On the diagnostic utility of junction plakoglobin in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

Immune response pattern across the asymptomatic, symptomatic and convalescent periods of COVID-19

We present an integrated analysis of urine and serum proteomics and clinical measurements in asymptomatic, mild/moderate, severe and convalescent cases of COVID-19. We identify the pattern of immune response during COVID-19 infection. The immune response is activated in asymptomatic infection, but is dysregulated in mild and severe COVID-19 patients. Our data suggest that the turning point depends on the function of myeloid cells and neutrophils. In addition, immune defects persist into the recovery stage, until 12 months after diagnosis. Moreover, disorders of cholesterol metabolism span the entire progression of the disease, starting from asymptomatic infection and lasting to recovery. Our data suggest that prolonged dysregulation of the immune response and cholesterol metabolism might be the pivotal causative agent of other potential sequelae. Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of COVID-19 immunopathogenesis, which is instructive for the development of early intervention strategies to ameliorate complex disease sequelae.

Genetics and Genomics of Single-Gene Cardiovascular Diseases: Common Hereditary Cardiomyopathies as Prototypes of Single-Gene Disorders

This is the first of 2 review papers on genetics and genomics appearing as part of the series on "omics." Genomics pertains to all components of an organism's genes, whereas genetics involves analysis of a specific gene or genes in the context of heredity. The paper provides introductory comments, describes the basis of human genetic diversity, and addresses the phenotypic consequences of genetic variants. Rare variants with large effect sizes are responsible for single-gene disorders, whereas complex polygenic diseases are typically due to multiple genetic variants, each exerting a modest effect size. To illustrate the clinical implications of genetic variants with large effect sizes, 3 common forms of hereditary cardiomyopathies are discussed as prototypic examples of single-gene disorders, including their genetics, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, and treatment. The genetic basis of complex traits is discussed in a separate paper.

From Single Variants to Protein Cascades: MULTISCALE MODELING OF SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE VARIANT SETS IN GENETIC DISORDERS

Understanding the role of genetics in disease has become a central part of medical research. Non-synonymous single nucleotide variants (nsSNVs) in coding regions of human genes frequently lead to pathological phenotypes. Beyond single variations, the individual combination of nsSNVs may add to pathogenic processes. We developed a multiscale pipeline to systematically analyze the existence of quantitative effects of multiple nsSNVs and gene combinations in single individuals on pathogenicity. Based on this pipeline, we detected in a data set of 842 nsSNVs discovered in 76 genes related to cardiomyopathies, associated nsSNV combinations in seven genes present in at least 70% of all 639 patient samples, but not in a control cohort of healthy humans. Structural analyses of these revealed primarily an influence on the protein stability. For amino acid substitutions located at the protein surface, we generally observed a proximity to putative binding pockets. To computationally analyze cumulative effects and their impact, pathogenicity methods are currently being developed. Our approach supports this process, as shown on the example of a cardiac phenotype but can be likewise applied to other diseases such as cancer.

iTRAQ-based proteomic profiling reveals different protein expression between normal skin and hypertrophic scar tissue

BACKGROUND

A hypertrophic scar is a unique fibrotic disease that only exists in humans. Despite advances in burn care and rehabilitation, as well as progress in the management during these decades, the hypertrophic scar remains hard to cure following surgical methods and drugs for treatment. In this study, we are looking forward to finding the multitude of possible traumatic mechanisms and the underlying molecular signal ways in the formation of the hypertrophic scar.

METHODS

We used isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) labeling technology, followed by high-throughput 2D LC-MS/MS, to determine relative quantitative differential proteins between the hypertrophic scar and normal skin tissue.

RESULTS

A total of 3166 proteins were identified with a high confidence (≥95 % confidence). And, a total of 89 proteins were identified as the differential proteins between the hypertrophic scar and normal skin, among which 41 proteins were up-regulated and 48 proteins were down-regulated in the hypertrophic scar. GO-Analysis indicated the up-regulated proteins were involved in extracellular matrix, whereas the down-regulated proteins were involved in dynamic junction and structural molecule activity.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, we demonstrate 89 proteins present differently in the hypertrophic scar compared to normal skin by iTRAQ technology, which might indicate the pathologic process of hypertrophic scar formation and guide us to propose new strategies against the hypertrophic scar.