Ribonuclease inhibitor 1 (RNH1) deficiency cause congenital cataracts and global developmental delay with infection-induced psychomotor regression and anemia

Ribonuclease inhibitor and angiogenin system regulates cell type-specific global translation

Translation of mRNAs is a fundamental process that occurs in all cell types of multicellular organisms. Conventionally, it has been considered a default step in gene expression, lacking specific regulation. However, recent studies have documented that certain mRNAs exhibit cell type-specific translation. Despite this, it remains unclear whether global translation is controlled in a cell type-specific manner. By using human cell lines and mouse models, we found that deletion of the ribosome-associated protein ribonuclease inhibitor 1 (RNH1) decreases global translation selectively in hematopoietic-origin cells but not in the non-hematopoietic-origin cells. RNH1-mediated cell type-specific translation is mechanistically linked to angiogenin-induced ribosomal biogenesis. Collectively, this study unravels the existence of cell type-specific global translation regulators and highlights the complex translation regulation in vertebrates.

Biallelic variants in ribonuclease inhibitor (RNH1), an inflammasome modulator, are associated with a distinctive subtype of acute, necrotizing encephalopathy

PURPOSE

Mendelian etiologies for acute encephalopathies in previously healthy children are poorly understood, with the exception of RAN binding protein 2 (RANBP2)-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy subtype 1 (ANE1). We provide clinical, genetic, and neuroradiological evidence that biallelic variants in ribonuclease inhibitor (RNH1) confer susceptibility to a distinctive ANE subtype.

METHODS

This study aimed to evaluate clinical data, neuroradiological studies, genomic sequencing, and protein immunoblotting results in 8 children from 4 families who experienced acute febrile encephalopathy.

RESULTS

All 8 healthy children became acutely encephalopathic during a viral/febrile illness and received a variety of immune modulation treatments. Long-term outcomes varied from death to severe neurologic deficits to normal outcomes. The neuroradiological findings overlapped with ANE but had distinguishing features. All affected children had biallelic predicted damaging variants in RNH1: a subset that was studied had undetectable RNH1 protein. Incomplete penetrance of the RNH1 variants was evident in 1 family.

CONCLUSION

Biallelic variants in RNH1 confer susceptibility to a subtype of ANE (ANE2) in previously healthy children. Intensive immunological treatments may alter outcomes. Genomic sequencing in children with unexplained acute febrile encephalopathy can detect underlying genetic etiologies, such as RNH1, and improve outcomes in the probands and at-risk siblings.

Cognitive Skills and DNA Methylation Are Correlating in Healthy and Novice College Students Practicing Preksha Dhyāna Meditation

The impact of different meditation protocols on human health is explored at the cognitive and cellular levels. Preksha Dhyana meditation has been observed to seemingly affect the cognitive performance, transcriptome, and methylome of healthy and novice participant practitioners. In this study, we performed correlation analyses to investigate the presence of any relationships in the changes in cognitive performance and DNA methylation in a group of college students practicing Preksha Dhyāna (N = 34). Nine factors of cognitive performance were assessed at baseline and 8 weeks postintervention timepoints in the participants. Statistically significant improvements were observed in six of the nine assessments, which were predominantly relating to memory and affect. Using Illumina 850 K microarray technology, 470 differentially methylated sites (DMS) were identified between the two timepoints (baseline and 8 weeks), using a threshold of p-value < 0.05 and methylation levels beyond -3% to 3% at every site. Correlation analysis between the changes in performance on each of the nine assessments and every DMS unveiled statistically significant positive and negative relationships at several of these sites. The identified DMS were in proximity of essential genes involved in signaling and other important metabolic processes. Interestingly, we identified a set of sites that can be considered as biomarkers for Preksha meditation improvements at the genome level.