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Liu Y, Ju Y, Chen TH, Jiang YX. Genotype-phenotype Correlations of Ocular Posterior Segment Abnormalities in Marfan Syndrome. OPHTHALMOLOGY SCIENCE 2024; 4:100526. [PMID: 38840780 PMCID: PMC11152728 DOI: 10.1016/j.xops.2024.100526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the fibrillin-1 ( (FBN1). In addition to typical phenotypes such as ectopia lentis (EL) and aortic dilation, patients with MFS are prone to ocular posterior segment abnormalities, including retinal detachment (RD), maculopathy, and posterior staphyloma (PS). This study aims to investigate the correlations between FBN1 genotype and posterior segment abnormalities within a Chinese cohort of MFS. Design Retrospective study. Participants One hundred twenty-one eyes of 121 patients with confirmed FBN1 mutations between January 2015 and May 2023 were included. Methods Comprehensive ophthalmic examination findings were reviewed, and the incidence of RD, atrophic, tractional, and neovascular maculopathy (ATN classification system), and PS was analyzed between different genotype groups. Only the more severely affected eye from each patient was included. Main Outcome Measures Clinical features and risk factors. Results Of 121 patients, 60 eyes (49.59%) exhibited posterior segment abnormalities, including RD (4, 3.31%), maculopathy (47, 38.84%), and PS (54, 44.63%). The mean age was 11.53 ± 11.66 years, with 79.34% of patients <20 years old. The location and region of mutations were found to be associated with the incidence of maculopathy (P = 0.013, P = 0.033) and PS (P = 0.043, P = 0.036). Mutations in the middle region had a lower incidence of maculopathy and PS (P = 0.028 and P = 0.006, respectively) than those in C-terminal region. Mutations in the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) regulating sequence exhibited a higher incidence of maculopathy and PS (P = 0.020, P = 0.040). Importantly, the location and region of mutations were also associated with the incidence of atrophic maculopathy (P = 0.013 and P = 0.033, respectively). Mutations in the middle region had a significantly lower probability of atrophic maculopathy (P = 0.006), while mutations in the TGF-β regulating region had a higher incidence of atrophic maculopathy (P = 0.020). Conclusions Maculopathy and PS were associated with the location and region of FBN1 mutations. Patients with mutations in the TGF-β regulating region faced an increased risk of developing retinopathy. Financial Disclosures Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuqiao Ju
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Tian-hui Chen
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-xiang Jiang
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
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2
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Leinonen H, Zhang J, Occelli LM, Seemab U, Choi EH, L P Marinho LF, Querubin J, Kolesnikov AV, Galinska A, Kordecka K, Hoang T, Lewandowski D, Lee TT, Einstein EE, Einstein DE, Dong Z, Kiser PD, Blackshaw S, Kefalov VJ, Tabaka M, Foik A, Petersen-Jones SM, Palczewski K. A combination treatment based on drug repurposing demonstrates mutation-agnostic efficacy in pre-clinical retinopathy models. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5943. [PMID: 39009597 PMCID: PMC11251169 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50033-5] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinopathies are devastating diseases that in most cases lack treatment options. Disease-modifying therapies that mitigate pathophysiology regardless of the underlying genetic lesion are desirable due to the diversity of mutations found in such diseases. We tested a systems pharmacology-based strategy that suppresses intracellular cAMP and Ca2+ activity via G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) modulation using tamsulosin, metoprolol, and bromocriptine coadministration. The treatment improves cone photoreceptor function and slows degeneration in Pde6βrd10 and RhoP23H/WT retinitis pigmentosa mice. Cone degeneration is modestly mitigated after a 7-month-long drug infusion in PDE6A-/- dogs. The treatment also improves rod pathway function in an Rpe65-/- mouse model of Leber congenital amaurosis but does not protect from cone degeneration. RNA-sequencing analyses indicate improved metabolic function in drug-treated Rpe65-/- and rd10 mice. Our data show that catecholaminergic GPCR drug combinations that modify second messenger levels via multiple receptor actions provide a potential disease-modifying therapy against retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri Leinonen
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1C, 70211, Kuopio, Finland.
| | - Jianye Zhang
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Laurence M Occelli
- Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Umair Seemab
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1C, 70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Elliot H Choi
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | | | - Janice Querubin
- Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Alexander V Kolesnikov
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Anna Galinska
- International Centre for Translational Eye Research, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kordecka
- International Centre for Translational Eye Research, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Thanh Hoang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA
| | - Dominik Lewandowski
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Timothy T Lee
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Elliott E Einstein
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - David E Einstein
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Zhiqian Dong
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Philip D Kiser
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Research Service, VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Long Beach, California, 90822, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Vladimir J Kefalov
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Marcin Tabaka
- International Centre for Translational Eye Research, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Foik
- International Centre for Translational Eye Research, Warsaw, Poland
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Krzysztof Palczewski
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute-Center for Translational Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
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Basharat R, de Bruijn SE, Zahid M, Rodenburg K, Hitti-Malin RJ, Rodríguez-Hidalgo M, Boonen EGM, Jarral A, Mahmood A, Corominas J, Khalil S, Zai JA, Ali G, Ruiz-Ederra J, Gilissen C, Cremers FPM, Ansar M, Panneman DM, Roosing S. Next-generation sequencing to genetically diagnose a diverse range of inherited eye disorders in 15 consanguineous families from Pakistan. Exp Eye Res 2024; 244:109945. [PMID: 38815792 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.109945] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are characterized by photoreceptor dysfunction or degeneration. Clinical and phenotypic overlap between IRDs makes the genetic diagnosis very challenging and comprehensive genomic approaches for accurate diagnosis are frequently required. While there are previous studies on IRDs in Pakistan, causative genes and variants are still unknown for a significant portion of patients. Therefore, there is a need to expand the knowledge of the genetic spectrum of IRDs in Pakistan. Here, we recruited 52 affected and 53 normal individuals from 15 consanguineous Pakistani families presenting non-syndromic and syndromic forms of IRDs. We employed single molecule Molecular Inversion Probes (smMIPs) based panel sequencing and whole genome sequencing to identify the probable disease-causing variants in these families. Using this approach, we obtained a 93% genetic solve rate and identified 16 (likely) causative variants in 14 families, of which seven novel variants were identified in ATOH7, COL18A1, MERTK, NDP, PROM1, PRPF8 and USH2A while nine recurrent variants were identified in CNGA3, CNGB1, HGSNAT, NMNAT1, SIX6 and TULP1. The novel MERTK variant and one recurrent TULP1 variant explained the intra-familial locus heterogeneity in one of the screened families while two recurrent CNGA3 variants explained compound heterozygosity in another family. The identification of variants in known disease-associated genes emphasizes the utilization of time and cost-effective screening approaches for rapid diagnosis. The timely genetic diagnosis will not only identify any associated systemic issues in case of syndromic IRDs, but will also aid in the acceleration of personalized medicine for patients affected with IRDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Basharat
- Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan; Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Suzanne E de Bruijn
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Muhammad Zahid
- Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Kim Rodenburg
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rebekkah J Hitti-Malin
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - María Rodríguez-Hidalgo
- Department of Neuroscience, Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain; Department of Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and Otorhinolaryngology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Erica G M Boonen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Afeefa Jarral
- Department of Biotechnology, Mirpur University of Science and Technology, Mirpur, (AJK), Pakistan
| | - Arif Mahmood
- Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Jordi Corominas
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Sharqa Khalil
- Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Jawaid Ahmed Zai
- Department of Physiology and MLT, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan
| | - Ghazanfar Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
| | - Javier Ruiz-Ederra
- Department of Neuroscience, Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain; Department of Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and Otorhinolaryngology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Christian Gilissen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Frans P M Cremers
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Muhammad Ansar
- Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Daan M Panneman
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Susanne Roosing
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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Liu C, Li X, Imdad L, Xu S, Li J, Ren X. Mapping the current trends of autophagy in retinal diseases: A bibliometric analysis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32050. [PMID: 38882284 PMCID: PMC11176856 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Several scholarly publications have thoroughly examined the significant role of autophagy in the pathogenesis, progression, and treatment of retinal diseases. This research utilized bibliometric analysis to identify the primary areas of focus and emerging trends within the discipline and offer a comprehensive summary. Methods The research articles and reviews regarding autophagy and retinal diseases from 2009-01-01 to 2022-12-31 were from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). The software VOSviewer and CiteSpace were applied to analyze and visualize maps of countries, organizations, authors, journals, keyword networks, and citations in the field of autophagy in retinal diseases. Results 854 qualified records (721 articles and 133 reviews) were retrieved in this research. The annual publication output of literature shows a growing trend. China is the most productive country, and the author with the most publications is Kai Kaarniranta. Journal Autophagy published the most articles in this field. Keywords analysis can effectively reflect the research hot spots and indicate that diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma have drawn more attention recently. Researchers have shifted the research emphasis on "AMPK", "angiogenesis", "mutation", and "inflammation". Conclusions With the bibliometric analysis approach, we presented the number of publications, countries, regions, authors, institutions, keywords, and citations, which further helps researchers understand the hot spots and trends in the field of autophagy in retinal diseases and explore the issues in the rapidly developing area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengzhi Liu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Xiaonan Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Laraib Imdad
- Department of Histology and Embryology, College of Basic Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Shengnan Xu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, College of Basic Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Jun Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116011, China
| | - Xiang Ren
- Department of Histology and Embryology, College of Basic Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
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5
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Chan J, Holdstock J, Shovelton J, Reid J, Speight G, Molha D, Pullabhatla V, Carpenter S, Uddin E, Washio T, Sato H, Izumi Y, Watanabe R, Niiro H, Fukushima Y, Ashida N, Hirose T, Maeda A. Clinical and analytical validation of an 82-gene comprehensive genome-profiling panel for identifying and interpreting variants responsible for inherited retinal dystrophies. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305422. [PMID: 38870140 PMCID: PMC11175448 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305422] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal dystrophies comprise a clinically complex and heterogenous group of diseases characterized by visual impairment due to pathogenic variants of over 300 different genes. Accurately identifying the causative gene and associated variant is crucial for the definitive diagnosis and subsequent selection of precise treatments. Consequently, well-validated genetic tests are required in the clinical practice. Here, we report the analytical and clinical validation of a next-generation sequencing targeted gene panel, the PrismGuide IRD Panel System. This system enables comprehensive genome profiling of 82 genes related to inherited retinal dystrophies. The PrismGuide IRD Panel System demonstrated 100% (n = 43) concordance with Sanger sequencing in detecting single-nucleotide variants, small insertions, and small deletions in the target genes and also in assessing their zygosity. It also identified copy-number loss in four out of five cases. When assessing precision, we evaluated the reproducibility of variant detection with 2,160 variants in 144 replicates and found 100% agreement in terms of single-nucleotide variants (n = 1,584) and small insertions and deletions (n = 576). Furthermore, the PrismGuide IRD Panel System generated sufficient read depth for variant calls across the purine-rich and highly repetitive open-reading frame 15 region of RPGR and detected all five variants tested. These results show that the PrismGuide IRD Panel System can accurately and consistently detect single-nucleotide variants and small insertions and deletions. Thus, the PrismGuide IRD Panel System could serve as useful tool that is applicable in clinical practice for identifying the causative genes based on the detection and interpretation of variants in patients with inherited retinal dystrophies and can contribute to a precise molecular diagnosis and targeted treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Chan
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Jolyon Holdstock
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - John Shovelton
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - James Reid
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Graham Speight
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Duarte Molha
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Venu Pullabhatla
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie Carpenter
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Ezam Uddin
- Oxford Gene Technology Operations Limited, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Takanori Washio
- Life Innovation Center, Riken Genesis Co. LTD, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
- Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Hiroko Sato
- Life Innovation Center, Riken Genesis Co. LTD, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yuuki Izumi
- Technology Innovation, Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Reiko Watanabe
- Medical & Scientific Affairs, Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Hayato Niiro
- Medical & Scientific Affairs, Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | | | - Naoko Ashida
- Medical & Scientific Affairs, Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Takashi Hirose
- Medical & Scientific Affairs, Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Akiko Maeda
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kobe City Eye Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
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Maggi J, Koller S, Feil S, Bachmann-Gagescu R, Gerth-Kahlert C, Berger W. Limited Added Diagnostic Value of Whole Genome Sequencing in Genetic Testing of Inherited Retinal Diseases in a Swiss Patient Cohort. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6540. [PMID: 38928247 PMCID: PMC11203445 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126540] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the added diagnostic value of whole genome sequencing (WGS) for patients with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) who remained undiagnosed after whole exome sequencing (WES). WGS was performed for index patients in 66 families. The datasets were analyzed according to GATK's guidelines. Additionally, DeepVariant was complemented by GATK's workflow, and a novel structural variant pipeline was developed. Overall, a molecular diagnosis was established in 19/66 (28.8%) index patients. Pathogenic deletions and one deep-intronic variant contributed to the diagnostic yield in 4/19 and 1/19 index patients, respectively. The remaining diagnoses (14/19) were attributed to exonic variants that were missed during WES analysis due to bioinformatic limitations, newly described loci, or unclear pathogenicity. The added diagnostic value of WGS equals 5/66 (9.6%) for our cohort, which is comparable to previous studies. This figure would decrease further to 1/66 (1.5%) with a standardized and reliable copy number variant workflow during WES analysis. Given the higher costs and limited added value, the implementation of WGS as a first-tier assay for inherited eye disorders in a diagnostic laboratory remains untimely. Instead, progress in bioinformatic tools and communication between diagnostic and clinical teams have the potential to ameliorate diagnostic yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Maggi
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (J.M.); (S.K.); (S.F.)
| | - Samuel Koller
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (J.M.); (S.K.); (S.F.)
| | - Silke Feil
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (J.M.); (S.K.); (S.F.)
| | | | - Christina Gerth-Kahlert
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Wolfgang Berger
- Institute of Medical Molecular Genetics, University of Zurich, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (J.M.); (S.K.); (S.F.)
- Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University and ETH Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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7
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Wang K, Xu H, Zou R, Zeng G, Yuan Y, Zhu X, Zhao X, Li J, Zhang L. PCYT1A deficiency disturbs fatty acid metabolism and induces ferroptosis in the mouse retina. BMC Biol 2024; 22:134. [PMID: 38858683 PMCID: PMC11165903 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01932-y] [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: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are a group of debilitating visual disorders characterized by the progressive degeneration of photoreceptors, which ultimately lead to blindness. Among the causes of this condition, mutations in the PCYT1A gene, which encodes the rate-limiting enzyme responsible for phosphatidylcholine (PC) de novo synthesis via the Kennedy pathway, have been identified. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the association between PCYT1A mutations and IRDs remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we focused on elucidating the functions of PCYT1A in the retina. RESULTS We found that PCYT1A is highly expressed in Müller glial (MG) cells in the inner nuclear layer (INL) of the retina. Subsequently, we generated a retina-specific knockout mouse model in which the Pcyt1a gene was targeted (Pcyt1a-RKO or RKO mice) to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying IRDs caused by PCYT1A mutations. Our findings revealed that the deletion of Pcyt1a resulted in retinal degenerative phenotypes, including reduced scotopic electroretinogram (ERG) responses and progressive degeneration of photoreceptor cells, accompanied by loss of cells in the INL. Furthermore, through proteomic and bioinformatic analyses, we identified dysregulated retinal fatty acid metabolism and activation of the ferroptosis signalling pathway in RKO mice. Importantly, we found that PCYT1A deficiency did not lead to an overall reduction in PC synthesis within the retina. Instead, this deficiency appeared to disrupt free fatty acid metabolism and ultimately trigger ferroptosis. CONCLUSIONS This study reveals a novel mechanism by which mutations in PCYT1A contribute to the development of IRDs, shedding light on the interplay between fatty acid metabolism and retinal degenerative diseases, and provides new insights into the treatment of IRDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifang Wang
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Huijuan Xu
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Tibetan Medicine Research, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Rong Zou
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Guangqun Zeng
- The People's Hospital of Pengzhou, Chengdu, 611930, Sichuan, China
| | - Ye Yuan
- Medical Center Hospital of Qionglai City, Chengdu, 611530, Sichuan, China
| | - Xianjun Zhu
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Tibetan Medicine Research, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, Qinghai, China
- Research Unit for Blindness Prevention of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU026), Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhao
- The People's Hospital of Pengzhou, Chengdu, 611930, Sichuan, China.
| | - Jie Li
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China.
| | - Lin Zhang
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China.
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Tibetan Medicine Research, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, 810008, Qinghai, China.
- Research Unit for Blindness Prevention of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU026), Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China.
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8
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Zeitz C, Navarro J, Azizzadeh Pormehr L, Méjécase C, Neves LM, Letellier C, Condroyer C, Albadri S, Amprou A, Antonio A, Ben-Yacoub T, Wohlschlegel J, Andrieu C, Serafini M, Bianco L, Antropoli A, Nassisi M, El Shamieh S, Chantot-Bastaraud S, Mohand-Saïd S, Smirnov V, Sahel JA, Del Bene F, Audo I. Variants in UBAP1L lead to autosomal recessive rod-cone and cone-rod dystrophy. Genet Med 2024; 26:101081. [PMID: 38293907 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2024.101081] [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: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Progressive inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) affecting rods and cones are clinically and genetically heterogeneous and can lead to blindness with limited therapeutic options. The major gene defects have been identified in subjects of European and Asian descent with only few reports of North African descent. METHODS Genome, targeted next-generation, and Sanger sequencing was applied to cohort of ∼4000 IRDs cases. Expression analyses were performed including Chip-seq database analyses, on human-derived retinal organoids (ROs), retinal pigment epithelium cells, and zebrafish. Variants' pathogenicity was accessed using 3D-modeling and/or ROs. RESULTS Here, we identified a novel gene defect with three distinct pathogenic variants in UBAP1L in 4 independent autosomal recessive IRD cases from Tunisia. UBAP1L is expressed in the retinal pigment epithelium and retina, specifically in rods and cones, in line with the phenotype. It encodes Ubiquitin-associated protein 1-like, containing a solenoid of overlapping ubiquitin-associated domain, predicted to interact with ubiquitin. In silico and in vitro studies, including 3D-modeling and ROs revealed that the solenoid of overlapping ubiquitin-associated domain is truncated and thus ubiquitin binding most likely abolished secondary to all variants identified herein. CONCLUSION Biallelic UBAP1L variants are a novel cause of IRDs, most likely enriched in the North African population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Zeitz
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France.
| | - Julien Navarro
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Leila Azizzadeh Pormehr
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Mass. Eye and Ear, Ocular Genomics Institute, Berman-Gund Laboratory for the Study of Retinal Degenerations, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Cécile Méjécase
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Luiza M Neves
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Instituto Nacional de Saúde da Mulher, da Criança e do Adolescente Fernandes Figueira, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Camille Letellier
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | | | - Shahad Albadri
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Andréa Amprou
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Aline Antonio
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Tasnim Ben-Yacoub
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Juliette Wohlschlegel
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Camille Andrieu
- Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares REFERET and INSERM-DGOS CIC 1423, Paris, France
| | - Malo Serafini
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Lorenzo Bianco
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessio Antropoli
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Nassisi
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Said El Shamieh
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Molecular Testing Laboratory, Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sandra Chantot-Bastaraud
- APHP, Hôpital Armand-Trousseau, Département de Génétique, UF de Génétique Chromosomique, Paris, France
| | - Saddek Mohand-Saïd
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares REFERET and INSERM-DGOS CIC 1423, Paris, France
| | - Vasily Smirnov
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Exploration de la Vision et Neuro-Ophtalmologie, CHU de Lille, Lille, France
| | - José-Alain Sahel
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares REFERET and INSERM-DGOS CIC 1423, Paris, France; Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Filippo Del Bene
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Audo
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France; Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, Centre de Référence Maladies Rares REFERET and INSERM-DGOS CIC 1423, Paris, France.
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9
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Zeuli R, Karali M, de Bruijn SE, Rodenburg K, Scarpato M, Capasso D, Astuti GDN, Gilissen C, Rodríguez-Hidalgo M, Ruiz-Ederra J, Testa F, Simonelli F, Cremers FPM, Banfi S, Roosing S. Whole genome sequencing identifies elusive variants in genetically unsolved Italian inherited retinal disease patients. HGG ADVANCES 2024; 5:100314. [PMID: 38816995 PMCID: PMC11225895 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2024.100314] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a group of rare monogenic diseases with high genetic heterogeneity (pathogenic variants identified in over 280 causative genes). The genetic diagnostic rate for IRDs is around 60%, mainly thanks to the routine application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches such as extensive gene panels or whole exome analyses. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has been reported to improve this diagnostic rate by revealing elusive variants, such as structural variants (SVs) and deep intronic variants (DIVs). We performed WGS on 33 unsolved cases with suspected autosomal recessive IRD, aiming to identify causative genetic variants in non-coding regions or to detect SVs that were unexplored in the initial screening. Most of the selected cases (30 of 33, 90.9%) carried monoallelic pathogenic variants in genes associated with their clinical presentation, hence we first analyzed the non-coding regions of these candidate genes. Whenever additional pathogenic variants were not identified with this approach, we extended the search for SVs and DIVs to all IRD-associated genes. Overall, we identified the missing causative variants in 11 patients (11 of 33, 33.3%). These included three DIVs in ABCA4, CEP290 and RPGRIP1; one non-canonical splice site (NCSS) variant in PROM1 and three SVs (large deletions) in EYS, PCDH15 and USH2A. For the previously unreported DIV in CEP290 and for the NCCS variant in PROM1, we confirmed the effect on splicing by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR on patient-derived RNA. This study demonstrates the power and clinical utility of WGS as an all-in-one test to identify disease-causing variants missed by standard NGS diagnostic methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Zeuli
- Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Marianthi Karali
- Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy; Eye Clinic, Multidisciplinary Department of Medical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Suzanne E de Bruijn
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Kim Rodenburg
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Margherita Scarpato
- Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Dalila Capasso
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy; Scuola Superiore Meridionale (SSM, School of Advanced Studies), Genomic and Experimental Medicine Program, Naples, Italy
| | - Galuh D N Astuti
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Radboud Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Christian Gilissen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Radboud Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - María Rodríguez-Hidalgo
- Department of Neuroscience, Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain; Department of Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and Otorhinolaryngology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Javier Ruiz-Ederra
- Department of Neuroscience, Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain; Department of Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and Otorhinolaryngology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Francesco Testa
- Eye Clinic, Multidisciplinary Department of Medical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Simonelli
- Eye Clinic, Multidisciplinary Department of Medical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Frans P M Cremers
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Sandro Banfi
- Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy; Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy.
| | - Susanne Roosing
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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10
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Ashworth KE, Weisbrod J, Ballios BG. Inherited Retinal Diseases and Retinal Organoids as Preclinical Cell Models for Inherited Retinal Disease Research. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:705. [PMID: 38927641 PMCID: PMC11203130 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060705] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a large group of genetically and clinically diverse blinding eye conditions that result in progressive and irreversible photoreceptor degeneration and vision loss. To date, no cures have been found, although strides toward treatments for specific IRDs have been made in recent years. To accelerate treatment discovery, retinal organoids provide an ideal human IRD model. This review aims to give background on the development and importance of retinal organoids for the human-based in vitro study of the retina and human retinogenesis and retinal pathologies. From there, we explore retinal pathologies in the context of IRDs and the current landscape of IRD treatment discovery. We discuss the usefulness of retinal organoids in this context (as a patient-derived cell model for IRDs) to precisely understand the pathogenesis and potential mechanisms behind a specific IRD-causing variant of interest. Finally, we discuss the importance and promise of retinal organoids in treatment discovery for IRDs, now and in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen E. Ashworth
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H2, Canada;
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada;
| | - Jessica Weisbrod
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada;
| | - Brian G. Ballios
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3H2, Canada;
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada;
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3A9, Canada
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11
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Hauser BM, Luo Y, Nathan A, Al-Moujahed A, Vavvas DG, Comander J, Pierce EA, Place EM, Bujakowska KM, Gaiha GD, Rossin EJ. Structure-based network analysis predicts pathogenic variants in human proteins associated with inherited retinal disease. NPJ Genom Med 2024; 9:31. [PMID: 38802398 PMCID: PMC11130145 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-024-00416-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Advances in gene sequencing technologies have accelerated the identification of genetic variants, but better tools are needed to understand which are causal of disease. This would be particularly useful in fields where gene therapy is a potential therapeutic modality for a disease-causing variant such as inherited retinal disease (IRD). Here, we apply structure-based network analysis (SBNA), which has been successfully utilized to identify variant-constrained amino acid residues in viral proteins, to identify residues that may cause IRD if subject to missense mutation. SBNA is based entirely on structural first principles and is not fit to specific outcome data, which makes it distinct from other contemporary missense prediction tools. In 4 well-studied human disease-associated proteins (BRCA1, HRAS, PTEN, and ERK2) with high-quality structural data, we find that SBNA scores correlate strongly with deep mutagenesis data. When applied to 47 IRD genes with available high-quality crystal structure data, SBNA scores reliably identified disease-causing variants according to phenotype definitions from the ClinVar database. Finally, we applied this approach to 63 patients at Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) with IRD but for whom no genetic cause had been identified. Untrained models built using SBNA scores and BLOSUM62 scores for IRD-associated genes successfully predicted the pathogenicity of novel variants (AUC = 0.851), allowing us to identify likely causative disease variants in 40 IRD patients. Model performance was further augmented by incorporating orthogonal data from EVE scores (AUC = 0.927), which are based on evolutionary multiple sequence alignments. In conclusion, SBNA can used to successfully identify variants as causal of disease in human proteins and may help predict variants causative of IRD in an unbiased fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuyang Luo
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anusha Nathan
- Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ahmad Al-Moujahed
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Demetrios G Vavvas
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jason Comander
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric A Pierce
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily M Place
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kinga M Bujakowska
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gaurav D Gaiha
- Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Rossin
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA.
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12
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Piergentili M, Spagnuolo V, Murro V, Mucciolo DP, Giorgio D, Passerini I, Pelo E, Giansanti F, Virgili G, Sodi A. Atypic Retinitis Pigmentosa Clinical Features Associated with a Peculiar CRX Gene Mutation in Italian Patients. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:797. [PMID: 38792980 PMCID: PMC11123195 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60050797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Purpose: To describe an atypical phenotypic pattern of late-onset retinitis pigmentosa (RP) due to the same specific c.425A>G (p.Tyr142Cys) heterozygous mutation in the cone-rod homeobox gene (CRX gene) in two unrelated Italian patients. Case 1: A 67-year-old woman (P.P.) was incidentally diagnosed with sector RP at the age of 50. The patient was initially asymptomatic and did not have any family history of retinal dystrophy. Fundus examination showed the presence of typical retinal pigmentary deposits with a peculiar pericentral/sector distribution. Genomic sequencing disclosed the missense mutation c.425A>G (p.Tyr142Cys) in the CRX gene. During the follow-up period of 7 years, the patient maintained good visual acuity and complained only of mild symptoms. Case 2: A 76-year-old man (P.E.) presented with nyctalopia and visual field constriction since the age of 50. Fundus examination showed the presence of retinal pigment deposits with a concentric pericentral and perimacular pattern. A full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) showed extinguished scotopic responses and reduced abnormal photopic and flicker cone responses. Genomic sequencing identified the same missense mutation, c.425A>G (p.Tyr142Cys), in the CRX gene. Similarly to the first case, during the whole follow-up of 7 years, the visual acuity remained stable, as did the visual field and the patient's symptoms. Conclusions: We report the first cases of late-onset retinitis pigmentosa related to a specific heterozygous CRX gene mutation in exon 4. We also report two atypical phenotypic RP patterns related to mutations in the CRX gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Piergentili
- Eye Clinic, Neuromuscular and Sense Organs Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (V.S.); (V.M.); (D.P.M.); (D.G.); (F.G.); (G.V.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
| | - Vito Spagnuolo
- Eye Clinic, Neuromuscular and Sense Organs Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (V.S.); (V.M.); (D.P.M.); (D.G.); (F.G.); (G.V.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
| | - Vittoria Murro
- Eye Clinic, Neuromuscular and Sense Organs Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (V.S.); (V.M.); (D.P.M.); (D.G.); (F.G.); (G.V.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
| | - Dario Pasquale Mucciolo
- Eye Clinic, Neuromuscular and Sense Organs Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (V.S.); (V.M.); (D.P.M.); (D.G.); (F.G.); (G.V.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Pistoia Hospital, 51100 Pistoia, Italy
| | - Dario Giorgio
- Eye Clinic, Neuromuscular and Sense Organs Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (V.S.); (V.M.); (D.P.M.); (D.G.); (F.G.); (G.V.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Livorno Hospital, 57124 Livorno, Italy
| | - Ilaria Passerini
- Department of Genetic Diagnosis, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Firenze, Italy; (I.P.); (E.P.)
| | - Elisabetta Pelo
- Department of Genetic Diagnosis, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Firenze, Italy; (I.P.); (E.P.)
| | - Fabrizio Giansanti
- Eye Clinic, Neuromuscular and Sense Organs Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (V.S.); (V.M.); (D.P.M.); (D.G.); (F.G.); (G.V.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
| | - Gianni Virgili
- Eye Clinic, Neuromuscular and Sense Organs Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (V.S.); (V.M.); (D.P.M.); (D.G.); (F.G.); (G.V.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
| | - Andrea Sodi
- Eye Clinic, Neuromuscular and Sense Organs Department, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy; (V.S.); (V.M.); (D.P.M.); (D.G.); (F.G.); (G.V.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Firenze, Italy
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13
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Yin X, Li Q, Shu Y, Wang H, Thomas B, Maxwell JT, Zhang Y. Exploiting urine-derived induced pluripotent stem cells for advancing precision medicine in cell therapy, disease modeling, and drug testing. J Biomed Sci 2024; 31:47. [PMID: 38724973 PMCID: PMC11084032 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-024-01035-4] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The field of regenerative medicine has witnessed remarkable advancements with the emergence of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a variety of sources. Among these, urine-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (u-iPSCs) have garnered substantial attention due to their non-invasive and patient-friendly acquisition method. This review manuscript delves into the potential and application of u-iPSCs in advancing precision medicine, particularly in the realms of drug testing, disease modeling, and cell therapy. U-iPSCs are generated through the reprogramming of somatic cells found in urine samples, offering a unique and renewable source of patient-specific pluripotent cells. Their utility in drug testing has revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry by providing personalized platforms for drug screening, toxicity assessment, and efficacy evaluation. The availability of u-iPSCs with diverse genetic backgrounds facilitates the development of tailored therapeutic approaches, minimizing adverse effects and optimizing treatment outcomes. Furthermore, u-iPSCs have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in disease modeling, allowing researchers to recapitulate patient-specific pathologies in vitro. This not only enhances our understanding of disease mechanisms but also serves as a valuable tool for drug discovery and development. In addition, u-iPSC-based disease models offer a platform for studying rare and genetically complex diseases, often underserved by traditional research methods. The versatility of u-iPSCs extends to cell therapy applications, where they hold immense promise for regenerative medicine. Their potential to differentiate into various cell types, including neurons, cardiomyocytes, and hepatocytes, enables the development of patient-specific cell replacement therapies. This personalized approach can revolutionize the treatment of degenerative diseases, organ failure, and tissue damage by minimizing immune rejection and optimizing therapeutic outcomes. However, several challenges and considerations, such as standardization of reprogramming protocols, genomic stability, and scalability, must be addressed to fully exploit u-iPSCs' potential in precision medicine. In conclusion, this review underscores the transformative impact of u-iPSCs on advancing precision medicine and highlights the future prospects and challenges in harnessing this innovative technology for improved healthcare outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiya Yin
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qingfeng Li
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yan Shu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hongbing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Biju Thomas
- Keck School of Medicine, Roski Eye Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Joshua T Maxwell
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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14
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Kurzawa-Akanbi M, Tzoumas N, Corral-Serrano JC, Guarascio R, Steel DH, Cheetham ME, Armstrong L, Lako M. Pluripotent stem cell-derived models of retinal disease: Elucidating pathogenesis, evaluating novel treatments, and estimating toxicity. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 100:101248. [PMID: 38369182 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2024.101248] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Blindness poses a growing global challenge, with approximately 26% of cases attributed to degenerative retinal diseases. While gene therapy, optogenetic tools, photosensitive switches, and retinal prostheses offer hope for vision restoration, these high-cost therapies will benefit few patients. Understanding retinal diseases is therefore key to advance effective treatments, requiring in vitro models replicating pathology and allowing quantitative assessments for drug discovery. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) provide a unique solution given their limitless supply and ability to differentiate into light-responsive retinal tissues encompassing all cell types. This review focuses on the history and current state of photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell generation from PSCs. We explore the applications of this technology in disease modelling, experimental therapy testing, biomarker identification, and toxicity studies. We consider challenges in scalability, standardisation, and reproducibility, and stress the importance of incorporating vasculature and immune cells into retinal organoids. We advocate for high-throughput automation in data acquisition and analyses and underscore the value of advanced micro-physiological systems that fully capture the interactions between the neural retina, RPE, and choriocapillaris.
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15
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Wang WC, Huang CH, Chung HH, Chen PL, Hu FR, Yang CH, Yang CM, Lin CW, Hsu CC, Chen TC. Metabolomics facilitates differential diagnosis in common inherited retinal degenerations by exploring their profiles of serum metabolites. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3562. [PMID: 38670966 PMCID: PMC11053129 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47911-3] [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: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of inherited retinal degeneration (IRD) is challenging owing to its phenotypic and genotypic complexity. Clinical information is important before a genetic diagnosis is made. Metabolomics studies the entire picture of bioproducts, which are determined using genetic codes and biological reactions. We demonstrated that the common diagnoses of IRD, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP), cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), Stargardt disease (STGD), and Bietti's crystalline dystrophy (BCD), could be differentiated based on their metabolite heatmaps. Hundreds of metabolites were identified in the volcano plot compared with that of the control group in every IRD except BCD, considered as potential diagnosing markers. The phenotypes of CRD and STGD overlapped but could be differentiated by their metabolomic features with the assistance of a machine learning model with 100% accuracy. Moreover, EYS-, USH2A-associated, and other RP, sharing considerable similar characteristics in clinical findings, could also be diagnosed using the machine learning model with 85.7% accuracy. Further study would be needed to validate the results in an external dataset. By incorporating mass spectrometry and machine learning, a metabolomics-based diagnostic workflow for the clinical and molecular diagnoses of IRD was proposed in our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chieh Wang
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chu-Hsuan Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | | | - Pei-Lung Chen
- Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fung-Rong Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Hao Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chung-May Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Wen Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chih Hsu
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Leeuwenhoek Laboratories Co. Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Ta-Ching Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Center of Frontier Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
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16
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Kitic N, Chapron T, Metge-Galatoire F, Chehaibou I, Caputo G, Abdelmassih Y. EARLY-ONSET OF FAMILIAL EXUDATIVE VITREORETINOPATHY: Clinical Characteristics, Management, and Outcomes. Retina 2024; 44:669-679. [PMID: 37973048 DOI: 10.1097/iae.0000000000004005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To describe the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of toddlers (under the age of 3) diagnosed with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy. METHODS In this retrospective study, patients diagnosed with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy before the age of 3 were included. Presenting characteristics, genetic testing, management, and outcomes were collected. RESULTS A total of 54 patients (108 eyes) with a mean age at diagnosis of 10.9 ± 2.6 months were included. Poor visual behavior (33%) and strabismus (26%) were the most common presenting symptoms, whereas screening only represented 11%. About half of included patients had a severe disease (stages 4 and 5). Genetic testing was positive in 40.7% of patients with 24% having a family history of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy. LRP5 was the most prevalent mutation (54.5%).Surgery was performed in 44.4% of eyes and was successful in 69.8% of cases. Failure exclusively occurred in eyes with severe stages. Among eyes evaluated for visual acuity (72 eyes), most (76.4%) had a vision of hand motion or better. CONCLUSION Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy tended to be worse with earlier age at diagnosis, subsequently affecting the prognosis. Surgical intervention was common and primarily included lens-sparing vitrectomy and combined lensectomy and vitrectomy. Surgical success hinged on the stage of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Kitic
- Pediatric Ophthalmology Department, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France; and
- Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Thibaut Chapron
- Pediatric Ophthalmology Department, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France; and
| | | | - Ismael Chehaibou
- Pediatric Ophthalmology Department, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France; and
| | - Georges Caputo
- Pediatric Ophthalmology Department, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France; and
| | - Youssef Abdelmassih
- Pediatric Ophthalmology Department, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France; and
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17
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Jolly JK, Rodda BM, Edwards TL, Ayton LN, Ruddle JB. Optical coherence tomography in children with inherited retinal disease. Clin Exp Optom 2024; 107:255-266. [PMID: 38252959 DOI: 10.1080/08164622.2023.2294807] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advances have led to therapeutic options becoming available for people with inherited retinal disease. In particular, gene therapy has been shown to hold great promise for slowing vision loss from inherited retinal disease. Recent studies suggest that gene therapy is likely to be most effective when implemented early in the disease process, making consideration of paediatric populations important. It is therefore necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of retinal imaging in children with inherited retinal diseases, in order to monitor disease progression and to determine which early retinal biomarkers may be used as outcome measures in future clinical trials. In addition, as many optometrists will review children with an inherited retinal disease, an understanding of the expected imaging outcomes can improve clinical care. This review focuses on the most common imaging modality used in research assessment of paediatric inherited retinal diseases: optical coherence tomography. Optical coherence tomography findings can be used in both the clinical and research setting. In particular, the review discusses current knowledge of optical coherence tomography findings in eight paediatric inherited retinal diseases - Stargardt disease, Bests disease, Leber's congenital amaurosis, choroideremia, RPGR related retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, X-linked retinoschisis and, Batten disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasleen K Jolly
- Vision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Brent M Rodda
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas L Edwards
- Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lauren N Ayton
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
- Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jonathan B Ruddle
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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18
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Shepherdson JL, Friedman RZ, Zheng Y, Sun C, Oh IY, Granas DM, Cohen BA, Chen S, White MA. Pathogenic variants in CRX have distinct cis-regulatory effects on enhancers and silencers in photoreceptors. Genome Res 2024; 34:243-255. [PMID: 38355306 PMCID: PMC10984388 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278133.123] [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: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Dozens of variants in the gene for the homeodomain transcription factor (TF) cone-rod homeobox (CRX) are linked with human blinding diseases that vary in their severity and age of onset. How different variants in this single TF alter its function in ways that lead to a range of phenotypes is unclear. We characterized the effects of human disease-causing variants on CRX cis-regulatory function by deploying massively parallel reporter assays (MPRAs) in mouse retina explants carrying knock-ins of two variants, one in the DNA-binding domain (p.R90W) and the other in the transcriptional effector domain (p.E168d2). The degree of reporter gene dysregulation in these mutant Crx retinas corresponds with their phenotypic severity. The two variants affect similar sets of enhancers, and p.E168d2 has distinct effects on silencers. Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) near cone photoreceptor genes are enriched for silencers that are derepressed in the presence of p.E168d2. Chromatin environments of CRX-bound loci are partially predictive of episomal MPRA activity, and distal elements whose accessibility increases later in retinal development are enriched for CREs with silencer activity. We identified a set of potentially pleiotropic regulatory elements that convert from silencers to enhancers in retinas that lack a functional CRX effector domain. Our findings show that phenotypically distinct variants in different domains of CRX have partially overlapping effects on its cis-regulatory function, leading to misregulation of similar sets of enhancers while having a qualitatively different impact on silencers.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L Shepherdson
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Ryan Z Friedman
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Yiqiao Zheng
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Chi Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Inez Y Oh
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - David M Granas
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Barak A Cohen
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Shiming Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA;
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Michael A White
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA;
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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19
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Spirig SE, Renner M. Toward Retinal Organoids in High-Throughput. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041275. [PMID: 37217280 PMCID: PMC10910359 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Human retinal organoids recapitulate the cellular diversity, arrangement, gene expression, and functional aspects of the human retina. Protocols to generate human retinal organoids from pluripotent stem cells are typically labor intensive, include many manual handling steps, and the organoids need to be maintained for several months until they mature. To generate large numbers of human retinal organoids for therapy development and screening purposes, scaling up retinal organoid production, maintenance, and analysis is of utmost importance. In this review, we discuss strategies to increase the number of high-quality retinal organoids while reducing manual handling steps. We further review different approaches to analyze thousands of retinal organoids with currently available technologies and point to challenges that still await to be overcome both in culture and analysis of retinal organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Erich Spirig
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena Renner
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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20
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Liu X, Dai H, Li G, Jia R, Meng X, Yu S, Yang L, Hong J. Screening copy number variations in 35 unsolved inherited retinal disease families. Hum Genet 2024; 143:197-210. [PMID: 38282009 PMCID: PMC10881639 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02631-4] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to screen Copy Number Variations (CNVs) in 35 unsolved Inherited Retinal Dystrophy (IRD) families. Initially, next generation sequencing, including a specific Hereditary Eye Disease Enrichment Panel or Whole exome sequencing, was employed to screen (likely) pathogenic Single-nucleotide Variants (SNVs) and small Insertions and Deletions (indels) for these cases. All available SNVs and indels were further validated and co-segregation analyses were performed in available family members by Sanger sequencing. If not, after excluding deep intronic variants, Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), quantitative fluorescence PCR (QF-PCR) and Sanger sequencing were employed to screen CNVs. We determined that 18 probands who had heterozygous SNVs/indels or whose parents were not consanguineous but had homozygous SNVs/indels in autosomal recessive IRDs genes had CNVs in another allele of these genes, 11 families had disease-causing hemizygous CNVs in X-linked IRD genes, 6 families had (likely) pathogenic heterozygous CNVs in PRPF31 gene. Of 35 families, 33 different CNVs in 16 IRD-associated genes were detected, with PRPF31, EYS and USH2A the most common disease-causing gene in CNVs. Twenty-six and 7 of them were deletion and duplication CNVs, respectively. Among them, 14 CNVs were first reported in this study. Our research indicates that CNVs contribute a lot to IRDs, and screening of CNVs substantially increases the diagnostic rate of IRD. Our results emphasize that MLPA and QF-PCR are ideal methods to validate CNVs, and the novel CNVs reported herein expand the mutational spectrums of IRDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaozhen Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Hehua Dai
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Genlin Li
- Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Ruixuan Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xiang Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Shicheng Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Liping Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Jing Hong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China.
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21
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Daich Varela M, Moya R, Azevedo Souza Amaral R, Schlottmann PG, Álvarez Mendiara A, Francone A, Guazi Resende R, Capalbo L, Gelvez N, López G, Morales-Acevedo AM, Ossa RH, Arno G, Michaelides M, Tamayo ML, Ferraz Sallum JM. Clinical and Genetic Characterization of RDH12-Retinal Dystrophy in a South American Cohort. Ophthalmol Retina 2024; 8:163-173. [PMID: 37714431 DOI: 10.1016/j.oret.2023.09.007] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize the largest cohort of individuals with retinol dehydrogenase 12 (RDH12)-retinal dystrophy to date, and the first one from South America. DESIGN Retrospective multicenter international study. SUBJECTS Seventy-eight patients (66 families) with an inherited retinal dystrophy and biallelic variants in RDH12. METHODS Review of clinical notes, ophthalmic images, and molecular diagnosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Visual function, retinal imaging, and characteristics were evaluated and correlated. RESULTS Thirty-seven individuals self-identified as Latino (51%) and 34 as White (47%). Sixty-nine individuals (88%) had Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA)/early-onset severe retinal dystrophy. Macular and midperipheral atrophy were seen in all patients from 3 years of age. A novel retinal finding was a hyperautofluorescent ring in 2 young children with LCA. Thirty-nine patients (50%) had subsequent visits, with mean follow-up of 6.8 ± 7.3 (range, 0-29) years. Eight variants (21%) were previously unreported, and the most frequent variant was c.295C>A, p.Leu99Ile, present in 52 alleles of 32 probands. Individuals with LCA homozygous for p.Leu99Ile (31%) had a later age of onset, a slower rate of best-corrected visual acuity decrease, the largest percentage of patients with mild visual impairment, and were predicted to reach legal blindness at an older age than the rest of the cohort. CONCLUSIONS By describing the largest molecularly confirmed cohort to date, improved understanding of disease progression was possible. Our detailed characterization aims to support research and the development of novel therapies that may have the potential to reduce or prevent vision loss in individuals with RDH12-associated retinal dystrophy. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malena Daich Varela
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Rene Moya
- Departamento de Retina y Departamento de Genética Ocular, Hospital del Salvador, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rebeca Azevedo Souza Amaral
- Ophthalmology Department, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto de Genética Ocular, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Nancy Gelvez
- Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Greizy López
- Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Rafael H Ossa
- Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gavin Arno
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michel Michaelides
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Martha L Tamayo
- Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juliana Maria Ferraz Sallum
- Ophthalmology Department, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil; Instituto de Genética Ocular, São Paulo, Brazil
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22
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Antas P, Carvalho C, Cabral-Teixeira J, de Lemos L, Seabra MC. Toward low-cost gene therapy: mRNA-based therapeutics for treatment of inherited retinal diseases. Trends Mol Med 2024; 30:136-146. [PMID: 38044158 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) stem from genetic mutations that result in vision impairment. Gene therapy shows promising therapeutic potential, exemplified by the encouraging initial results with voretigene neparvovec. Nevertheless, the associated costs impede widespread access, particularly in low-to-middle income countries. The primary challenge remains: how can we make these therapies globally affordable? Leveraging advancements in mRNA therapies might offer a more economically viable alternative. Furthermore, transitioning to nonviral delivery systems could provide a dual benefit of reduced costs and increased scalability. Relevant stakeholders must collaboratively devise and implement a research agenda to realize the potential of mRNA strategies in equitable access to treatments to prevent vision loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Antas
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal; iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Cláudia Carvalho
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Luísa de Lemos
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel C Seabra
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal; iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal.
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23
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Yang Y, Jiang X, Chen J, Liu L, Liu G, Sun K, Liu W, Zhu X, Guan Q. The m 6A reader YTHDC2 maintains visual function and retinal photoreceptor survival through modulating translation of PPEF2 and PDE6B. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:208-221. [PMID: 38157933 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.12.007] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) are major causes of visual impairment and irreversible blindness worldwide, while the precise molecular and genetic mechanisms are still elusive. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is the most prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNA. YTH domain containing 2 (YTHDC2), an m6A reader protein, has recently been identified as a key player in germline development and human cancer. However, its contribution to retinal function remains unknown. Here, we explore the role of YTHDC2 in the visual function of retinal rod photoreceptors by generating rod-specific Ythdc2 knockout mice. Results show that Ythdc2 deficiency in rods causes diminished scotopic ERG responses and progressive retinal degeneration. Multi-omics analysis further identifies Ppef2 and Pde6b as the potential targets of YTHDC2 in the retina. Specifically, via its YTH domain, YTHDC2 recognizes and binds m6A-modified Ppef2 mRNA at the coding sequence and Pde6b mRNA at the 5'-UTR, resulting in enhanced translation efficiency without affecting mRNA levels. Compromised translation efficiency of Ppef2 and Pde6b after YTHDC2 depletion ultimately leads to decreased protein levels in the retina, impaired retinal function, and progressive rod death. Collectively, our finding highlights the importance of YTHDC2 in visual function and photoreceptor survival, which provides an unreported elucidation of IRD pathogenesis via epitranscriptomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeming Yang
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Xiaoyan Jiang
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Junyao Chen
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Lu Liu
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Guo Liu
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Kuanxiang Sun
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Wenjing Liu
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Xianjun Zhu
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China; Department of Geriatrics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China; Research Unit for Blindness Prevention of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU026), Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China; Qinghai Key Laboratory of Qinghai Tibet Plateau Biological Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Tibetan Medicine Research, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Xining, Qinghai 810008, China; Henan Eye Institute, Henan Eye Hospital, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China.
| | - Qiuyue Guan
- The Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Center for Medical Genetics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China; Department of Geriatrics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China.
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24
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Shinozuka M, Arai M, Hirayama Y, Uechi Y, Kawasaki S, Okawa K, Iwashita Y, Miyazato M, Hirono K, Nakamura K, Inoue T, Asaoka R, Yanagi Y, Maruyama-Inoue M, Kadonosono K. Peripapillary vessel density in eyes with cone-rod dystrophy. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296167. [PMID: 38285672 PMCID: PMC10824446 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296167] [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: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To compared the vessel density (VD) around the optic nerve head (ONH) in eyes with cone-rod dystrophy (CORD) and healthy control eyes in a sector-wise manner and to investigate the relationship between VD around the ONH and visual function in CORD eyes. METHODS Twenty-six eyes in 14 CORD patients and 25 eyes in 25 healthy control subjects were examined. Using OCT angiography images, the VDs in the superficial and deep capillary plexus at the macula (sVDm and dVDm) and those around the ONH in the superior, temporal, inferior and nasal region (VDnh_s, VDnh_t, VDnh_i, and VDnh_n, respectively) were measured for each eye. Patient age, visual acuity (VA) and VDs were then compared between two groups. Moreover, the relationships between VA and the VDs were analyzed using a linear mixed model and AICc model selection. RESULTS No significant difference in age was seen between the CORD and control groups (p = 0.87, Wilcoxon rank sum test), but the VA was significantly lower in the CORD group (p<0.0001). Both sVDm and dVDm were significantly lower in the CORD eyes than in the control eyes (both p<0.0001). Among VDnh_s, VDnh_t, VDnh_i, and VDnh_n, however, only VDnh_t differed significantly between the CORD and control groups (p = 0.035). Among age, VDnh_t, dVDm, and sVDm, the optimal model for VA included only VDnh_t and dVDm. CONCLUSIONS In addition to the VD in the deep capillary plexus at the macula, the measurement of temporal VD around the ONH might be useful for predicting visual function in eyes with CORD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Shinozuka
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Mizuho Arai
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yumeno Hirayama
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yuna Uechi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shohei Kawasaki
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Okawa
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yume Iwashita
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Misa Miyazato
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazushi Hirono
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kentaro Nakamura
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Inoue
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Ryo Asaoka
- Department of Ophthalmology, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan
- Seirei Christopher University, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Yasuo Yanagi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Maiko Maruyama-Inoue
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Kadonosono
- Department of Ophthalmology and Micro-Technology, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
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Liu X, Hu F, Zhang D, Li Z, He J, Zhang S, Wang Z, Zhao Y, Wu J, Liu C, Li C, Li X, Wu J. Whole genome sequencing enables new genetic diagnosis for inherited retinal diseases by identifying pathogenic variants. NPJ Genom Med 2024; 9:6. [PMID: 38245557 PMCID: PMC10799956 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-024-00391-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a group of common primary retinal degenerative disorders. Conventional genetic testing strategies, such as panel-based sequencing and whole exome sequencing (WES), can only elucidate the genetic etiology in approximately 60% of IRD patients. Studies have suggested that unsolved IRD cases could be attributed to previously undetected structural variants (SVs) and intronic variants in IRD-related genes. The aim of our study was to obtain a definitive genetic diagnosis by employing whole genome sequencing (WGS) in IRD cases where the causative genes were inconclusive following an initial screening by panel sequencing. A total of 271 unresolved IRD patients and their available family members (n = 646) were screened using WGS to identify pathogenic SVs and intronic variants in 792 known ocular disease genes. Overall, 13% (34/271) of IRD patients received a confirmed genetic diagnosis, among which 7% were exclusively attributed to SVs, 4% to a combination of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and SVs while another 2% were linked to intronic variants. 22 SVs, 3 deep-intronic variants, and 2 non-canonical splice-site variants across 14 IRD genes were identified in the entire cohort. Notably, all of these detected SVs and intronic variants were novel pathogenic variants. Among those, 74% (20/27) of variants were found in genes causally linked to Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), with the gene EYS being the most frequently affected by SVs. The identification of SVs and intronic variants through WGS enhances the genetic diagnostic yield of IRDs and broadens the mutational spectrum of known IRD-associated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xubing Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangyuan Hu
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Daowei Zhang
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhe Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianquan He
- Computer Center, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shenghai Zhang
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenguo Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingke Zhao
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiawen Wu
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenchen Li
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jihong Wu
- Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia (Fudan University); Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai, China.
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Gurtsieva D, Minskaia E, Zhuravleva S, Subcheva E, Sakhibgaraeva E, Brovin A, Tumaev A, Karabelsky A. Engineered AAV2.7m8 Serotype Shows Significantly Higher Transduction Efficiency of ARPE-19 and HEK293 Cell Lines Compared to AAV5, AAV8 and AAV9 Serotypes. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:138. [PMID: 38276507 PMCID: PMC10818700 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The level of transduction efficiency of the target retinal cells affects the choice of AAV serotype and the outcome of gene replacement therapy for inherited retinal diseases. This study focused on the tropism and transduction efficiency of AAV2.7m8-, AAV5-, AAV8-, and AAV9-GFP in ARPE-19 and HEK293 cells. Fluorescence intensity was assessed bi-hourly by means of IncuCyte S3 live imaging microscopy. Within 12 h, AAV2.7m8 demonstrated the highest transduction efficiency at four viral concentrations of 1-, 3-, 6-, and 8 × 104 VG/cell in a dose-dependent manner, followed by AAV5 in ARPE-19 and AAV9 in HEK293 cells. The transduction efficiency of AAV2.7m8 at a dose of 6 × 104 VG/cell was 21, 202, and 323 times higher in ARPE-19 cells and 324, 100, and 52 times higher in HEK293 cells compared to AAV5, AAV8, and AAV9, respectively. This trend remained for 4 days at all viral concentrations, as additionally shown by flow cytometry. At a dose of 6 × 104 VG/cell, AAV2.7m8 (97% GFP-positive cells, GFP +) was nearly two and 10 times as efficient as AAV5 (52% GFP+) and AAV9 or AAV8 (both 9%), respectively, in ARPE-19 cells. In HEK293 cells, 95% of AAV2.7m8-, 26% of AAV9-, 17% of AAV8-, and 12% of AAV5-transduced cells were GFP-positive.
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Dueñas Rey A, Del Pozo Valero M, Bouckaert M, Wood KA, Van den Broeck F, Daich Varela M, Thomas HB, Van Heetvelde M, De Bruyne M, Van de Sompele S, Bauwens M, Lenaerts H, Mahieu Q, Josifova D, Rivolta C, O'Keefe RT, Ellingford J, Webster AR, Arno G, Ayuso C, De Zaeytijd J, Leroy BP, De Baere E, Coppieters F. Combining a prioritization strategy and functional studies nominates 5'UTR variants underlying inherited retinal disease. Genome Med 2024; 16:7. [PMID: 38184646 PMCID: PMC10771650 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-023-01277-1] [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: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 5' untranslated regions (5'UTRs) are essential modulators of protein translation. Predicting the impact of 5'UTR variants is challenging and rarely performed in routine diagnostics. Here, we present a combined approach of a comprehensive prioritization strategy and functional assays to evaluate 5'UTR variation in two large cohorts of patients with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). METHODS We performed an isoform-level re-analysis of retinal RNA-seq data to identify the protein-coding transcripts of 378 IRD genes with highest expression in retina. We evaluated the coverage of their 5'UTRs by different whole exome sequencing (WES) kits. The selected 5'UTRs were analyzed in whole genome sequencing (WGS) and WES data from IRD sub-cohorts from the 100,000 Genomes Project (n = 2397 WGS) and an in-house database (n = 1682 WES), respectively. Identified variants were annotated for 5'UTR-relevant features and classified into seven categories based on their predicted functional consequence. We developed a variant prioritization strategy by integrating population frequency, specific criteria for each category, and family and phenotypic data. A selection of candidate variants underwent functional validation using diverse approaches. RESULTS Isoform-level re-quantification of retinal gene expression revealed 76 IRD genes with a non-canonical retina-enriched isoform, of which 20 display a fully distinct 5'UTR compared to that of their canonical isoform. Depending on the probe design, 3-20% of IRD genes have 5'UTRs fully captured by WES. After analyzing these regions in both cohorts, we prioritized 11 (likely) pathogenic variants in 10 genes (ARL3, MERTK, NDP, NMNAT1, NPHP4, PAX6, PRPF31, PRPF4, RDH12, RD3), of which 7 were novel. Functional analyses further supported the pathogenicity of three variants. Mis-splicing was demonstrated for the PRPF31:c.-9+1G>T variant. The MERTK:c.-125G>A variant, overlapping a transcriptional start site, was shown to significantly reduce both luciferase mRNA levels and activity. The RDH12:c.-123C>T variant was found in cis with the hypomorphic RDH12:c.701G>A (p.Arg234His) variant in 11 patients. This 5'UTR variant, predicted to introduce an upstream open reading frame, was shown to result in reduced RDH12 protein but unaltered mRNA levels. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the importance of 5'UTR variants implicated in IRDs and provides a systematic approach for 5'UTR annotation and validation that is applicable to other inherited diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Dueñas Rey
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Marta Del Pozo Valero
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manon Bouckaert
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Katherine A Wood
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicines and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Filip Van den Broeck
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Head & Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Malena Daich Varela
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
| | - Huw B Thomas
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicines and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Mattias Van Heetvelde
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Marieke De Bruyne
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Stijn Van de Sompele
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Miriam Bauwens
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Hanne Lenaerts
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Quinten Mahieu
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | | | - Carlo Rivolta
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Raymond T O'Keefe
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicines and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jamie Ellingford
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicines and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Genomics England, London, UK
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Andrew R Webster
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
| | - Gavin Arno
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
| | - Carmen Ayuso
- Department of Genetics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julie De Zaeytijd
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Head & Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bart P Leroy
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Head & Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Division of Ophthalmology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elfride De Baere
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Frauke Coppieters
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent (CMGG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, Ghent, 9000, Belgium.
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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Brar AS, Parameswarappa DC, Takkar B, Narayanan R, Jalali S, Mandal S, Fujinami K, Padhy SK. Gene Therapy for Inherited Retinal Diseases: From Laboratory Bench to Patient Bedside and Beyond. Ophthalmol Ther 2024; 13:21-50. [PMID: 38113023 PMCID: PMC10776519 DOI: 10.1007/s40123-023-00862-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This comprehensive review provides a thorough examination of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), encompassing their classification, genetic underpinnings, and the promising landscape of gene therapy trials. IRDs, a diverse group of genetic conditions causing vision loss through photoreceptor cell death, are explored through various angles, including inheritance patterns, gene involvement, and associated systemic disorders. The focal point is gene therapy, which offers hope for halting or even reversing the progression of IRDs. The review highlights ongoing clinical trials spanning retinal cell replacement, neuroprotection, pharmacological interventions, and optogenetics. While these therapies hold tremendous potential, they face challenges like timing optimization, standardized assessment criteria, inflammation management, vector refinement, and raising awareness among vision scientists. Additionally, translating gene therapy success into widespread adoption and addressing cost-effectiveness are crucial challenges to address. Continued research and clinical trials are essential to fully harness gene therapy's potential in treating IRDs and enhancing the lives of affected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Singh Brar
- Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Mithu Tulsi Chanrai Campus, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Deepika C Parameswarappa
- Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Hyderabad, 500034, India
| | - Brijesh Takkar
- Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Hyderabad, 500034, India
| | - Raja Narayanan
- Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Hyderabad, 500034, India
| | - Subhadra Jalali
- Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Kallam Anji Reddy Campus, Hyderabad, 500034, India
| | - Sohini Mandal
- Dr Rajendra Prasad Center for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Kaoru Fujinami
- Laboratory of Visual Physiology, Division of Vision Research, National Institute of Sensory Organs, National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo, 152-8902, Japan
| | - Srikanta Kumar Padhy
- Anant Bajaj Retina Institute, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Mithu Tulsi Chanrai Campus, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India.
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Bolz HJ, Kochs CL, Holz FG, Bucher F, Herrmann P. [Inherited retinal diseases in Germany-Challenges in health care supply structure and diagnostics]. DIE OPHTHALMOLOGIE 2023; 120:1251-1257. [PMID: 37606831 DOI: 10.1007/s00347-023-01903-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inherited retinal diseases (IRD) are rare eye diseases and pose high diagnostic challenges. A care structure with few highly specialized centers in Germany, misdiagnosis due to the lack of molecular genetic testing, and a lack of a central registry lead to a lack of reliable information on the prevalence and distribution of IRDs in Germany. METHODS Based on clinical data from an ophthalmological center and molecular data from a genetic center as well as a nationwide health insurance data query, we estimated the prevalence of IRDs in Germany in addition to collecting information on their phenotypic and genotypic distribution. RESULTS The median travelling distance to the ophthalmological center was 60 km. The most frequent diagnoses were retinitis pigmentosa, macular dystrophy and general retinal dystrophy. Molecular genetic testing was performed in 87% of patients with clinical suspicion of IRD, with marked differences in frequencies among age cohorts. The molecular genetic detection rate in the genetic center was 51%. The prevalence of inherited retinal dystrophy in Germany determined by health insurance data retrieval was approximately 1:1150. CONCLUSION Many patients must travel long distances to visit specialized clinics for IRDs with access to genetic testing. To obtain more reliable numbers on the prevalence in Germany, routine molecular genetic testing, and a national registry for IRD detection are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanno J Bolz
- Senckenberg Zentrum für Humangenetik, Weismüllerstr. 50, 60314, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
- Institut für Humangenetik, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Kerpener Str. 34, 50931, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Constanze L Kochs
- Universitäts-Augenklinik Bonn, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Str. 2, 53127, Bonn, Deutschland
- Zentrum für seltene Erkrankungen Bonn, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Deutschland
| | - Frank G Holz
- Universitäts-Augenklinik Bonn, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Str. 2, 53127, Bonn, Deutschland
- Zentrum für seltene Erkrankungen Bonn, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Deutschland
| | - Franziska Bucher
- Novartis Pharma GmbH, Roonstr. 25, 90429, Nürnberg, Deutschland
- Zentrum für Augenheilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Kerpener Str. 62, 50924, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Philipp Herrmann
- Universitäts-Augenklinik Bonn, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Ernst-Abbe-Str. 2, 53127, Bonn, Deutschland.
- Zentrum für seltene Erkrankungen Bonn, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Deutschland.
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Kadyshev VV, Alekseeva EA, Strelnikov VV, Stepanova AA, Polyakov AV, Marakhonov AV, Kutsev SI, Zinchenko RA. Major Contribution of c.[1622T>C;3113C>T] Complex Allele and c.5882G>A Variant in ABCA4-Related Retinal Dystrophy in an Eastern European Population. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16231. [PMID: 38003421 PMCID: PMC10671488 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216231] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) constitute a prevalent group of inherited ocular disorders characterized by marked genetic diversity alongside moderate clinical variability. Among these, ABCA4-related eye pathology stands as a prominent form affecting the retina. In this study, we conducted an in-depth analysis of 96 patients harboring ABCA4 variants in the European part of Russia. Notably, the complex allele c.[1622T>C;3113C>T] (p.Leu541Pro;Ala1038Val, or L541P;A1038V) and the variant c.5882G>A (p.Gly1961Glu or G1961E) emerged as primary contributors to this ocular pathology within this population. Additionally, we elucidated distinct disease progression characteristics associated with the G1961E variant. Furthermore, our investigation revealed that patients with loss-of-function variants in ABCA4 were more inclined to develop phenotypes distinct from Stargardt disease. These findings provide crucial insights into the genetic and clinical landscape of ABCA4-related retinal dystrophies in this specific population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitaly V. Kadyshev
- Research Centre for Medical Genetics, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (E.A.A.); (V.V.S.); (A.A.S.); (A.V.P.); (A.V.M.); (S.I.K.); (R.A.Z.)
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Bocquet B, Borday C, Erkilic N, Mamaeva D, Donval A, Masson C, Parain K, Kaminska K, Quinodoz M, Perea-Romero I, Garcia-Garcia G, Jimenez-Medina C, Boukhaddaoui H, Coget A, Leboucq N, Calzetti G, Gandolfi S, Percesepe A, Barili V, Uliana V, Delsante M, Bozzetti F, Scholl HP, Corton M, Ayuso C, Millan JM, Rivolta C, Meunier I, Perron M, Kalatzis V. TBC1D32 variants disrupt retinal ciliogenesis and cause retinitis pigmentosa. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e169426. [PMID: 37768732 PMCID: PMC10721274 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.169426] [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: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common inherited retinal disease (IRD) and is characterized by photoreceptor degeneration and progressive vision loss. We report 4 patients presenting with RP from 3 unrelated families with variants in TBC1D32, which to date has never been associated with an IRD. To validate TBC1D32 as a putative RP causative gene, we combined Xenopus in vivo approaches and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived (iPSC-derived) retinal models. Our data showed that TBC1D32 was expressed during retinal development and that it played an important role in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) differentiation. Furthermore, we identified a role for TBC1D32 in ciliogenesis of the RPE. We demonstrated elongated ciliary defects that resulted in disrupted apical tight junctions, loss of functionality (delayed retinoid cycling and altered secretion balance), and the onset of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition-like phenotype. Last, our results suggested photoreceptor differentiation defects, including connecting cilium anomalies, that resulted in impaired trafficking to the outer segment in cones and rods in TBC1D32 iPSC-derived retinal organoids. Overall, our data highlight a critical role for TBC1D32 in the retina and demonstrate that TBC1D32 mutations lead to RP. We thus identify TBC1D32 as an IRD-causative gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Béatrice Bocquet
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), University of Montpellier, Inserm, Montpellier, France
- National Reference Centre for Inherited Sensory Diseases, University of Montpellier, CHU, Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Borday
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Saclay, France
| | - Nejla Erkilic
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), University of Montpellier, Inserm, Montpellier, France
- National Reference Centre for Inherited Sensory Diseases, University of Montpellier, CHU, Montpellier, France
| | - Daria Mamaeva
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), University of Montpellier, Inserm, Montpellier, France
| | - Alicia Donval
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Saclay, France
| | - Christel Masson
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Saclay, France
| | - Karine Parain
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Saclay, France
| | - Karolina Kaminska
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Quinodoz
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Irene Perea-Romero
- Department of Genetics, Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Garcia-Garcia
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain
- Joint Unit of Rare Diseases, IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carla Jimenez-Medina
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), University of Montpellier, Inserm, Montpellier, France
| | - Hassan Boukhaddaoui
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), University of Montpellier, Inserm, Montpellier, France
| | - Arthur Coget
- Department of Neuroradiology and
- Institute for Human Functional Imaging (I2FH), University of Montpellier, CHU, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Giacomo Calzetti
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine and Surgery
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Francesca Bozzetti
- Neuroradiology Unit, Diagnostic Department, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Hendrik P.N. Scholl
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marta Corton
- Department of Genetics, Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Ayuso
- Department of Genetics, Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose M. Millan
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Molecular, Cellular and Genomics Biomedicine Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain
- Joint Unit of Rare Diseases, IIS La Fe-Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Carlo Rivolta
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB), Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Isabelle Meunier
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), University of Montpellier, Inserm, Montpellier, France
- National Reference Centre for Inherited Sensory Diseases, University of Montpellier, CHU, Montpellier, France
| | - Muriel Perron
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, Saclay, France
| | - Vasiliki Kalatzis
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), University of Montpellier, Inserm, Montpellier, France
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Gilmore WB, Hultgren NW, Chadha A, Barocio SB, Zhang J, Kutsyr O, Flores-Bellver M, Canto-Soler MV, Williams DS. Expression of two major isoforms of MYO7A in the retina: Considerations for gene therapy of Usher syndrome type 1B. Vision Res 2023; 212:108311. [PMID: 37586294 PMCID: PMC10984346 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2023.108311] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Usher syndrome type 1B (USH1B) is a deaf-blindness disorder, caused by mutations in the MYO7A gene, which encodes the heavy chain of an unconventional actin-based motor protein. Here, we examined the two retinal isoforms of MYO7A, IF1 and IF2. We compared 3D models of the two isoforms and noted that the 38-amino acid region that is present in IF1 but absent from IF2 affects the C lobe of the FERM1 domain and the opening of a cleft in this potentially important protein binding domain. Expression of each of the two isoforms of human MYO7A and pig and mouse Myo7a was detected in the RPE and neural retina. Quantification by qPCR showed that the expression of IF2 was typically ∼ 7-fold greater than that of IF1. We discuss the implications of these findings for any USH1B gene therapy strategy. Given the current incomplete knowledge of the functions of each isoform, both isoforms should be considered for targeting both the RPE and the neural retina in gene augmentation therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Blake Gilmore
- Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nan W Hultgren
- Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Abhishek Chadha
- Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sonia B Barocio
- Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joyce Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Oksana Kutsyr
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Research Program, Department of Ophthalmology, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Miguel Flores-Bellver
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Research Program, Department of Ophthalmology, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - M Valeria Canto-Soler
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Research Program, Department of Ophthalmology, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - David S Williams
- Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Bao H, Tian Y, Wang H, Ye T, Wang S, Zhao J, Qiu Y, Li J, Pan C, Ma G, Wei W, Tao Y. Exosome-loaded degradable polymeric microcapsules for the treatment of vitreoretinal diseases. Nat Biomed Eng 2023:10.1038/s41551-023-01112-3. [PMID: 37872369 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01112-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The therapeutic benefits of many cell types involve paracrine mechanisms. Inspired by the paracrine functions of exosomes and the sustained degradation properties of microcapsules, here we report the therapeutic benefits of exosome-loaded degradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microcapsules with micrometric pores for the treatment of vitreoretinal diseases. On intravitreal injection in a mouse model of retinal ischaemia-reperfusion injury, microcapsules encapsulating mouse mesenchymal-stem-cell-derived exosomes settled in the inferior vitreous cavity, released exosomes for over one month as they underwent degradation and led to the restoration of retinal thickness to nearly that of the healthy retina. In mice and non-human primates with primed mycobacterial uveitis, intravitreally injected microcapsules loaded with exosomes from monkey regulatory T cells resulted in a substantial reduction in the levels of inflammatory cells. The exosome-encapsulating microcapsules, which can be lyophilised, may offer alternative treatment options for vitreoretinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Ying Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Haixin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Tong Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shuang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jiawei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yefeng Qiu
- Laboratory Animal Center of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Chao Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Guanghui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
| | - Yong Tao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P. R. China.
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34
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Tolone A, Haq W, Fachinger A, Roy A, Kesh S, Rentsch A, Wucherpfennig S, Zhu Y, Groten J, Schwede F, Tomar T, Herberg FW, Nache V, Paquet-Durand F. The PKG Inhibitor CN238 Affords Functional Protection of Photoreceptors and Ganglion Cells against Retinal Degeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15277. [PMID: 37894958 PMCID: PMC10607377 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015277] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hereditary retinal degeneration (RD) is often associated with excessive cGMP signalling in photoreceptors. Previous research has shown that inhibition of cGMP-dependent protein kinase G (PKG) can reduce photoreceptor loss in two different RD animal models. In this study, we identified a PKG inhibitor, the cGMP analogue CN238, which preserved photoreceptor viability and functionality in rd1 and rd10 mutant mice. Surprisingly, in explanted retinae, CN238 also protected retinal ganglion cells from axotomy-induced retrograde degeneration and preserved their functionality. Furthermore, kinase activity-dependent protein phosphorylation of the PKG target Kv1.6 was reduced in CN238-treated rd10 retinal explants. Ca2+-imaging on rd10 acute retinal explants revealed delayed retinal ganglion cell repolarization with CN238 treatment, suggesting a PKG-dependent modulation of Kv1-channels. Together, these results highlight the strong neuroprotective capacity of PKG inhibitors for both photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells, illustrating their broad potential for the treatment of retinal diseases and possibly neurodegenerative diseases in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Tolone
- Cell Death Mechanism Group, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.T.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Wadood Haq
- Neuroretinal Electrophysiology and Imaging, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany;
| | - Alexandra Fachinger
- Biochemistry Department, University of Kassel, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.F.); (F.W.H.)
| | - Akanksha Roy
- PamGene International B.V., 5211 ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (J.G.); (T.T.)
| | - Sandeep Kesh
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (S.K.); (S.W.); (V.N.)
| | - Andreas Rentsch
- Biolog Life Science Institute GmbH & Co. KG, 28199 Bremen, Germany; (A.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Sophie Wucherpfennig
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (S.K.); (S.W.); (V.N.)
| | - Yu Zhu
- Cell Death Mechanism Group, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.T.); (Y.Z.)
| | - John Groten
- PamGene International B.V., 5211 ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (J.G.); (T.T.)
| | - Frank Schwede
- Biolog Life Science Institute GmbH & Co. KG, 28199 Bremen, Germany; (A.R.); (F.S.)
| | - Tushar Tomar
- PamGene International B.V., 5211 ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (J.G.); (T.T.)
| | - Friedrich W. Herberg
- Biochemistry Department, University of Kassel, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.F.); (F.W.H.)
| | - Vasilica Nache
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (S.K.); (S.W.); (V.N.)
| | - François Paquet-Durand
- Cell Death Mechanism Group, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (A.T.); (Y.Z.)
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Kerschensteiner D. Losing, preserving, and restoring vision from neurodegeneration in the eye. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R1019-R1036. [PMID: 37816323 PMCID: PMC10575673 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.044] [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] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
The retina is a part of the brain that sits at the back of the eye, looking out onto the world. The first neurons of the retina are the rod and cone photoreceptors, which convert changes in photon flux into electrical signals that are the basis of vision. Rods and cones are frequent targets of heritable neurodegenerative diseases that cause visual impairment, including blindness, in millions of people worldwide. This review summarizes the diverse genetic causes of inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) and their convergence onto common pathogenic mechanisms of vision loss. Currently, there are few effective treatments for IRDs, but recent advances in disparate areas of biology and technology (e.g., genome editing, viral engineering, 3D organoids, optogenetics, semiconductor arrays) discussed here enable promising efforts to preserve and restore vision in IRD patients with implications for neurodegeneration in less approachable brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Kerschensteiner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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36
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Carvalho C, Lemos L, Antas P, Seabra MC. Gene therapy for inherited retinal diseases: exploiting new tools in genome editing and nanotechnology. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2023; 3:1270561. [PMID: 38983081 PMCID: PMC11182192 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2023.1270561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) encompass a diverse group of genetic disorders that lead to progressive visual impairment and blindness. Over the years, considerable strides have been made in understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of IRDs, laying the foundation for novel therapeutic interventions. Gene therapy has emerged as a compelling approach for treating IRDs, with notable advancements achieved through targeted gene augmentation. However, several setbacks and limitations persist, hindering the widespread clinical success of gene therapy for IRDs. One promising avenue of research is the development of new genome editing tools. Cutting-edge technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases, base editing and prime editing provide unprecedented precision and efficiency in targeted gene manipulation, offering the potential to overcome existing challenges in gene therapy for IRDs. Furthermore, traditional gene therapy encounters a significant challenge due to immune responses to viral vectors, which remain crucial obstacles in achieving long-lasting therapeutic effects. Nanotechnology has emerged as a valuable ally in the quest to optimize gene therapy outcomes for ocular diseases. Nanoparticles engineered with nanoscale precision offer improved gene delivery to specific retinal cells, allowing for enhanced targeting and reduced immunogenicity. In this review, we discuss recent advancements in gene therapy for IRDs and explore the setbacks that have been encountered in clinical trials. We highlight the technological advances in genome editing for the treatment of IRDs and how integrating nanotechnology into gene delivery strategies could enhance the safety and efficacy of gene therapy, ultimately offering hope for patients with IRDs and potentially paving the way for similar advancements in other ocular disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Carvalho
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS | FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luísa Lemos
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Pedro Antas
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS | FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel C Seabra
- iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS | FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Lisboa, Portugal
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37
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Kramer AC, Carthage J, Berry Y, Gurdziel K, Cook TA, Thummel R. A comparative analysis of gene and protein expression in chronic and acute models of photoreceptor degeneration in adult zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1233269. [PMID: 37745292 PMCID: PMC10512720 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1233269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Adult zebrafish are capable of photoreceptor (PR) regeneration following acute phototoxic lesion (AL). We developed a chronic low light (CLL) exposure model that more accurately reflects chronic PR degeneration observed in many human retinal diseases. Methods: Here, we characterize the morphological and transcriptomic changes associated with acute and chronic models of PR degeneration at 8 time-points over a 28-day window using immunohistochemistry and 3'mRNA-seq. Results: We first observed a differential sensitivity of rod and cone PRs to CLL. Next, we found no evidence for Müller glia (MG) gliosis or regenerative cell-cycle re-entry in the CLL model, which is in contrast to the robust gliosis and proliferative response from resident MG in the AL model. Differential responses of microglia between the models was also observed. Transcriptomic comparisons between the models revealed gene-specific networks of PR regeneration and degeneration, including genes that are activated under conditions of chronic PR stress. Finally, we showed that CLL is at least partially reversible, allowing for rod and cone outer segment outgrowth and replacement of rod cell nuclei via an apparent upregulation of the existing rod neurogenesis mechanism. Discussion: Collectively, these data provide a direct comparison of the morphological and transcriptomic PR degeneration and regeneration models in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley C. Kramer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Justin Carthage
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Yasmeen Berry
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Katherine Gurdziel
- Genomic Sciences Core, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Tiffany A. Cook
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Ryan Thummel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
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38
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Kolawole OU, Huang A, Gregory-Evans CY, Shunmugam M, Weaver T, Gregory-Evans K. Molecular genetic diagnostics for inherited retinal dystrophies in the clinical setting. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2023:S0008-4182(23)00256-9. [PMID: 37678418 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2023.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the success of diagnostic genetic testing in inherited retinal dystrophy (IRD) patients in the clinical setting. DESIGN Retrospective cohort analysis. PARTICIPANTS A total of 446 consecutive participants from diverse ethnic backgrounds living in western Canada. METHODS Clinical information was collected from participants, including family history, and they underwent a full ophthalmic examination with chart review. Those with a suspected IRD were offered panel-based genetic testing of 351 genes between March 1, 2019, and February 28, 2022. The main outcome measure was effect of the genetic testing results on clinical diagnosis. RESULTS Genetic testing established a conclusive molecular diagnosis in 249 of 446 cases (55.8%), a clearly negative result in 90 of 446 cases (20.1%), and an inconclusive diagnosis in 108 of 446 cases (24.2%). Conclusive disease-causing variants were identified in 69 genes, and the most commonly affected genes were ABCA4 (31 variants), USH2A (25 variants), and RPGR (19 variants). The inconclusive group included likely novel autosomal dominant variants or a pathogenic variant with a variant of uncertain significance in the same gene for a recessive phenotype. Notably, an inconclusive molecular genetic diagnosis was seen in as many as 47.3% of East Asian participants with an outer retinal dystrophy. CONCLUSIONS This study represents the largest review of molecular genetic testing in IRDs in Canada. That negative or inconclusive results obtained in approximately 45% of cases demonstrates that there is an important need for new research into molecular genetic causes of IRDs. This is particularly true in addressing the problem of interpreting a variant of uncertain significance in ethnic minorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olubayo U Kolawole
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Albert Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Cheryl Y Gregory-Evans
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Maheshver Shunmugam
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Travers Weaver
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
| | - Kevin Gregory-Evans
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC..
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39
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Gocuk SA, Jolly JK, Edwards TL, Ayton LN. Female carriers of X-linked inherited retinal diseases - Genetics, diagnosis, and potential therapies. Prog Retin Eye Res 2023; 96:101190. [PMID: 37406879 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2023.101190] [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: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a group of heterogeneous conditions that cause progressive vision loss, typically due to monogenic mutations. Female carriers of X-linked IRDs have a single copy of the disease-causing gene, and therefore, may exhibit variable clinical signs that vary from near normal retina to severe disease and vision loss. The relationships between individual genetic mutations and disease severity in X-linked carriers requires further study. This review summarises the current literature surrounding the spectrum of disease seen in female carriers of choroideremia and X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. Various classification systems are contrasted to accurately grade retinal disease. Furthermore, genetic mechanisms at the early embryonic stage are explored to potentially explain the variability of disease seen in female carriers. Future research in this area will provide insight into the association between genotype and retinal phenotypes of female carriers, which will guide in the management of these patients. This review acknowledges the importance of identifying which patients may be at high risk of developing severe symptoms, and therefore should be considered for emerging treatments, such as retinal gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sena A Gocuk
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jasleen K Jolly
- Vision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas L Edwards
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lauren N Ayton
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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40
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Gupta P, Nakamichi K, Bonnell AC, Yanagihara R, Radulovich N, Hisama FM, Chao JR, Mustafi D. Familial co-segregation and the emerging role of long-read sequencing to re-classify variants of uncertain significance in inherited retinal diseases. NPJ Genom Med 2023; 8:20. [PMID: 37558662 PMCID: PMC10412581 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-023-00366-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Phasing genetic variants is essential in determining those that are potentially disease-causing. In autosomal recessive inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), reclassification of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) can provide a genetic diagnosis in indeterminate compound heterozygote cases. We report four cases in which familial co-segregation demonstrated a VUS resided in trans to a known pathogenic variant, which in concert with other supporting criteria, led to the reclassification of the VUS to likely pathogenic, thereby providing a genetic diagnosis in each case. We also demonstrate in a simplex patient without access to family members for co-segregation analysis that targeted long-read sequencing can provide haplotagged variant calling. This can elucidate if variants reside in trans and provide phase of genetic variants from the proband alone without parental testing. This emerging method can alleviate the bottleneck of haplotype analysis in cases where genetic testing of family members is unfeasible to provide a complete genetic diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankhuri Gupta
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Kenji Nakamichi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Alyssa C Bonnell
- Department of Ophthalmology and Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Ryan Yanagihara
- Department of Ophthalmology and Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Nick Radulovich
- Department of Ophthalmology and Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Fuki M Hisama
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Jennifer R Chao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Debarshi Mustafi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
- Division of Ophthalmology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
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41
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Miller AL, James RE, Harvey AR, Trifunović D, Carvalho LS. The role of epigenetic changes in the pathology and treatment of inherited retinal diseases. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1224078. [PMID: 37601102 PMCID: PMC10436478 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1224078] [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: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Elucidation of the cellular changes that occur in degenerating photoreceptors of people with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) has been a focus for many research teams, leading to numerous theories on how these changes affect the cell death process. What is clearly emerging from these studies is that there are common denominators across multiple models of IRD, regardless of the underlying genetic mutation. These common markers could open avenues for broad neuroprotective therapeutics to prevent photoreceptor loss and preserve functional vision. In recent years, the role of epigenetic modifications contributing to the pathology of IRDs has been a particular point of interest, due to many studies noting changes in these epigenetic modifications, which coincide with photoreceptor cell death. This review will discuss the two broad categories of epigenetic changes, DNA methylation and histone modifications, that have received particular attention in IRD models. We will review the altered epigenetic regulatory events that are believed to contribute to cell death in IRDs and discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting these alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie L. Miller
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Retinal Genomics and Therapy Laboratory, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Rebekah E. James
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Retinal Genomics and Therapy Laboratory, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Alan R. Harvey
- Retinal Genomics and Therapy Laboratory, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Dragana Trifunović
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Tubingen University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Livia S. Carvalho
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Retinal Genomics and Therapy Laboratory, Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Parmann R, Tsang SH, Sparrow JR. Primary versus Secondary Elevations in Fundus Autofluorescence. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12327. [PMID: 37569703 PMCID: PMC10419315 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512327] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The method of quantitative fundus autofluorescence (qAF) can be used to assess the levels of bisretinoids in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells so as to aid the interpretation and management of a variety of retinal conditions. In this review, we focused on seven retinal diseases to highlight the possible pathways to increased fundus autofluorescence. ABCA4- and RDH12-associated diseases benefit from known mechanisms whereby gene malfunctioning leads to elevated bisretinoid levels in RPE cells. On the other hand, peripherin2/RDS-associated disease (PRPH2/RDS), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), acute zonal occult outer retinopathy (AZOOR), and ceramide kinase like (CERKL)-associated retinal degeneration all express abnormally high fundus autofluorescence levels without a demonstrated pathophysiological pathway for bisretinoid elevation. We suggest that, while a known link from gene mutation to increased production of bisretinoids (as in ABCA4- and RDH12-associated diseases) causes primary elevation in fundus autofluorescence, a secondary autofluorescence elevation also exists, where an impairment and degeneration of photoreceptor cells by various causes leads to an increase in bisretinoid levels in RPE cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rait Parmann
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, 635 W. 165th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Stephen H. Tsang
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, 635 W. 165th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, 635 W. 165th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Janet R. Sparrow
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Columbia University, 635 W. 165th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, 635 W. 165th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Watson A, Lako M. Retinal organoids provide unique insights into molecular signatures of inherited retinal disease throughout retinogenesis. J Anat 2023; 243:186-203. [PMID: 36177499 PMCID: PMC10335378 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13768] [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: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The demand for induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived retinal organoid and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) models for the modelling of inherited retinopathies has increased significantly in the last decade. These models are comparable with foetal retinas up until the later stages of retinogenesis, expressing all of the key neuronal markers necessary for retinal function. These models have proven to be invaluable in the understanding of retinogenesis, particular in the context of patient-specific diseases. Inherited retinopathies are infamously described as clinically and phenotypically heterogeneous, such that developing gene/mutation-specific animal models in each instance of retinal disease is not financially or ethically feasible. Further to this, many animal models are insufficient in the study of disease pathogenesis due to anatomical differences and failure to recapitulate human disease phenotypes. In contrast, iPSC-derived retinal models provide a high throughput platform which is physiologically relevant for studying human health and disease. They also serve as a platform for drug screening, gene therapy approaches and in vitro toxicology of novel therapeutics in pre-clinical studies. One unique characteristic of stem cell-derived retinal models is the ability to mimic in vivo retinogenesis, providing unparalleled insights into the effects of pathogenic mutations in cells of the developing retina, in a highly accessible way. This review aims to give the reader an overview of iPSC-derived retinal organoids and/or RPE in the context of disease modelling of several inherited retinopathies including Retinitis Pigmentosa, Stargardt disease and Retinoblastoma. We describe the ability of each model to recapitulate in vivo disease phenotypes, validate previous findings from animal models and identify novel pathomechanisms that underpin individual IRDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avril Watson
- Biosciences InstituteNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Majlinda Lako
- Biosciences InstituteNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
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Pan H, Liu YF, Luo Y, Chen L, Shen B, Song S, Liu M, Wang Z, Wu W, Li M, Zhang Y. Goats with low levels of AAV antibody may serve as candidates for large animal gene therapy. Exp Eye Res 2023; 233:109514. [PMID: 37207869 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109514] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
AAV vector-mediated gene therapy has been proposed as a feasible strategy for several eye diseases. However, AAV antibodies in the serum prior to treatment hinder the transduction efficiency and thus the therapeutic effect. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate AAV antibodies in the serum before gene therapy. As large animals, goats are more closely related to humans than rodents and more economically available than nonhuman primates. Here, we first evaluated the AAV2 antibody serum level in rhesus monkeys before AAV injection. Then, we optimized a cell-based neutralizing antibody assay for detecting AAV antibodies in the serum of Saanen goats and evaluated the consistency of the cell-based neutralizing antibody assay and ELISA for goat serum antibody evaluation. The cell-based neutralizing antibody assay showed that the percentage of macaques with low antibody levels was 42.86%; however, there were no macaques with low antibody levels when the serum was evaluated by ELISA. The proportion of goats with low antibody levels was 56.67% according to the neutralizing antibody assay and 33. 33% according to the ELISA, and McNemar's test showed that the results of the two assays were not significantly different (P = 0.754), but that their consistency is poor (Kappa = 0.286, P = 0.114). Moreover, longitudinal evaluation of serum antibodies before and after intravitreal injection of AAV2 in goats revealed that the level of AAV antibodies increased and transduction inhibition subsequently increased, as reported in humans, indicating that transduction inhibition should be taken into account at different stages of gene therapy. In summary, starting with an evaluation of monkey serum antibodies, we optimized a detection method of goat serum antibodies, providing an alternative large animal model for gene therapy, and our serum antibody measurement method may be applied to other large animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huirong Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Yu-Fen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Yuting Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Lili Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Bingyan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Shihan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Mingyue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Zhuowei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China
| | - Wencan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
| | - Mengyun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; Shaoxing People's Hospital, Shaoxing, 312000, China.
| | - Yikui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
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Areblom M, Kjellström S, Andréasson S, Öhberg A, Gränse L, Kjellström U. A Description of the Yield of Genetic Reinvestigation in Patients with Inherited Retinal Dystrophies and Previous Inconclusive Genetic Testing. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1413. [PMID: 37510321 PMCID: PMC10379620 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In the present era of evolving gene-based therapies for inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs), it has become increasingly important to verify the genotype in every case, to identify all subjects eligible for treatment. Moreover, combined insight concerning phenotypes and genotypes is crucial for improved understanding of thevisual impairment, prognosis, and inheritance. The objective of this study was to investigate to what extent renewed comprehensive genetic testing of patients diagnosed with IRD but with previously inconclusive DNA test results can verify the genotype, if confirmation of the genotype has an impact on the understanding of the clinical picture, and, to describe the genetic spectrum encountered in a Swedish IRD cohort. The study included 279 patients from the retinitis pigmentosa research registry (comprising diagnosis within the whole IRD spectrum), hosted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Skåne University hospital, Sweden. The phenotypes had already been evaluated with electrophysiology and other clinical tests, e.g., visual acuity, Goldmann perimetry, and fundus imaging at the first visit, sometime between 1988-2015 and the previous-in many cases, multiple-genetic testing, performed between 1995 and 2020 had been inconclusive. All patients were aged 0-25 years at the time of their first visit. Renewed genetic testing was performed using a next generation sequencing (NGS) IRD panel including 322 genes (Blueprint Genetics). Class 5 and 4 variants, according to ACMG guidelines, were considered pathogenic. Of the 279 samples tested, a confirmed genotype was determined in 182 (65%). The cohort was genetically heterogenous, including 65 different genes. The most prevailing were ABCA4 (16.5%), RPGR (6%), CEP290 (6%), and RS1 (5.5%). Other prevalent genes were CACNA1F (3%), PROM1 (3%), CHM (3%), and NYX (3%). In 7% of the patients there was a discrepancy between the diagnosis made based on phenotypical or genotypical findings alone. To conclude, repeated DNA-analysis was beneficial also in previously tested patients and improved our ability to verify the genotype-phenotype association increasing the understanding of how visual impairment manifests, prognosis, and the inheritance pattern. Moreover, repeated testing using a widely available method could identify additional patients eligible for future gene-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Areblom
- Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Skane University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Sten Andréasson
- Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Skane University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Lotta Gränse
- Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Skane University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Kjellström
- Ophthalmology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Skane University Hospital, 221 85 Lund, Sweden
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Hauser BM, Luo Y, Nathan A, Gaiha GD, Vavvas D, Comander J, Pierce EA, Place EM, Bujakowska KM, Rossin EJ. Structure-based network analysis predicts mutations associated with inherited retinal disease. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.05.23292247. [PMID: 37461650 PMCID: PMC10350150 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.05.23292247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
With continued advances in gene sequencing technologies comes the need to develop better tools to understand which mutations cause disease. Here we validate structure-based network analysis (SBNA)1,2 in well-studied human proteins and report results of using SBNA to identify critical amino acids that may cause retinal disease if subject to missense mutation. We computed SBNA scores for genes with high-quality structural data, starting with validating the method using 4 well-studied human disease-associated proteins. We then analyzed 47 inherited retinal disease (IRD) genes. We compared SBNA scores to phenotype data from the ClinVar database and found a significant difference between benign and pathogenic mutations with respect to network score. Finally, we applied this approach to 65 patients at Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) who were diagnosed with IRD but for whom no genetic cause was found. Multivariable logistic regression models built using SBNA scores for IRD-associated genes successfully predicted pathogenicity of novel mutations, allowing us to identify likely causative disease variants in 37 patients with IRD from our clinic. In conclusion, SBNA can be meaningfully applied to human proteins and may help predict mutations causative of IRD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuyang Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Anusha Nathan
- Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Gaurav D. Gaiha
- Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Demetrios Vavvas
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jason Comander
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Eric A. Pierce
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Emily M. Place
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Kinga M. Bujakowska
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Elizabeth J. Rossin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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Zufiaurre-Seijo M, García-Arumí J, Duarri A. Clinical and Molecular Aspects of C2orf71/PCARE in Retinal Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10670. [PMID: 37445847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the photoreceptor-specific C2orf71 gene (also known as photoreceptor cilium actin regulator protein PCARE) cause autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa type 54 and cone-rod dystrophy. No treatments are available for patients with C2orf71 retinal ciliopathies exhibiting a severe clinical phenotype. Our understanding of the disease process and the role of PCARE in the healthy retina significantly limits our capacity to transfer recent technical developments into viable therapy choices. This study summarizes the current understanding of C2orf71-related retinal diseases, including their clinical manifestations and an unclear genotype-phenotype correlation. It discusses molecular and functional studies on the photoreceptor-specific ciliary PCARE, focusing on the photoreceptor cell and its ciliary axoneme. It is proposed that PCARE is an actin-associated protein that interacts with WASF3 to regulate the actin-driven expansion of the ciliary membrane during the development of a new outer segment disk in photoreceptor cells. This review also introduces various cellular and animal models used to model these diseases and provides an overview of potential treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddalen Zufiaurre-Seijo
- Ophthalmology Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - José García-Arumí
- Ophthalmology Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Duarri
- Ophthalmology Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
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48
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Nakamichi K, Van Gelder RN, Chao JR, Mustafi D. Targeted adaptive long-read sequencing for discovery of complex phased variants in inherited retinal disease patients. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8535. [PMID: 37237007 PMCID: PMC10219926 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35791-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are a heterogeneous group of predominantly monogenic disorders with over 300 causative genes identified. Short-read exome sequencing is commonly used to genotypically diagnose patients with clinical features of IRDs, however, in up to 30% of patients with autosomal recessive IRDs, one or no disease-causing variants are identified. Furthermore, chromosomal maps cannot be reconstructed for allelic variant discovery with short-reads. Long-read genome sequencing can provide complete coverage of disease loci and a targeted approach can focus sequencing bandwidth to a genomic region of interest to provide increased depth and haplotype reconstruction to uncover cases of missing heritability. We demonstrate that targeted adaptive long-read sequencing on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) platform of the USH2A gene from three probands in a family with the most common cause of the syndromic IRD, Usher Syndrome, resulted in greater than 12-fold target gene sequencing enrichment on average. This focused depth of sequencing allowed for haplotype reconstruction and phased variant identification. We further show that variants obtained from the haplotype-aware genotyping pipeline can be heuristically ranked to focus on potential pathogenic candidates without a priori knowledge of the disease-causing variants. Moreover, consideration of the variants unique to targeted long-read sequencing that are not covered by short-read technology demonstrated higher precision and F1 scores for variant discovery by long-read sequencing. This work establishes that targeted adaptive long-read sequencing can generate targeted, chromosome-phased data sets for identification of coding and non-coding disease-causing alleles in IRDs and can be applicable to other Mendelian diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Nakamichi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Russell N Van Gelder
- Department of Ophthalmology, Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Jennifer R Chao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Debarshi Mustafi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Roger and Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
- Division of Ophthalmology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
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49
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Lu CF, Zhou YN, Zhang J, Su S, Liu Y, Peng GH, Zang W, Cao J. The role of epigenetic methylation/demethylation in the regulation of retinal photoreceptors. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1149132. [PMID: 37305686 PMCID: PMC10251769 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1149132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Photoreceptors are integral and crucial for the retina, as they convert light into electrical signals. Epigenetics plays a vital role in determining the precise expression of genetic information in space and time during the development and maturation of photoreceptors, cell differentiation, degeneration, death, and various pathological processes. Epigenetic regulation has three main manifestations: histone modification, DNA methylation, and RNA-based mechanisms, where methylation is involved in two regulatory mechanisms-histone methylation and DNA methylation. DNA methylation is the most studied form of epigenetic modification, while histone methylation is a relatively stable regulatory mechanism. Evidence suggests that normal methylation regulation is essential for the growth and development of photoreceptors and the maintenance of their functions, while abnormal methylation can lead to many pathological forms of photoreceptors. However, the role of methylation/demethylation in regulating retinal photoreceptors remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to review the role of methylation/demethylation in regulating photoreceptors in various physiological and pathological situations and discuss the underlying mechanisms involved. Given the critical role of epigenetic regulation in gene expression and cellular differentiation, investigating the specific molecular mechanisms underlying these processes in photoreceptors may provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of retinal diseases. Moreover, understanding these mechanisms could lead to the development of novel therapies that target the epigenetic machinery, thereby promoting the maintenance of retinal function throughout an individual's lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Fan Lu
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ya-Nan Zhou
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jingjing Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Songxue Su
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yupeng Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guang-Hua Peng
- Department of Pathophysiology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Laboratory of Visual Cell Differentiation and Regulation, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Weidong Zang
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jing Cao
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Goyal S, Singh K, Uppal A, Vanita V. A nonsense mutation in C8orf37 linked with retinitis pigmentosa, early macular degeneration, cataract, and myopia in an arRP family from North India. BMC Ophthalmol 2023; 23:210. [PMID: 37170250 PMCID: PMC10173570 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-023-02936-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed at identifying the underlying genetic defect in a consanguineous autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) (RP-1175) family having RP with early macular degeneration, cataract, and myopia. METHODS Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the DNA of the proband, and variants observed were validated in the rest of the affected and unaffected family members by Sanger sequencing. Different bioinformatics tools were applied to access the pathogenicity of the observed variant. RESULTS A nonsense mutation i.e., c.555G > A (p.Trp185Ter) in C8orf37 in homozygous form, has been identified that segregated with the disease in the affected members. c.555G > A was absent in unaffected family members and in 107 ethnically matched controls, therefore ruling out its possibility of being a polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS Present study identifies a nonsense mutation (c.555G > A) at codon 185 in C8orf37 linked with arRP, early macular degeneration, posterior subcapsular cataract, and myopia. The identical mutation has previously been reported in a Pakistani family with isolated RP and in a Chinese family with RP and macular degeneration. This variable expressivity of the identified mutation c.555G > A in C8orf37 in the analyzed Indian family may be attributed to the presence of the modifier alleles. Also, Trp185 might be a mutation hotspot in Asian arRP patients and in the future, p.Trp185Ter in C8orf37 may be tested during initial screening in arRP cases especially belonging to a similar population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwali Goyal
- Department of Human Genetics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Kabir Singh
- Dr. Daljit Singh Eye Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Aashna Uppal
- Dr. Daljit Singh Eye Hospital, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Vanita Vanita
- Department of Human Genetics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
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