1
|
van Bever Y, Boers RG, Brüggenwirth HT, van IJcken WF, Magielsen FJ, de Klein A, Boers JB, Looijenga LH, Brosens E, Gribnau J, Hannema SE. Genome-wide methylation analysis in patients with proximal hypospadias - a pilot study and review of the literature. Epigenetics 2024; 19:2392048. [PMID: 39151125 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2024.2392048] [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: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In patients with proximal hypospadias, often no genetic cause is identified despite extensive genetic testing. Many genes involved in sex development encode transcription factors with strict timing and dosing of the gene products. We hypothesised that there might be recurrent differences in DNA methylation in boys with hypospadias and that these might differ between patients born small versus appropriate for gestational age. Genome-wide Methylated DNA sequencing (MeD-seq) was performed on 32bp LpnPI restriction enzyme fragments after RE-digestion in leucocytes from 16 XY boys with unexplained proximal hypospadias, one with an unexplained XX testicular disorder/difference of sex development (DSD) and twelve, healthy, sex- and age-matched controls. Five of seven differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between patients and XY controls were in the Long Intergenic Non-Protein Coding RNA 665 (LINC00665; CpG24525). Three patients showed hypermethylation of MAP3K1. Finally, no DMRs in XX testicular DSD associated genes were identified in the XX boy versus XX controls. In conclusion, we observed no recognizable epigenetic signature in 16 boys with XY proximal hypospadias and no difference between children born small versus appropriate for gestational age. Comparison to previous methylation studies in individuals with hypospadias did not show consistent findings, possibly due to the use of different inclusion criteria, tissues and methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yolande van Bever
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Center of Expertise for DSD, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben G Boers
- Department of Developmental Biology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hennie T Brüggenwirth
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus MC Center of Expertise for DSD, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wilfred Fj van IJcken
- Center for Biomics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Cell biology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Frank J Magielsen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annelies de Klein
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joachim B Boers
- Department of Developmental Biology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Leendert Hj Looijenga
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, and Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Erwin Brosens
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Gribnau
- Department of Developmental Biology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine E Hannema
- Erasmus MC Center of Expertise for DSD, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Madhavan SM, Konieczkowski M, Bruggeman LA, DeWalt M, Nguyen JK, O'Toole JF, Sedor JR. Essential role of Wtip in mouse development and maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2022; 323:F272-F287. [PMID: 35862649 PMCID: PMC9394782 DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00051.2022] [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: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Wilms' tumor interacting protein (Wtip) has been implicated in cell junction assembly and cell differentiation and interacts with proteins in the podocyte slit diaphragm, where it regulates podocyte phenotype. To define Wtip expression and function in the kidney, we created a Wtip-deleted mouse model using β-galactosidase-neomycin (β-geo) gene trap technology. Wtip gene trap mice were embryonic lethal, suggesting additional developmental roles outside kidney function. Using β-geo heterozygous and normal mice, Wtip expression was identified in the developing kidneys, heart, and eyes. In the kidney, expression was restricted to podocytes, which appeared initially at the capillary loop stage coinciding with terminal podocyte differentiation. Heterozygous mice had an expected lifespan and showed no evidence of proteinuria or glomerular pathology. However, heterozygous mice were more susceptible to glomerular injury than wild-type littermates and developed more significant and prolonged proteinuria in response to lipopolysaccharide or adriamycin. In normal human kidneys, WTIP expression patterns were consistent with observations in mice and were lost in glomeruli concurrent with loss of synaptopodin expression in disease. Mechanistically, we identified the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 12 (ARHGEF12) as a binding partner for WTIP. ARHGEF12 was expressed in human podocytes and formed high-affinity interactions through their LIM- and PDZ-binding domains. Our findings suggest that Wtip is essential for early murine embryonic development and maintaining normal glomerular filtration barrier function, potentially regulating slit diaphragm and foot process function through Rho effector proteins.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study characterized dynamic expression patterns of Wilms' tumor interacting protein (Wtip) and demonstrates the novel role of Wtip in murine development and maintenance of the glomerular filtration barrier.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sethu M Madhavan
- Department of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | | | - Leslie A Bruggeman
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Nephrology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Megan DeWalt
- Department of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jane K Nguyen
- Department of Pathology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - John F O'Toole
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Nephrology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - John R Sedor
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Nephrology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| |
Collapse
|