1
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Pavlinek A, Adhya D, Tsompanidis A, Warrier V, Vernon AC, Lancaster M, Mill J, Srivastava DP, Baron-Cohen S. Using Organoids to Model Sex Differences in the Human Brain. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100343. [PMID: 39092139 PMCID: PMC11292257 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100343] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex differences are widespread during neurodevelopment and play a role in neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism, which is more prevalent in males than females. In humans, males have been shown to have larger brain volumes than females with development of the hippocampus and amygdala showing prominent sex differences. Mechanistically, sex steroids and sex chromosomes drive these differences in brain development, which seem to peak during prenatal and pubertal stages. Animal models have played a crucial role in understanding sex differences, but the study of human sex differences requires an experimental model that can recapitulate complex genetic traits. To fill this gap, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain organoids are now being used to study how complex genetic traits influence prenatal brain development. For example, brain organoids from individuals with autism and individuals with X chromosome-linked Rett syndrome and fragile X syndrome have revealed prenatal differences in cell proliferation, a measure of brain volume differences, and excitatory-inhibitory imbalances. Brain organoids have also revealed increased neurogenesis of excitatory neurons due to androgens. However, despite growing interest in using brain organoids, several key challenges remain that affect its validity as a model system. In this review, we discuss how sex steroids and the sex chromosomes each contribute to sex differences in brain development. Then, we examine the role of X chromosome inactivation as a factor that drives sex differences. Finally, we discuss the combined challenges of modeling X chromosome inactivation and limitations of brain organoids that need to be taken into consideration when studying sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Pavlinek
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dwaipayan Adhya
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Tsompanidis
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Varun Warrier
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony C. Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan Mill
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Deepak P. Srivastava
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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2
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Vaz D, Vasconcelos S, Caniçais C, Costa B, Ramalho C, Marques J, Dória S. X-chromosome inactivation pattern and telomere length in recurrent pregnancy loss. Reprod Biol 2024; 24:100933. [PMID: 39173315 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2024.100933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Recurrent pregnancy loss is a reproductive disorder affecting about 1 to 5 % of pregnant women worldwide that requires our attention, especially considering that about 50 % of cases are idiopathic. The present study is focused on testing a possible association between extreme skewed X-chromosome inactivation patterns and/or shortened telomeres with idiopathic cases since both are considered non-consensual potential causes underlying recurrent pregnancy loss in the scientific community. For this purpose, two groups of women were analyzed and compared: a group of women with idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss and a second group of age-matched women with proven fertility, and both X-chromosome inactivation patterns and telomere length were measured and compared from maternal DNA extracted from peripheral blood. Our data showed no statistically significant differences between groups, suggesting no association between extreme skewed X-chromosome inactivation or shortened telomeres with recurrent pregnancy losses. Additionally, the effect of maternal age on both X-chromosome inactivation pattern and telomere length was tested, but no significant correlation was observed between advanced maternal age and extreme skewed X-chromosome inactivation or telomere shortening. This study represents one more valid contribution to the investigation of causes underlying recurrent pregnancy loss suggesting that, new variables may be considered since the pattern of X-chromosome inactivation and telomere length do not seem to be related to this reproductive disorder. Briefly, considering its clinical relevance, it is mandatory a continuous effort in the scientific community to cover new potential recurrent pregnancy loss-related causes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Vaz
- Genetics Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal.
| | - Sara Vasconcelos
- Genetics Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal; I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Portugal.
| | - Carla Caniçais
- Genetics Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal; I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Portugal.
| | - Beatriz Costa
- Genetics Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal.
| | - Carla Ramalho
- I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Portugal; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centro Hospitalar São João and Faculty of Medicine, Porto, Portugal; Department of Gynecology-Obstetrics and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal.
| | - Joana Marques
- Genetics Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal; I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Portugal.
| | - Sofia Dória
- Genetics Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal; I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, University of Porto, Portugal.
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3
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Demirci I, Larsson AJM, Chen X, Hartman J, Sandberg R, Frisén J. Inferring clonal somatic mutations directed by X chromosome inactivation status in single cells. Genome Biol 2024; 25:214. [PMID: 39123248 PMCID: PMC11312698 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03360-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Analysis of clonal dynamics in human tissues is enabled by somatic genetic variation. Here, we show that analysis of mitochondrial mutations in single cells is dramatically improved in females when using X chromosome inactivation to select informative clonal mutations. Applying this strategy to human peripheral mononuclear blood cells reveals clonal structures within T cells that otherwise are blurred by non-informative mutations, including the separation of gamma-delta T cells, suggesting this approach can be used to decipher clonal dynamics of cells in human tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilke Demirci
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anton J M Larsson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xinsong Chen
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Hartman
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rickard Sandberg
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Jonas Frisén
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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4
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Kushida Y, Oguma Y, Abe K, Deguchi T, Barbera FG, Nishimura N, Fujioka K, Iwatani S, Dezawa M. Human post-implantation blastocyst-like characteristics of Muse cells isolated from human umbilical cord. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:297. [PMID: 38992309 PMCID: PMC11335221 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05339-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Muse cells, identified as cells positive for the pluripotent surface marker SSEA-3, are pluripotent-like endogenous stem cells located in the bone marrow (BM), peripheral blood, and organ connective tissues. The detailed characteristics of SSEA-3(+) cells in extraembryonic tissue, however, are unknown. Here, we demonstrated that similar to human-adult tissue-Muse cells collected from the BM, adipose tissue, and dermis as SSEA-3(+), human-umbilical cord (UC)-SSEA-3(+) cells express pluripotency markers, differentiate into triploblastic-lineage cells at a single cell level, migrate to damaged tissue, and exhibit low telomerase activity and non-tumorigenicity. Notably, ~ 20% of human-UC-SSEA-3(+) cells were negative for X-inactive specific transcript (XIST), a naïve pluripotent stem cell characteristic, whereas all human adult tissue-Muse cells are XIST-positive. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that the gene expression profile of human-UC-SSEA-3(+) cells was more similar to that of human post-implantation blastocysts than human-adult tissue-Muse cells. The DNA methylation level showed the same trend, and notably, the methylation levels in genes particularly related to differentiation were lower in human-UC-SSEA-3(+) cells than in human-adult tissue-Muse cells. Furthermore, human-UC-SSEA-3(+) cells newly express markers specific to extraembryonic-, germline-, and hematopoietic-lineages after differentiation induction in vitro whereas human-adult tissue-Muse cells respond only partially to the induction. Among various stem/progenitor cells in living bodies, those that exhibit properties similar to post-implantation blastocysts in a naïve state have not yet been found in humans. Easily accessible human-UC-SSEA-3(+) cells may be a valuable tool for studying early-stage human development and human reproductive medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihiro Kushida
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Histology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan.
| | - Yo Oguma
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Histology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Kana Abe
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Histology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Taichi Deguchi
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Histology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Federico Girolamo Barbera
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Histology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Nishimura
- Department of Public Health, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Science, Kobe, Japan
| | - Kazumichi Fujioka
- Department of Pediatrics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Sota Iwatani
- Department of Neonatology, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Children's Hospital, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Mari Dezawa
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Histology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-Machi, Aoba-Ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan.
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5
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Crombie EM, Korecki AJ, Cleverley K, Adair BA, Cunningham TJ, Lee WC, Lengyell TC, Maduro C, Mo V, Slade LM, Zouhair I, Fisher EMC, Simpson EM. Taf1 knockout is lethal in embryonic male mice and heterozygous females show weight and movement disorders. Dis Model Mech 2024; 17:dmm050741. [PMID: 38804708 PMCID: PMC11261634 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The TATA box-binding protein-associated factor 1 (TAF1) is a ubiquitously expressed protein and the largest subunit of the basal transcription factor TFIID, which plays a key role in initiation of RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription. TAF1 missense variants in human males cause X-linked intellectual disability, a neurodevelopmental disorder, and TAF1 is dysregulated in X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism, a neurodegenerative disorder. However, this field has lacked a genetic mouse model of TAF1 disease to explore its mechanism in mammals and treatments. Here, we generated and validated a conditional cre-lox allele and the first ubiquitous Taf1 knockout mouse. We discovered that Taf1 deletion in male mice was embryonically lethal, which may explain why no null variants have been identified in humans. In the brains of Taf1 heterozygous female mice, no differences were found in gross structure, overall expression and protein localisation, suggesting extreme skewed X inactivation towards the non-mutant chromosome. Nevertheless, these female mice exhibited a significant increase in weight, weight with age, and reduced movement, suggesting that a small subset of neurons was negatively impacted by Taf1 loss. Finally, this new mouse model may be a future platform for the development of TAF1 disease therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa M. Crombie
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Andrea J. Korecki
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Karen Cleverley
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Bethany A. Adair
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | | | - Weaverly Colleen Lee
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Tess C. Lengyell
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Cheryl Maduro
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Victor Mo
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Liam M. Slade
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Ines Zouhair
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Elizabeth M. C. Fisher
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Elizabeth M. Simpson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z3, Canada
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6
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Murase Y, Yokogawa R, Yabuta Y, Nagano M, Katou Y, Mizuyama M, Kitamura A, Puangsricharoen P, Yamashiro C, Hu B, Mizuta K, Tsujimura T, Yamamoto T, Ogata K, Ishihama Y, Saitou M. In vitro reconstitution of epigenetic reprogramming in the human germ line. Nature 2024; 631:170-178. [PMID: 38768632 PMCID: PMC11222161 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07526-6] [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: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic reprogramming resets parental epigenetic memories and differentiates primordial germ cells (PGCs) into mitotic pro-spermatogonia or oogonia. This process ensures sexually dimorphic germ cell development for totipotency1. In vitro reconstitution of epigenetic reprogramming in humans remains a fundamental challenge. Here we establish a strategy for inducing epigenetic reprogramming and differentiation of pluripotent stem-cell-derived human PGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) into mitotic pro-spermatogonia or oogonia, coupled with their extensive amplification (about >1010-fold). Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling is a key driver of these processes. BMP-driven hPGCLC differentiation involves attenuation of the MAPK (ERK) pathway and both de novo and maintenance DNA methyltransferase activities, which probably promote replication-coupled, passive DNA demethylation. hPGCLCs deficient in TET1, an active DNA demethylase abundant in human germ cells2,3, differentiate into extraembryonic cells, including amnion, with de-repression of key genes that bear bivalent promoters. These cells fail to fully activate genes vital for spermatogenesis and oogenesis, and their promoters remain methylated. Our study provides a framework for epigenetic reprogramming in humans and an important advance in human biology. Through the generation of abundant mitotic pro-spermatogonia and oogonia-like cells, our results also represent a milestone for human in vitro gametogenesis research and its potential translation into reproductive medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Murase
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ryuta Yokogawa
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Yabuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masahiro Nagano
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Katou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Manami Mizuyama
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ayaka Kitamura
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Pimpitcha Puangsricharoen
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Chika Yamashiro
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Bo Hu
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken Mizuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Taro Tsujimura
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Medical-Risk Avoidance based on iPS Cells Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kosuke Ogata
- Department of Molecular Systems BioAnalysis, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yasushi Ishihama
- Department of Molecular Systems BioAnalysis, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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7
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Dakal TC, Dhabhai B, Pant A, Moar K, Chaudhary K, Yadav V, Ranga V, Sharma NK, Kumar A, Maurya PK, Maciaczyk J, Schmidt‐Wolf IGH, Sharma A. Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes: functions and roles in cancers. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e582. [PMID: 38827026 PMCID: PMC11141506 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer, being the most formidable ailment, has had a profound impact on the human health. The disease is primarily associated with genetic mutations that impact oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (TSGs). Recently, growing evidence have shown that X-linked TSGs have specific role in cancer progression and metastasis as well. Interestingly, our genome harbors around substantial portion of genes that function as tumor suppressors, and the X chromosome alone harbors a considerable number of TSGs. The scenario becomes even more compelling as X-linked TSGs are adaptive to key epigenetic processes such as X chromosome inactivation. Therefore, delineating the new paradigm related to X-linked TSGs, for instance, their crosstalk with autosome and involvement in cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis becomes utmost importance. Considering this, herein, we present a comprehensive discussion of X-linked TSG dysregulation in various cancers as a consequence of genetic variations and epigenetic alterations. In addition, the dynamic role of X-linked TSGs in sex chromosome-autosome crosstalk in cancer genome remodeling is being explored thoroughly. Besides, the functional roles of ncRNAs, role of X-linked TSG in immunomodulation and in gender-based cancer disparities has also been highlighted. Overall, the focal idea of the present article is to recapitulate the findings on X-linked TSG regulation in the cancer landscape and to redefine their role toward improving cancer treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tikam Chand Dakal
- Department of BiotechnologyGenome and Computational Biology LabMohanlal Sukhadia UniversityUdaipurRajasthanIndia
| | - Bhanupriya Dhabhai
- Department of BiotechnologyGenome and Computational Biology LabMohanlal Sukhadia UniversityUdaipurRajasthanIndia
| | - Anuja Pant
- Department of BiochemistryCentral University of HaryanaMahendergarhHaryanaIndia
| | - Kareena Moar
- Department of BiochemistryCentral University of HaryanaMahendergarhHaryanaIndia
| | - Kanika Chaudhary
- School of Life Sciences. Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityNew DelhiIndia
| | - Vikas Yadav
- School of Life Sciences. Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityNew DelhiIndia
| | - Vipin Ranga
- Dearptment of Agricultural BiotechnologyDBT‐NECAB, Assam Agricultural UniversityJorhatAssamIndia
| | | | - Abhishek Kumar
- Manipal Academy of Higher EducationManipalKarnatakaIndia
- Institute of Bioinformatics, International Technology ParkBangaloreIndia
| | - Pawan Kumar Maurya
- Department of BiochemistryCentral University of HaryanaMahendergarhHaryanaIndia
| | - Jarek Maciaczyk
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital of BonnBonnGermany
| | - Ingo G. H. Schmidt‐Wolf
- Department of Integrated OncologyCenter for Integrated Oncology (CIO)University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
| | - Amit Sharma
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital of BonnBonnGermany
- Department of Integrated OncologyCenter for Integrated Oncology (CIO)University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
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8
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Farzaneh M, Anbiyaee O, Azizidoost S, Nasrolahi A, Ghaedrahmati F, Kempisty B, Mozdziak P, Khoshnam SE, Najafi S. The Mechanisms of Long Non-coding RNA-XIST in Ischemic Stroke: Insights into Functional Roles and Therapeutic Potential. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:2745-2753. [PMID: 37932544 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03740-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke, which occurs due to the occlusion of cerebral arteries, is a common type of stroke. Recent research has highlighted the important role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the development of cerebrovascular diseases, specifically ischemic stroke. Understanding the functional roles of lncRNAs in ischemic stroke is crucial, given their potential contribution to the disease pathology. One noteworthy lncRNA is X-inactive specific transcript (XIST), which exhibits downregulation during the early stages of ischemic stroke and subsequent upregulation in later stages. XIST exert its influence on the development of ischemic stroke through interactions with multiple miRNAs and transcription factors. These interactions play a significant role in the pathogenesis of the condition. In this review, we have provided a comprehensive summary of the functional roles of XIST in ischemic stroke. By investigating the involvement of XIST in the disease process, we aim to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying ischemic stroke and potentially identify novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Farzaneh
- Fertility, Infertility and Perinatology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Omid Anbiyaee
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Namazi Hospital, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Shirin Azizidoost
- Atherosclerosis Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Ava Nasrolahi
- Infectious Ophthalmologic Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Farhoodeh Ghaedrahmati
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Bartosz Kempisty
- Department of Human Morphology and Embryology, Division of Anatomy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Surgery, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, Poland
- North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Paul Mozdziak
- North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - Seyed Esmaeil Khoshnam
- Persian Gulf Physiology Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Sajad Najafi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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9
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Ferrer J, Dimitrova N. Transcription regulation by long non-coding RNAs: mechanisms and disease relevance. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:396-415. [PMID: 38242953 PMCID: PMC11045326 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00694-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) outnumber protein-coding transcripts, but their functions remain largely unknown. In this Review, we discuss the emerging roles of lncRNAs in the control of gene transcription. Some of the best characterized lncRNAs have essential transcription cis-regulatory functions that cannot be easily accomplished by DNA-interacting transcription factors, such as XIST, which controls X-chromosome inactivation, or imprinted lncRNAs that direct allele-specific repression. A growing number of lncRNA transcription units, including CHASERR, PVT1 and HASTER (also known as HNF1A-AS1) act as transcription-stabilizing elements that fine-tune the activity of dosage-sensitive genes that encode transcription factors. Genetic experiments have shown that defects in such transcription stabilizers often cause severe phenotypes. Other lncRNAs, such as lincRNA-p21 (also known as Trp53cor1) and Maenli (Gm29348) contribute to local activation of gene transcription, whereas distinct lncRNAs influence gene transcription in trans. We discuss findings of lncRNAs that elicit a function through either activation of their transcription, transcript elongation and processing or the lncRNA molecule itself. We also discuss emerging evidence of lncRNA involvement in human diseases, and their potential as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ferrer
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Nadya Dimitrova
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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10
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Liu X, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Wang J, Jiang J, Li L, Wang H, Liu S, Hu T. Unbalanced X;Y translocations carrying SRY in prenatal settings: Clinical, molecular, and cytogenetic analysis of three cases. Prenat Diagn 2024; 44:580-585. [PMID: 38204192 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Generally, the translocation of SRY onto one of the X chromosomes leads to 46, XX testicular disorders of sex development, a relatively rare condition characterized by the presence of testicular tissue with a 46, XX karyotype. Three prenatal cases of unbalanced X; Y translocation carrying SRY were identified in this study. METHODS Structural variants were confirmed using single nucleotide polymorphism array and chromosomal karyotyping. X chromosome inactivation (XCI) was also analyzed. Detailed clinical features of the three cases were collected. RESULTS We identified two fetuses with maternal inherited unbalanced X; Y translocations carrying SRY and skewed XCI presenting with normal female external genitalia, and one fetus with de novo 46, XX (SRY+) and random XCI manifested male phenotypic external genitalia. CONCLUSION This study reports that cases with unbalanced X; Y translocations carrying SRY manifested a normal female external genitalia in a prenatal setting. We speculate that the skewed XCI mediates the silence of SRY. In addition, our study emphasizes that combining clinical findings with pedigree analysis is critical for estimating the prognosis of fetuses with sex chromosome abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xijing Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhu Zhang
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiamin Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Jieni Jiang
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Lingping Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - He Wang
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Shanling Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Hu
- Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China
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11
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Morgan R, Loh E, Singh D, Mendizabal I, Yi SV. DNA methylation differences between the female and male X chromosomes in human brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.16.589778. [PMID: 38659923 PMCID: PMC11042362 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.16.589778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The mechanisms of X chromosome inactivation suggest fundamental epigenetic differences between the female and male X chromosomes. However, DNA methylation studies often exclude the X chromosomes. In addition, many previous studies relied on techniques that examine non-randomly selected subsets of positions such as array-based methods, rather than assessing the whole X chromosome. Consequently, our understanding of X chromosome DNA methylation lags behind that of autosomes. Here we addressed this gap of knowledge by studying X chromosome DNA methylation using 89 whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) maps from neurons and oligodendrocytes. Using this unbiased and comprehensive data, we show that DNA methylation of the female X chromosomes is globally reduced (hypomethylated) across the entire chromosome compared to the male X chromosomes and autosomes. On the other hand, the majority of X-linked promoters were more highly methylated (hypermethylated) in females compared to males, consistent with the role of DNA methylation in X chromosome inactivation and dosage compensation. Remarkably, hypermethylation of female X promoters was limited to a group of previously lowly methylated promoters. The other group of highly methylated promoters were both hyper- and hypo-methylated in females with no obvious association with gene expression. Therefore, X chromosome inactivation by DNA methylation was exclusive to a subset of promoters with distinctive epigenetic feature. Apart from this group of promoters, differentially methylated regions in the female and male X chromosomes were dominated by female hypomethylation. Our study furthers the understanding of X-chromosome dosage regulation by DNA methylation on the chromosomal level as well as on individual gene level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Morgan
- College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
- Current address: Arbor Biotechnologies, Cambridge, MA, 02140
| | - Eddie Loh
- Department of Ecology and Evolution and Marine Biology, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara
| | - Devika Singh
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
- Current address: Foundation Medicine, Inc., Boston, MA, 02210
| | - Isabel Mendizabal
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 801A, 48160, Derio, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- Translational prostate cancer Research lab, CIC bioGUNE-Basurto, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Derio, Spain
| | - Soojin V Yi
- Department of Ecology and Evolution and Marine Biology, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara
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12
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Guma E, Beauchamp A, Liu S, Levitis E, Ellegood J, Pham L, Mars RB, Raznahan A, Lerch JP. Comparative neuroimaging of sex differences in human and mouse brain anatomy. eLife 2024; 13:RP92200. [PMID: 38488854 PMCID: PMC10942785 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92200] [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] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In vivo neuroimaging studies have established several reproducible volumetric sex differences in the human brain, but the causes of such differences are hard to parse. While mouse models are useful for understanding the cellular and mechanistic bases of sex-specific brain development, there have been no attempts to formally compare human and mouse neuroanatomical sex differences to ascertain how well they translate. Addressing this question would shed critical light on the use of the mouse as a translational model for sex differences in the human brain and provide insights into the degree to which sex differences in brain volume are conserved across mammals. Here, we use structural magnetic resonance imaging to conduct the first comparative neuroimaging study of sex-specific neuroanatomy of the human and mouse brain. In line with previous findings, we observe that in humans, males have significantly larger and more variable total brain volume; these sex differences are not mirrored in mice. After controlling for total brain volume, we observe modest cross-species congruence in the volumetric effect size of sex across 60 homologous regions (r=0.30). This cross-species congruence is greater in the cortex (r=0.33) than non-cortex (r=0.16). By incorporating regional measures of gene expression in both species, we reveal that cortical regions with greater cross-species congruence in volumetric sex differences also show greater cross-species congruence in the expression profile of 2835 homologous genes. This phenomenon differentiates primary sensory regions with high congruence of sex effects and gene expression from limbic cortices where congruence in both these features was weaker between species. These findings help identify aspects of sex-biased brain anatomy present in mice that are retained, lost, or inverted in humans. More broadly, our work provides an empirical basis for targeting mechanistic studies of sex-specific brain development in mice to brain regions that best echo sex-specific brain development in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Antoine Beauchamp
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Elizabeth Levitis
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Linh Pham
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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13
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Bayram E, Reho P, Litvan I, Ding J, Gibbs JR, Dalgard CL, Traynor BJ, Scholz SW, Chia R. Genetic analysis of the X chromosome in people with Lewy body dementia nominates new risk loci. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10:39. [PMID: 38378815 PMCID: PMC10879525 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00649-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex influences the prevalence and symptoms of Lewy body dementia (LBD). However, genome-wide association studies typically focus on autosomal variants and exclude sex-specific risk factors. We addressed this gap by performing an X chromosome-wide association study using whole-genome sequence data from 2591 LBD cases and 4391 controls. We identified a significant risk locus within intron 1 of MAP3K15 (rs141773145, odds ratio = 2.42, 95% confidence interval = 1.65-3.56, p-value = 7.0 × 10-6) in female LBD cases conditioned for APOE ε4 dosage. The locus includes an enhancer region that regulates MAP3K15 expression in ganglionic eminence cells derived from primary cultured neurospheres. Rare variant burden testing showed differential enrichment of missense mutations in TEX13A in female LBD cases, that did not reach significance (p-value = 1.34 × 10-4). These findings support the sex-specific effects of genetic factors and a potential role of Alzheimer's-related risk for females with LBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ece Bayram
- Department of Neurosciences, Parkinson and Other Movement Disorders Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Paolo Reho
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Irene Litvan
- Department of Neurosciences, Parkinson and Other Movement Disorders Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jinhui Ding
- Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - J Raphael Gibbs
- Computational Biology Group, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Clifton L Dalgard
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology & Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- The American Genome Center, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bryan J Traynor
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Therapeutics Development Laboratory, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Sonja W Scholz
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ruth Chia
- Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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14
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Achiro JM, Tao Y, Gao F, Lin CH, Watanabe M, Neumann S, Coppola G, Black DL, Martin KC. Aging differentially alters the transcriptome and landscape of chromatin accessibility in the male and female mouse hippocampus. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1334862. [PMID: 38318533 PMCID: PMC10839115 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1334862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging-related memory impairment and pathological memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease differ between males and females, and yet little is known about how aging-related changes in the transcriptome and chromatin environment differ between sexes in the hippocampus. To investigate this question, we compared the chromatin accessibility landscape and gene expression/alternative splicing pattern of young adult and aged mouse hippocampus in both males and females using ATAC-seq and RNA-seq. We detected significant aging-dependent changes in the expression of genes involved in immune response and synaptic function and aging-dependent changes in the alternative splicing of myelin sheath genes. We found significant sex-bias in the expression and alternative splicing of hundreds of genes, including aging-dependent female-biased expression of myelin sheath genes and aging-dependent male-biased expression of genes involved in synaptic function. Aging was associated with increased chromatin accessibility in both male and female hippocampus, especially in repetitive elements, and with an increase in LINE-1 transcription. We detected significant sex-bias in chromatin accessibility in both autosomes and the X chromosome, with male-biased accessibility enriched at promoters and CpG-rich regions. Sex differences in gene expression and chromatin accessibility were amplified with aging, findings that may shed light on sex differences in aging-related and pathological memory loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Achiro
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yang Tao
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Fuying Gao
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Chia-Ho Lin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Marika Watanabe
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sylvia Neumann
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Douglas L. Black
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kelsey C. Martin
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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15
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Dror I, Chitiashvili T, Tan SYX, Cano CT, Sahakyan A, Markaki Y, Chronis C, Collier AJ, Deng W, Liang G, Sun Y, Afasizheva A, Miller J, Xiao W, Black DL, Ding F, Plath K. XIST directly regulates X-linked and autosomal genes in naive human pluripotent cells. Cell 2024; 187:110-129.e31. [PMID: 38181737 PMCID: PMC10783549 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.033] [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: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
X chromosome inactivation (XCI) serves as a paradigm for RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression, wherein the long non-coding RNA XIST spreads across the X chromosome in cis to mediate gene silencing chromosome-wide. In female naive human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), XIST is in a dispersed configuration, and XCI does not occur, raising questions about XIST's function. We found that XIST spreads across the X chromosome and induces dampening of X-linked gene expression in naive hPSCs. Surprisingly, XIST also targets specific autosomal regions, where it induces repressive chromatin changes and gene expression dampening. Thereby, XIST equalizes X-linked gene dosage between male and female cells while inducing differences in autosomes. The dispersed Xist configuration and autosomal localization also occur transiently during XCI initiation in mouse PSCs. Together, our study identifies XIST as the regulator of X chromosome dampening, uncovers an evolutionarily conserved trans-acting role of XIST/Xist, and reveals a correlation between XIST/Xist dispersal and autosomal targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Dror
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Tsotne Chitiashvili
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Shawn Y X Tan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Clara T Cano
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Anna Sahakyan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Yolanda Markaki
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Institute for Structural and Chemical Biology & Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Constantinos Chronis
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Amanda J Collier
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Weixian Deng
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Guohao Liang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Yu Sun
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Anna Afasizheva
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jarrett Miller
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Wen Xiao
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Douglas L Black
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Fangyuan Ding
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Kathrin Plath
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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16
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Butelman ER, Huang Y, Epstein DH, Shaham Y, Goldstein RZ, Volkow ND, Alia-Klein N. Overdose mortality rates for opioids and stimulant drugs are substantially higher in men than in women: state-level analysis. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1639-1647. [PMID: 37316576 PMCID: PMC10517130 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01601-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Drug overdoses from opioids and stimulants are a major cause of mortality in the United States. It is unclear if there are stable sex differences in overdose mortality for these drugs across states, whether these differ across the lifespan, and if so, whether they can be accounted for by different levels of drug misuse. This was a state-level analysis of epidemiological data on overdose mortality, across 10-year age bins (age range: 15-74), using the CDC WONDER platform for decedents in the United States in 2020-1. The outcome measure was rate of overdose death (per 100,000) for: synthetic opioids (e.g., fentanyl), heroin, psychostimulants with potential for misuse (e.g., methamphetamine), and cocaine. Multiple linear regressions controlled for ethnic-cultural background, household net worth, and sex-specific rate of misuse (from NSDUH, 2018-9). For all these drug categories, males had greater overall overdose mortality than females, after controlling for rates of drug misuse. The mean male/female sex ratio of mortality rate was relatively stable across jurisdictions: synthetic opioids (2.5 [95% CI, 2.4-7]), heroin, (2.9 [95% CI, 2.7-3.1], psychostimulants (2.4 [95% CI, 2.3-5]), and cocaine (2.8 [95% CI, 2.6-9]). With data stratified in 10-year age bins, the sex difference generally survived adjustment (especially in the 25-64 age range). Results indicate that males are significantly more vulnerable than females to overdose deaths caused by opioid and stimulant drugs, taking into account differing state-level environmental conditions and drug misuse levels. These results call for research into diverse biological, behavioral, and social factors that underlie sex differences in human vulnerability to drug overdose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo R Butelman
- Neuropsychoimaging of Addiction and Related Conditions Research Program, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Yuefeng Huang
- Neuropsychoimaging of Addiction and Related Conditions Research Program, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Yavin Shaham
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rita Z Goldstein
- Neuropsychoimaging of Addiction and Related Conditions Research Program, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nelly Alia-Klein
- Neuropsychoimaging of Addiction and Related Conditions Research Program, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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17
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Mizuta K, Saitou M. Key mechanisms and in vitro reconstitution of fetal oocyte development in mammals. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 82:102091. [PMID: 37556984 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
During fetal oocyte development in mammals, germ cells progress through meiotic prophase I to form primordial follicles with pregranulosa cells. The primordial follicles remain dormant until oogenesis resumes during puberty. Studies in mice have elucidated mechanisms governing oogenesis, leading to the successful induction of functional oocytes from mouse pluripotent stem cells in vitro. Based on the in vivo/in vitro knowledge in mice and the histological and transcriptomic evidence for fetal oocyte development in humans and primates, human/primate oocyte-like cells corresponding to the early stage of oocytes in vivo have been successfully induced in vitro. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of fetal oocyte development in mammals, as well as in in vitro oogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Mizuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
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18
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Zhou Y, Yang D, Mao X, Zhou H, Wang L. Epidemiology of birth defects in a national hospital-based birth defect surveillance spot in Southern Jiangsu, China, 2014-2018. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1138946. [PMID: 37766918 PMCID: PMC10520965 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1138946] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective As the only hospital-based national surveillance spot of birth defects (BDs) in Changzhou city located in the economically developed eastern part of China, Changzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital has encountered serious challenges in BD prevention. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of total BDs born in the hospital from 2014 to 2018. Methods The data were collected from the national hospital-based birth defect surveillance system. BD prevalence was calculated by Poisson distribution. Trends of prevalence and the associations regarding information with BDs were analyzed by Poisson regression. Results The reported prevalence of total BDs was 313.92 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 299.59-328.76) per 10,000 perinatal infants (PIs), while the perinatal prevalence of BD was 160.19 (95% CI: 150.00-170.89) per 10,000 PIs. A remarkable uptrend in the prevalence of BDs was noticed with a prevalence rate ratio (PRR) of 1.09 (95% CI: 1.04-1.14) and 1.13 (95% CI: 1.09-1.16), respectively. Congenital heart disease (CHD), cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P), congenital malformation of the kidney (CMK), polydactyly, Down syndrome (DS), cystic hygroma, neural tube defect (NTD), and congenital talipes equinovarus (CTE) were common types of total BDs. Mothers living in the urban area (PRR = 1.67, 95% CI:1.50-1.87), male fetuses (PRR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.05-1.28), and maternal age younger than 20 (PRR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.60-3.25) and 25 years (PRR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.22-1.63) or older than 35 years (PRR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.00-1.40) were risk factors for BD occurrence. Conclusion The reported prevalence of total BDs was nearly two times higher than the perinatal prevalence of BDs in PIs, and the ranks of total BDs and BDs in PIs were different. Mothers living in the urban area, male fetuses, and maternal ages younger than 25 or older than 35 years were risk factors for BD incidence. Thus, improving prenatal examination technology, expanding the surveillance time quantum of BDs, and keeping maternal health may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhou
- Department of Health Emergency, Changzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changzhou, China
| | - Di Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xueqin Mao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hua Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Changzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Sisoudiya SD, Mishra P, Li H, Schraw JM, Scheurer ME, Salvi S, Doddapaneni H, Muzny D, Mitchell D, Taylor O, Sabo A, Lupo PJ, Plon SE. Identification of USP9X as a leukemia susceptibility gene. Blood Adv 2023; 7:4563-4575. [PMID: 37289514 PMCID: PMC10425687 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023009814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently reported that children with multiple birth defects have a significantly higher risk of childhood cancer. We performed whole-genome sequencing on a cohort of probands from this study with birth defects and cancer and their parents. Structural variant analysis identified a novel 5 kb de novo heterozygous inframe deletion overlapping the catalytic domain of USP9X in a female proband with multiple birth defects, developmental delay, and B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Her phenotype was consistent with female-restricted X-linked syndromic intellectual developmental disorder-99 (MRXS99F). Genotype-phenotype analysis including previously reported female probands (n = 42) demonstrated that MRXS99F probands with B-ALL (n = 3) clustered with subjects with loss-of-function (LoF) USP9X variants and multiple anomalies. The cumulative incidence of B-ALL among these female probands (7.1%) was significantly higher than an age- and sex-matched cohort (0.003%) from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (P < .0001, log-rank test). There are no reports of LoF variants in males. Males with hypomorphic missense variants have neurodevelopmental disorders without birth defects or leukemia risk. In contrast, in sporadic B-ALL, somatic LoF USP9X mutations occur in both males and females, and expression levels are comparable in leukemia samples from both sexes (P = .54), with the highest expressors being female patients with extra copies of the X-chromosome. Overall, we describe USP9X as a novel female-specific leukemia predisposition gene associated with multiple congenital, neurodevelopmental anomalies, and B-ALL risk. In contrast, USP9X serves as a tumor suppressor in sporadic pediatric B-ALL in both sexes, with low expression associated with poorer survival in patients with high-risk B-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saumya Dushyant Sisoudiya
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Pamela Mishra
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - He Li
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Jeremy M. Schraw
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Michael E. Scheurer
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Sejal Salvi
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | | | - Donna Muzny
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Danielle Mitchell
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Olga Taylor
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Aniko Sabo
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Philip J. Lupo
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Sharon E. Plon
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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20
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Tallaksen HBL, Johannsen EB, Just J, Viuff MH, Gravholt CH, Skakkebæk A. The multi-omic landscape of sex chromosome abnormalities: current status and future directions. Endocr Connect 2023; 12:e230011. [PMID: 37399516 PMCID: PMC10448593 DOI: 10.1530/ec-23-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Sex chromosome abnormalities (SCAs) are chromosomal disorders with either a complete or partial loss or gain of sex chromosomes. The most frequent SCAs include Turner syndrome (45,X), Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY), Trisomy X syndrome (47,XXX), and Double Y syndrome (47,XYY). The phenotype seen in SCAs is highly variable and may not merely be due to the direct genomic imbalance from altered sex chromosome gene dosage but also due to additive alterations in gene networks and regulatory pathways across the genome as well as individual genetic modifiers. This review summarizes the current insight into the genomics of SCAs. In addition, future directions of research that can contribute to decipher the genomics of SCA are discussed such as single-cell omics, spatial transcriptomics, system biology thinking, human-induced pluripotent stem cells, and animal models, and how these data may be combined to bridge the gap between genomics and the clinical phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helene Bandsholm Leere Tallaksen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Emma B Johannsen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jesper Just
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mette Hansen Viuff
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Claus H Gravholt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Endocrinology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anne Skakkebæk
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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21
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X-chromosome inactivation: the gift that keeps on giving. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:1049. [PMID: 37596470 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01086-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
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22
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Peng Z, Wei J, Chen B, Huang X, Song P, Liang L, He J, Feng B, Que T, Qin J, Xie Y, Qiu X, Wei H, He S. Epidemiology of birth defects based on a birth defects surveillance system in southwestern China and the associated risk factors. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1165477. [PMID: 37547102 PMCID: PMC10401059 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1165477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Birth defects (BDs) are associated with many potential risk factors, and its causes are complex. Objectives This study aimed to explore the epidemiological characteristics of BDs in Guangxi of China and the associated risk factors of BDs. Methods BDs data of perinatal infants (PIs) were obtained from the Guangxi birth defects monitoring network between 2016 and 2020. Univariate Poisson regression was used to calculate the prevalence-rate ratios (PRR) to explore the changing trends of BDs prevalence by year and the correlation between the regarding of characteristics of BDs (including infant gender, maternal age, and quarter) and BDs. Clinical characteristics of PIs with BDs and general characteristics of their mothers were documented, and Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the potential associated risk factors of BDs. Results Between 2016 and 2020, 44,146 PIs with BDs were monitored, with an overall BDs prevalence of 121.71 (95% CI: 120.58-122.84) per 10,000 PIs, showing a significant increase trend (PRR = 1.116, 95% CI: 1.108-1.123), especially the prevalence of congenital heart defects (CHDs) that most significantly increased (PRR = 1.300, 95% CI: 1.283-1.318). The 10 most common BDs were CHDs, polydactyly, congenital talipes equinovarus, other malformation of external ear, syndactyly, hypospadias, cleft lip with cleft palate, cleft lip, hemoglobin Bart's hydrops fetalis syndrome (BHFS), and congenital atresia of the rectum and anus. BDs were positively correlated with pregnant women's age (R = 0.732, P < 0.01) and education level (R = 0.586, P < 0.05) and having pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM)/gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (R = 0.711, P < 0.01), while when the pregnant women had a family history of a dead fetus (R = -0.536, P < 0.05) and a birth of a fetus with BDs (R = -0.528, P < 0.05) were negatively correlated with BDs. Conclusion A significant increase in the prevalence of BDs was detected between 2016 and 2020 in Guangxi, especially the prevalence of CHDs that most significantly increased. Older maternal age, higher maternal education level, and having PGDM before pregnancy or GDM in early pregnancy were the risk factors for BDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenren Peng
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Jie Wei
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Biyan Chen
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Xiuning Huang
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Pengshu Song
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Lifang Liang
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Jiajia He
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Baoying Feng
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Ting Que
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Jie Qin
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Yu'an Xie
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaoxia Qiu
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Hongwei Wei
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
| | - Sheng He
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Birth Defects Prevention and Control Institute of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defect Prevention, Nanning, China
- Birth Defects Research Laboratory, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Nanning, China
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23
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Xing Z, Zhang Y, Tian Z, Wang M, Xiao W, Zhu C, Zhao S, Zhu Y, Hu L, Kong X. Escaping but not the inactive X-linked protein complex coding genes may achieve X-chromosome dosage compensation and underlie X chromosome inactivation-related diseases. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17721. [PMID: 37449161 PMCID: PMC10336589 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
X chromosome dosage compensation (XDC) refers to the process by which X-linked genes acquire expression equivalence between two sexes. Ohno proposed that XDC is achieved by two-fold upregulations of X-linked genes in both sexes and by silencing one X chromosome (X chromosome inactivation, XCI) in females. However, genes subject to two-fold upregulations as well as the underlying mechanism remain unclear. It's reported that gene dosage changes may only affect X-linked dosage-sensitive genes, such as protein complex coding genes (PCGs). Our results showed that in human PCGs are more likely to escape XCI and escaping PCGs (EsP) show two-fold higher expression than inactivated PCGs (InP) or other X-linked genes at RNA and protein levels in both sexes, which suggest that EsP may achieve upregulations and XDC. The higher expressions of EsP possibly result from the upregulations of the single active X chromosome (Xa), rather than escaping expressions from the inactive X chromosome (Xi). EsP genes have relatively high expression levels in humans and lower dN/dS ratios, suggesting that they are likely under stronger selection pressure over evolutionary time. Our study also suggests that SP1 transcription factor is significantly enriched in EsP and may be involved in the up-regulations of EsP on the active X. Finally, human EsP genes in this study are enriched in the toll-like receptor pathway, NF-kB pathway, apoptotic pathway, and abnormal mental, developmental and reproductive phenotypes. These findings suggest misregulations of EsP may be involved in autoimmune, reproductive, and neurological diseases, providing insight for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Xing
- Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Pediatrics, Shenzhen Children’s' Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Yuchao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Zhongyuan Tian
- Zhoukou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Zhoukou, Henan, China
| | - Meng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Weiwei Xiao
- Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Pediatrics, Shenzhen Children’s' Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chunqing Zhu
- Clinical Laboratory, Institute of Pediatrics, Shenzhen Children’s' Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Songhui Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Yufei Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Landian Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
| | - Xiangyin Kong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
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Qian SH, Xiong YL, Chen L, Geng YJ, Tang XM, Chen ZX. Dynamic Spatial-temporal Expression Ratio of X Chromosome to Autosomes but Stable Dosage Compensation in Mammals. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 21:589-600. [PMID: 36031057 PMCID: PMC10787176 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In the evolutionary model of dosage compensation, per-allele expression level of the X chromosome has been proposed to have twofold up-regulation to compensate its dose reduction in males (XY) compared to females (XX). However, the expression regulation of X-linked genes is still controversial, and comprehensive evaluations are still lacking. By integrating multi-omics datasets in mammals, we investigated the expression ratios including X to autosomes (X:AA ratio) and X to orthologs (X:XX ratio) at the transcriptome, translatome, and proteome levels. We revealed a dynamic spatial-temporal X:AA ratio during development in humans and mice. Meanwhile, by tracing the evolution of orthologous gene expression in chickens, platypuses, and opossums, we found a stable expression ratio of X-linked genes in humans to their autosomal orthologs in other species (X:XX ≈ 1) across tissues and developmental stages, demonstrating stable dosage compensation in mammals. We also found that different epigenetic regulations contributed to the high tissue specificity and stage specificity of X-linked gene expression, thus affecting X:AA ratios. It could be concluded that the dynamics of X:AA ratios were attributed to the different gene contents and expression preferences of the X chromosome, rather than the stable dosage compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Hu Qian
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yu-Li Xiong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ying-Jie Geng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiao-Man Tang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhen-Xia Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Biomedicine and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Interdisciplinary Sciences Institute, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
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25
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Terrin F, Tesoriere A, Plotegher N, Dalla Valle L. Sex and Brain: The Role of Sex Chromosomes and Hormones in Brain Development and Parkinson's Disease. Cells 2023; 12:1486. [PMID: 37296608 PMCID: PMC10252697 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones and genes on the sex chromosomes are not only key factors in the regulation of sexual differentiation and reproduction but they are also deeply involved in brain homeostasis. Their action is crucial for the development of the brain, which presents different characteristics depending on the sex of individuals. The role of these players in the brain is fundamental in the maintenance of brain function during adulthood as well, thus being important also with respect to age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we explore the role of biological sex in the development of the brain and analyze its impact on the predisposition toward and the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, we focus on Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that has a higher incidence in the male population. We report how sex hormones and genes encoded by the sex chromosomes could protect from the disease or alternatively predispose toward its development. We finally underline the importance of considering sex when studying brain physiology and pathology in cellular and animal models in order to better understand disease etiology and develop novel tailored therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicoletta Plotegher
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (F.T.); (A.T.)
| | - Luisa Dalla Valle
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (F.T.); (A.T.)
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26
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Lentini A, Reinius B. Limitations of X:autosome ratio as a measurement of X-chromosome upregulation. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R395-R396. [PMID: 37220727 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Lentini and Reinius address issues in interpreting non-allelic gene expression measurements of dosage compensation during murine embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Lentini
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Björn Reinius
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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27
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Gyobu‐Motani S, Yabuta Y, Mizuta K, Katou Y, Okamoto I, Kawasaki M, Kitamura A, Tsukiyama T, Iwatani C, Tsuchiya H, Tsujimura T, Yamamoto T, Nakamura T, Saitou M. Induction of fetal meiotic oocytes from embryonic stem cells in cynomolgus monkeys. EMBO J 2023; 42:e112962. [PMID: 36929479 PMCID: PMC10152148 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Human in vitro oogenesis provides a framework for clarifying the mechanism of human oogenesis. To create its benchmark, it is vital to promote in vitro oogenesis using a model physiologically close to humans. Here, we establish a foundation for in vitro oogenesis in cynomolgus (cy) monkeys (Macaca fascicularis): cy female embryonic stem cells harboring one active and one inactive X chromosome (Xa and Xi, respectively) differentiate robustly into primordial germ cell-like cells, which in xenogeneic reconstituted ovaries develop efficiently into oogonia and, remarkably, further into meiotic oocytes at the zygotene stage. This differentiation entails comprehensive epigenetic reprogramming, including Xi reprogramming, yet Xa and Xi remain epigenetically asymmetric with, as partly observed in vivo, incomplete Xi reactivation. In humans and monkeys, the Xi epigenome in pluripotent stem cells functions as an Xi-reprogramming determinant. We further show that developmental pathway over-activations with suboptimal up-regulation of relevant meiotic genes impede in vitro meiotic progression. Cy in vitro oogenesis exhibits critical homology with the human system, including with respect to bottlenecks, providing a salient model for advancing human in vitro oogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayuri Gyobu‐Motani
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Yukihiro Yabuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Ken Mizuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Yoshitaka Katou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Ikuhiro Okamoto
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Masanori Kawasaki
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Ayaka Kitamura
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Tomoyuki Tsukiyama
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Research Center for Animal Life ScienceShiga University of Medical ScienceOtsuJapan
| | - Chizuru Iwatani
- Research Center for Animal Life ScienceShiga University of Medical ScienceOtsuJapan
| | - Hideaki Tsuchiya
- Research Center for Animal Life ScienceShiga University of Medical ScienceOtsuJapan
| | - Taro Tsujimura
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, RIKENTokyoJapan
| | - Tomonori Nakamura
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- The Hakubi Center for Advanced ResearchKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of MedicineKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
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β-Adrenoceptor Blockade Moderates Neuroinflammation in Male and Female EAE Rats and Abrogates Sexual Dimorphisms in the Major Neuroinflammatory Pathways by Being More Efficient in Males. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:1237-1265. [PMID: 35798933 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01246-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Our previous studies showed more severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in male compared with female adult rats, and moderating effect of propranolol-induced β-adrenoceptor blockade on EAE in females, the effect associated with transcriptional stimulation of Nrf2/HO-1 axis in spinal cord microglia. This study examined putative sexual dimorphism in propranolol action on EAE severity. Propranolol treatment beginning from the onset of clinical EAE mitigated EAE severity in rats of both sexes, but to a greater extent in males exhibiting higher noradrenaline levels and myeloid cell β2-adrenoceptor expression in spinal cord. This correlated with more prominent stimulatory effects of propranolol not only on CX3CL1/CX3CR1/Nrf2/HO-1 cascade, but also on Stat3/Socs3 signaling axis in spinal cord microglia/myeloid cells (mirrored in the decreased Stat3 and the increased Socs3 expression) from male rats compared with their female counterparts. Propranolol diminished the frequency of activated cells among microglia, increased their phagocyting/endocyting capacity, and shifted cytokine secretory profile of microglia/blood-borne myeloid cells towards an anti-inflammatory/neuroprotective phenotype. Additionally, it downregulated the expression of chemokines (CCL2, CCL19/21) driving T-cell/monocyte trafficking into spinal cord. Consequently, in propranolol-treated rats fewer activated CD4+ T cells and IL-17+ T cells, including CD4+IL17+ cells coexpressing IFN-γ/GM-CSF, were recovered from spinal cord of propranolol-treated rats compared with sex-matched saline-injected controls. All the effects of propranolol were more prominent in males. The study as a whole disclosed that sexual dimorphism in multiple molecular mechanisms implicated in EAE development may be responsible for greater severity of EAE in male rats and sexually dimorphic action of substances affecting them. Propranolol moderated EAE severity more effectively in male rats, exhibiting greater spinal cord noradrenaline (NA) levels and myeloid cell β2-adrenoceptor (β2-AR) expression than females. Propranolol affected CX3CR1/Nrf2/HO-1 and Stat3/Socs3 signaling axes in myeloid cells, favored their anti-inflammatory/neuroprotective phenotype and, consequently, reduced Th cell reactivation and differentiation into highly pathogenic IL-17/IFN-γ/GM-CSF-producing cells.
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29
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Miao N, Zeng Z, Lee T, Guo Q, Zheng W, Cai W, Chen W, Wang J, Sun T. Integrative epigenome profiling of 47XXY provides insights into whole genomic DNA hypermethylation and active chromatin accessibility. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1128739. [PMID: 37051325 PMCID: PMC10083376 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1128739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Klinefelter syndrome (KS, 47XXY) is a disorder characterized by sex chromosomal aneuploidy, which may lead to changes in epigenetic regulations of gene expression. To define epigenetic architectures in 47XXY, we annotated DNA methylation in euploid males (46XY) and females (46XX), and 47XXY individuals using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and integrated chromatin accessbilty, and detected abnormal hypermethylation in 47XXY. Furthermore, we detected altered chromatin accessibility in 47XXY, in particular in chromosome X, using Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq) in cultured amniotic cells. Our results construct the whole genome-wide DNA methylation map in 47XXY, and provide new insights into the early epigenomic dysregulation resulting from an extra chromosome X in 47XXY.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Miao
- Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Zhiwei Zeng
- Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Trevor Lee
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Cornell University Weill Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Qiwei Guo
- United Diagnostic and Research Center for Clinical Genetics, Women and Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine & School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Wenwei Zheng
- Quanzhou Women and Children’s Hospital, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Wenjie Cai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, First Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Wanhua Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Tao Sun
- Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Sun,
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30
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Kong YF, Li SZ, Wang KW, Zhu B, Yuan YX, Li MK, Zhou JY. An Efficient Bayesian Method for Estimating the Degree of the Skewness of X Chromosome Inactivation Based on the Mixture of General Pedigrees and Unrelated Females. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13030543. [PMID: 36979477 PMCID: PMC10046098 DOI: 10.3390/biom13030543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI-S) has been reported to be associated with some X-linked diseases. Several methods have been proposed to estimate the degree of XCI-S (denoted as γ) for quantitative and qualitative traits based on unrelated females. However, there is no method available for estimating γ based on general pedigrees. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a Bayesian method to obtain the point estimate and the credible interval of γ based on the mixture of general pedigrees and unrelated females (called mixed data for brevity), which is also suitable for only general pedigrees. We consider the truncated normal prior and the uniform prior for γ. Further, we apply the eigenvalue decomposition and Cholesky decomposition to our proposed methods to accelerate the computation speed. We conduct extensive simulation studies to compare the performances of our proposed methods and two existing Bayesian methods which are only applicable to unrelated females. The simulation results show that the incorporation of general pedigrees can improve the efficiency of the point estimation and the precision and the accuracy of the interval estimation of γ. Finally, we apply the proposed methods to the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data for their practical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Fan Kong
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shi-Zhu Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kai-Wen Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu-Xin Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Meng-Kai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ji-Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Correspondence:
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Jali I, Vanamamalai VK, Garg P, Navarrete P, Gutiérrez-Adán A, Sharma S. Identification and differential expression of long non-coding RNAs and their association with XIST gene during early embryonic developmental stages of Bos taurus. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 229:896-908. [PMID: 36572076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.12.221] [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: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
X-chromosomes inactivation (XCI) is a phenomenon that aims to equalize the dosage of X-linked gene products between XY males and XX females in mammals. XIST gene is the master regulator of X chromosome inactivation during early embryonic developmental stages of Bos taurus. Biological molecule such as lncRNA plays significant role in the control of XCI, by RNA-based regulatory mechanisms and are non-coding regions of the genome. In our study, using in-silico transcriptome data analysis approach, we analysed RNA-seq data of E35, E39 and E43 samples from bovine genital ridges of early embryonic stages, and identified lncRNA transcripts. More than 7 lakh lncRNA transcripts were identified. Further, our study identified DE-lncRNAs and genes between male and female and studied their co-expression. More than four thousand differentially expressed lncRNAs identified. The co-expression and RT-PCR study in the result showed that there exists an association between the XIST and DE-lncRNAs in early embryonic gonads of bovine at E35. In this study, the association between DE-lncRNAs and XIST gene indicates, the potentially important role of DE-lncRNAs during embryo development in bovine. In conclusion, this study shows there exist an interplay between genes and lncRNAs at transcriptome level of bovine during early embryonic days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itishree Jali
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Opp. Journalist Colony, Near Gowlidoddi, Extended Q City Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500 032, Telangana, India; DBT-Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Venkata Krishna Vanamamalai
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Opp. Journalist Colony, Near Gowlidoddi, Extended Q City Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500 032, Telangana, India; DBT-Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Priyanka Garg
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Opp. Journalist Colony, Near Gowlidoddi, Extended Q City Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500 032, Telangana, India
| | - Paula Navarrete
- INIA-CSIC Centro Nacional Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Gutiérrez-Adán
- INIA-CSIC Centro Nacional Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Shailesh Sharma
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Opp. Journalist Colony, Near Gowlidoddi, Extended Q City Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500 032, Telangana, India; DBT-Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India.
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32
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Della Peruta C, Lozanoska-Ochser B, Renzini A, Moresi V, Sanchez Riera C, Bouché M, Coletti D. Sex Differences in Inflammation and Muscle Wasting in Aging and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054651. [PMID: 36902081 PMCID: PMC10003083 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Only in recent years, thanks to a precision medicine-based approach, have treatments tailored to the sex of each patient emerged in clinical trials. In this regard, both striated muscle tissues present significant differences between the two sexes, which may have important consequences for diagnosis and therapy in aging and chronic illness. In fact, preservation of muscle mass in disease conditions correlates with survival; however, sex should be considered when protocols for the maintenance of muscle mass are designed. One obvious difference is that men have more muscle than women. Moreover, the two sexes differ in inflammation parameters, particularly in response to infection and disease. Therefore, unsurprisingly, men and women respond differently to therapies. In this review, we present an up-to-date overview on what is known about sex differences in skeletal muscle physiology and disfunction, such as disuse atrophy, age-related sarcopenia, and cachexia. In addition, we summarize sex differences in inflammation which may underly the aforementioned conditions because pro-inflammatory cytokines deeply affect muscle homeostasis. The comparison of these three conditions and their sex-related bases is interesting because different forms of muscle atrophy share common mechanisms; for instance, those responsible for protein dismantling are similar although differing in terms of kinetics, severity, and regulatory mechanisms. In pre-clinical research, exploring sexual dimorphism in disease conditions could highlight new efficacious treatments or recommend implementation of an existing one. Any protective factors discovered in one sex could be exploited to achieve lower morbidity, reduce the severity of the disease, or avoid mortality in the opposite sex. Thus, the understanding of sex-dependent responses to different forms of muscle atrophy and inflammation is of pivotal importance to design innovative, tailored, and efficient interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Della Peruta
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Biliana Lozanoska-Ochser
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Roma, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, LUM University, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandra Renzini
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Viviana Moresi
- Institute of Nanotechnology (Nanotec), National Research Council (CNR), c/o Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Carles Sanchez Riera
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Marina Bouché
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Roma, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Dario Coletti
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Roma, Italy
- Biological Adaptation and Ageing (B2A), Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Sorbonne Université, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm U1164, 75005 Paris, France
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33
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Gravholt CH, Viuff M, Just J, Sandahl K, Brun S, van der Velden J, Andersen NH, Skakkebaek A. The Changing Face of Turner Syndrome. Endocr Rev 2023; 44:33-69. [PMID: 35695701 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnac016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Turner syndrome (TS) is a condition in females missing the second sex chromosome (45,X) or parts thereof. It is considered a rare genetic condition and is associated with a wide range of clinical stigmata, such as short stature, ovarian dysgenesis, delayed puberty and infertility, congenital malformations, endocrine disorders, including a range of autoimmune conditions and type 2 diabetes, and neurocognitive deficits. Morbidity and mortality are clearly increased compared with the general population and the average age at diagnosis is quite delayed. During recent years it has become clear that a multidisciplinary approach is necessary toward the patient with TS. A number of clinical advances has been implemented, and these are reviewed. Our understanding of the genomic architecture of TS is advancing rapidly, and these latest developments are reviewed and discussed. Several candidate genes, genomic pathways and mechanisms, including an altered transcriptome and epigenome, are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claus H Gravholt
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark
| | - Mette Viuff
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark
| | - Jesper Just
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark
| | - Kristian Sandahl
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark
| | - Sara Brun
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark
| | - Janielle van der Velden
- Department of Pediatrics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Amalia Children's Hospital, 6525 Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Niels H Andersen
- Department of Cardiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg 9000, Denmark
| | - Anne Skakkebaek
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus 8200 N, Denmark
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34
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Abstract
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a rare disease of the liver characterized by an autoimmune attack on the small bile ducts. PBC is a complex trait, meaning that a large list of genetic factors interacts with environmental agents to determine its onset. Genome-wide association studies have had a huge impact in fostering research in PBC, but many steps need still to be done compared with other autoimmune diseases of similar prevalence. This review presents the state-of-the-art regarding the genetic architecture of PBC and provides some thoughtful reflections about possible future lines of research, which can be helpful to fill the missing heritability gap in PBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Gerussi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza (MB), Italy; European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
| | - Rosanna Asselta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, Pieve Emanuele 20072, Italy; Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano 20089, Italy
| | - Pietro Invernizzi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza (MB), Italy; European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
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35
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Lyu Q, Yang Q, Hao J, Yue Y, Wang X, Tian J, An L. A small proportion of X-linked genes contribute to X chromosome upregulation in early embryos via BRD4-mediated transcriptional activation. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4397-4410.e5. [PMID: 36108637 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Females have two X chromosomes and males have only one in most mammals. X chromosome inactivation (XCI) occurs in females to equalize X-dosage between sexes. Besides, mammals also balance the dosage between X chromosomes and autosomes via X chromosome upregulation (XCU) to fine-tune X-linked expression and thus maintain genomic homeostasis. Despite some studies highlighting the importance of XCU in somatic cells, little is known about how XCU is achieved and its developmental role during early embryogenesis. Herein, using mouse preimplantation embryos as the model, we reported that XCU initially occurs upon major zygotic genome activation and co-regulates X-linked expression in cooperation with imprinted XCI during preimplantation development. An in-depth analysis further indicated, unexpectedly, only a small proportion of, but not X chromosome-wide, X-linked genes contribute greatly to XCU. Furthermore, we identified that bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4) plays a key role in the transcription activation of XCU during preimplantation development. BRD4 deficiency or inhibition caused an impaired XCU, thus leading to reduced developmental potential and mitochondrial dysfunctions of blastocysts. Our finding was also supported by the tight association of BRD4 dysregulation and XCU disruption in the pathology of cholangiocarcinoma. Thus, our results not only advanced the current knowledge of X-dosage compensation and provided a mechanism for understanding XCU initiation but also presented an important clue for understanding the developmental and pathological role of XCU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingji Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Qianying Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Jia Hao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Yue
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Xiaodong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Jianhui Tian
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Lei An
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China.
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36
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Andrews EJ, Martini AC, Head E. Exploring the role of sex differences in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis in Down syndrome. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:954999. [PMID: 36033603 PMCID: PMC9411995 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.954999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet little is known about sex-specific effects on the development of AD in the Down syndrome (DS) population. DS is caused by a full or partial triplication of chromosome 21, which harbors the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene, among others. The majority of people with DS in their early- to mid-40s will accumulate sufficient amyloid-beta (Aβ) in their brains along with neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) for a neuropathological diagnosis of AD, and the triplication of the APP gene is regarded as the main cause. Studies addressing sex differences with age and impact on dementia in people with DS are inconsistent. However, women with DS experience earlier age of onset of menopause, marked by a drop in estrogen, than women without DS. This review focuses on key sex differences observed with age and AD in people with DS and a discussion of possible underlying mechanisms that could be driving or protecting from AD development in DS. Understanding how biological sex influences the brain will lead to development of dedicated therapeutics and interventions to improve the quality of life for people with DS and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J. Andrews
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Alessandra C. Martini
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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37
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Mizuta K, Katou Y, Nakakita B, Kishine A, Nosaka Y, Saito S, Iwatani C, Tsuchiya H, Kawamoto I, Nakaya M, Tsukiyama T, Nagano M, Kojima Y, Nakamura T, Yabuta Y, Horie A, Mandai M, Ohta H, Saitou M. Ex vivo reconstitution of fetal oocyte development in humans and cynomolgus monkeys. EMBO J 2022; 41:e110815. [PMID: 35912849 PMCID: PMC9475534 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022110815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro oogenesis is key to elucidating the mechanism of human female germ-cell development and its anomalies. Accordingly, pluripotent stem cells have been induced into primordial germ cell-like cells and into oogonia with epigenetic reprogramming, yet further reconstitutions remain a challenge. Here, we demonstrate ex vivo reconstitution of fetal oocyte development in both humans and cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). With an optimized culture of fetal ovary reaggregates over three months, human and monkey oogonia enter and complete the first meiotic prophase to differentiate into diplotene oocytes that form primordial follicles, the source for oogenesis in adults. The cytological and transcriptomic progressions of fetal oocyte development in vitro closely recapitulate those in vivo. A comparison of single-cell transcriptomes among humans, monkeys, and mice unravels primate-specific and conserved programs driving fetal oocyte development, the former including a distinct transcriptomic transformation upon oogonia-to-oocyte transition and the latter including two active X chromosomes with little X-chromosome upregulation. Our study provides a critical step forward for realizing human in vitro oogenesis and uncovers salient characteristics of fetal oocyte development in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Mizuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Katou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Baku Nakakita
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Aoi Kishine
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Nosaka
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Saki Saito
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Chizuru Iwatani
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tsuchiya
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Ikuo Kawamoto
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Masataka Nakaya
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Tsukiyama
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Masahiro Nagano
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoji Kojima
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomonori Nakamura
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Yabuta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akihito Horie
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masaki Mandai
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ohta
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Mitinori Saitou
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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38
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Connallon T, Beasley IJ, McDonough Y, Ruzicka F. How much does the unguarded X contribute to sex differences in life span? Evol Lett 2022; 6:319-329. [PMID: 35937469 PMCID: PMC9346086 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Females and males often have markedly different mortality rates and life spans, but it is unclear why these forms of sexual dimorphism evolve. The unguarded X hypothesis contends that dimorphic life spans arise from sex differences in X or Z chromosome copy number (i.e., one copy in the "heterogametic" sex; two copies in the "homogametic" sex), which leads to a disproportionate expression of deleterious mutations by the heterogametic sex (e.g., mammalian males; avian females). Although data on adult sex ratios and sex-specific longevity are consistent with predictions of the unguarded X hypothesis, direct experimental evidence remains scant, and alternative explanations are difficult to rule out. Using a simple population genetic model, we show that the unguarded X effect on sex differential mortality is a function of several reasonably well-studied evolutionary parameters, including the proportion of the genome that is sex linked, the genomic deleterious mutation rate, the mean dominance of deleterious mutations, the relative rates of mutation and strengths of selection in each sex, and the average effect of mutations on survival and longevity relative to their effects on fitness. We review published estimates of these parameters, parameterize our model with them, and show that unguarded X effects are too small to explain observed sex differences in life span across species. For example, sex differences in mean life span are known to often exceed 20% (e.g., in mammals), whereas our parameterized models predict unguarded X effects of a few percent (e.g., 1-3% in Drosophila and mammals). Indeed, these predicted unguarded X effects fall below statistical thresholds of detectability in most experiments, potentially explaining why direct tests of the hypothesis have generated little support for it. Our results suggest that evolution of sexually dimorphic life spans is predominantly attributable to other mechanisms, potentially including "toxic Y" effects and sexual dimorphism for optimal investment in survival versus reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Connallon
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVIC3800Australia
| | - Isobel J. Beasley
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVIC3010Australia
- Melbourne Integrative GenomicsThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVIC3010Australia
- St. Vincent's Institute of Medical ResearchFitzroyVIC3065Australia
| | - Yasmine McDonough
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVIC3800Australia
| | - Filip Ruzicka
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVIC3800Australia
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39
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Yang T, Ou J, Yildirim E. Xist exerts gene-specific silencing during XCI maintenance and impacts lineage-specific cell differentiation and proliferation during hematopoiesis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4464. [PMID: 35915095 PMCID: PMC9343370 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32273-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a dosage compensation phenomenon that occurs in females. Initiation of XCI depends on Xist RNA, which triggers silencing of one of the two X chromosomes, except for XCI escape genes that continue to be biallelically expressed. In the soma XCI is stably maintained with continuous Xist expression. How Xist impacts XCI maintenance remains an open question. Here we conditionally delete Xist in hematopoietic system of mice and report differentiation and cell cycle defects in female hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). By utilizing female HSPCs and mouse embryonic fibroblasts, we find that X-linked genes show variable tolerance to Xist loss. Specifically, XCI escape genes exhibit preferential transcriptional upregulation, which associates with low H3K27me3 occupancy and high chromatin accessibility that accommodates preexisting binding of transcription factors such as Yin Yang 1 (YY1) at the basal state. We conclude that Xist is necessary for gene-specific silencing during XCI maintenance and impacts lineage-specific cell differentiation and proliferation during hematopoiesis. Here the authors investigate the functional relevance of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) regulator Xist in hematopoiesis. They find that Xist loss leads to changes in the ratio of hematopoietic progenitor cells and results in chromatin accessibility and transcriptional upregulation on the inactive X chromosome, including XCI escape genes known to be associated with cell cycle and immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqi Yang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Jianhong Ou
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.,Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Eda Yildirim
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA. .,Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA. .,Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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40
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Wortmann SB, Oud MM, Alders M, Coene KLM, van der Crabben SN, Feichtinger RG, Garanto A, Hoischen A, Langeveld M, Lefeber D, Mayr JA, Ockeloen CW, Prokisch H, Rodenburg R, Waterham HR, Wevers RA, van de Warrenburg BPC, Willemsen MAAP, Wolf NI, Vissers LELM, van Karnebeek CDM. How to proceed after "negative" exome: A review on genetic diagnostics, limitations, challenges, and emerging new multiomics techniques. J Inherit Metab Dis 2022; 45:663-681. [PMID: 35506430 PMCID: PMC9539960 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Exome sequencing (ES) in the clinical setting of inborn metabolic diseases (IMDs) has created tremendous improvement in achieving an accurate and timely molecular diagnosis for a greater number of patients, but it still leaves the majority of patients without a diagnosis. In parallel, (personalized) treatment strategies are increasingly available, but this requires the availability of a molecular diagnosis. IMDs comprise an expanding field with the ongoing identification of novel disease genes and the recognition of multiple inheritance patterns, mosaicism, variable penetrance, and expressivity for known disease genes. The analysis of trio ES is preferred over singleton ES as information on the allelic origin (paternal, maternal, "de novo") reduces the number of variants that require interpretation. All ES data and interpretation strategies should be exploited including CNV and mitochondrial DNA analysis. The constant advancements in available techniques and knowledge necessitate the close exchange of clinicians and molecular geneticists about genotypes and phenotypes, as well as knowledge of the challenges and pitfalls of ES to initiate proper further diagnostic steps. Functional analyses (transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) can be applied to characterize and validate the impact of identified variants, or to guide the genomic search for a diagnosis in unsolved cases. Future diagnostic techniques (genome sequencing [GS], optical genome mapping, long-read sequencing, and epigenetic profiling) will further enhance the diagnostic yield. We provide an overview of the challenges and limitations inherent to ES followed by an outline of solutions and a clinical checklist, focused on establishing a diagnosis to eventually achieve (personalized) treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia B. Wortmann
- Radboud Center for Mitochondrial and Metabolic Medicine, Department of PediatricsAmalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
- University Children's Hospital, Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
| | - Machteld M. Oud
- United for Metabolic DiseasesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of Human GeneticsDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Mariëlle Alders
- Department of Human GeneticsAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Karlien L. M. Coene
- United for Metabolic DiseasesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Translational Metabolic Laboratory, Department of Laboratory MedicineRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Saskia N. van der Crabben
- Department of Human GeneticsAmsterdam University Medical Centers, University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - René G. Feichtinger
- University Children's Hospital, Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
| | - Alejandro Garanto
- Radboud Center for Mitochondrial and Metabolic Medicine, Department of PediatricsAmalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Department of PediatricsAmalia Children's Hospital, Radboud Institute for Molecular LifesciencesNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Department of Human GeneticsRadboud Institute for Molecular LifesciencesNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Alex Hoischen
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious DiseasesRadboud Institute of Medical Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenthe Netherlands
| | - Mirjam Langeveld
- Department of Endocrinology and MetabolismAmsterdam University Medical Centers, location AMC, University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Dirk Lefeber
- United for Metabolic DiseasesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Translational Metabolic Laboratory, Department of Laboratory MedicineRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for BrainCognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Johannes A. Mayr
- University Children's Hospital, Paracelsus Medical UniversitySalzburgAustria
| | - Charlotte W. Ockeloen
- Department of Human GeneticsRadboud Institute for Molecular LifesciencesNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Holger Prokisch
- School of MedicineInstitute of Human Genetics, Technical University Munich and Institute of NeurogenomicsNeuherbergGermany
| | - Richard Rodenburg
- Radboud Center for Mitochondrial and Metabolic MedicineTranslational Metabolic Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Hans R. Waterham
- United for Metabolic DiseasesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases, Department of Clinical ChemistryAmsterdam University Medical Centers, location AMC, University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Ron A. Wevers
- United for Metabolic DiseasesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Translational Metabolic Laboratory, Department of Laboratory MedicineRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Bart P. C. van de Warrenburg
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for BrainCognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Michel A. A. P. Willemsen
- Departments of Pediatric Neurology and PediatricsAmalia Children's Hospital, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Nicole I. Wolf
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Department of Child NeurologyEmma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Lisenka E. L. M. Vissers
- Department of Human GeneticsDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Clara D. M. van Karnebeek
- Radboud Center for Mitochondrial and Metabolic Medicine, Department of PediatricsAmalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
- United for Metabolic DiseasesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of Human GeneticsAmsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Emma Center for Personalized MedicineAmsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam, Amsterdam Genetics Endocrinology Metabolism Research Institute, University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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41
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A lifelong duty: how Xist maintains the inactive X chromosome. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2022; 75:101927. [PMID: 35717799 PMCID: PMC9472561 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2022.101927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Female eutherians transcriptionally silence one X chromosome to balance gene dosage between the sexes. X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is initiated by the lncRNA Xist, which assembles many proteins within the inactive X chromosome (Xi) to trigger gene silencing and heterochromatin formation. It is well established that gene silencing on the Xi is maintained through repressive epigenetic processes, including histone deacetylation and DNA methylation. Recent studies revealed a new mechanism where RNA-binding proteins that interact directly with the RNA contribute to the maintenance of Xist localization and gene silencing. In addition, a surprising plasticity of the Xi was uncovered with many genes becoming upregulated upon experimental deletion of Xist. Intriguingly, immune cells normally lose Xist from the Xi, suggesting that thisXist dependence is utilized in vivo to dynamically regulate gene expression from the Xi. These new studies expose fundamental regulatory mechanisms for the chromatin association of RNAs, highlight the need for studying the maintenance of XCI and Xist localization in a gene- and cell-type-specific manner, and are likely to have clinical impact.
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42
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Yu WY, Zhang Y, Li MK, Yang ZY, Fung WK, Zhao PZ, Zhou JY. BEXCIS: Bayesian methods for estimating the degree of the skewness of X chromosome inactivation. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 23:193. [PMID: 35610583 PMCID: PMC9128296 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-022-04721-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an epigenetic phenomenon that one of two X chromosomes in females is transcriptionally silenced during early embryonic development. Skewed XCI has been reported to be associated with some X-linked diseases. There have been several methods measuring the degree of the skewness of XCI. However, these methods may still have several limitations. Results We propose a Bayesian method to obtain the point estimate and the credible interval of the degree of XCI skewing by incorporating its prior information of being between 0 and 2. We consider a normal prior and a uniform prior for it (respectively denoted by BN and BU). We also propose a penalized point estimate based on the penalized Fieller’s method and derive the corresponding confidence interval. Simulation results demonstrate that the BN and BU methods can solve the problems of extreme point estimates, noninformative intervals, empty sets and discontinuous intervals. The BN method generally outperforms other methods with the lowest mean squared error in the point estimation, and well controls the coverage probability with the smallest median and the least variation of the interval width in the interval estimation. We apply all the methods to the Graves’ disease data and the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data, and find that SNP rs3827440 in the Graves’ disease data may undergo skewed XCI towards the allele C. Conclusions We recommend the BN method for measuring the degree of the skewness of XCI in practice. The R package BEXCIS is publicly available at https://github.com/Wen-YiYu/BEXCIS. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12859-022-04721-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yi Yu
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meng-Kai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Ying Yang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wing Kam Fung
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Pei-Zhen Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ji-Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. .,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou, China.
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43
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Li MK, Yuan YX, Zhu B, Wang KW, Fung WK, Zhou JY. Gene-Based Methods for Estimating the Degree of the Skewness of X Chromosome Inactivation. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050827. [PMID: 35627212 PMCID: PMC9140558 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI-S) has been reported to be associated with some X-linked diseases, and currently several methods have been proposed to estimate the degree of the XCI-S (denoted as γ) for a single locus. However, no method has been available to estimate γ for genes. Therefore, in this paper, we first propose the point estimate and the penalized point estimate of γ for genes, and then derive its confidence intervals based on the Fieller’s and penalized Fieller’s methods, respectively. Further, we consider the constraint condition of γ∈[0, 2] and propose the Bayesian methods to obtain the point estimates and the credible intervals of γ, where a truncated normal prior and a uniform prior are respectively used (denoted as GBN and GBU). The simulation results show that the Bayesian methods can avoid the extreme point estimates (0 or 2), the empty sets, the noninformative intervals ([0, 2]) and the discontinuous intervals to occur. GBN performs best in both the point estimation and the interval estimation. Finally, we apply the proposed methods to the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research data for their practical use. In summary, in practical applications, we recommend using GBN to estimate γ of genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Kai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu-Xin Yuan
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kai-Wen Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wing Kam Fung
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
| | - Ji-Yuan Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Ministry of Education, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; (M.-K.L.); (Y.-X.Y.); (B.Z.); (K.-W.W.)
- Guangdong-Hong Hong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Correspondence:
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44
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Sandovici I, Fernandez-Twinn DS, Hufnagel A, Constância M, Ozanne SE. Sex differences in the intergenerational inheritance of metabolic traits. Nat Metab 2022; 4:507-523. [PMID: 35637347 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00570-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Strong evidence suggests that early-life exposures to suboptimal environmental factors, including those in utero, influence our long-term metabolic health. This has been termed developmental programming. Mounting evidence suggests that the growth and metabolism of male and female fetuses differ. Therefore, sexual dimorphism in response to pre-conception or early-life exposures could contribute to known sex differences in susceptibility to poor metabolic health in adulthood. However, until recently, many studies, especially those in animal models, focused on a single sex, or, often in the case of studies performed during intrauterine development, did not report the sex of the animal at all. In this review, we (a) summarize the evidence that male and females respond differently to a suboptimal pre-conceptional or in utero environment, (b) explore the potential biological mechanisms that underlie these differences and (c) review the consequences of these differences for long-term metabolic health, including that of subsequent generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ionel Sandovici
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Denise S Fernandez-Twinn
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Antonia Hufnagel
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Miguel Constância
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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45
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Lentini A, Cheng H, Noble JC, Papanicolaou N, Coucoravas C, Andrews N, Deng Q, Enge M, Reinius B. Elastic dosage compensation by X-chromosome upregulation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1854. [PMID: 35388014 PMCID: PMC8987076 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29414-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
X-chromosome inactivation and X-upregulation are the fundamental modes of chromosome-wide gene regulation that collectively achieve dosage compensation in mammals, but the regulatory link between the two remains elusive and the X-upregulation dynamics are unknown. Here, we use allele-resolved single-cell RNA-seq combined with chromatin accessibility profiling and finely dissect their separate effects on RNA levels during mouse development. Surprisingly, we uncover that X-upregulation elastically tunes expression dosage in a sex- and lineage-specific manner, and moreover along varying degrees of X-inactivation progression. Male blastomeres achieve X-upregulation upon zygotic genome activation while females experience two distinct waves of upregulation, upon imprinted and random X-inactivation; and ablation of Xist impedes female X-upregulation. Female cells carrying two active X chromosomes lack upregulation, yet their collective RNA output exceeds that of a single hyperactive allele. Importantly, this conflicts the conventional dosage compensation model in which naïve female cells are initially subject to biallelic X-upregulation followed by X-inactivation of one allele to correct the X dosage. Together, our study provides key insights to the chain of events of dosage compensation, explaining how transcript copy numbers can remain remarkably stable across developmental windows wherein severe dose imbalance would otherwise be experienced by the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Lentini
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Huaitao Cheng
- Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - J C Noble
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Natali Papanicolaou
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christos Coucoravas
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nathanael Andrews
- Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Qiaolin Deng
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Enge
- Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Björn Reinius
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Predescu DN, Mokhlesi B, Predescu SA. The Impact of Sex Chromosomes in the Sexual Dimorphism of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2022; 192:582-594. [PMID: 35114193 PMCID: PMC8978209 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a sex-biased disease with a poorly understood female prevalence. Emerging research suggests that nonhormonal factors, such as the XX or XY sex chromosome complement and sex bias in gene expression, may also lead to sex-based differences in PAH incidence, penetrance, and progression. Typically, one of females' two X chromosomes is epigenetically silenced to offer a gender-balanced gene expression. Recent data demonstrate that the long noncoding RNA X-inactive specific transcript, essential for X chromosome inactivation and dosage compensation of X-linked gene expression, shows elevated levels in female PAH lung specimens compared with controls. This molecular event leads to incomplete inactivation of the females' second X chromosome, abnormal expression of X-linked gene(s) involved in PAH pathophysiology, and a pulmonary artery endothelial cell (PAEC) proliferative phenotype. Moreover, the pathogenic proliferative p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/ETS transcription factor ELK1 (Elk1)/cFos signaling is mechanistically linked to the sexually dimorphic proliferative response of PAECs in PAH. Apprehending the complicated relationship between long noncoding RNA X-inactive specific transcript and X-linked genes and how this relationship integrates into a sexually dimorphic proliferation of PAECs and PAH sex paradox remain challenging. We highlight herein new findings related to how the sex chromosome complement and sex-differentiated epigenetic mechanisms to control gene expression are decisive players in the sexual dimorphism of PAH. Pharmacologic interventions in the light of the newly elucidated mechanisms are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan N Predescu
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
| | - Babak Mokhlesi
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Sanda A Predescu
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
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Li J, Ming Z, Yang L, Wang T, Liu G, Ma Q. Long noncoding RNA XIST: Mechanisms for X chromosome inactivation, roles in sex-biased diseases, and therapeutic opportunities. Genes Dis 2022; 9:1478-1492. [PMID: 36157489 PMCID: PMC9485286 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism has been reported in various human diseases including autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and some types of cancers, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) is involved in X chromosome inactivation (XCI) in female placental mammals, a process that ensures the balanced expression dosage of X-linked genes between sexes. XIST is abnormally expressed in many sex-biased diseases. In addition, escape from XIST-mediated XCI and skewed XCI also contribute to sex-biased diseases. Therefore, its expression or modification can be regarded as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of many sex-biased diseases. Genetic manipulation of XIST expression can inhibit the progression of some of these diseases in animal models, and therefore XIST has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target. In this manuscript, we summarize the current knowledge about the mechanisms for XIST-mediated XCI and the roles of XIST in sex-biased diseases, and discuss potential therapeutic strategies targeting XIST.
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Dosage compensation in Bombyx mori is achieved by partial repression of both Z chromosomes in males. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2113374119. [PMID: 35239439 PMCID: PMC8915793 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113374119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes on sex chromosomes (i.e. human chX) are regulated differently in males and females to balance gene expression levels between sexes (XY vs. XX). This sex-specific regulation is called dosage compensation (DC). DC is achieved by altering the shape and compaction of sex chromosomes specifically in one sex. In this study, we use Oligopaints to examine DC in silkworms. This study visualizes this phenomenon in a species with ZW sex chromosomes, which evolved independently of XY. Our data support a long-standing model for how DC mechanisms evolved across species, and we show potential similarity between DC in silkworms and nematodes, suggesting that this type of DC may have emerged multiple independent times throughout evolution. Interphase chromatin is organized precisely to facilitate accurate gene expression. The structure–function relationship of chromatin is epitomized in sex chromosome dosage compensation (DC), where sex-linked gene expression is balanced between males and females via sex-specific alterations to three-dimensional chromatin structure. Studies in ZW-bearing species suggest that DC is absent or incomplete in most lineages except butterflies and moths, where male (ZZ) Z chromosome (chZ) expression is reduced by half to equal females (ZW). However, whether one chZ is inactivated (as in mammals) or both are partially repressed (as in Caenorhabditis elegans) is unclear. Using Oligopaints in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, we visualize autosomes and chZ in somatic cells from both sexes. We find that B. mori chromosomes are highly compact relative to Drosophila. We show that in B. mori males, both chZs are similar in size and shape and are more compact than autosomes or the female chZ after DC establishment, suggesting both male chZs are partially and equally downregulated. We also find that in the early stages of DC in females, chZ chromatin becomes more accessible and Z-linked expression increases. Concomitant with these changes, the female chZ repositions toward the nuclear center, revealing nonsequencing-based support for Ohno’s hypothesis. These studies visualizing interphase genome organization and chZ structure in Lepidoptera uncover intriguing similarities between DC in B. mori and C. elegans, despite these lineages harboring evolutionarily distinct sex chromosomes (ZW/XY), suggesting a possible role for holocentricity in DC mechanisms.
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Chen PF, Kuan LC, Kao CC, Hsu HK, Chen M, Kuo TC, Kuo PL. Complex rearrangements of Y chromosome suggest RPS4Y1 as lymphedema candidate gene. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 61:170-173. [PMID: 35181033 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjog.2021.11.031] [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] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cystic hygromas are frequently encountered in fetus with Turner syndrome (TS). Nevertheless, identification of genetic loci responsible for the cystic hygroma has been problematic. Here, we tried to elucidate the candidate gene for cystic hygroma through a rare case of complex Y chromosomal rearrangements involving duplication of partial Yq and monosomy of partial Yp. CASE REPORT A 30-year-old woman, gravida 1 para 0, was diagnosed with fetal cystic hygroma at 12 weeks of gestation. The genetic analysis of the product of conception revealed complex rearrangement of Y chromosome: microdeletion in Yp11.2p11.31 and microduplicatin in Yq11.223q11.23. The deleted region spans about 6.25 Mb and includes 76 genes, including SRY. The duplicated region spans about 4.76 Mb and includes 145 genes. CONCLUSION From this rare case with non-mosaic complex Y-chromosome rearrangements, we could narrow down Turner stigmata critical region to Yp11.2~p11.3. We also propose RPS4Y1 as lymphedema candidate gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Fan Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital and College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Long-Ching Kuan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kuo General Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chiu-Ching Kao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital and College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Kuo Hsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital and College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Genomic Medicine, And Center for Medical Genetics, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Cheng Kuo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kuo General Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
| | - Pao-Lin Kuo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital and College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan.
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The lncRNAs at X Chromosome Inactivation Center: Not Just a Matter of Sex Dosage Compensation. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020611. [PMID: 35054794 PMCID: PMC8775829 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) constitute the majority of the transcriptome, as the result of pervasive transcription of the mammalian genome. Different RNA species, such as lncRNAs, miRNAs, circRNA, mRNAs, engage in regulatory networks based on their reciprocal interactions, often in a competitive manner, in a way denominated “competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks” (“ceRNET”): miRNAs and other ncRNAs modulate each other, since miRNAs can regulate the expression of lncRNAs, which in turn regulate miRNAs, titrating their availability and thus competing with the binding to other RNA targets. The unbalancing of any network component can derail the entire regulatory circuit acting as a driving force for human diseases, thus assigning “new” functions to “old” molecules. This is the case of XIST, the lncRNA characterized in the early 1990s and well known as the essential molecule for X chromosome inactivation in mammalian females, thus preventing an imbalance of X-linked gene expression between females and males. Currently, literature concerning XIST biology is becoming dominated by miRNA associations and they are also gaining prominence for other lncRNAs produced by the X-inactivation center. This review discusses the available literature to explore possible novel functions related to ceRNA activity of lncRNAs produced by the X-inactivation center, beyond their role in dosage compensation, with prospective implications for emerging gender-biased functions and pathological mechanisms.
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