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Aminbeidokhti M, Qu JH, Belur S, Cakmak H, Jaswa E, Lathi RB, Sirota M, Snyder MP, Yatsenko SA, Rajkovic A. Miscarriage risk assessment: a bioinformatic approach to identifying candidate lethal genes and variants. Hum Genet 2024; 143:185-195. [PMID: 38302665 PMCID: PMC10881709 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02637-y] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Miscarriage, often resulting from a variety of genetic factors, is a common pregnancy outcome. Preconception genetic carrier screening (PGCS) identifies at-risk partners for newborn genetic disorders; however, PGCS panels currently lack miscarriage-related genes. In this study, we evaluated the potential impact of both known and candidate genes on prenatal lethality and the effectiveness of PGCS in diverse populations. METHODS We analyzed 125,748 human exome sequences and mouse and human gene function databases. Our goals were to identify genes crucial for human fetal survival (lethal genes), to find variants not present in a homozygous state in healthy humans, and to estimate carrier rates of known and candidate lethal genes in various populations and ethnic groups. RESULTS This study identified 138 genes in which heterozygous lethal variants are present in the general population with a frequency of 0.5% or greater. Screening for these 138 genes could identify 4.6% (in the Finnish population) to 39.8% (in the East Asian population) of couples at risk of miscarriage. This explains the cause of pregnancy loss in approximately 1.1-10% of cases affected by biallelic lethal variants. CONCLUSION This study has identified a set of genes and variants potentially associated with lethality across different ethnic backgrounds. The variation of these genes across ethnic groups underscores the need for a comprehensive, pan-ethnic PGCS panel that includes genes related to miscarriage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Aminbeidokhti
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Jia-Hua Qu
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Shweta Belur
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Hakan Cakmak
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Eleni Jaswa
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Ruth B Lathi
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Marina Sirota
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Svetlana A Yatsenko
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Magee-Women Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Aleksandar Rajkovic
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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Ozturk S. Genetic variants underlying developmental arrests in human preimplantation embryos. Mol Hum Reprod 2023; 29:gaad024. [PMID: 37335858 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaad024] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental arrest in preimplantation embryos is one of the major causes of assisted reproduction failure. It is briefly defined as a delay or a failure of embryonic development in producing viable embryos during ART cycles. Permanent or partial developmental arrest can be observed in the human embryos from one-cell to blastocyst stages. These arrests mainly arise from different molecular biological defects, including epigenetic disturbances, ART processes, and genetic variants. Embryonic arrests were found to be associated with a number of variants in the genes playing key roles in embryonic genome activation, mitotic divisions, subcortical maternal complex formation, maternal mRNA clearance, repairing DNA damage, transcriptional, and translational controls. In this review, the biological impacts of these variants are comprehensively evaluated in the light of existing studies. The creation of diagnostic gene panels and potential ways of preventing developmental arrests to obtain competent embryos are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saffet Ozturk
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
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Aminbeidokhti M, Qu JH, Belur S, Cakmak H, Jaswa E, Lathi RB, Sirota M, Snyder MP, Yatsenko SA, Rajkovic A. Preconception Genetic Carrier Screening for Miscarriage Risk Assessment: A Bioinformatic Approach to Identifying Candidate Lethal Genes and Variants. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.25.23290518. [PMID: 37398382 PMCID: PMC10312874 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.23290518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Miscarriage, due to genetically heterogeneous etiology, is a common outcome of pregnancy. Preconception genetic carrier screening (PGCS) identifies at-risk partners for newborn genetic disorders; however, PGCS panels currently lack miscarriage-related genes. Here we assessed the theoretical impact of known and candidate genes on prenatal lethality and the PGCS among diverse populations. Methods Human exome sequencing and mouse gene function databases were analyzed to define genes essential for human fetal survival (lethal genes), identify variants that are absent in a homozygous state in healthy human population, and to estimate carrier rates for known and candidate lethal genes. Results Among 138 genes, potential lethal variants are present in the general population with a frequency of 0.5% or greater. Preconception screening for these 138 genes would identify from 4.6% (Finnish population) to 39.8% (East Asian population) of couples that are at-risk for miscarriage, explaining a cause for pregnancy loss for ∼1.1-10% of conceptions affected by biallelic lethal variants. Conclusion This study identified a set of genes and variants potentially associated with lethality across different ethnic backgrounds. The diversity of these genes amongst the various ethnic groups highlights the importance of designing a pan-ethnic PGCS panel comprising miscarriage-related genes.
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Comizzoli P. Adding new ingredients to the recipe for successful embryo transfers. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:1019-1020. [PMID: 33723750 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02148-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of a pregnancy and the birth of a heathy baby following embryo transfer are conditioned by many factors, including embryo quality and the uterine environment. While we keep looking for more indicators of embryo quality, it also is critical to understand what constitutes a favorable uterine environment leading to a successful pregnancy and birth. This issue of JARG offers new insights on both components-so called by some "the seed and the soil"-and also highlights the critical interactions between the two. Collectively, these publications are contributing to a better understanding of basic embryology and reproductive biology. They could lead to multiple applications to mitigate infertility issues; however, our knowledge base remains rudimentary when it comes to sorting out the 'soil or seed' dilemma. The call from all authors for more research in their respective areas resonates within the ART community. Recognizing the practical and ethical limitations of studies in human patients also reemphasizes the need for solid research in multiple animal models to better understand what constitutes the best recipe for successful embryo transfer outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Comizzoli
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, USA.
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