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Keeling H, Williams EJ, Itasaki N. Consideration of the thoracic phenotype of cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome. Clin Anat 2024; 37:254-269. [PMID: 37265362 DOI: 10.1002/ca.24054] [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: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS) is a congenital condition with skeletal and orofacial abnormalities that often results in respiratory distress in neonates. The three main phenotypes in the thorax are posterior rib gaps, abnormal costovertebral articulation and absent ribs. Although the condition can be lethal, accurate diagnosis, and subsequent management help improve the survival rate. Mutations in the causative gene SNRPB have been identified, however, the mechanism whereby the skeletal phenotypes affect respiratory function is not well-studied due to the multiple skeletal phenotypes, lack of anatomy-based studies into the condition and rarity of CCMS cases. This review aims to clarify the extent to which the three main skeletal phenotypes in the thorax contribute to respiratory distress in neonates with CCMS. Despite the posterior rib gaps being unique to this condition and visually striking on radiographic images, anatomical consideration, and meta-analyses suggested that they might not be the significant factor in causing respiratory distress in neonates. Rather, the increase in chest wall compliance due to the rib gaps and the decrease in compliance at the costovertebral complex was considered to result in an equilibrium, minimizing the impact of these abnormalities. The absence of floating ribs is likely insignificant as seen in the general population; however, a further absence of ribs or vestigial rib formation is associated with respiratory distress and increased lethality. Based on these, we propose to evaluate the number of absent or vestigial ribs as a priority indicator to develop a personalized treatment plan based on the phenotypes exhibited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Keeling
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Nobue Itasaki
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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2
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Zavileyskiy LG, Pervouchine DD. Post-transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression via Unproductive Splicing. Acta Naturae 2024; 16:4-13. [PMID: 38698955 PMCID: PMC11062102 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.27337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Unproductive splicing is a mechanism of post-transcriptional gene expression control in which premature stop codons are inserted into protein-coding transcripts as a result of regulated alternative splicing, leading to their degradation via the nonsense-mediated decay pathway. This mechanism is especially characteristic of RNA-binding proteins, which regulate each other's expression levels and those of other genes in multiple auto- and cross-regulatory loops. Deregulation of unproductive splicing is a cause of serious human diseases, including cancers, and is increasingly being considered as a prominent therapeutic target. This review discusses the types of unproductive splicing events, the mechanisms of auto- and cross-regulation, nonsense-mediated decay escape, and problems in identifying unproductive splice isoforms. It also provides examples of deregulation of unproductive splicing in human diseases and discusses therapeutic strategies for its correction using antisense oligonucleotides and small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. G. Zavileyskiy
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119192 Russian Federation
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205 Russian Federation
| | - D. D. Pervouchine
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, 121205 Russian Federation
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3
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Knill C, Henderson EJ, Johnson C, Wah VY, Cheng K, Forster AJ, Itasaki N. Defects of the spliceosomal gene SNRPB affect osteo- and chondro-differentiation. FEBS J 2024; 291:272-291. [PMID: 37584444 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16934] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Although gene splicing occurs throughout the body, the phenotype of spliceosomal defects is largely limited to specific tissues. Cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS) is one such spliceosomal disease, which presents as congenital skeletal dysmorphism and is caused by mutations of SNRPB gene encoding Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Polypeptides B/B' (SmB/B'). This study employed in vitro cell cultures to monitor osteo- and chondro-differentiation and examined the role of SmB/B' in the differentiation process. We found that low levels of SmB/B' by knockdown or mutations of SNRPB led to suppressed osteodifferentiation in Saos-2 osteoprogenitor-like cells, which was accompanied by affected splicing of Dlx5. On the other hand, low SmB/B' led to promoted chondrogenesis in HEPM mesenchymal stem cells. Consistent with other reports, osteogenesis was promoted by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway activator and suppressed by Wnt and BMP blockers, whereas chondrogenesis was promoted by Wnt inhibitors. Suppressed osteogenic markers by SNRPB knockdown were partly rescued by Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation. Reporter analysis revealed that suppression of SNRPB results in attenuated Wnt pathway and/or enhanced BMP pathway activities. SNRPB knockdown altered splicing of TCF7L2 which impacts Wnt/β-catenin pathway activities. This work helps unravel the mechanism underlying CCMS whereby reduced expression of spliceosomal proteins causes skeletal phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Knill
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
| | | | - Craig Johnson
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
| | - Vun Yee Wah
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
| | - Kevin Cheng
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
| | | | - Nobue Itasaki
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
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4
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Harms FL, Dingemans AJM, Hempel M, Pfundt R, Bierhals T, Casar C, Müller C, Niermeijer JMF, Fischer J, Jahn A, Hübner C, Majore S, Agolini E, Novelli A, van der Smagt J, Ernst R, van Binsbergen E, Mancini GMS, van Slegtenhorst M, Barakat TS, Wakeling EL, Kamath A, Downie L, Pais L, White SM, de Vries BBA, Kutsche K. De novo PHF5A variants are associated with craniofacial abnormalities, developmental delay, and hypospadias. Genet Med 2023; 25:100927. [PMID: 37422718 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2023.100927] [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: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The SF3B splicing complex is composed of SF3B1-6 and PHF5A. We report a developmental disorder caused by de novo variants in PHF5A. METHODS Clinical, genomic, and functional studies using subject-derived fibroblasts and a heterologous cellular system were performed. RESULTS We studied 9 subjects with congenital malformations, including preauricular tags and hypospadias, growth abnormalities, and developmental delay who had de novo heterozygous PHF5A variants, including 4 loss-of-function (LOF), 3 missense, 1 splice, and 1 start-loss variant. In subject-derived fibroblasts with PHF5A LOF variants, wild-type and variant PHF5A mRNAs had a 1:1 ratio, and PHF5A mRNA levels were normal. Transcriptome sequencing revealed alternative promoter use and downregulated genes involved in cell-cycle regulation. Subject and control fibroblasts had similar amounts of PHF5A with the predicted wild-type molecular weight and of SF3B1-3 and SF3B6. SF3B complex formation was unaffected in 2 subject cell lines. CONCLUSION Our data suggest the existence of feedback mechanisms in fibroblasts with PHF5A LOF variants to maintain normal levels of SF3B components. These compensatory mechanisms in subject fibroblasts with PHF5A or SF3B4 LOF variants suggest disturbed autoregulation of mutated splicing factor genes in specific cell types, that is, neural crest cells, during embryonic development rather than haploinsufficiency as pathomechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederike L Harms
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander J M Dingemans
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maja Hempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rolph Pfundt
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tatjana Bierhals
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Casar
- Bioinformatics Core, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Müller
- Bioinformatics Core, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Jan Fischer
- Institute for Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Jahn
- Institute for Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christoph Hübner
- Department of Neuropaediatrics, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Silvia Majore
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Experimental Medicine, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Agolini
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Novelli
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Jasper van der Smagt
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Ernst
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen van Binsbergen
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Grazia M S Mancini
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marjon van Slegtenhorst
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tahsin Stefan Barakat
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Discovery Unit, Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emma L Wakeling
- North East Thames Regional Genetic Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arveen Kamath
- All Wales Medical Genomics Service/ Pennaeth Labordy Genomeg Cymru Gyfan, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Lilian Downie
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Service, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, VIC; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lynn Pais
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
| | - Susan M White
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Service, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, VIC; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bert B A de Vries
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Kerstin Kutsche
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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5
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Felker SA, Lawlor JMJ, Hiatt SM, Thompson ML, Latner DR, Finnila CR, Bowling KM, Bonnstetter ZT, Bonini KE, Kelly NR, Kelley WV, Hurst ACE, Rashid S, Kelly MA, Nakouzi G, Hendon LG, Bebin EM, Kenny EE, Cooper GM. Poison exon annotations improve the yield of clinically relevant variants in genomic diagnostic testing. Genet Med 2023; 25:100884. [PMID: 37161864 PMCID: PMC10524927 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2023.100884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often result from rare genetic variation, but genomic testing yield for NDDs remains below 50%, suggesting that clinically relevant variants may be missed by standard analyses. Here, we analyze "poison exons" (PEs), which are evolutionarily conserved alternative exons often absent from standard gene annotations. Variants that alter PE inclusion can lead to loss of function and may be highly penetrant contributors to disease. METHODS We curated published RNA sequencing data from developing mouse cortex to define 1937 conserved PE regions potentially relevant to NDDs, and we analyzed variants found by genome sequencing in multiple NDD cohorts. RESULTS Across 2999 probands, we found 6 novel clinically relevant variants in PE regions. Five of these variants are in genes that are part of the sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit family (SCN1A, SCN2A, and SCN8A), which is associated with epilepsies. One variant is in SNRPB, associated with cerebrocostomandibular syndrome. These variants have moderate to high computational impact assessments, are absent from population variant databases, and in genes with gene-phenotype associations consistent with each probands reported features. CONCLUSION With a very minimal increase in variant analysis burden (average of 0.77 variants per proband), annotation of PEs can improve diagnostic yield for NDDs and likely other congenital conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Susan M Hiatt
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Katherine E Bonini
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Nicole R Kelly
- Division of Pediatric Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore/Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - E Martina Bebin
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Eimear E Kenny
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
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6
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Mirfazeli A, Shariatalavi R, Lashkarbolouk N, Lahoti D, Mazandarani M. A Newborn with Extremely Rare Cerebro-Costo-Mandibular Syndrome; A Case Report Study. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2023:10556656231170994. [PMID: 37093738 DOI: 10.1177/10556656231170994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS) is a rare congenital syndrome consisting of the main features of micrognathia and posterior rib gaps. Due to multiple abnormalities, patients almost have difficulty breathing with upper airway obstruction, decreased thoracic capacity, spina bifida, and scoliosis. CASE PRESENTATION We describe a case of a late preterm neonate boy presenting with low Apgar, respiratory distress, and complicated orofacial anomalies that had a poor outcome. His radiographic findings showed mandibular hypoplasia (micrognathia), chest deformity, multiple posterior rib gap defects, and abnormal costotransverse articulation. Based on physical examination and radiologic findings, the diagnosis of CCMS confirmed for the patient. CONCLUSION Physicians should always consider the diagnosis of CCMS in all infants with micrognathia and rib-gap defects. These infants need careful respiratory function monitoring. Early airway management improves growth and development. In addition, their physical and psychological development should be assessed regularly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arezou Mirfazeli
- Gorgan Congenital Malformations Research Center, Golestan University of medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | | | - Narges Lashkarbolouk
- Gorgan Congenital Malformations Research Center, Golestan University of medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Dorna Lahoti
- Gorgan Congenital Malformations Research Center, Golestan University of medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Mahdi Mazandarani
- Gorgan Congenital Malformations Research Center, Golestan University of medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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7
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Turner BRH, Mellor C, McElroy C, Bowen N, Gu W, Knill C, Itasaki N. Non-ubiquitous expression of core spliceosomal protein SmB/B' in chick and mouse embryos. Dev Dyn 2023; 252:276-293. [PMID: 36058892 PMCID: PMC10087933 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.537] [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: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although splicing is an integral part of the expression of many genes in our body, genetic syndromes with spliceosomal defects affect only specific tissues. To help understand the mechanism, we investigated the expression pattern of a core protein of the major spliceosome, SmB/B' (Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Polypeptides B/B'), which is encoded by SNRPB. Loss-of-function mutations of SNRPB in humans cause cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS) characterized by rib gaps, micrognathia, cleft palate, and scoliosis. Our expression analysis focused on the affected structures as well as non-affected tissues, using chick and mouse embryos as model animals. RESULTS Embryos at young stages (gastrula) showed ubiquitous expression of SmB/B'. However, the level and pattern of expression became tissue-specific as differentiation proceeded. The regions relating to CCMS phenotypes such as cartilages of ribs and vertebrae and palatal mesenchyme express SmB/B' in the nucleus sporadically. However, cartilages that are not affected in CCMS also showed similar expressions. Another spliceosomal gene, SNRNP200, which mutations cause retinitis pigmentosa, was also prominently expressed in cartilages in addition to the retina. CONCLUSION The expression of SmB/B' is spatiotemporally regulated during embryogenesis despite the ubiquitous requirement of the spliceosome, however, the expression pattern is not strictly correlated with the phenotype presentation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Clara McElroy
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Natalie Bowen
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Wenjia Gu
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Chris Knill
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Nobue Itasaki
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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8
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Felker SA, Lawlor JMJ, Hiatt SM, Thompson ML, Latner DR, Finnila CR, Bowling KM, Bonnstetter ZT, Bonini KE, Kelly NR, Kelley WV, Hurst ACE, Kelly MA, Nakouzi G, Hendon LG, Bebin EM, Kenny EE, Cooper GM. Poison exon annotations improve the yield of clinically relevant variants in genomic diagnostic testing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.12.523654. [PMID: 36711854 PMCID: PMC9882217 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.12.523654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often result from rare genetic variation, but genomic testing yield for NDDs remains around 50%, suggesting some clinically relevant rare variants may be missed by standard analyses. Here we analyze "poison exons" (PEs) which, while often absent from standard gene annotations, are alternative exons whose inclusion results in a premature termination codon. Variants that alter PE inclusion can lead to loss-of-function and may be highly penetrant contributors to disease. Methods We curated published RNA-seq data from developing mouse cortex to define 1,937 PE regions conserved between humans and mice and potentially relevant to NDDs. We then analyzed variants found by genome sequencing in multiple NDD cohorts. Results Across 2,999 probands, we found six clinically relevant variants in PE regions that were previously overlooked. Five of these variants are in genes that are part of the sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit family ( SCN1A, SCN2A , and SCN8A ), associated with epilepsies. One variant is in SNRPB , associated with Cerebrocostomandibular Syndrome. These variants have moderate to high computational impact assessments, are absent from population variant databases, and were observed in probands with features consistent with those reported for the associated gene. Conclusion With only a minimal increase in variant analysis burden (most probands had zero or one candidate PE variants in a known NDD gene, with an average of 0.77 per proband), annotation of PEs can improve diagnostic yield for NDDs and likely other congenital conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James MJ Lawlor
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA 35806
| | - Susan M Hiatt
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA 35806
| | | | - Donald R Latner
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA 35806
| | | | - Kevin M Bowling
- Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA 63110
| | | | - Katherine E Bonini
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. New York, NY, USA 10029
| | - Nicole R Kelly
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Genetic Medicine, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore/Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA 10467
| | - Whitley V Kelley
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA 35806
| | - Anna CE Hurst
- University of Alabama in Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA 35294
| | | | | | - Laura G Hendon
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216
| | - E Martina Bebin
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA 35294
| | - Eimear E Kenny
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. New York, NY, USA 10029
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA 10029
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA 10029
| | - Gregory M Cooper
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA 35806
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Boycott KM, Hartley T, Kernohan KD, Dyment DA, Howley H, Innes AM, Bernier FP, Brudno M. Care4Rare Canada: Outcomes from a decade of network science for rare disease gene discovery. Am J Hum Genet 2022; 109:1947-1959. [PMID: 36332610 PMCID: PMC9674964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a rapid evolution in rare disease (RD) research, fueled by the availability of genome-wide (exome and genome) sequencing. In 2011, as this transformative technology was introduced to the research community, the Care4Rare Canada Consortium was launched: initially as FORGE, followed by Care4Rare, and Care4Rare SOLVE. Over what amounted to three eras of diagnosis and discovery, the Care4Rare Consortium used exome sequencing and, more recently, genome and other 'omic technologies to identify the molecular cause of unsolved RDs. We achieved a diagnostic yield of 34% (623/1,806 of participating families), including the discovery of deleterious variants in 121 genes not previously associated with disease, and we continue to study candidate variants in novel genes for 145 families. The Consortium has made significant contributions to RD research, including development of platforms for data collection and sharing and instigating a Canadian network to catalyze functional characterization research of novel genes. The Consortium was instrumental to implementing genome-wide sequencing as a publicly funded test for RD diagnosis in Canada. Despite the successes of the past decade, the challenge of solving all RDs remains enormous, and the work is far from over. We must leverage clinical and 'omic data for secondary use, develop tools and policies to support safe data sharing, continue to explore the utility of new and emerging technologies, and optimize research protocols to delineate complex disease mechanisms. Successful approaches in each of these realms is required to offer diagnostic clarity to all families with RDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kym M. Boycott
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada,Corresponding author
| | - Taila Hartley
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Kristin D. Kernohan
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - David A. Dyment
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Heather Howley
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - A. Micheil Innes
- Department of Medical Genetics and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Francois P. Bernier
- Department of Medical Genetics and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Michael Brudno
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2E4, Canada
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10
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Clinical variant interpretation and biologically relevant reference transcripts. NPJ Genom Med 2022; 7:59. [PMID: 36257961 PMCID: PMC9579139 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-022-00329-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical variant interpretation is highly dependent on the choice of reference transcript. Although the longest transcript has traditionally been chosen as the reference, APPRIS principal and MANE Select transcripts, biologically supported reference sequences, are now available. In this study, we show that MANE Select and APPRIS principal transcripts are the best reference transcripts for clinical variation. APPRIS principal and MANE Select transcripts capture almost all ClinVar pathogenic variants, and they are particularly powerful over the 94% of coding genes in which they agree. We find that a vanishingly small number of ClinVar pathogenic variants affect alternative protein products. Alternative isoforms that are likely to be clinically relevant can be predicted using TRIFID scores, the highest scoring alternative transcripts are almost 700 times more likely to house pathogenic variants. We believe that APPRIS, MANE and TRIFID are essential tools for clinical variant interpretation.
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11
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Chen J, Zhang P, Peng M, Liu B, Wang X, Du S, Lu Y, Mu X, Lu Y, Wang S, Wu Y. An additional whole-exome sequencing study in 102 panel-undiagnosed patients: A retrospective study in a Chinese craniosynostosis cohort. Front Genet 2022; 13:967688. [PMID: 36118902 PMCID: PMC9481236 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.967688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniosynostosis (CRS) is a disease with prematurely fused cranial sutures. In the last decade, the whole-exome sequencing (WES) was widely used in Caucasian populations. The WES largely contributed in genetic diagnosis and exploration on new genetic mechanisms of CRS. In this study, we enrolled 264 CRS patients in China. After a 17-gene-panel sequencing designed in the previous study, 139 patients were identified with pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants according to the ACMG guideline as positive genetic diagnosis. WES was then performed on 102 patients with negative genetic diagnosis by panel. Ten P/LP variants were additionally identified in ten patients, increasing the genetic diagnostic yield by 3.8% (10/264). The novel variants in ANKH, H1-4, EIF5A, SOX6, and ARID1B expanded the mutation spectra of CRS. Then we designed a compatible research pipeline (RP) for further exploration. The RP could detect all seven P/LP SNVs and InDels identified above, in addition to 15 candidate variants found in 13 patients with worthy of further study. In sum, the 17-gene panel and WES identified positive genetic diagnosis for 56.4% patients (149/264) in 16 genes. At last, in our estimation, the genetic testing strategy of “Panel-first” saves 24.3% of the cost compared with “WES only”, suggesting the “Panel-first” is an economical strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieyi Chen
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering at School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Pediatrics Research Institute, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meifang Peng
- The Core Laboratory in Medical Center of Clinical Research, Department of Molecular Diagnostics & Endocrinology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Pediatrics Research Institute, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Pediatrics Research Institute, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Siyuan Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiongzheng Mu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yulan Lu
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Pediatrics Research Institute, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yingzhi Wu, ; Sijia Wang, ; Yulan Lu,
| | - Sijia 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
- *Correspondence: Yingzhi Wu, ; Sijia Wang, ; Yulan Lu,
| | - Yingzhi Wu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yingzhi Wu, ; Sijia Wang, ; Yulan Lu,
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12
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The Core Splicing Factors EFTUD2, SNRPB and TXNL4A Are Essential for Neural Crest and Craniofacial Development. J Dev Biol 2022; 10:jdb10030029. [PMID: 35893124 PMCID: PMC9326569 DOI: 10.3390/jdb10030029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mandibulofacial dysostosis (MFD) is a human congenital disorder characterized by hypoplastic neural-crest-derived craniofacial bones often associated with outer and middle ear defects. There is growing evidence that mutations in components of the spliceosome are a major cause for MFD. Genetic variants affecting the function of several core splicing factors, namely SF3B4, SF3B2, EFTUD2, SNRPB and TXNL4A, are responsible for MFD in five related but distinct syndromes known as Nager and Rodriguez syndromes (NRS), craniofacial microsomia (CFM), mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly (MFDM), cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS) and Burn–McKeown syndrome (BMKS), respectively. Animal models of NRS and MFDM indicate that MFD results from an early depletion of neural crest progenitors through a mechanism that involves apoptosis. Here we characterize the knockdown phenotype of Eftud2, Snrpb and Txnl4a in Xenopus embryos at different stages of neural crest and craniofacial development. Our results point to defects in cranial neural crest cell formation as the likely culprit for MFD associated with EFTUD2, SNRPB and TXNL4A haploinsufficiency, and suggest a commonality in the etiology of these craniofacial spliceosomopathies.
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13
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Alam SS, Kumar S, Beauchamp MC, Bareke E, Boucher A, Nzirorera N, Dong Y, Padilla R, Zhang SJ, Majewski J, Jerome-Majewska LA. Snrpb is required in murine neural crest cells for proper splicing and craniofacial morphogenesis. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:275486. [PMID: 35593225 PMCID: PMC9235875 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous mutations in SNRPB, an essential core component of the five small ribonucleoprotein particles of the spliceosome, are responsible for cerebrocostomandibular syndrome (CCMS). We show that Snrpb heterozygous mouse embryos arrest shortly after implantation. Additionally, heterozygous deletion of Snrpb in the developing brain and neural crest cells models craniofacial malformations found in CCMS, and results in death shortly after birth. RNAseq analysis of mutant heads prior to morphological defects revealed increased exon skipping and intron retention in association with increased 5′ splice site strength. We found increased exon skipping in negative regulators of the P53 pathway, along with increased levels of nuclear P53 and P53 target genes. However, removing Trp53 in Snrpb heterozygous mutant neural crest cells did not completely rescue craniofacial development. We also found a small but significant increase in exon skipping of several transcripts required for head and midface development, including Smad2 and Rere. Furthermore, mutant embryos exhibited ectopic or missing expression of Fgf8 and Shh, which are required to coordinate face and brain development. Thus, we propose that mis-splicing of transcripts that regulate P53 activity and craniofacial-specific genes contributes to craniofacial malformations. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: We report the first mouse model for cerebrocostomandibular syndrome, showing that mis-splicing of transcripts that regulate P53 activity and craniofacial-specific genes contributes to craniofacial malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Shameen Alam
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Shruti Kumar
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Beauchamp
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Eric Bareke
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Alexia Boucher
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B2, Canada
| | - Nadine Nzirorera
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Yanchen Dong
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Reinnier Padilla
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Si Jing Zhang
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Jacek Majewski
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Loydie A Jerome-Majewska
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B2, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
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14
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Blackwell DL, Fraser SD, Caluseriu O, Vivori C, Tyndall AV, Lamont RE, Parboosingh JS, Innes AM, Bernier FP, Childs SJ. Hnrnpul1 controls transcription, splicing, and modulates skeletal and limb development in vivo. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6553027. [PMID: 35325113 PMCID: PMC9073674 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in RNA-binding proteins can lead to pleiotropic phenotypes including craniofacial, skeletal, limb, and neurological symptoms. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are involved in nucleic acid binding, transcription, and splicing through direct binding to DNA and RNA, or through interaction with other proteins in the spliceosome. We show a developmental role for Hnrnpul1 in zebrafish, resulting in reduced body and fin growth and missing bones. Defects in craniofacial tendon growth and adult-onset caudal scoliosis are also seen. We demonstrate a role for Hnrnpul1 in alternative splicing and transcriptional regulation using RNA-sequencing, particularly of genes involved in translation, ubiquitination, and DNA damage. Given its cross-species conservation and role in splicing, it would not be surprising if it had a role in human development. Whole-exome sequencing detected a homozygous frameshift variant in HNRNPUL1 in 2 siblings with congenital limb malformations, which is a candidate gene for their limb malformations. Zebrafish Hnrnpul1 mutants suggest an important developmental role of hnRNPUL1 and provide motivation for exploring the potential conservation of ancient regulatory circuits involving hnRNPUL1 in human development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle L Blackwell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Sherri D Fraser
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Oana Caluseriu
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Claudia Vivori
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona 08003, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona 08002, Spain
| | - Amanda V Tyndall
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Ryan E Lamont
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jillian S Parboosingh
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - A Micheil Innes
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - François P Bernier
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Sarah J Childs
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
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15
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The Pathogenesis of Pierre Robin Sequence through a Review of SOX9 and Its Interactions. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2022; 10:e4241. [PMID: 35415063 PMCID: PMC8994080 DOI: 10.1097/gox.0000000000004241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The literature does not offer any review of the pathogenesis of the clinical features of syndromes with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS). The senior author (MMA) proposed a hypothesis that SOX9 and its interactions may play a key role in this pathogenesis. The current review aims to test this hypothesis.
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16
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李 晓, 洪 梦, 戴 朴, 袁 永. [Clinical case analysis and literature review of mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly syndrome]. LIN CHUANG ER BI YAN HOU TOU JING WAI KE ZA ZHI = JOURNAL OF CLINICAL OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY, HEAD, AND NECK SURGERY 2022; 36:36-40. [PMID: 34979617 PMCID: PMC10128212 DOI: 10.13201/j.issn.2096-7993.2022.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Objective:To explore the clinical diagnosis, otological treatment and molecular etiology in a rare syndromic hearing loss case characterized by mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly(MFDM). Methods: The proband underwent detailed history collection, systematic physical examination and phenotypic analysis, as well as audiological examination, chest X-ray, temporal bone CT and brain MRI and other imaging examinations. The blood DNA of the proband and his parents was extracted and tested by the whole exom sequencing. The EFTUD2-related-MFDM literatures published by the end of 2020 were searched and sifted in PubMed and CNKI databases,the clinical characteristics of MFDM were summarized. Results:In this study, the patient presented with hypoplasia of auricle, micrognathia, microcephaly, developmental retardation, severe sensorineural hearing loss in both ears, and developmental malformation of middle and inner ear. Genetic analysis revealed a de novo deletion c.623_624delAT in EFTUD2 gene. According to the clinical features and genetic test results, the patient was diagnosed as MFDM. In order to solve the problem of hearing loss, the patient was further performed bilateral cochlear implantation, and part of the electrodes responded well during and after operation. Conclusion:This is the first domestic reported case of MFDM caused by EFTUD2 gene mutation. The key problem of cochlear implantation for this kind of patient is to avoid damaging the malformed facial nerve during the operation.The effect of speech rehabilitation after cochlear implant operation is related to many factors such as intelligence development of the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- 晓雨 李
- 国家耳鼻咽喉疾病临床医学研究中心 解放军总医院第六医学中心耳鼻咽喉头颈外科医学部 解放军总医院第六医学中心耳显微外科(北京,100048)National Clinical Research Center for Otolaryngologic Diseases, College of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Department of Otomicrosurgery, Sixth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - 梦迪 洪
- 解放军总医院第一医学中心耳鼻咽喉头颈外科听觉植入中心Auditory Implant Center, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital
| | - 朴 戴
- 国家耳鼻咽喉疾病临床医学研究中心 解放军总医院第六医学中心耳鼻咽喉头颈外科医学部 解放军总医院第六医学中心耳显微外科(北京,100048)National Clinical Research Center for Otolaryngologic Diseases, College of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Department of Otomicrosurgery, Sixth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - 永一 袁
- 国家耳鼻咽喉疾病临床医学研究中心 解放军总医院第六医学中心耳鼻咽喉头颈外科医学部 解放军总医院第六医学中心耳显微外科(北京,100048)National Clinical Research Center for Otolaryngologic Diseases, College of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Department of Otomicrosurgery, Sixth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100048, China
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17
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Elliott K, Nilsson J, Van den Eynden J. Pharmacologic RNA splicing modulation: a novel mechanism to enhance neoantigen-directed anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy response. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:373. [PMID: 34711802 PMCID: PMC8553762 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00789-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kerryn Elliott
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Jonas Nilsson
- Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Jimmy Van den Eynden
- Department of Human Structure and Repair, Anatomy and Embryology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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18
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Martin EMMA, Enriquez A, Sparrow DB, Humphreys DT, McInerney-Leo AM, Leo PJ, Duncan EL, Iyer KR, Greasby JA, Ip E, Giannoulatou E, Sheng D, Wohler E, Dimartino C, Amiel J, Capri Y, Lehalle D, Mory A, Wilnai Y, Lebenthal Y, Gharavi AG, Krzemień GG, Miklaszewska M, Steiner RD, Raggio C, Blank R, Baris Feldman H, Milo Rasouly H, Sobreira NLM, Jobling R, Gordon CT, Giampietro PF, Dunwoodie SL, Chapman G. Heterozygous loss of WBP11 function causes multiple congenital defects in humans and mice. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:3662-3678. [PMID: 33276377 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic causes of multiple congenital anomalies are incompletely understood. Here, we report novel heterozygous predicted loss-of-function (LoF) and predicted damaging missense variants in the WW domain binding protein 11 (WBP11) gene in seven unrelated families with a variety of overlapping congenital malformations, including cardiac, vertebral, tracheo-esophageal, renal and limb defects. WBP11 encodes a component of the spliceosome with the ability to activate pre-messenger RNA splicing. We generated a Wbp11 null allele in mouse using CRISPR-Cas9 targeting. Wbp11 homozygous null embryos die prior to E8.5, indicating that Wbp11 is essential for development. Fewer Wbp11 heterozygous null mice are found than expected due to embryonic and postnatal death. Importantly, Wbp11 heterozygous null mice are small and exhibit defects in axial skeleton, kidneys and esophagus, similar to the affected individuals, supporting the role of WBP11 haploinsufficiency in the development of congenital malformations in humans. LoF WBP11 variants should be considered as a possible cause of VACTERL association as well as isolated Klippel-Feil syndrome, renal agenesis or esophageal atresia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella M M A Martin
- Development & Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Annabelle Enriquez
- Development & Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Duncan B Sparrow
- Development & Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia.,Faculty of Science, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - David T Humphreys
- Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia.,Molecular, Structural and Computational Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Aideen M McInerney-Leo
- Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Paul J Leo
- Translational Genomics Group, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba 4102, Australia
| | - Emma L Duncan
- Translational Genomics Group, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba 4102, Australia.,Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Life Course Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 7EH, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston 4006, Australia
| | - Kavitha R Iyer
- Development & Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Joelene A Greasby
- Development & Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Eddie Ip
- Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia.,Computational Genomics Laboratory, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Eleni Giannoulatou
- Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia.,Computational Genomics Laboratory, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Delicia Sheng
- Development & Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Wohler
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore 21287, USA
| | - Clémantine Dimartino
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Human Malformations, Institute National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, Paris 75015, France.,Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité Université, Institut Imagine, Paris 75015, France
| | - Jeanne Amiel
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Human Malformations, Institute National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, Paris 75015, France.,Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité Université, Institut Imagine, Paris 75015, France.,Département de Génétique, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris 75015, France
| | - Yline Capri
- Département de Génétique, Hôpital Robert Debré, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris 75019, France
| | - Daphné Lehalle
- Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal Créteil, Créteil 94000, France
| | - Adi Mory
- The Genetics Institute, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel
| | - Yael Wilnai
- The Genetics Institute, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel
| | - Yael Lebenthal
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.,Dana-Dwek Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel
| | - Ali G Gharavi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Grażyna G Krzemień
- Department of Pediatrics and Nephrology, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw 02-091, Poland
| | - Monika Miklaszewska
- Department of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków 30-663, Poland
| | - Robert D Steiner
- Marshfield Clinic Health System, Marshfield, WI 54449, USA.,University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Cathy Raggio
- Hospital for Special Surgery, Pediatrics Orthopedic Surgery, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Robert Blank
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Hagit Baris Feldman
- The Genetics Institute, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Hila Milo Rasouly
- Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Nara L M Sobreira
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore 21287, USA
| | - Rebekah Jobling
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G1X3, Canada
| | - Christopher T Gordon
- Laboratory of Embryology and Genetics of Human Malformations, Institute National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, Paris 75015, France.,Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité Université, Institut Imagine, Paris 75015, France
| | - Philip F Giampietro
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Sally L Dunwoodie
- Development & Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia.,Faculty of Science, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Gavin Chapman
- Development & Stem Cell Biology Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney 2010, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia
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19
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Haploinsufficiency of SF3B2 causes craniofacial microsomia. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4680. [PMID: 34344887 PMCID: PMC8333351 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24852-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Craniofacial microsomia (CFM) is the second most common congenital facial anomaly, yet its genetic etiology remains unknown. We perform whole-exome or genome sequencing of 146 kindreds with sporadic (n = 138) or familial (n = 8) CFM, identifying a highly significant burden of loss of function variants in SF3B2 (P = 3.8 × 10-10), a component of the U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex, in probands. We describe twenty individuals from seven kindreds harboring de novo or transmitted haploinsufficient variants in SF3B2. Probands display mandibular hypoplasia, microtia, facial and preauricular tags, epibulbar dermoids, lateral oral clefts in addition to skeletal and cardiac abnormalities. Targeted morpholino knockdown of SF3B2 in Xenopus results in disruption of cranial neural crest precursor formation and subsequent craniofacial cartilage defects, supporting a link between spliceosome mutations and impaired neural crest development in congenital craniofacial disease. The results establish haploinsufficient variants in SF3B2 as the most prevalent genetic cause of CFM, explaining ~3% of sporadic and ~25% of familial cases.
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20
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Derksen A, Shih HY, Forget D, Darbelli L, Tran LT, Poitras C, Guerrero K, Tharun S, Alkuraya FS, Kurdi WI, Nguyen CTE, Laberge AM, Si Y, Gauthier MS, Bonkowsky JL, Coulombe B, Bernard G. Variants in LSM7 impair LSM complexes assembly, neurodevelopment in zebrafish and may be associated with an ultra-rare neurological disease. HGG ADVANCES 2021; 2:100034. [PMID: 35047835 PMCID: PMC8756503 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2021.100034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Leukodystrophies, genetic neurodevelopmental and/or neurodegenerative disorders of cerebral white matter, result from impaired myelin homeostasis and metabolism. Numerous genes have been implicated in these heterogeneous disorders; however, many individuals remain without a molecular diagnosis. Using whole-exome sequencing, biallelic variants in LSM7 were uncovered in two unrelated individuals, one with a leukodystrophy and the other who died in utero. LSM7 is part of the two principle LSM protein complexes in eukaryotes, namely LSM1-7 and LSM2-8. Here, we investigate the molecular and functional outcomes of these LSM7 biallelic variants in vitro and in vivo. Affinity purification-mass spectrometry of the LSM7 variants showed defects in the assembly of both LSM complexes. Lsm7 knockdown in zebrafish led to central nervous system defects, including impaired oligodendrocyte development and motor behavior. Our findings demonstrate that variants in LSM7 cause misassembly of the LSM complexes, impair neurodevelopment of the zebrafish, and may be implicated in human disease. The identification of more affected individuals is needed before the molecular mechanisms of mRNA decay and splicing regulation are added to the categories of biological dysfunctions implicated in leukodystrophies, neurodevelopmental and/or neurodegenerative diseases.
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21
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Yang H, Beutler B, Zhang D. Emerging roles of spliceosome in cancer and immunity. Protein Cell 2021; 13:559-579. [PMID: 34196950 PMCID: PMC9232692 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-021-00856-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) splicing is catalyzed by an intricate ribonucleoprotein complex called the spliceosome. Although the spliceosome is considered to be general cell “housekeeping” machinery, mutations in core components of the spliceosome frequently correlate with cell- or tissue-specific phenotypes and diseases. In this review, we expound the links between spliceosome mutations, aberrant splicing, and human cancers. Remarkably, spliceosome-targeted therapies (STTs) have become efficient anti-cancer strategies for cancer patients with splicing defects. We also highlight the links between spliceosome and immune signaling. Recent studies have shown that some spliceosome gene mutations can result in immune dysregulation and notable phenotypes due to mis-splicing of immune-related genes. Furthermore, several core spliceosome components harbor splicing-independent immune functions within the cell, expanding the functional repertoire of these diverse proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Key laboratory of Brain Function Restoration and Neural Regeneration, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Bruce Beutler
- Center for the Genetics of Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
| | - Duanwu Zhang
- Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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22
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Maharana SK, Saint-Jeannet JP. Molecular mechanisms of hearing loss in Nager syndrome. Dev Biol 2021; 476:200-208. [PMID: 33864777 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Nager syndrome is a rare human developmental disorder characterized by hypoplastic neural crest-derived craniofacial bones and limb defects. Mutations in SF3B4 gene, which encodes a component of the spliceosome, are a major cause for Nager. A review of the literature indicates that 45% of confirmed cases are also affected by conductive, sensorineural or mixed hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss is due to defective middle ear ossicles, which are neural crest derived, while sensorineural hearing loss typically results from defective inner ear or vestibulocochlear nerve, which are both derived from the otic placode. Animal model of Nager syndrome indicates that upon Sf3b4 knockdown cranial neural crest progenitors are depleted, which may account for the conductive hearing loss in these patients. To determine whether Sf3b4 plays a role in otic placode formation we analyzed the impact of Sf3b4 knockdown on otic development. Sf3b4-depleted Xenopus embryos exhibited reduced expression of several pan-placodal genes six1, dmrta1 and foxi4.1. We confirmed the dependence of placode genes expression on Sf3b4 function in animal cap explants expressing noggin, a BMP antagonist critical to induce placode fate in the ectoderm. Later in development, Sf3b4 morphant embryos had reduced expression of pax8, tbx2, otx2, bmp4 and wnt3a at the otic vesicle stage, and altered otic vesicle development. We propose that in addition to the neural crest, Sf3b4 is required for otic development, which may account for sensorineural hearing loss in Nager syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh Kumar Maharana
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University, College of Dentistry, New York, USA
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23
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Jiang W, Chen L. Alternative splicing: Human disease and quantitative analysis from high-throughput sequencing. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 19:183-195. [PMID: 33425250 PMCID: PMC7772363 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing contributes to the majority of protein diversity in higher eukaryotes by allowing one gene to generate multiple distinct protein isoforms. It adds another regulation layer of gene expression. Up to 95% of human multi-exon genes undergo alternative splicing to encode proteins with different functions. Moreover, around 15% of human hereditary diseases and cancers are associated with alternative splicing. Regulation of alternative splicing is attributed to a set of delicate machineries interacting with each other in aid of important biological processes such as cell development and differentiation. Given the importance of alternative splicing events, their accurate mapping and quantification are paramount for downstream analysis, especially for associating disease with alternative splicing. However, deriving accurate isoform expression from high-throughput RNA-seq data remains a challenging task. In this mini-review, we aim to illustrate I) mechanisms and regulation of alternative splicing, II) alternative splicing associated human disease, III) computational tools for the quantification of isoforms and alternative splicing from RNA-seq.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jiang
- Quantitative and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 1050 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
| | - Liang Chen
- Quantitative and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 1050 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
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24
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Zhan YT, Li L, Zeng TT, Zhou NN, Guan XY, Li Y. SNRPB-mediated RNA splicing drives tumor cell proliferation and stemness in hepatocellular carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 13:537-554. [PMID: 33289700 PMCID: PMC7834993 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading malignant diseases worldwide, but therapeutic targets for HCC are lacking. Here, we characterized a significant upregulation of Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Polypeptides B and B1 (SNRPB) in HCC via qRT-PCR, western blotting, tissue microarray and public database analyses. Increased SNRPB expression was positively associated with adjacent organ invasion, tumor size, serum AFP level and poor HCC patient survival. Next, we transfected SNRPB into HCC cells to construct SNRPB-overexpressing cell lines, and short hairpin RNA targeting SNRPB was used to silence SNRPB in HCC cells. Functional studies showed that SNRPB overexpression could promote HCC cell malignant proliferation and stemness maintenance. Inversely, SNRPB knockdown in HCC cells caused inverse effects. Importantly, analysis of alternative splicing by RNA sequencing revealed that SNRPB promoted the formation of AKT3-204 and LDHA-220 splice variants, which activated the Akt pathway and aerobic glycolysis in HCC cells. In conclusion, SNRPB could serve as a prognostic predictor for patients with HCC, and it promotes HCC progression by inducing metabolic reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ting Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China
| | - Lei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China.,Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 852, P. R. China
| | - Ting-Ting Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China
| | - Ning-Ning Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China
| | - Xin-Yuan Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China.,Department of Clinical Oncology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 852, P. R. China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, P. R. China
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25
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Abstract
Our understanding of the human genome has continuously expanded since its draft publication in 2001. Over the years, novel assays have allowed us to progressively overlay layers of knowledge above the raw sequence of A's, T's, G's, and C's. The reference human genome sequence is now a complex knowledge base maintained under the shared stewardship of multiple specialist communities. Its complexity stems from the fact that it is simultaneously a template for transcription, a record of evolution, a vehicle for genetics, and a functional molecule. In short, the human genome serves as a frame of reference at the intersection of a diversity of scientific fields. In recent years, the progressive fall in sequencing costs has given increasing importance to the quality of the human reference genome, as hundreds of thousands of individuals are being sequenced yearly, often for clinical applications. Also, novel sequencing-based assays shed light on novel functions of the genome, especially with respect to gene expression regulation. Keeping the human genome annotation up to date and accurate is therefore an ongoing partnership between reference annotation projects and the greater community worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Zerbino
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SD, United Kingdom; , ,
| | - Adam Frankish
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SD, United Kingdom; , ,
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SD, United Kingdom; , ,
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26
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Griffin C, Saint-Jeannet JP. Spliceosomopathies: Diseases and mechanisms. Dev Dyn 2020; 249:1038-1046. [PMID: 32506634 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The spliceosome is a complex of RNA and proteins that function together to identify intron-exon junctions in precursor messenger-RNAs, splice out the introns, and join the flanking exons. Mutations in any one of the genes encoding the proteins that make up the spliceosome may result in diseases known as spliceosomopathies. While the spliceosome is active in all cell types, with the majority of the proteins presumably expressed ubiquitously, spliceosomopathies tend to be tissue-specific as a result of germ line or somatic mutations, with phenotypes affecting primarily the retina in retinitis pigmentosa, hematopoietic lineages in myelodysplastic syndromes, or the craniofacial skeleton in mandibulofacial dysostosis. Here we describe the major spliceosomopathies, review the proposed mechanisms underlying retinitis pigmentosa and myelodysplastic syndromes, and discuss how this knowledge may inform our understanding of craniofacial spliceosomopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey Griffin
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Saint-Jeannet
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York, USA
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27
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Poison exons in neurodevelopment and disease. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 65:98-102. [PMID: 32615329 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Poison exons are naturally occurring, highly conserved alternative exons that contain a premature termination codon. Inclusion of a poison exon in a transcript targets the transcript for nonsense mediated decay, decreasing the amount of protein produced. Poison exons are proposed to play an important role in tissue-specific expression, development and autoregulation of gene expression. Recently, several studies that performed systematic investigations of alternative splicing in the brain have highlighted the abundance of transcripts containing poison exons, some of which are spliced in a cell type-specific manner. Pathogenic variants in or near poison exons that result in aberrant splicing have been identified in several genes including FLNA, SCN1A and SNRPB. Improved understanding of the role of poison exons in development and disease may present opportunities to solve previously undiagnosed disease and to develop therapeutic approaches in the future.
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28
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Beauchamp MC, Alam SS, Kumar S, Jerome-Majewska LA. Spliceosomopathies and neurocristopathies: Two sides of the same coin? Dev Dyn 2020; 249:924-945. [PMID: 32315467 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in core components of the spliceosome are responsible for a group of syndromes collectively known as spliceosomopathies. Patients exhibit microcephaly, micrognathia, malar hypoplasia, external ear anomalies, eye anomalies, psychomotor delay, intellectual disability, limb, and heart defects. Craniofacial malformations in these patients are predominantly found in neural crest cells-derived structures of the face and head. Mutations in eight genes SNRPB, RNU4ATAC, SF3B4, PUF60, EFTUD2, TXNL4, EIF4A3, and CWC27 are associated with craniofacial spliceosomopathies. In this review, we provide a brief description of the normal development of the head and the face and an overview of mutations identified in genes associated with craniofacial spliceosomopathies. We also describe a model to explain how and when these mutations are most likely to impact neural crest cells. We speculate that mutations in a subset of core splicing factors lead to disrupted splicing in neural crest cells because these cells have increased sensitivity to inefficient splicing. Hence, disruption in splicing likely activates a cellular stress response that includes increased skipping of regulatory exons in genes such as MDM2 and MDM4, key regulators of P53. This would result in P53-associated death of neural crest cells and consequently craniofacial malformations associated with spliceosomopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Claude Beauchamp
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sabrina Shameen Alam
- McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Shruti Kumar
- McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Loydie Anne Jerome-Majewska
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,McGill University Health Centre at Glen Site, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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29
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Turner BRH, Itasaki N. Local modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin and bone morphogenic protein (BMP) pathways recapitulates rib defects analogous to cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome. J Anat 2019; 236:931-945. [PMID: 31884688 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribs are seldom affected by developmental disorders, however, multiple defects in rib structure are observed in the spliceosomal disease cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS). These defects include rib gaps, found in the posterior part of the costal shaft in multiple ribs, as well as missing ribs, shortened ribs and abnormal costotransverse articulations, which result in inadequate ventilation at birth and high perinatal mortality. The genetic mechanism of CCMS is a loss-of-function mutation in SNRPB, a component of the major spliceosome, and knockdown of this gene in vitro affects the activity of the Wnt/β-catenin and bone morphogenic protein (BMP) pathways. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether altering these pathways in vivo can recapitulate rib gaps and other rib abnormalities in the model animal. Chick embryos were implanted with beads soaked in Wnt/β-catenin and BMP pathway modulators during somitogenesis, and incubated until the ribs were formed. Some embryos were harvested in the preceding days for analysis of the chondrogenic marker Sox9, to determine whether pathway modulation affected somite patterning or chondrogenesis. Wnt/β-catenin inhibition manifested characteristic rib phenotypes seen in CCMS, including rib gaps (P < 0.05) and missing ribs (P < 0.05). BMP pathway activation did not cause rib gaps but yielded missing rib (P < 0.01) and shortened rib phenotypes (P < 0.05). A strong association with vertebral phenotypes was also noted with BMP4 (P < 0.001), including scoliosis (P < 0.05), a feature associated with CCMS. Reduced expression of Sox9 was detected with Wnt/β-catenin inhibition, indicating that inhibition of chondrogenesis precipitated the rib defects in the presence of Wnt/β-catenin inhibitors. BMP pathway activators also reduced Sox9 expression, indicating an interruption of somite patterning in the manifestation of rib defects with BMP4. The present study demonstrates that local inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin and activation of the BMP pathway can recapitulate rib defects, such as those observed in CCMS. The balance of Wnt/β-catenin and BMP in the somite is vital for correct rib morphogenesis, and alteration of the activity of these two pathways in CCMS may perturb this balance during somite patterning, leading to the observed rib defects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nobue Itasaki
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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30
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Re-annotation of 191 developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-associated genes unmasks de novo variants in SCN1A. NPJ Genom Med 2019; 4:31. [PMID: 31814998 PMCID: PMC6889285 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-019-0106-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE) are a group of rare, severe neurodevelopmental disorders, where even the most thorough sequencing studies leave 60-65% of patients without a molecular diagnosis. Here, we explore the incompleteness of transcript models used for exome and genome analysis as one potential explanation for a lack of current diagnoses. Therefore, we have updated the GENCODE gene annotation for 191 epilepsy-associated genes, using human brain-derived transcriptomic libraries and other data to build 3,550 putative transcript models. Our annotations increase the transcriptional 'footprint' of these genes by over 674 kb. Using SCN1A as a case study, due to its close phenotype/genotype correlation with Dravet syndrome, we screened 122 people with Dravet syndrome or a similar phenotype with a panel of exon sequences representing eight established genes and identified two de novo SCN1A variants that now - through improved gene annotation - are ascribed to residing among our exons. These two (from 122 screened people, 1.6%) molecular diagnoses carry significant clinical implications. Furthermore, we identified a previously classified SCN1A intronic Dravet syndrome-associated variant that now lies within a deeply conserved exon. Our findings illustrate the potential gains of thorough gene annotation in improving diagnostic yields for genetic disorders.
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31
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Chen T, Zhang B, Ziegenhals T, Prusty AB, Fröhler S, Grimm C, Hu Y, Schaefke B, Fang L, Zhang M, Kraemer N, Kaindl AM, Fischer U, Chen W. A missense mutation in SNRPE linked to non-syndromal microcephaly interferes with U snRNP assembly and pre-mRNA splicing. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008460. [PMID: 31671093 PMCID: PMC6850558 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Malfunction of pre-mRNA processing factors are linked to several human diseases including cancer and neurodegeneration. Here we report the identification of a de novo heterozygous missense mutation in the SNRPE gene (c.65T>C (p.Phe22Ser)) in a patient with non-syndromal primary (congenital) microcephaly and intellectual disability. SNRPE encodes SmE, a basal component of pre-mRNA processing U snRNPs. We show that the microcephaly-linked SmE variant is unable to interact with the SMN complex and as a consequence fails to assemble into U snRNPs. This results in widespread mRNA splicing alterations in fibroblast cells derived from this patient. Similar alterations were observed in HEK293 cells upon SmE depletion that could be rescued by the expression of wild type but not mutant SmE. Importantly, the depletion of SmE in zebrafish causes aberrant mRNA splicing alterations and reduced brain size, reminiscent of the patient microcephaly phenotype. We identify the EMX2 mRNA, which encodes a protein required for proper brain development, as a major mis-spliced down stream target. Together, our study links defects in the SNRPE gene to microcephaly and suggests that alterations of cellular splicing of specific mRNAs such as EMX2 results in the neurological phenotype of the disease. In higher eukaryotes, the protein coding genes are first transcribed as precursor mRNAs (pre-mRNAs) and further processed by the spliceosome to form the mature mRNA for translation. Malfunction of pre-mRNA processing factors are linked to several human diseases including cancer and neurodegeneration. Here we report the identification of a de novo heterozygous missense mutation in the SNRPE/SmE gene in a patient with non-syndromal primary (congenital) microcephaly and intellectual disability. The effect of identified de novo mutation on SNRPE/SmE was characterized in vitro. The zebrafish was used as in vivo model to further dissect the physiological consequence and pathomechanism. Finally, the EMX2 gene was identified as one of the major down stream target genes responsible for the phenotype. Our study links defects in the SNRPE/SmE gene to microcephaly and provides the new pathogenic mechanism for microcephaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Chen
- Laboratory for Functional Genomics and Systems Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical System Biology, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Thomas Ziegenhals
- Department of Biochemistry, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Archana B. Prusty
- Department of Biochemistry, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Fröhler
- Laboratory for Functional Genomics and Systems Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical System Biology, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clemens Grimm
- Department of Biochemistry, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Yuhui Hu
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
| | - Bernhard Schaefke
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
| | - Liang Fang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
| | - Nadine Kraemer
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Angela M. Kaindl
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Center for Chronically Sick Children, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (UF); (AK); (WC)
| | - Utz Fischer
- Department of Biochemistry, Theodor-Boveri-Institute, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- * E-mail: (UF); (AK); (WC)
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
- * E-mail: (UF); (AK); (WC)
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32
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Hsieh YC, Guo C, Yalamanchili HK, Abreha M, Al-Ouran R, Li Y, Dammer EB, Lah JJ, Levey AI, Bennett DA, De Jager PL, Seyfried NT, Liu Z, Shulman JM. Tau-Mediated Disruption of the Spliceosome Triggers Cryptic RNA Splicing and Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's Disease. Cell Rep 2019; 29:301-316.e10. [PMID: 31597093 PMCID: PMC6919331 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), spliceosomal proteins with critical roles in RNA processing aberrantly aggregate and mislocalize to Tau neurofibrillary tangles. We test the hypothesis that Tau-spliceosome interactions disrupt pre-mRNA splicing in AD. In human postmortem brain with AD pathology, Tau coimmunoprecipitates with spliceosomal components. In Drosophila, pan-neuronal Tau expression triggers reductions in multiple core and U1-specific spliceosomal proteins, and genetic disruption of these factors, including SmB, U1-70K, and U1A, enhances Tau-mediated neurodegeneration. We further show that loss of function in SmB, encoding a core spliceosomal protein, causes decreased survival, progressive locomotor impairment, and neuronal loss, independent of Tau toxicity. Lastly, RNA sequencing reveals a similar profile of mRNA splicing errors in SmB mutant and Tau transgenic flies, including intron retention and non-annotated cryptic splice junctions. In human brains, we confirm cryptic splicing errors in association with neurofibrillary tangle burden. Our results implicate spliceosome disruption and the resulting transcriptome perturbation in Tau-mediated neurodegeneration in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chen Hsieh
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Caiwei Guo
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hari K Yalamanchili
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Measho Abreha
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Rami Al-Ouran
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yarong Li
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eric B Dammer
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - James J Lah
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Allan I Levey
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Philip L De Jager
- Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Cell Circuits Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Nicholas T Seyfried
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joshua M Shulman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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33
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SNRPB promotes the tumorigenic potential of NSCLC in part by regulating RAB26. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:667. [PMID: 31511502 PMCID: PMC6739327 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1929-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
SNRPB is a core component of spliceosome and plays a major role in regulating alternative splicing of the pre-mRNA. However, little is known about its role in cancer to date. In this study, we observe that SNRPB is overexpressed in NSCLC and correlated with poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. We demonstrate that SNRPB promotes NSCLC tumorigenesis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we reveal that RAB26 is a critical target of SNRPB. Suppression of SNRPB leads to retention of intron seven in the RAB26 mRNA and reduced RAB26 mRNA through activation of nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD). Moreover, forced expression of RAB26 partially restores the decreased tumorigenicity in NSCLC cells with SNRPB depletion. Our study unveils a novel role of SNRPB in facilitating NSCLC tumorigenesis via regulation of RAB26 expression and proposes that the SNRPB/RAB26 pathway may offer a therapeutic vulnerability in NSCLC.
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Tam AS, Stirling PC. Splicing, genome stability and disease: splice like your genome depends on it! Curr Genet 2019; 65:905-912. [PMID: 30953124 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-019-00964-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The spliceosome has been implicated in genome maintenance for decades. Recently, a surge in discoveries in cancer has suggested that the oncogenic mechanism of spliceosomal defects may involve defective genome stability. The action of the core spliceosome prevents R-loop accumulation, and regulates the expression of genome stability factors. At the same time, specific spliceosomal components have non-canonical functions in genome maintenance. Here we review these different models, highlighting their discovery in different model systems, and describing their potential impact on human disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie S Tam
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Peter C Stirling
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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35
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Kim JJ, Choi DS, Jang I, Cha BK, Park IW. Pierre Robin sequence with severe scoliosis in an adult: A case report of clinical and radiological features. Imaging Sci Dent 2019; 49:323-329. [PMID: 31915619 PMCID: PMC6941832 DOI: 10.5624/isd.2019.49.4.323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is characterized by the triad of micrognathia, glossoptosis, and airway obstruction. PRS does not have a single pathogenesis, but rather is associated with multiple syndromes. This report presents the case of a 35-year-old woman with PRS and scoliosis. Among the syndromes related to PRS, cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS), which is characterized by posterior rib gap defects and vertebral anomalies, was suspected in this patient. However, no posterior rib gap defect was detected on radiological examinations. Although over 80 cases of CCMS have been reported to date, few cases of PRS with scoliosis alone have been reported. Therefore, this report demonstrated the clinical, radiological, and cephalometric characteristics of an adult patient with PRS and scoliosis, but without rib anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Jun Kim
- Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Korea
| | - Dong-Soon Choi
- Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Korea
| | - Insan Jang
- Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Korea
| | - Bong-Kuen Cha
- Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Korea
| | - In-Woo Park
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, College of Dentistry, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Korea
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36
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Merkuri F, Fish JL. Developmental processes regulate craniofacial variation in disease and evolution. Genesis 2018; 57:e23249. [PMID: 30207415 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Variation in development mediates phenotypic differences observed in evolution and disease. Although the mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation are still largely unknown, recent research suggests that variation in developmental processes may play a key role. Developmental processes mediate genotype-phenotype relationships and consequently play an important role regulating phenotypes. In this review, we provide an example of how shared and interacting developmental processes may explain convergence of phenotypes in spliceosomopathies and ribosomopathies. These data also suggest a shared pathway to disease treatment. We then discuss three major mechanisms that contribute to variation in developmental processes: genetic background (gene-gene interactions), gene-environment interactions, and developmental stochasticity. Finally, we comment on evolutionary alterations to developmental processes, and the evolution of disease buffering mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fjodor Merkuri
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer L Fish
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts
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37
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Neurocristopathies: New insights 150 years after the neural crest discovery. Dev Biol 2018; 444 Suppl 1:S110-S143. [PMID: 29802835 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The neural crest (NC) is a transient, multipotent and migratory cell population that generates an astonishingly diverse array of cell types during vertebrate development. These cells, which originate from the ectoderm in a region lateral to the neural plate in the neural fold, give rise to neurons, glia, melanocytes, chondrocytes, smooth muscle cells, odontoblasts and neuroendocrine cells, among others. Neurocristopathies (NCP) are a class of pathologies occurring in vertebrates, especially in humans that result from the abnormal specification, migration, differentiation or death of neural crest cells during embryonic development. Various pigment, skin, thyroid and hearing disorders, craniofacial and heart abnormalities, malfunctions of the digestive tract and tumors can also be considered as neurocristopathies. In this review we revisit the current classification and propose a new way to classify NCP based on the embryonic origin of the affected tissues, on recent findings regarding the molecular mechanisms that drive NC formation, and on the increased complexity of current molecular embryology techniques.
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39
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snRNP proteins in health and disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 79:92-102. [PMID: 29037818 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Split gene architecture of most human genes requires removal of intervening sequences by mRNA splicing that occurs on large multiprotein complexes called spliceosomes. Mutations compromising several spliceosomal components have been recorded in degenerative syndromes and haematological neoplasia, thereby highlighting the importance of accurate splicing execution in homeostasis of assorted adult tissues. Moreover, insufficient splicing underlies defective development of craniofacial skeleton and upper extremities. This review summarizes recent advances in the understanding of splicing factor function deduced from cryo-EM structures. We combine these data with the characterization of splicing factors implicated in hereditary or somatic disorders, with a focus on potential functional consequences the mutations may elicit in spliceosome assembly and/or performance. Given aberrant splicing or perturbations in splicing efficiency substantially underpin disease pathogenesis, profound understanding of the mis-splicing principles may open new therapeutic vistas. In three major sections dedicated to retinal dystrophies, hereditary acrofacial syndromes, and haematological malignancies, we delineate the noticeable variety of conditions associated with dysfunctional splicing and accentuate recurrent patterns in splicing defects.
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Abstract
Much evidence is now accumulating that, in addition to their general role in splicing, the components of the core splicing machinery have extensive regulatory potential. In particular, recent evidence has demonstrated that de-regulation of these factors cause the highest extent of alternative splicing changes compared to de-regulation of the classical splicing regulators. This lack of a general inhibition of splicing resonates the differential splicing effects observed in different disease pathologies associated with specific mutations targeting core spliceosomal components. In this review we will summarize what is currently known regarding the involvement of core spliceosomal U-snRNP complexes in perturbed tissue development and human diseases and argue for the existence of a compensatory mechanism enabling cells to cope with drastic perturbations in core splicing components. This system maintains the correct balance of spliceosomal snRNPs through differential expression of variant (v)U-snRNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Vazquez-Arango
- a Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Level 3 , Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital , Oxford , England
| | - Dawn O'Reilly
- b Sir William Dunn School of pathology , University of Oxford , South Parks Road, Oxford , England
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41
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da Costa PJ, Menezes J, Romão L. The role of alternative splicing coupled to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay in human disease. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2017; 91:168-175. [PMID: 28743674 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 07/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Alternative pre-mRNA splicing (AS) affects gene expression as it generates proteome diversity. Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a surveillance pathway that recognizes and selectively degrades mRNAs carrying premature translation-termination codons (PTCs), preventing the production of truncated proteins that could result in disease. Several studies have also implicated NMD in the regulation of steady-state levels of physiological mRNAs. In addition, it is known that several regulated AS events do not lead to generation of protein products, as they lead to transcripts that carry PTCs and thus, they are committed to NMD. Indeed, an estimated one-third of naturally occurring, alternatively spliced mRNAs is targeted for NMD, being AS coupled to NMD (AS-NMD) an efficient strategy to regulate gene expression. In this review, we will focus on how AS mechanism operates and how can be coupled to NMD to fine-tune gene expression levels. Furthermore, we will demonstrate the physiological significance of the interplay among AS and NMD in human disease, such as cancer and neurological disorders. The understanding of how AS-NMD orchestrates expression of vital genes is of utmost importance for the advance in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of many human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo J da Costa
- Department of Human Genetics, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal; Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Juliane Menezes
- Department of Human Genetics, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal; Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Luísa Romão
- Department of Human Genetics, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal; Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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42
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Steward CA, Parker APJ, Minassian BA, Sisodiya SM, Frankish A, Harrow J. Genome annotation for clinical genomic diagnostics: strengths and weaknesses. Genome Med 2017; 9:49. [PMID: 28558813 PMCID: PMC5448149 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-017-0441-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Human Genome Project and advances in DNA sequencing technologies have revolutionized the identification of genetic disorders through the use of clinical exome sequencing. However, in a considerable number of patients, the genetic basis remains unclear. As clinicians begin to consider whole-genome sequencing, an understanding of the processes and tools involved and the factors to consider in the annotation of the structure and function of genomic elements that might influence variant identification is crucial. Here, we discuss and illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of approaches for the annotation and classification of important elements of protein-coding genes, other genomic elements such as pseudogenes and the non-coding genome, comparative-genomic approaches for inferring gene function, and new technologies for aiding genome annotation, as a practical guide for clinicians when considering pathogenic sequence variation. Complete and accurate annotation of structure and function of genome features has the potential to reduce both false-negative (from missing annotation) and false-positive (from incorrect annotation) errors in causal variant identification in exome and genome sequences. Re-analysis of unsolved cases will be necessary as newer technology improves genome annotation, potentially improving the rate of diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles A Steward
- Congenica Ltd, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1DR, UK. .,The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.
| | | | - Berge A Minassian
- Department of Pediatrics (Neurology), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, TX, USA.,Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and Department of Paediatrics (Neurology), The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sanjay M Sisodiya
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chesham Lane, Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, SL9 0RJ, UK
| | - Adam Frankish
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Jennifer Harrow
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK.,Illumina Inc, Great Chesterford, Essex, CB10 1XL, UK
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Xu M, Xie Y(A, Abouzeid H, Gordon CT, Fiorentino A, Sun Z, Lehman A, Osman IS, Dharmat R, Riveiro-Alvarez R, Bapst-Wicht L, Babino D, Arno G, Busetto V, Zhao L, Li H, Lopez-Martinez MA, Azevedo LF, Hubert L, Pontikos N, Eblimit A, Lorda-Sanchez I, Kheir V, Plagnol V, Oufadem M, Soens ZT, Yang L, Bole-Feysot C, Pfundt R, Allaman-Pillet N, Nitschké P, Cheetham ME, Lyonnet S, Agrawal SA, Li H, Pinton G, Michaelides M, Besmond C, Li Y, Yuan Z, von Lintig J, Webster AR, Le Hir H, Stoilov P, Amiel J, Hardcastle AJ, Ayuso C, Sui R, Chen R, Allikmets R, Schorderet DF, Black G, Hall G, Gillespie R, Ramsden S, Manson F, Sergouniotis P, Inglehearn C, Toomes C, Ali M, McKibbin M, Poulter J, Lord E, Nemeth A, Halford S, Downes S, Yu J. Mutations in the Spliceosome Component CWC27 Cause Retinal Degeneration with or without Additional Developmental Anomalies. Am J Hum Genet 2017; 100:592-604. [PMID: 28285769 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-mRNA splicing factors play a fundamental role in regulating transcript diversity both temporally and spatially. Genetic defects in several spliceosome components have been linked to a set of non-overlapping spliceosomopathy phenotypes in humans, among which skeletal developmental defects and non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are frequent findings. Here we report that defects in spliceosome-associated protein CWC27 are associated with a spectrum of disease phenotypes ranging from isolated RP to severe syndromic forms. By whole-exome sequencing, recessive protein-truncating mutations in CWC27 were found in seven unrelated families that show a range of clinical phenotypes, including retinal degeneration, brachydactyly, craniofacial abnormalities, short stature, and neurological defects. Remarkably, variable expressivity of the human phenotype can be recapitulated in Cwc27 mutant mouse models, with significant embryonic lethality and severe phenotypes in the complete knockout mice while mice with a partial loss-of-function allele mimic the isolated retinal degeneration phenotype. Our study describes a retinal dystrophy-related phenotype spectrum as well as its genetic etiology and highlights the complexity of the spliceosomal gene network.
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44
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Correa BR, de Araujo PR, Qiao M, Burns SC, Chen C, Schlegel R, Agarwal S, Galante PAF, Penalva LOF. Functional genomics analyses of RNA-binding proteins reveal the splicing regulator SNRPB as an oncogenic candidate in glioblastoma. Genome Biol 2016; 17:125. [PMID: 27287018 PMCID: PMC4901439 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-0990-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor. Currently, GBM has an extremely poor outcome and there is no effective treatment. In this context, genomic and transcriptomic analyses have become important tools to identify new avenues for therapies. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are master regulators of co- and post-transcriptional events; however, their role in GBM remains poorly understood. To further our knowledge of novel regulatory pathways that could contribute to gliomagenesis, we have conducted a systematic study of RBPs in GBM. RESULTS By measuring expression levels of 1542 human RBPs in GBM samples and glioma stem cell samples, we identified 58 consistently upregulated RBPs. Survival analysis revealed that increased expression of 21 RBPs was also associated with a poor prognosis. To assess the functional impact of those RBPs, we modulated their expression in GBM cell lines and performed viability, proliferation, and apoptosis assays. Combined results revealed a prominent oncogenic candidate, SNRPB, which encodes core spliceosome machinery components. To reveal the impact of SNRPB on splicing and gene expression, we performed its knockdown in a GBM cell line followed by RNA sequencing. We found that the affected genes were involved in RNA processing, DNA repair, and chromatin remodeling. Additionally, genes and pathways already associated with gliomagenesis, as well as a set of general cancer genes, also presented with splicing and expression alterations. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides new insights into how RBPs, and specifically SNRPB, regulate gene expression and directly impact GBM development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna R Correa
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Mei Qiao
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Suzanne C Burns
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Chen Chen
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Seema Agarwal
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Pedro A F Galante
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Luiz O F Penalva
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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45
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Tooley M, Lynch D, Bernier F, Parboosingh J, Bhoj E, Zackai E, Calder A, Itasaki N, Wakeling E, Scott R, Lees M, Clayton-Smith J, Blyth M, Morton J, Shears D, Kini U, Homfray T, Clarke A, Barnicoat A, Wallis C, Hewitson R, Offiah A, Saunders M, Langton-Hewer S, Hilliard T, Davis P, Smithson S. Cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome: Clinical, radiological, and genetic findings. Am J Med Genet A 2016; 170A:1115-26. [PMID: 26971886 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cerebro-Costo-Mandibular syndrome (CCMS) is a rare autosomal dominant condition comprising branchial arch-derivative malformations with striking rib-gaps. Affected patients often have respiratory difficulties, associated with upper airway obstruction, reduced thoracic capacity, and scoliosis. We describe a series of 12 sporadic and 4 familial patients including 13 infants/children and 3 adults. Severe micrognathia and reduced numbers of ribs with gaps are consistent findings. Cleft palate, feeding difficulties, respiratory distress, tracheostomy requirement, and scoliosis are common. Additional malformations such as horseshoe kidney, hypospadias, and septal heart defect may occur. Microcephaly and significant developmental delay are present in a small minority of patients. Key radiological findings are of a narrow thorax, multiple posterior rib gaps and abnormal costo-transverse articulation. A novel finding in 2 patients is bilateral accessory ossicles arising from the hyoid bone. Recently, specific mutations in SNRPB, which encodes components of the major spliceosome, have been found to cause CCMS. These mutations cluster in an alternatively spliced regulatory exon and result in altered SNRPB expression. DNA was available from 14 patients and SNRPB mutations were identified in 12 (4 previously reported). Eleven had recurrent mutations previously described in patients with CCMS and one had a novel mutation in the alternative exon. These results confirm the specificity of SNRPB mutations in CCMS and provide further evidence for the role of spliceosomal proteins in craniofacial and thoracic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Tooley
- Department of Clinical Genetics, St. Michael's Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle Lynch
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Francois Bernier
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | | | - Elizabeth Bhoj
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Elaine Zackai
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Alistair Calder
- Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nobue Itasaki
- Centre for Comparative and Clinical Anatomy, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Wakeling
- North West Thames Regional Genetic Service, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Scott
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa Lees
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jill Clayton-Smith
- Department of Clinical Genetics, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Moira Blyth
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Jenny Morton
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Birmingham Women's Hospital, United Kingdom
| | - Debbie Shears
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Usha Kini
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tessa Homfray
- Department of Clinical Genetics, St. George's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Angus Clarke
- Department of Clinical Genetics, University Hospital Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Barnicoat
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Wallis
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Hewitson
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amaka Offiah
- Academic Unit of Child Health, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Saunders
- Department of Otolaryngology, St. Michael's Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Langton-Hewer
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Hilliard
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Davis
- Department of Paediatric Intensive Care, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Smithson
- Department of Clinical Genetics, St. Michael's Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom
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46
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Devotta A, Juraver-Geslin H, Gonzalez JA, Hong CS, Saint-Jeannet JP. Sf3b4-depleted Xenopus embryos: A model to study the pathogenesis of craniofacial defects in Nager syndrome. Dev Biol 2016; 415:371-382. [PMID: 26874011 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mandibulofacial dysostosis (MFD) is a human developmental disorder characterized by defects of the facial bones. It is the second most frequent craniofacial malformation after cleft lip and palate. Nager syndrome combines many features of MFD with a variety of limb defects. Mutations in SF3B4 (splicing factor 3b, subunit 4) gene, which encodes a component of the pre-mRNA spliceosomal complex, were recently identified as a cause of Nager syndrome, accounting for 60% of affected individuals. Nothing is known about the cellular pathogenesis underlying Nager type MFD. Here we describe the first animal model for Nager syndrome, generated by knocking down Sf3b4 function in Xenopus laevis embryos, using morpholino antisense oligonucleotides. Our results indicate that Sf3b4-depleted embryos show reduced expression of the neural crest genes sox10, snail2 and twist at the neural plate border, associated with a broadening of the neural plate. This phenotype can be rescued by injection of wild-type human SF3B4 mRNA but not by mRNAs carrying mutations that cause Nager syndrome. At the tailbud stage, morphant embryos had decreased sox10 and tfap2a expression in the pharyngeal arches, indicative of a reduced number of neural crest cells. Later in development, Sf3b4-depleted tadpoles exhibited hypoplasia of neural crest-derived craniofacial cartilages, phenocopying aspects of the craniofacial skeletal defects seen in Nager syndrome patients. With this animal model we are now poised to gain important insights into the etiology and pathogenesis of Nager type MFD, and to identify the molecular targets of Sf3b4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Devotta
- Department of Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Hugo Juraver-Geslin
- Department of Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Jose Antonio Gonzalez
- Department of Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, USA; Master Program in Biology, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Chang-Soo Hong
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jean-Pierre Saint-Jeannet
- Department of Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology, College of Dentistry, New York University, New York, USA.
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Huang L, Vanstone MR, Hartley T, Osmond M, Barrowman N, Allanson J, Baker L, Dabir TA, Dipple KM, Dobyns WB, Estrella J, Faghfoury H, Favaro FP, Goel H, Gregersen PA, Gripp KW, Grix A, Guion-Almeida ML, Harr MH, Hudson C, Hunter AGW, Johnson J, Joss SK, Kimball A, Kini U, Kline AD, Lauzon J, Lildballe DL, López-González V, Martinezmoles J, Meldrum C, Mirzaa GM, Morel CF, Morton JEV, Pyle LC, Quintero-Rivera F, Richer J, Scheuerle AE, Schönewolf-Greulich B, Shears DJ, Silver J, Smith AC, Temple IK, van de Kamp JM, van Dijk FS, Vandersteen AM, White SM, Zackai EH, Zou R, Bulman DE, Boycott KM, Lines MA. Mandibulofacial Dysostosis with Microcephaly: Mutation and Database Update. Hum Mutat 2015; 37:148-54. [PMID: 26507355 DOI: 10.1002/humu.22924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly (MFDM) is a multiple malformation syndrome comprising microcephaly, craniofacial anomalies, hearing loss, dysmorphic features, and, in some cases, esophageal atresia. Haploinsufficiency of a spliceosomal GTPase, U5-116 kDa/EFTUD2, is responsible. Here, we review the molecular basis of MFDM in the 69 individuals described to date, and report mutations in 38 new individuals, bringing the total number of reported individuals to 107 individuals from 94 kindreds. Pathogenic EFTUD2 variants comprise 76 distinct mutations and seven microdeletions. Among point mutations, missense substitutions are infrequent (14 out of 76; 18%) relative to stop-gain (29 out of 76; 38%), and splicing (33 out of 76; 43%) mutations. Where known, mutation origin was de novo in 48 out of 64 individuals (75%), dominantly inherited in 12 out of 64 (19%), and due to proven germline mosaicism in four out of 64 (6%). Highly penetrant clinical features include, microcephaly, first and second arch craniofacial malformations, and hearing loss; esophageal atresia is present in an estimated ∼27%. Microcephaly is virtually universal in childhood, with some adults exhibiting late "catch-up" growth and normocephaly at maturity. Occasionally reported anomalies, include vestibular and ossicular malformations, reduced mouth opening, atrophy of cerebral white matter, structural brain malformations, and epibulbar dermoid. All reported EFTUD2 mutations can be found in the EFTUD2 mutation database (http://databases.lovd.nl/shared/genes/EFTUD2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijia Huang
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Megan R Vanstone
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Taila Hartley
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew Osmond
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nick Barrowman
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Judith Allanson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laura Baker
- Division of Medical Genetics, A. I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware
| | - Tabib A Dabir
- Clinical Genetics Department, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, UK
| | - Katrina M Dipple
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - William B Dobyns
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jane Estrella
- Department of Medical Genetics, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Hanna Faghfoury
- The Fred A. Litwin Family Centre in Genetic Medicine, University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Francine P Favaro
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil
| | - Himanshu Goel
- Hunter Genetics, Newcastle, Waratah, Australia.,University of Newcastle, Newcastle - School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health, Callaghan, Australia
| | | | - Karen W Gripp
- Division of Medical Genetics, A. I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware
| | - Art Grix
- Department of Genetics, Permanente Medical Group, Roseville, California
| | - Maria-Leine Guion-Almeida
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil
| | - Margaret H Harr
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,The Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | | | - John Johnson
- Shodair Children's Hospital, Helena, Montana.,Clinical Genetics and Metabolism, Floating Hospital for Children, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shelagh K Joss
- West of Scotland Clinical Genetics Service, South Glasgow University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | - Amy Kimball
- Harvey Institute for Human Genetics, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Usha Kini
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Antonie D Kline
- Harvey Institute for Human Genetics, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Julie Lauzon
- Department of Medical Genetics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dorte L Lildballe
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Vanesa López-González
- Sección de Genética Médica, Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.,Grupo Clínico Vinculado al Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Ghayda M Mirzaa
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Chantal F Morel
- The Fred A. Litwin Family Centre in Genetic Medicine, University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jenny E V Morton
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Service, Birmingham Women's Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| | - Louise C Pyle
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Fabiola Quintero-Rivera
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA Clinical Genomics Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Julie Richer
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angela E Scheuerle
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Bitten Schönewolf-Greulich
- Genetic Counselling Clinic Kennedy Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Deborah J Shears
- Oxford Regional Genetics Service, The Churchill Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Josh Silver
- The Fred A. Litwin Family Centre in Genetic Medicine, University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amanda C Smith
- Department of Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - I Karen Temple
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.,Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | | | | | - Fleur S van Dijk
- Department of Clinical Genetics, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sue M White
- Victoria Clinical Genetics Service, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elaine H Zackai
- Division of Human Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ruobing Zou
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dennis E Bulman
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Newborn Screening Ontario, The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Kym M Boycott
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Genetics, The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew A Lines
- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,Metabolics and Newborn Screening, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada
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48
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Twigg SRF, Wilkie AOM. New insights into craniofacial malformations. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:R50-9. [PMID: 26085576 PMCID: PMC4571997 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of the human skull and face is a highly orchestrated and complex three-dimensional morphogenetic process, involving hundreds of genes controlling the coordinated patterning, proliferation and differentiation of tissues having multiple embryological origins. Craniofacial malformations that occur because of abnormal development (including cleft lip and/or palate, craniosynostosis and facial dysostoses), comprise over one-third of all congenital birth defects. High-throughput sequencing has recently led to the identification of many new causative disease genes and functional studies have clarified their mechanisms of action. We present recent findings in craniofacial genetics and discuss how this information together with developmental studies in animal models is helping to increase understanding of normal craniofacial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R F Twigg
- Clinical Genetics Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Andrew O M Wilkie
- Clinical Genetics Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
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49
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Lehalle D, Wieczorek D, Zechi-Ceide RM, Passos-Bueno MR, Lyonnet S, Amiel J, Gordon CT. A review of craniofacial disorders caused by spliceosomal defects. Clin Genet 2015; 88:405-15. [PMID: 25865758 DOI: 10.1111/cge.12596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The spliceosome is a large ribonucleoprotein complex that removes introns from pre-mRNA transcripts. Mutations in EFTUD2, encoding a component of the major spliceosome, have recently been identified as the cause of mandibulofacial dysostosis, Guion-Almeida type (MFDGA), characterized by mandibulofacial dysostosis, microcephaly, external ear malformations and intellectual disability. Mutations in several other genes involved in spliceosomal function or linked aspects of mRNA processing have also recently been identified in human disorders with specific craniofacial malformations: SF3B4 in Nager syndrome, an acrofacial dysostosis (AFD); SNRPB in cerebrocostomandibular syndrome, characterized by Robin sequence and rib defects; EIF4A3 in the AFD Richieri-Costa-Pereira syndrome, characterized by Robin sequence, median mandibular cleft and limb defects; and TXNL4A in Burn-McKeown syndrome, involving specific craniofacial dysmorphisms. Here, we review phenotypic and molecular aspects of these syndromes. Given the apparent sensitivity of craniofacial development to defects in mRNA processing, it is possible that mutations in other proteins involved in spliceosomal function will emerge in the future as causative for related human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Lehalle
- Department of Genetics, APHP, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France
| | - D Wieczorek
- Institut für Humangenetik, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - R M Zechi-Ceide
- Departamento de Genetica Clinica, Hospital de Reabilitacao de Anomalias Craniofaciais, Universidade de Sao Paulo (HRAC-USP), Bauru, Brasil
| | - M R Passos-Bueno
- Centro de Estudos do Genoma Humano, Instituto de Biociencias, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brasil
| | - S Lyonnet
- Department of Genetics, APHP, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, Paris, France.,Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Imagine, Paris, France
| | - J Amiel
- Department of Genetics, APHP, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, Paris, France.,Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Imagine, Paris, France
| | - C T Gordon
- INSERM UMR 1163, Institut Imagine, Paris, France.,Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Imagine, Paris, France
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50
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Bacrot S, Doyard M, Huber C, Alibeu O, Feldhahn N, Lehalle D, Lacombe D, Marlin S, Nitschke P, Petit F, Vazquez MP, Munnich A, Cormier-Daire V. Mutations in SNRPB, encoding components of the core splicing machinery, cause cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome. Hum Mutat 2014; 36:187-90. [PMID: 25504470 DOI: 10.1002/humu.22729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome (CCMS) is a developmental disorder characterized by the association of Pierre Robin sequence and posterior rib defects. Exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing in five unrelated CCMS patients revealed five heterozygous variants in the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptides B and B1 (SNRPB) gene. This gene includes three transcripts, namely transcripts 1 and 2, encoding components of the core spliceosomal machinery (SmB' and SmB) and transcript 3 undergoing nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. All variants were located in the premature termination codon (PTC)-introducing alternative exon of transcript 3. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed a significant increase in transcript 3 levels in leukocytes of CCMS individuals compared to controls. We conclude that CCMS is due to heterozygous mutations in SNRPB, enhancing inclusion of a SNRPB PTC-introducing alternative exon, and show that this developmental disease is caused by defects in the splicing machinery. Our finding confirms the report of SNRPB mutations in CCMS patients by Lynch et al. (2014) and further extends the clinical and molecular observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Bacrot
- Department of Genetics, INSERM U1163, Université Paris Descartes - Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut Imagine, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades (AP-HP), Paris, France
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