and Genomics Approaches for Diagnosis and Research Into Hereditary Anemias. Front Physiol 2020; 11:613559. [PMID: 33414725 PMCID: PMC7783452 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.613559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The hereditary anemias are a relatively heterogeneous set of disorders that can show wide clinical and genetic heterogeneity, which often hampers correct clinical diagnosis. The classical diagnostic workflow for these conditions generally used to start with analysis of the family and personal histories, followed by biochemical and morphological evaluations, and ending with genetic testing. However, the diagnostic framework has changed more recently, and genetic testing is now a suitable approach for differential diagnosis of these patients. There are several approaches to this genetic testing, the choice of which depends on phenotyping, genetic heterogeneity, and gene size. For patients who show complete phenotyping, single-gene testing remains recommended. However, genetic analysis now includes next-generation sequencing, which is generally based on custom-designed targeting panels and whole-exome sequencing. The use of next-generation sequencing also allows the identification of new causative genes, and of polygenic conditions and genetic factors that modify disease severity of hereditary anemias. In the research field, whole-genome sequencing is useful for the identification of non-coding causative mutations, which might account for the disruption of transcriptional factor occupancy sites and cis-regulatory elements. Moreover, advances in high-throughput sequencing techniques have now resulted in the identification of genome-wide profiling of the chromatin structures known as the topologically associating domains. These represent a recurrent disease mechanism that exposes genes to inappropriate regulatory elements, causing errors in gene expression. This review focuses on the challenges of diagnosis and research into hereditary anemias, with indications of both the advantages and disadvantages. Finally, we consider the future perspectives for the use of next-generation sequencing technologies in this era of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Russo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Marra
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Eleni Rosato
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Achille Iolascon
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Immacolata Andolfo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
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24
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Auslander N, Ramos DM, Zelaya I, Karathia H, Crawford TO, Schäffer AA, Sumner CJ, Ruppin E. The GENDULF algorithm: mining transcriptomics to uncover modifier genes for monogenic diseases. Mol Syst Biol 2020; 16:e9701. [PMID: 33438800 PMCID: PMC7754056 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20209701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Modifier genes are believed to account for the clinical variability observed in many Mendelian disorders, but their identification remains challenging due to the limited availability of genomics data from large patient cohorts. Here, we present GENDULF (GENetic moDULators identiFication), one of the first methods to facilitate prediction of disease modifiers using healthy and diseased tissue gene expression data. GENDULF is designed for monogenic diseases in which the mechanism is loss of function leading to reduced expression of the mutated gene. When applied to cystic fibrosis, GENDULF successfully identifies multiple, previously established disease modifiers, including EHF, SLC6A14, and CLCA1. It is then utilized in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and predicts U2AF1 as a modifier whose low expression correlates with higher SMN2 pre-mRNA exon 7 retention. Indeed, knockdown of U2AF1 in SMA patient-derived cells leads to increased full-length SMN2 transcript and SMN protein expression. Taking advantage of the increasing availability of transcriptomic data, GENDULF is a novel addition to existing strategies for prediction of genetic disease modifiers, providing insights into disease pathogenesis and uncovering novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noam Auslander
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory (CDSL)National Cancer InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
- National Center for Biotechnology InformationNational Library of MedicineNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Daniel M Ramos
- Department of NeuroscienceJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Ivette Zelaya
- Interdepartmental Program in BioinformaticsUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Hiren Karathia
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene ExpressionNational Cancer InstituteNational Institutes of HealthMDUSA
| | - Thomas O. Crawford
- Department of PediatricsJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
- Department of NeurologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Alejandro A Schäffer
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory (CDSL)National Cancer InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Charlotte J Sumner
- Department of NeuroscienceJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
- Department of NeurologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - Eytan Ruppin
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory (CDSL)National Cancer InstituteNational Institutes of HealthBethesdaMDUSA
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25
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Richmond PA, van der Kloet F, Vaz FM, Lin D, Uzozie A, Graham E, Kobor M, Mostafavi S, Moerland PD, Lange PF, van Kampen AHC, Wasserman WW, Engelen M, Kemp S, van Karnebeek CDM. Multi-Omic Approach to Identify Phenotypic Modifiers Underlying Cerebral Demyelination in X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:520. [PMID: 32671069 PMCID: PMC7330173 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a peroxisomal metabolic disorder with a highly complex clinical presentation. ALD is caused by mutations in the ABCD1 gene, and is characterized by the accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids in plasma and tissues. Disease-causing mutations are 'loss of function' mutations, with no prognostic value with respect to the clinical outcome of an individual. All male patients with ALD develop spinal cord disease and a peripheral neuropathy in adulthood, although age of onset is highly variable. However, the lifetime prevalence to develop progressive white matter lesions, termed cerebral ALD (CALD), is only about 60%. Early identification of transition to CALD is critical since it can be halted by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell therapy only in an early stage. The primary goal of this study is to identify molecular markers which may be prognostic of cerebral demyelination from a simple blood sample, with the hope that blood-based assays can replace the current protocols for diagnosis. We collected six well-characterized brother pairs affected by ALD and discordant for the presence of CALD and performed multi-omic profiling of blood samples including genome, epigenome, transcriptome, metabolome/lipidome, and proteome profiling. In our analysis we identify discordant genomic alleles present across all families as well as differentially abundant molecular features across the omics technologies. The analysis was focused on univariate modeling to discriminate the two phenotypic groups, but was unable to identify statistically significant candidate molecular markers. Our study highlights the issues caused by a large amount of inter-individual variation, and supports the emerging hypothesis that cerebral demyelination is a complex mix of environmental factors and/or heterogeneous genomic alleles. We confirm previous observations about the role of immune response, specifically auto-immunity and the potential role of PFN1 protein overabundance in CALD in a subset of the families. We envision our methodology as well as dataset has utility to the field for reproducing previous or enabling future modifier investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A. Richmond
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Frans van der Kloet
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Frederic M. Vaz
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - David Lin
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anuli Uzozie
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Emma Graham
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael Kobor
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sara Mostafavi
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Perry D. Moerland
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Philipp F. Lange
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program, BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Antoine H. C. van Kampen
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Biosystems Data Analysis, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wyeth W. Wasserman
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Marc Engelen
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Stephan Kemp
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Clara D. M. van Karnebeek
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Amalia Children’s Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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26
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González‐Del Carmen M, Montaño S, Reyes‐Hernández OD, Vizcaíno‐Dorado PA, Leyva‐García N, Morales‐Morfín JC, Diaz‐Beltran W, Quinto‐Santiago E, Cariño‐Calvo L, Magaña JJ, Leyva‐Gómez G, Cortés H. High prevalence of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis in a Mexican population caused by a new mutation in the
TGM1
gene: epidemiological evidence of a founder effect. Int J Dermatol 2020; 59:969-977. [DOI: 10.1111/ijd.14952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarita Montaño
- Laboratorio de Modelado Molecular y Bioinformática Facultad de Ciencias Químico‐Biológicas Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa Culiacán Sinaloa México
| | - Octavio D. Reyes‐Hernández
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular del Cáncer UMIEZ Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México México
| | - Pablo A. Vizcaíno‐Dorado
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica Departamento de Genética Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra Ciudad de México México
| | - Norberto Leyva‐García
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica Departamento de Genética Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra Ciudad de México México
| | - Juan C. Morales‐Morfín
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica Departamento de Genética Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra Ciudad de México México
| | - Wendy Diaz‐Beltran
- Facultad de Medicina Universidad Veracruzana Ciudad Mendoza, Veracruz México
| | | | | | - Jonathan J. Magaña
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica Departamento de Genética Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra Ciudad de México México
| | - Gerardo Leyva‐Gómez
- Departamento de Farmacia Facultad de Química Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México México
| | - Hernán Cortés
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica Departamento de Genética Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra Ciudad de México México
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27
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Ross JP, Dion PA, Rouleau GA. Exome sequencing in genetic disease: recent advances and considerations. F1000Res 2020; 9:F1000 Faculty Rev-336. [PMID: 32431803 PMCID: PMC7205110 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.19444.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, exome sequencing (ES) has allowed significant advancements to the field of disease research. By targeting the protein-coding regions of the genome, ES combines the depth of knowledge on protein-altering variants with high-throughput data generation and ease of analysis. New discoveries continue to be made using ES, and medical science has benefitted both theoretically and clinically from its continued use. In this review, we describe recent advances and successes of ES in disease research. Through selected examples of recent publications, we explore how ES continues to be a valuable tool to find variants that might explain disease etiology or provide insight into the biology underlying the disease. We then discuss shortcomings of ES in terms of variant discoveries made by other sequencing technologies that would be missed because of the scope and techniques of ES. We conclude with a brief outlook on the future of ES, suggesting that although newer and more thorough sequencing methods will soon supplant ES, its results will continue to be useful for disease research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay P. Ross
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, 3640 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Patrick A. Dion
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Guy A. Rouleau
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, 3640 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
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28
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Andolfo I, Rosato BE, Marra R, De Rosa G, Manna F, Gambale A, Iolascon A, Russo R. The BMP-SMAD pathway mediates the impaired hepatic iron metabolism associated with the ERFE-A260S variant. Am J Hematol 2019; 94:1227-1235. [PMID: 31400017 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.25613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The erythroferrone (ERFE) is the erythroid regulator of hepatic iron metabolism by suppressing the expression of hepcidin. Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type II (CDAII) is an inherited hyporegenerative anemia due to biallelic mutations in the SEC23B gene. Patients with CDAII exhibit marked clinical variability, even among individuals sharing the same pathogenic variants. The ERFE expression in CDAII is increased and related to abnormal erythropoiesis. We identified a recurrent low-frequency variant, A260S, in the ERFE gene in 12.5% of CDAII patients with a severe phenotype. We demonstrated that the ERFE-A260S variant leads to increased levels of ERFE, with subsequently marked impairment of iron regulation pathways at the hepatic level. Functional characterization of ERFE-A260S in the hepatic cell system demonstrated its modifier role in iron overload by impairing the BMP/SMAD pathway. We herein described for the first time an ERFE polymorphism as a genetic modifier variant. This was with a mild effect on disease expression, under a multifactorial-like model, in a condition of iron-loading anemia due to ineffective erythropoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Immacolata Andolfo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie MedicheUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Naples Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Naples Italy
| | - Barbara Eleni Rosato
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie MedicheUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Naples Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Naples Italy
| | - Roberta Marra
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie MedicheUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Naples Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Naples Italy
| | - Gianluca De Rosa
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie MedicheUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Naples Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Naples Italy
| | | | - Antonella Gambale
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Naples Italy
- Dipartimento Assistenziale di Medicina di Laboratorio (DAIMedLab)UOC Genetica Medica, AOU Federico II Naples Italy
| | - Achille Iolascon
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie MedicheUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Naples Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Naples Italy
| | - Roberta Russo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie MedicheUniversità degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Naples Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate Naples Italy
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Swahn H, Sabith Ebron J, Lamar K, Yin S, Kerschner JL, NandyMazumdar M, Coppola C, Mendenhall EM, Leir S, Harris A. Coordinate regulation of ELF5 and EHF at the chr11p13 CF modifier region. J Cell Mol Med 2019; 23:7726-7740. [PMID: 31557407 PMCID: PMC6815777 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
E74-like factor 5 (ELF5) and ETS-homologous factor (EHF) are epithelial selective ETS family transcription factors (TFs) encoded by genes at chr11p13, a region associated with cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease severity. EHF controls many key processes in lung epithelial function so its regulatory mechanisms are important. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we removed three key cis-regulatory elements (CREs) from the chr11p13 region and also activated multiple open chromatin sites with CRISPRa in airway epithelial cells. Deletion of the CREs caused subtle changes in chromatin architecture and site-specific increases in EHF and ELF5. CRISPRa had most effect on ELF5 transcription. ELF5 levels are low in airway cells but higher in LNCaP (prostate) and T47D (breast) cancer cells. ATAC-seq in these lines revealed novel peaks of open chromatin at the 5' end of chr11p13 associated with an expressed ELF5 gene. Furthermore, 4C-seq assays identified direct interactions between the active ELF5 promoter and sites within the EHF locus, suggesting coordinate regulation between these TFs. ChIP-seq for ELF5 in T47D cells revealed ELF5 occupancy within EHF introns 1 and 6, and siRNA-mediated depletion of ELF5 enhanced EHF expression. These results define a new role for ELF5 in lung epithelial biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Swahn
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Jey Sabith Ebron
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Kay‐Marie Lamar
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Shiyi Yin
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Jenny L. Kerschner
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Monali NandyMazumdar
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Candice Coppola
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsvilleALUSA
| | - Eric M. Mendenhall
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsvilleALUSA
| | - Shih‐Hsing Leir
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Ann Harris
- Department of Genetics and Genome SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
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30
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Shanthikumar S, Neeland MN, Saffery R, Ranganathan S. Gene modifiers of cystic fibrosis lung disease: A systematic review. Pediatr Pulmonol 2019; 54:1356-1366. [PMID: 31140758 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.24366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lung disease is the major source of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF), with large variability in severity between patients. Although accurate prediction of lung disease severity would be extremely useful, no robust methods exist. Twin and sibling studies have highlighted the importance of non-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) genes in determining lung disease severity but how these impact on the severity in CF remains unclear. METHODS A systematic review was undertaken to answer the question "In patients with CF which non-CFTR genes modify the severity of lung disease?" The method for this systematic review was based upon the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)" statement, with a narrative synthesis of results planned. RESULTS A total of 1168 articles were screened for inclusion, with 275 articles undergoing detailed assessment for inclusion. One hundred and forty articles were included. Early studies focused on candidate genes, whereas more recent studies utilized genome-wide approaches and also examined epigenetic mechanisms, gene expression, and therapeutic response. DISCUSSION A large body of evidence regarding non-CFTR gene modifiers of lung disease severity has been generated, examining a wide array of genes. Limitations to existing studies include heterogeneity in outcome measures used, limited replication, and relative lack of clinical impact. Future work examining non-CFTR gene modifiers will have to overcome these limitations if gene modifiers are to have a meaningful role in the care of patients with CF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivanthan Shanthikumar
- Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Department, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.,Respiratory Diseases Department, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Melanie N Neeland
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Australia.,Centre of Food and Allergy Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Richard Saffery
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Australia.,Cancer & Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sarath Ranganathan
- Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Department, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.,Respiratory Diseases Department, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Australia
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Barboza-Cerda MC, Barboza-Quintana O, Martínez-Aldape G, Garza-Guajardo R, Déctor MA. Phenotypic severity in a family with MEND syndrome is directly associated with the accumulation of potentially functional variants of cholesterol homeostasis genes. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2019; 7:e931. [PMID: 31397093 PMCID: PMC6732292 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Male EBP disorder with neurologic defects (MEND) syndrome is an X‐linked disease caused by hypomorphic mutations in the EBP (emopamil‐binding protein) gene. Modifier genes may explain the clinical variability among individuals who share a primary mutation. Methods We studied four males (Patient 1 to Patient 4) exhibiting a descending degree of phenotypic severity from a family with MEND syndrome. To identify candidate modifier genes that explain the phenotypic variability, variants of homeostasis cholesterol genes identified by whole‐exome sequencing (WES) were ranked according to the predicted magnitude of their effect through an in‐house scoring system. Results Twenty‐seven from 105 missense variants found in 45 genes of the four exomes were considered significant (−5 to −9 scores). We found a direct genotype–phenotype association based on the differential accumulation of potentially functional gene variants among males. Patient 1 exhibited 17 variants, both Patients 2 and 3 exhibited nine variants, and Patient 4 exhibited only five variants. Conclusion We conclude that APOA5 (rs3135506), ABCA1 (rs9282541), and APOB (rs679899 and rs12714225) are the most relevant candidate modifier genes in this family. Relative accumulation of the deficiencies associated with variants of these genes along with other lesser deficiencies in other genes appears to explain the variable expressivity in MEND syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Carmen Barboza-Cerda
- Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Servicio de Anatomía Patológica y Citopatología, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Oralia Barboza-Quintana
- Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Servicio de Anatomía Patológica y Citopatología, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Gerardo Martínez-Aldape
- Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Servicio de Anatomía Patológica y Citopatología, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Raquel Garza-Guajardo
- Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Servicio de Anatomía Patológica y Citopatología, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
| | - Miguel Angel Déctor
- Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Servicio de Anatomía Patológica y Citopatología, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.,Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
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32
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Cuppens T, Ludwig TE, Trouvé P, Genin E. GEMPROT: visualization of the impact on the protein of the genetic variants found on each haplotype. Bioinformatics 2019; 35:2492-2494. [PMID: 30508040 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/bty993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY When analyzing sequence data, genetic variants are considered one by one, taking no account of whether or not they are found in the same individual. However, variant combinations might be key players in some diseases as variants that are neutral on their own can become deleterious when associated together. GEMPROT is a new analysis tool that allows, from a phased vcf file, to visualize the consequences of the genetic variants on the protein. At the level of an individual, the program shows the variants on each of the two protein sequences and the Pfam functional protein domains. When data on several individuals are available, GEMPROT lists the haplotypes found in the sample and can compare the haplotype distributions between different sub-groups of individuals. By offering a global visualization of the gene with the genetic variants present, GEMPROT makes it possible to better understand the impact of combinations of genetic variants on the protein sequence. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION GEMPROT is freely available at https://github.com/TaniaCuppens/GEMPROT. An on-line version is also available at http://med-laennec.univ-brest.fr/GEMPROT/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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33
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Zeeshan S, Xiong R, Liang BT, Ahmed Z. 100 Years of evolving gene-disease complexities and scientific debutants. Brief Bioinform 2019; 21:885-905. [PMID: 30972412 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbz038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It's been over 100 years since the word `gene' is around and progressively evolving in several scientific directions. Time-to-time technological advancements have heavily revolutionized the field of genomics, especially when it's about, e.g. triple code development, gene number proposition, genetic mapping, data banks, gene-disease maps, catalogs of human genes and genetic disorders, CRISPR/Cas9, big data and next generation sequencing, etc. In this manuscript, we present the progress of genomics from pea plant genetics to the human genome project and highlight the molecular, technical and computational developments. Studying genome and epigenome led to the fundamentals of development and progression of human diseases, which includes chromosomal, monogenic, multifactorial and mitochondrial diseases. World Health Organization has classified, standardized and maintained all human diseases, when many academic and commercial online systems are sharing information about genes and linking to associated diseases. To efficiently fathom the wealth of this biological data, there is a crucial need to generate appropriate gene annotation repositories and resources. Our focus has been how many gene-disease databases are available worldwide and which sources are authentic, timely updated and recommended for research and clinical purposes. In this manuscript, we have discussed and compared 43 such databases and bioinformatics applications, which enable users to connect, explore and, if possible, download gene-disease data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saman Zeeshan
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, 10 Discovery Drive, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ruoyun Xiong
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Bruce T Liang
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT, USA.,Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Zeeshan Ahmed
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT, USA
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Medici V, LaSalle JM. Genetics and epigenetic factors of Wilson disease. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2019; 7:S58. [PMID: 31179295 PMCID: PMC6531661 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2019.01.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Wilson disease (WD) is a complex condition due to copper accumulation mainly in the liver and brain. The genetic base of WD is represented by pathogenic mutations of the copper-transporting gene ATP7B with consequent lack of copper excretion through the biliary tract. ATP7B is the only gene so far identified and known to be responsible for the development of the disease. Our understanding of the disease has been evolving as functional studies have associated specific disease-causing mutations with specific copper-transporter impairments. The most frequent variant in patients of European descent is the H1069Q missense mutation and it has been associated with protein misfolding, aberrant phosphorylation of the P-domain, and altered ATP binding orientation and affinity. Conversely, there is much less understanding of the relation between the genotype and the clinical manifestations of WD. WD is characterized by a highly varied and unpredictable presentation with different combined hepatic, neurological, and psychiatric symptoms. Several studies have attempted to correlate genotype and phenotype but the most recent evidences on larger populations failed to identify a relation between genotype and clinical presentations. Given that so far also modifier genes have not shown convincing association with WD, there is growing interest to identify epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression regulation as underlying the onset and progression of WD phenotype. Evidence from animal models indicated changes in methionine metabolism regulation with possible effects on DNA methylation. Mouse models of WD have indicated transcript level changes of genes related to DNA methylation in fetal and adult livers. And finally, evidence is accumulating regarding DNA methylation changes in patients with WD. It is unexplored how ATP7B genetic mutations combine with epigenetic changes to affect the phenotype. In conclusion, WD is a genetic disease with a complex regulation of its phenotype that includes molecular genetics and epigenetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Medici
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Janine M. LaSalle
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
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35
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Elli FM, deSanctis L, Maffini MA, Bordogna P, Tessaris D, Pirelli A, Arosio M, Linglart A, Mantovani G. Association of GNAS imprinting defects and deletions of chromosome 2 in two patients: clues explaining phenotypic heterogeneity in pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1B/iPPSD3. Clin Epigenetics 2019; 11:3. [PMID: 30616679 PMCID: PMC6322333 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-018-0607-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The term pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) describes disorders derived from resistance to the parathyroid hormone. Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) is a disorder with several physical features that can occur alone or in association with PHP. The subtype 1B, classically associated with resistance to PTH and TSH, derives from the epigenetic dysregulation of the GNAS locus. Patients showing features of AHO were described, but no explanation for such phenotypic heterogeneity is available. An AHO-like phenotype was associated with the loss of genetic information stored in chromosome 2q37, making this genomic region an interesting object of study as it could contain modifier genes involved in the development of AHO features in patients with GNAS imprinting defects. The present study aimed to screen a series of 65 patients affected with GNAS imprinting defects, with or without signs of AHO, for the presence of 2q37 deletions in order to find genes involved in the clinical variability. RESULTS The molecular investigations performed on our cohort of patients with GNAS imprinting defects identified two overlapping terminal deletions of the long arm of chromosome 2. The smaller deletion was of approximately 3 Mb and contained 38 genes, one or more of which is potentially involved in the clinical presentation. Patients with the deletions were both affected by a combination of the most pathognomic AHO-like features, brachydactyly, cognitive impairment and/or behavioural defects. Our results support the hypothesis that additional genetic factors besides GNAS methylation defects are involved in the development of a complex phenotype in the subgroup of patients showing signs of AHO. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, the present work describes PHP patients with hormone resistance and AHO signs simultaneously affected by GNAS imprinting defects and 2q37 deletions. Although further studies are needed to confirm the cause of these two rare molecular alterations and to identify candidate genes, this finding provides novel interesting clues for the identification of factors involved in the still unexplained clinical variability observed in PHP1B.
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Affiliation(s)
- F M Elli
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - L deSanctis
- Department of Public Health and Paediatric Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - M A Maffini
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - P Bordogna
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Endocrinology Unit, Milan, Italy
| | - D Tessaris
- Department of Public Health and Paediatric Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - A Pirelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - M Arosio
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Endocrinology Unit, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - A Linglart
- APHP, Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology for Children, Reference Centre for Rare Disorders of Calcium and Phosphate Metabolism, Platform of Expertise Paris-Sud for Rare Diseases and Filière OSCAR, Bicêtre Paris-Sud Hospital, 94270, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- APHP, Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Reference Centre for Rare Disorders of Calcium and Phosphate Metabolism, 94270, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - G Mantovani
- Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Endocrinology Unit, Milan, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Kluska A, Kulecka M, Litwin T, Dziezyc K, Balabas A, Piatkowska M, Paziewska A, Dabrowska M, Mikula M, Kaminska D, Wiernicka A, Socha P, Czlonkowska A, Ostrowski J. Whole-exome sequencing identifies novel pathogenic variants across the ATP7B gene and some modifiers of Wilson's disease phenotype. Liver Int 2019; 39:177-186. [PMID: 30230192 DOI: 10.1111/liv.13967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder associated with disease-causing alterations across the ATP7B gene, with highly variable symptoms and age of onset. We aimed to assess whether the clinical variability of WD relates to modifier genes. METHODS A total of 248 WD patients were included, of whom 148 were diagnosed after age of 17. Human exome libraries were constructed using AmpliSeq technology and sequenced using the IonProton platform. RESULTS ATP7B p.His1069Gln mutation was present in 215 patients, with 112 homozygotes and 103 heterozygotes. Three other mutations: p.Gln1351Ter, p.Trp779Ter and c.3402delC were identified in >10 patients. Among patients, 117 had a homozygous mutation, 101 were compound heterozygotes, 27 had one heterozygous mutation, and 3 other patients had no identifiable pathogenic variant of ATP7B. Sixteen mutations were novel, found as part of a compound mutation or as a sole, homozygous mutation. For disease phenotype prediction, age at diagnosis was a deciding factor, while frameshift allelic variants of ATP7B and being male increased the odds of developing a neurological phenotype. Rare allelic variants in ESD and INO80 increased and decreased chances for the neurological phenotype, respectively, while rare variants in APOE and MBD6 decreased the chances of WD early manifestation. Compound mutations contributed to earlier age of onset. CONCLUSIONS In a Polish population, genetic screening for WD may help genotype for four variants (p.His1069Gln, p.Gln1351Ter, p.Trp779Ter and c.3402delC), with direct sequencing of all ATP7B amplicons as a second diagnostic step. We also identified some allelic variants that may modify a WD phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kluska
- Department of Genetics, Cancer Center-Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maria Kulecka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Litwin
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Dziezyc
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aneta Balabas
- Department of Genetics, Cancer Center-Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Agnieszka Paziewska
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Michal Mikula
- Department of Genetics, Cancer Center-Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Diana Kaminska
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutritional Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Wiernicka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutritional Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Socha
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutritional Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Czlonkowska
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jerzy Ostrowski
- Department of Genetics, Cancer Center-Institute, Warsaw, Poland.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
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Davidson BA, Hassan S, Garcia EJ, Tayebi N, Sidransky E. Exploring genetic modifiers of Gaucher disease: The next horizon. Hum Mutat 2018; 39:1739-1751. [PMID: 30098107 PMCID: PMC6240360 DOI: 10.1002/humu.23611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Gaucher disease is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder resulting from mutations in the gene GBA1 that lead to a deficiency in the enzyme glucocerebrosidase. Accumulation of the enzyme's substrates, glucosylceramide and glucosylsphingosine, results in symptoms ranging from skeletal and visceral involvement to neurological manifestations. Nonetheless, there is significant variability in clinical presentations amongst patients, with limited correlation between genotype and phenotype. Contributing to this clinical variation are genetic modifiers that influence the phenotypic outcome of the disorder. In this review, we explore the role of genetic modifiers in Mendelian disorders and describe methods to facilitate their discovery. In addition, we provide examples of candidate modifiers of Gaucher disease, explore their relevance in the development of potential therapeutics, and discuss the impact of GBA1 and modifying mutations on other more common diseases like Parkinson disease. Identifying these important modulators of Gaucher phenotype may ultimately unravel the complex relationship between genotype and phenotype and lead to improved counseling and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brad A. Davidson
- Section on Molecular Neurogenetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Shahzeb Hassan
- Section on Molecular Neurogenetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eric Joshua Garcia
- Section on Molecular Neurogenetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nahid Tayebi
- Section on Molecular Neurogenetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ellen Sidransky
- Section on Molecular Neurogenetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Gupta S, Gupta N, Tiwari P, Menon S, Mathur P, Kothari SL, Nallapeta S, Medicherla KM, Suravajhala P. Lnc-EPB41-Protein Interactions Associated with Congenital Pouch Colon. Biomolecules 2018; 8:biom8030095. [PMID: 30227690 PMCID: PMC6163732 DOI: 10.3390/biom8030095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital Pouch Colon (CPC) is a rare anorectal anomaly common to northwestern India, specifically Rajasthan. Despite efforts to understand the clinical genetic makeup of CPC, no attempt on identifying non-coding RNAs was done. We have earlier reported CPC’s rare variants from whole exome sequencing (WES) across 18 affected samples in a total of 64 subjects. A Smith–Waterman algorithm was used to infer a couple of lncRNAs from WES samples of CPC with predictions from the Noncode database. Further screening and quantification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we ascertained interactions using Micro Scale Thermophoresis (MST). We report the role of lnc-EPB41-1-1 shown to be promiscuously interacting with KIF13A substantiating their role in regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonal Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Birla Institute of Scientific Research (BISR), Statue Circle, Jaipur 302021, India.
- Department of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Kant Kalwar, Jaipur 303002, India.
| | - Nidhi Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology, IIS University, Mansarovar, Jaipur 302020, India.
| | - Pradeep Tiwari
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Birla Institute of Scientific Research (BISR), Statue Circle, Jaipur 302021, India.
- Department of Chemistry, School of Basic Science, Manipal University, Jaipur 303007, India.
| | - Saji Menon
- NanoTemper Technologies, World Trade Centre, Bengaluru 302017, India.
| | - Praveen Mathur
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, SMS Medical College, JLN Marg, Jaipur 302004, India.
| | - Shanker Lal Kothari
- Department of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Kant Kalwar, Jaipur 303002, India.
| | | | - Krishna Mohan Medicherla
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Birla Institute of Scientific Research (BISR), Statue Circle, Jaipur 302021, India.
| | - Prashanth Suravajhala
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Birla Institute of Scientific Research (BISR), Statue Circle, Jaipur 302021, India.
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Kumar S, Yadav N, Pandey S, Thelma BK. Advances in the discovery of genetic risk factors for complex forms of neurodegenerative disorders: contemporary approaches, success, challenges and prospects. J Genet 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12041-018-0953-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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40
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Kumar S, Yadav N, Pandey S, Thelma BK. Advances in the discovery of genetic risk factors for complex forms of neurodegenerative disorders: contemporary approaches, success, challenges and prospects. J Genet 2018; 97:625-648. [PMID: 30027900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases constitute a large proportion of disorders in elderly, majority being sporadic in occurrence with ∼5-10% familial. A strong genetic component underlies the Mendelian forms but nongenetic factors together with genetic vulnerability contributes to the complex sporadic forms. Several gene discoveries in the familial forms have provided novel insights into the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration with implications for treatment. Conversely, findings from genetic dissection of the sporadic forms, despite large genomewide association studies and more recently whole exome and whole genome sequencing, have been limited. This review provides a concise account of the genetics that we know, the pathways that they implicate, the challenges that are faced and the prospects that are envisaged for the sporadic, complex forms of neurodegenerative diseases, taking four most common conditions, namely Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington disease as examples. Poor replication across studies, inability to establish genotype-phenotype correlations and the overall failure to predict risk and/or prevent disease in this group poses a continuing challenge. Among others, clinical heterogeneity emerges as the most important impediment warranting newer approaches. Advanced computational and system biology tools to analyse the big data are being generated and the alternate strategy such as subgrouping of case-control cohorts based on deep phenotyping using the principles of Ayurveda to overcome current limitation of phenotype heterogeneity seem to hold promise. However, at this point, with advances in discovery genomics and functional analysis of putative determinants with translation potential for the complex forms being minimal, stem cell therapies are being attempted as potential interventions. In this context, the possibility to generate patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells, mutant/gene/genome correction through CRISPR/Cas9 technology and repopulating the specific brain regions with corrected neurons, which may fulfil the dream of personalized medicine have been mentioned briefly. Understanding disease pathways/biology using this technology, with implications for development of novel therapeutics are optimistic expectations in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumeet Kumar
- Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi 110 021, India.
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de Valles-Ibáñez G, Esteve-Solé A, Piquer M, González-Navarro EA, Hernandez-Rodriguez J, Laayouni H, González-Roca E, Plaza-Martin AM, Deyà-Martínez Á, Martín-Nalda A, Martínez-Gallo M, García-Prat M, Del Pino-Molina L, Cuscó I, Codina-Solà M, Batlle-Masó L, Solís-Moruno M, Marquès-Bonet T, Bosch E, López-Granados E, Aróstegui JI, Soler-Palacín P, Colobran R, Yagüe J, Alsina L, Juan M, Casals F. Evaluating the Genetics of Common Variable Immunodeficiency: Monogenetic Model and Beyond. Front Immunol 2018; 9:636. [PMID: 29867916 PMCID: PMC5960686 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most frequent symptomatic primary immunodeficiency characterized by recurrent infections, hypogammaglobulinemia and poor response to vaccines. Its diagnosis is made based on clinical and immunological criteria, after exclusion of other diseases that can cause similar phenotypes. Currently, less than 20% of cases of CVID have a known underlying genetic cause. We have analyzed whole-exome sequencing and copy number variants data of 36 children and adolescents diagnosed with CVID and healthy relatives to estimate the proportion of monogenic cases. We have replicated an association of CVID to p.C104R in TNFRSF13B and reported the second case of homozygous patient to date. Our results also identify five causative genetic variants in LRBA, CTLA4, NFKB1, and PIK3R1, as well as other very likely causative variants in PRKCD, MAPK8, or DOCK8 among others. We experimentally validate the effect of the LRBA stop-gain mutation which abolishes protein production and downregulates the expression of CTLA4, and of the frameshift indel in CTLA4 producing expression downregulation of the protein. Our results indicate a monogenic origin of at least 15–24% of the CVID cases included in the study. The proportion of monogenic patients seems to be lower in CVID than in other PID that have also been analyzed by whole exome or targeted gene panels sequencing. Regardless of the exact proportion of CVID monogenic cases, other genetic models have to be considered for CVID. We propose that because of its prevalence and other features as intermediate penetrancies and phenotypic variation within families, CVID could fit with other more complex genetic scenarios. In particular, in this work, we explore the possibility of CVID being originated by an oligogenic model with the presence of heterozygous mutations in interacting proteins or by the accumulation of detrimental variants in particular immunological pathways, as well as perform association tests to detect association with rare genetic functional variation in the CVID cohort compared to healthy controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem de Valles-Ibáñez
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Esteve-Solé
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.,Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mònica Piquer
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.,Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Azucena González-Navarro
- Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei d'Immunologia, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jessica Hernandez-Rodriguez
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hafid Laayouni
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Bioinformatics Studies, ESCI-UPF, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva González-Roca
- Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei d'Immunologia, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana María Plaza-Martin
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.,Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ángela Deyà-Martínez
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.,Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Martín-Nalda
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (HUVH), Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mónica Martínez-Gallo
- Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies, Barcelona, Spain.,Immunology Division, Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (HUVH), Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina García-Prat
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (HUVH), Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucía Del Pino-Molina
- Clinical Immunology Department, University Hospital La Paz and Physiopathology of Lymphocytes in Immunodeficiencies Group, IdiPAZ Institute for Health Research, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ivón Cuscó
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBER-ER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Codina-Solà
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBER-ER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Batlle-Masó
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei de Genòmica, Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel Solís-Moruno
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei de Genòmica, Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomàs Marquès-Bonet
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institution of Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.,CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Bosch
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduardo López-Granados
- Clinical Immunology Department, University Hospital La Paz and Physiopathology of Lymphocytes in Immunodeficiencies Group, IdiPAZ Institute for Health Research, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Ignacio Aróstegui
- Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei d'Immunologia, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pere Soler-Palacín
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (HUVH), Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roger Colobran
- Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiencies, Barcelona, Spain.,Immunology Division, Department of Clinical and Molecular Genetics, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (HUVH), Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Yagüe
- Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei d'Immunologia, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laia Alsina
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain.,Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manel Juan
- Functional Unit of Clinical Immunology Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.,Servei d'Immunologia, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ferran Casals
- Servei de Genòmica, Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Exploring digenic inheritance in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2017; 18:145. [PMID: 29221435 PMCID: PMC5723071 DOI: 10.1186/s12881-017-0503-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited genetic disorder, characterized by the substitution of heart muscle with fibro-fatty tissue and severe ventricular arrhythmias, often leading to heart failure and sudden cardiac death. ACM is considered a monogenic disorder, but the low penetrance of mutations identified in patients suggests the involvement of additional genetic or environmental factors. Methods We used whole exome sequencing to investigate digenic inheritance in two ACM families where previous diagnostic tests have revealed a PKP2 mutation in all affected and some healthy individuals. In family members with PKP2 mutations we determined all genes that harbor variants in affected but not in healthy carriers or vice versa. We computationally prioritized the most likely candidates, focusing on known ACM genes and genes related to PKP2 through protein interactions, functional relationships, or shared biological processes. Results We identified four candidate genes in family 1, namely DAG1, DAB2IP, CTBP2 and TCF25, and eleven candidate genes in family 2. The most promising gene in the second family is TTN, a gene previously associated with ACM, in which the affected individual harbors two rare deleterious-predicted missense variants, one of which is located in the protein’s only serine kinase domain. Conclusions In this study we report genes that might act as digenic players in ACM pathogenesis, on the basis of co-segregation with PKP2 mutations. Validation in larger cohorts is still required to prove the utility of this model. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12881-017-0503-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Kormann MSD, Dewerth A, Eichner F, Baskaran P, Hector A, Regamey N, Hartl D, Handgretinger R, Antony JS. Transcriptomic profile of cystic fibrosis patients identifies type I interferon response and ribosomal stalk proteins as potential modifiers of disease severity. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183526. [PMID: 28846703 PMCID: PMC5573219 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common monogenic disease among people of Western European descent and caused by mutations in the CFTR gene. However, the disease severity is immensely variable even among patients with similar CFTR mutations due to the possible effect of 'modifier genes'. To identify genetic modifiers, we applied RNA-seq based transcriptomic analyses in CF patients with a mild and severe lung phenotype. Global gene expression and enrichment analyses revealed that genes of the type I interferon response and ribosomal stalk proteins are potential modifiers of CF related lung dysfunction. The results provide a new set of CF modifier genes with possible implications as new therapeutic targets for the treatment of CF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. D. Kormann
- Department of Pediatrics I, Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Dewerth
- Department of Pediatrics I, Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Felizitas Eichner
- Department of Pediatrics I, Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Praveen Baskaran
- Center for Quantitative Biology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Hector
- University Children's Clinic Department of Paediatrics I, Paediatric Infectiology & Immunology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Regamey
- Division of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine and Department of Clinical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Children’s Hopsital of Lucerne, Paediatric Pulmonology, Lucerne, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Hartl
- University Children's Clinic Department of Paediatrics I, Paediatric Infectiology & Immunology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Rupert Handgretinger
- University Children's Clinic Department of Paediatrics I, Hematology and Oncology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Justin S. Antony
- Department of Pediatrics I, Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Over the past decade, ankyrin-B has been identified as a prominent player in cardiac physiology. Ankyrin-B has a multitude of functions, with roles in expression, localization, and regulation of proteins critical for cardiac excitability, cytoskeletal integrity, and signaling. Furthermore, human ANK2 variants that result in ankyrin-B loss of function are associated with "ankyrin-B syndrome," a complex cardiac phenotype that may include bradycardia and heart rate variability, conduction block, atrial fibrillation, QT interval prolongation, and potentially fatal catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ankyrin-B function at baseline and in disease is still not fully developed owing to the complexity of ankyrin-B gene regulation, number of ankyrin-B-associated molecules, multiple roles of ankyrin-B in the heart and other organs that modulate cardiac function, and a host of unexpected clinical phenotypes. In this review, we summarize known roles of ankyrin-B in the heart and the impact of ankyrin-B dysfunction in animal models and in human disease as well as highlight important new findings illustrating the complexity of ankyrin-B signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara N Koenig
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio.
| | - Peter J Mohler
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
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Rare variants of small effect size in neuronal excitability genes influence clinical outcome in Japanese cases of SCN1A truncation-positive Dravet syndrome. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180485. [PMID: 28686619 PMCID: PMC5501540 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dravet syndrome (DS) is a rare, devastating form of childhood epilepsy that is often associated with mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene, SCN1A. There is considerable variability in expressivity within families, as well as among individuals carrying the same primary mutation, suggesting that clinical outcome is modulated by variants at other genes. To identify modifier gene variants that contribute to clinical outcome, we sequenced the exomes of 22 individuals at both ends of a phenotype distribution (i.e., mild and severe cognitive condition). We controlled for variation associated with different mutation types by limiting inclusion to individuals with a de novo truncation mutation resulting in SCN1A haploinsufficiency. We performed tests aimed at identifying 1) single common variants that are enriched in either phenotypic group, 2) sets of common or rare variants aggregated in and around genes associated with clinical outcome, and 3) rare variants in 237 candidate genes associated with neuronal excitability. While our power to identify enrichment of a common variant in either phenotypic group is limited as a result of the rarity of mild phenotypes in individuals with SCN1A truncation variants, our top candidates did not map to functional regions of genes, or in genes that are known to be associated with neurological pathways. In contrast, we found a statistically-significant excess of rare variants predicted to be damaging and of small effect size in genes associated with neuronal excitability in severely affected individuals. A KCNQ2 variant previously associated with benign neonatal seizures is present in 3 of 12 individuals in the severe category. To compare our results with the healthy population, we performed a similar analysis on whole exome sequencing data from 70 Japanese individuals in the 1000 genomes project. Interestingly, the frequency of rare damaging variants in the same set of neuronal excitability genes in healthy individuals is nearly as high as in severely affected individuals. Rather than a single common gene/variant modifying clinical outcome in SCN1A-related epilepsies, our results point to the cumulative effect of rare variants with little to no measurable phenotypic effect (i.e., typical genetic background) unless present in combination with a disease-causing truncation mutation in SCN1A.
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Lee W, Schuerch K, Xie Y, Zernant J, Tsang SH, Sparrow JR, Allikmets R. Simultaneous Expression of ABCA4 and GPR143 Mutations: A Complex Phenotypic Manifestation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 57:3409-15. [PMID: 27367509 PMCID: PMC4961055 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.16-19621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To describe the complex, overlapping phenotype expressed in a two generation family harboring pathogenic mutations in the ABCA4 and GPR143 genes. Methods Clinical evaluation of a two generation family included quantitative autofluorescence imaging (qAF, 488-nm excitation) using a modified confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope equipped with an internal fluorescent reference to account for varying laser power detector sensitivity, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, and full-field ERG testing. Complete sequencing of the ABCA4 and GPR143 genes was carried out in each individual. Results Affected individuals presented with bull's eye lesions and qAF levels above the 95% confidence interval for healthy eyes; full-field ERG revealed no generalized rod dysfunction but mild implicit time delays in cone responses. Complete sequencing of the ABCA4 gene revealed two disease-causing mutations, p.L541P and p.G1961E; and mutational phase was confirmed in each unaffected parent. Further examination in the affected patients revealed a peripheral “mud-splattered” pattern of hypopigmented RPE after which sequencing of GPR143 revealed a novel missense variant, p.Y157C. The GPR143 variant segregated from the father who did not exhibit any indications of retinal disease with the exception of an abnormal near-infrared autofluorescence (NIR-AF) signal distribution in the macula. Conclusions An individual carrying both ABCA4 and GPR143 disease-causing mutations can express a complex, overlapping phenotype associated with both Stargardt disease and X-linked ocular albinism (OA1). The absence of OA1-related disease changes (with the exception of NIR-AF changes associated with melanin distribution) in the father may be indicative of mild expressivity or variable gene penetrance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winston Lee
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
| | - Kaspar Schuerch
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
| | - Yajing Xie
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
| | - Jana Zernant
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
| | - Stephen H Tsang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States 2Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
| | - Janet R Sparrow
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States 2Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
| | - Rando Allikmets
- Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States 2Department of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States
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van Leeuwen J, Pons C, Boone C, Andrews BJ. Mechanisms of suppression: The wiring of genetic resilience. Bioessays 2017; 39. [PMID: 28582599 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201700042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent analysis of genome sequences has identified individuals that are healthy despite carrying severe disease-associated mutations. A possible explanation is that these individuals carry a second genomic perturbation that can compensate for the detrimental effects of the disease allele, a phenomenon referred to as suppression. In model organisms, suppression interactions are generally divided into two classes: genomic suppressors which are secondary mutations in the genome that bypass a mutant phenotype, and dosage suppression interactions in which overexpression of a suppressor gene rescues a mutant phenotype. Here, we describe the general properties of genomic and dosage suppression, with an emphasis on the budding yeast. We propose that suppression interactions between genetic variants are likely relevant for determining the penetrance of human traits. Consequently, an understanding of suppression mechanisms may guide the discovery of protective variants in healthy individuals that carry disease alleles, which could direct the rational design of new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolanda van Leeuwen
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carles Pons
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), the Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Charles Boone
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brenda J Andrews
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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48
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Klein AD. Modeling diseases in multiple mouse strains for precision medicine studies. Physiol Genomics 2017; 49:177-179. [PMID: 28130429 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00123.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic basis of the phenotypic variability observed in patients can be studied in mice by generating disease models through genetic or chemical interventions in many genetic backgrounds where the clinical phenotypes can be assessed and used for genome-wide association studies (GWAS). This is particularly relevant for rare disorders, where patients sharing identical mutations can present with a wide variety of symptoms, but there are not enough number of patients to ensure statistical power of GWAS. Inbred strains are homozygous for each loci, and their single nucleotide polymorphisms catalogs are known and freely available, facilitating the bioinformatics and reducing the costs of the study, since it is not required to genotype every mouse. This kind of approach can be applied to pharmacogenomics studies as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés D Klein
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli (NA), Italy
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49
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Yener İH, Topaloglu H, Erdem-Özdamar S, Dayangac-Erden D. Transcript levels of plastin 3 and neuritin 1 modifier genes in spinal muscular atrophy siblings. Pediatr Int 2017; 59:53-56. [PMID: 27279027 DOI: 10.1111/ped.13052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In single gene disorders, patients with the same genotype may have variations in severity. One of the main factors affecting disease severity is modifier genes. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder caused by degeneration of alpha motor neurons. Plastin 3 (PLS3) is a phenotypic modifier of SMA, and neuritin 1 (NRN1) has also been suggested as a possible modifier gene. The aim of the present study was therefore to analyze PLS3 and NRN1 expression in SMA siblings in four families. METHODS The study group consisted of four SMA families with seven with discordant phenotype and two affected siblings. Total RNA was isolated from whole blood. PLS3 and NRN1 expression was analyzed on quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS In family 1 only NRN1 expression was increased in the mildly affected sister. In family 2 only PLS3 had a modifier effect. Family 3, which had type III siblings with identical clinical phenotypes, had similar PLS3 expression between the siblings but no NRN1 expression. In family 4, neither PLS3 nor NRN1 had any correlation with severity. CONCLUSION On analysis of the expression of NRN1 in SMA patients for the first time, NRN1 could be a potential modifier gene. PLS3 expression does not always modify SMA phenotype. In patients with no modifier effect of known genes, genome sequencing and transcriptome analysis are promising for the identification of novel modifiers and understanding of SMA pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- İnci Hande Yener
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Haluk Topaloglu
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sevim Erdem-Özdamar
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Didem Dayangac-Erden
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, Ankara, Turkey
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50
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Fang Q, George AS, Brinkmeier ML, Mortensen AH, Gergics P, Cheung LYM, Daly AZ, Ajmal A, Pérez Millán MI, Ozel AB, Kitzman JO, Mills RE, Li JZ, Camper SA. Genetics of Combined Pituitary Hormone Deficiency: Roadmap into the Genome Era. Endocr Rev 2016; 37:636-675. [PMID: 27828722 PMCID: PMC5155665 DOI: 10.1210/er.2016-1101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The genetic basis for combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) is complex, involving 30 genes in a variety of syndromic and nonsyndromic presentations. Molecular diagnosis of this disorder is valuable for predicting disease progression, avoiding unnecessary surgery, and family planning. We expect that the application of high throughput sequencing will uncover additional contributing genes and eventually become a valuable tool for molecular diagnosis. For example, in the last 3 years, six new genes have been implicated in CPHD using whole-exome sequencing. In this review, we present a historical perspective on gene discovery for CPHD and predict approaches that may facilitate future gene identification projects conducted by clinicians and basic scientists. Guidelines for systematic reporting of genetic variants and assigning causality are emerging. We apply these guidelines retrospectively to reports of the genetic basis of CPHD and summarize modes of inheritance and penetrance for each of the known genes. In recent years, there have been great improvements in databases of genetic information for diverse populations. Some issues remain that make molecular diagnosis challenging in some cases. These include the inherent genetic complexity of this disorder, technical challenges like uneven coverage, differing results from variant calling and interpretation pipelines, the number of tolerated genetic alterations, and imperfect methods for predicting pathogenicity. We discuss approaches for future research in the genetics of CPHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Fang
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Akima S George
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Michelle L Brinkmeier
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Amanda H Mortensen
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Peter Gergics
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Leonard Y M Cheung
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Alexandre Z Daly
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Adnan Ajmal
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - María Ines Pérez Millán
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - A Bilge Ozel
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Jacob O Kitzman
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Ryan E Mills
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Jun Z Li
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Sally A Camper
- Department of Human Genetics (Q.F., A.S.G., M.L.B., A.H.M., P.G., L.Y.M.C., A.Z.D., M.I.P.M., A.B.O., J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L., S.A.C.), Graduate Program in Bioinformatics (A.S.G.), Endocrine Division, Department of Internal Medicine (A.A.), and Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics (J.O.K., R.E.M., J.Z.L.), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
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