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Gutierrez‐Quintana R, Christen M, Faller KME, Guevar J, Jagannathan V, Leeb T. SCN9A variant in a family of mixed breed dogs with congenital insensitivity to pain. J Vet Intern Med 2023; 37:230-235. [PMID: 36630088 PMCID: PMC9889608 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP) and hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSANs) are a rare group of genetic disorders causing inability to feel pain. Three different associated variants have been identified in dogs: 1 in Border Collies, 1 in mixed breed dogs, and 1 in Spaniels and Pointers. OBJECTIVES To clinically and genetically characterize CIP in a family of mixed breed dogs. ANIMALS Two mixed breed dogs from the same litter were independently presented: 1 for evaluation of painless fractures, and the other for chronic thermal skin injuries. METHODS Physical, neurological, and histopathological evaluations were performed. Whole genome sequencing of 1 affected dog was used to identify homozygous protein-changing variants that were not present in 926 control genomes from diverse dog breeds. RESULTS Physical and neurological examinations showed the absence of superficial and deep pain perception in the entire body. Histopathological evaluations of the brain, spinal cord and sensory ganglia were normal. Whole genome sequencing identified a homozygous missense variant in SCN9A, XM_038584713.1:c.2761C>T or XP_038440641.1:(p.Arg921Cys). Both affected dogs were homozygous for the mutant allele, which was not detected in 926 dogs of different breeds. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE We confirmed the diagnosis of CIP in a family of mixed breed dogs and identified a likely pathogenic variant in the SCN9A gene. The clinical signs observed in these dogs mimic those reported in humans with pathogenic SCN9A variants causing CIP. This report is the first of a spontaneous pathogenic SCN9A variant in domestic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Gutierrez‐Quintana
- Small Animal Hospital, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Matthias Christen
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Kiterie M. E. Faller
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary StudiesThe University of EdinburghMidlothianUK
| | - Julien Guevar
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse FacultyUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
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Gutierrez-Quintana R, Mellersh C, Wessmann A, Ortega M, Penderis J, Sharpe S, Freeman E, Stevenson L, Burmeister L. Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy in a family of mixed breed dogs associated with a novel RETREG1 variant. J Vet Intern Med 2021; 35:2306-2314. [PMID: 34387380 PMCID: PMC8478055 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSANs) are a group of genetic disorders affecting the peripheral nervous system. Two different associated variants have been identified in dogs: 1 in Border Collies and 1 in Spaniels and Pointers. Objectives Clinically and genetically characterize HSAN in a family of mixed breed dogs. Animals Five 7‐month‐old mixed breed dogs from 2 related litters were presented for evaluation of a 2‐month history of acral mutilation and progressive pelvic limb gait abnormalities. Methods Complete physical, neurological, electrodiagnostic, and histopathological evaluations were performed. Whole genome sequencing of 2 affected dogs (1 from each litter) was used to identify variants that were homozygous or heterozygous in both cases, but wild type in 217 control genomes of 100 breeds. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess protein expression. Results Complete physical, neurological, electrodiagnostic, and histopathological evaluations confirmed a disorder affecting sensory and autonomic nerves. Whole genome sequencing identified a missense variant in the RETREG1 (reticulophagy regulator 1) gene (c.656C > T, p.P219L). All affected dogs were homozygous for the variant, which was not detected in 1193 dogs from different breeds. Immunohistochemistry showed no expression of RETREG1 in the cerebellum of affected dogs. One of the affected dogs lived for 5 years and showed gradual progression of the clinical signs. Conclusions and Clinical Importance We confirmed the diagnosis of HSAN in a family of mixed breed dogs and identified a novel and possibly pathogenic RETREG1 variant. Affected dogs experienced gradual deterioration over several years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Samuel Sharpe
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Lynn Stevenson
- Pathology Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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Amengual-Batle P, Rusbridge C, José-López R, Golini L, Shelton GD, Mellersh CS, Gutierrez-Quintana R. Two mixed breed dogs with sensory neuropathy are homozygous for an inversion disrupting FAM134B previously identified in Border Collies. J Vet Intern Med 2018; 32:2082-2087. [PMID: 30307654 PMCID: PMC6272042 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 05/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Two unrelated 8‐month‐old male mixed breed dogs were presented for evaluation of progressive ataxia, knuckling, and lack of pain perception in the distal limbs. Because of the similarity in age of onset, progression, and clinical findings with previously described sensory neuropathy in Border Collies, the affected dogs were screened for an FAM134B mutation and were determined to be homozygous for the mutation. Despite few phenotypic similarities with other breeds, genetic testing for specific diseases should be considered in mixed breed dogs with compatible clinical signs, especially if ancestry is unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Amengual-Batle
- Small Animal Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Clare Rusbridge
- Fitzpatrick Referrals, Eashing, Surrey, United Kingdom.,Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, School of Veterinary Medicine, Vet School Main Building, Daphne Jackson Road, Guildford, GU2 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto José-López
- Small Animal Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Lorenzo Golini
- Northwest Veterinary Specialists, Cheshire, United Kingdom
| | - G Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California
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Plassais J, Lagoutte L, Correard S, Paradis M, Guaguère E, Hédan B, Pommier A, Botherel N, Cadiergues MC, Pilorge P, Silversides D, Bizot M, Samuels M, Arnan C, Johnson R, Hitte C, Salbert G, Méreau A, Quignon P, Derrien T, André C. A Point Mutation in a lincRNA Upstream of GDNF Is Associated to a Canine Insensitivity to Pain: A Spontaneous Model for Human Sensory Neuropathies. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006482. [PMID: 28033318 PMCID: PMC5198995 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathies (HSANs) are characterized by insensitivity to pain, sometimes combined with self-mutilation. Strikingly, several sporting dog breeds are particularly affected by such neuropathies. Clinical signs appear in young puppies and consist of acral analgesia, with or without sudden intense licking, biting and severe self-mutilation of the feet, whereas proprioception, motor abilities and spinal reflexes remain intact. Through a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) with 24 affected and 30 unaffected sporting dogs using the Canine HD 170K SNP array (Illumina), we identified a 1.8 Mb homozygous locus on canine chromosome 4 (adj. p-val = 2.5x10-6). Targeted high-throughput sequencing of this locus in 4 affected and 4 unaffected dogs identified 478 variants. Only one variant perfectly segregated with the expected recessive inheritance in 300 sporting dogs of known clinical status, while it was never present in 900 unaffected dogs from 130 other breeds. This variant, located 90 kb upstream of the GDNF gene, a highly relevant neurotrophic factor candidate gene, lies in a long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNA), GDNF-AS. Using human comparative genomic analysis, we observed that the canine variant maps onto an enhancer element. Quantitative RT-PCR of dorsal root ganglia RNAs of affected dogs showed a significant decrease of both GDNF mRNA and GDNF-AS expression levels (respectively 60% and 80%), as compared to unaffected dogs. We thus performed gel shift assays (EMSA) that reveal that the canine variant significantly alters the binding of regulatory elements. Altogether, these results allowed the identification in dogs of GDNF as a relevant candidate for human HSAN and insensitivity to pain, but also shed light on the regulation of GDNF transcription. Finally, such results allow proposing these sporting dog breeds as natural models for clinical trials with a double benefit for human and veterinary medicine. In this study, we present a canine neuropathy characterized by insensitivity to pain in the feet, sometimes combined with self-mutilation described in four sporting breeds. This particular phenotype has the clinical hallmarks of human Hereditary Sensory Autonomic Neuropathies (HSAN). As we hypothesized that a monogenic recessive disorder was shared between these breeds, we performed a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) to search for the genetic causes and found one homozygous chromosomal region in affected dogs. High-throughput sequencing of this region allowed the identification of a point mutation upstream to the GDNF gene and located in the last exon of a long non-coding RNA, GDNF-AS. We confirmed the perfect association of this variant with the disease using more than 900 unaffected dogs that do not present with this mutation. Functional analyses (qRT-PCR, EMSA) confirmed that the mutation alters the binding of regulatory complex, leading to a significant decrease of both GDNF and GDNF-AS mRNA expression levels. This work in canine spontaneous forms of human neuropathies allowed the identification of a novel gene GDNF and its regulation mechanism, not yet described in human HSAN, opening the field of clinical trials to benefit both canine and human medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Plassais
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
- * E-mail: (CA); (JP)
| | - Laetitia Lagoutte
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Solenne Correard
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Manon Paradis
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Benoit Hédan
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Alix Pommier
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Nadine Botherel
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | | | | | - David Silversides
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Maud Bizot
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Mark Samuels
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, CHU Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Carme Arnan
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut Hospital del Mar d’Investigations Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rory Johnson
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut Hospital del Mar d’Investigations Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christophe Hitte
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Gilles Salbert
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Agnès Méreau
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Pascale Quignon
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Thomas Derrien
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
| | - Catherine André
- CNRS, UMR 6290, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes, Rennes, France
- Université Rennes 1, UEB, Biosit, Faculté de Médecine, Rennes, France
- * E-mail: (CA); (JP)
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