1
|
Cipriani V, Vestito L, Magavern EF, Jacobsen JO, Arno G, Behr ER, Benson KA, Bertoli M, Bockenhauer D, Bowl MR, Burley K, Chan LF, Chinnery P, Conlon P, Costa M, Davidson AE, Dawson SJ, Elhassan E, Flanagan SE, Futema M, Gale DP, García-Ruiz S, Corcia CG, Griffin HR, Hambleton S, Hicks AR, Houlden H, Houlston RS, Howles SA, Kleta R, Lekkerkerker I, Lin S, Liskova P, Mitchison H, Morsy H, Mumford AD, Newman WG, Neatu R, O'Toole EA, Ong AC, Pagnamenta AT, Rahman S, Rajan N, Robinson PN, Ryten M, Sadeghi-Alavijeh O, Sayer JA, Shovlin CL, Taylor JC, Teltsh O, Tomlinson I, Tucci A, Turnbull C, van Eerde AM, Ware JS, Watts LM, Webster AR, Westbury SK, Zheng SL, Caulfield M, Smedley D. Rare disease gene association discovery from burden analysis of the 100,000 Genomes Project data. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.12.20.23300294. [PMID: 38196618 PMCID: PMC10775325 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.23300294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
To discover rare disease-gene associations, we developed a gene burden analytical framework and applied it to rare, protein-coding variants from whole genome sequencing of 35,008 cases with rare diseases and their family members recruited to the 100,000 Genomes Project (100KGP). Following in silico triaging of the results, 88 novel associations were identified including 38 with existing experimental evidence. We have published the confirmation of one of these associations, hereditary ataxia with UCHL1 , and independent confirmatory evidence has recently been published for four more. We highlight a further seven compelling associations: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with DYSF and SLC4A3 where both genes show high/specific heart expression and existing associations to skeletal dystrophies or short QT syndrome respectively; monogenic diabetes with UNC13A with a known role in the regulation of β cells and a mouse model with impaired glucose tolerance; epilepsy with KCNQ1 where a mouse model shows seizures and the existing long QT syndrome association may be linked; early onset Parkinson's disease with RYR1 with existing links to tremor pathophysiology and a mouse model with neurological phenotypes; anterior segment ocular abnormalities associated with POMK showing expression in corneal cells and with a zebrafish model with developmental ocular abnormalities; and cystic kidney disease with COL4A3 showing high renal expression and prior evidence for a digenic or modifying role in renal disease. Confirmation of all 88 associations would lead to potential diagnoses in 456 molecularly undiagnosed cases within the 100KGP, as well as other rare disease patients worldwide, highlighting the clinical impact of a large-scale statistical approach to rare disease gene discovery.
Collapse
|
2
|
Xiao S, Kai Z, Murphy D, Li D, Patel D, Bielowka AM, Bernabeu-Herrero ME, Abdulmogith A, Mumford AD, Westbury SK, Aldred MA, Vargesson N, Caulfield MJ, Shovlin CL. Functional filter for whole-genome sequencing data identifies HHT and stress-associated non-coding SMAD4 polyadenylation site variants >5 kb from coding DNA. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:1903-1918. [PMID: 37816352 PMCID: PMC10645545 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite whole-genome sequencing (WGS), many cases of single-gene disorders remain unsolved, impeding diagnosis and preventative care for people whose disease-causing variants escape detection. Since early WGS data analytic steps prioritize protein-coding sequences, to simultaneously prioritize variants in non-coding regions rich in transcribed and critical regulatory sequences, we developed GROFFFY, an analytic tool that integrates coordinates for regions with experimental evidence of functionality. Applied to WGS data from solved and unsolved hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) recruits to the 100,000 Genomes Project, GROFFFY-based filtration reduced the mean number of variants/DNA from 4,867,167 to 21,486, without deleting disease-causal variants. In three unsolved cases (two related), GROFFFY identified ultra-rare deletions within the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the tumor suppressor SMAD4, where germline loss-of-function alleles cause combined HHT and colonic polyposis (MIM: 175050). Sited >5.4 kb distal to coding DNA, the deletions did not modify or generate microRNA binding sites, but instead disrupted the sequence context of the final cleavage and polyadenylation site necessary for protein production: By iFoldRNA, an AAUAAA-adjacent 16-nucleotide deletion brought the cleavage site into inaccessible neighboring secondary structures, while a 4-nucleotide deletion unfolded the downstream RNA polymerase II roadblock. SMAD4 RNA expression differed to control-derived RNA from resting and cycloheximide-stressed peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Patterns predicted the mutational site for an unrelated HHT/polyposis-affected individual, where a complex insertion was subsequently identified. In conclusion, we describe a functional rare variant type that impacts regulatory systems based on RNA polyadenylation. Extension of coding sequence-focused gene panels is required to capture these variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sihao Xiao
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, W12 ONN London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, W2 1NY London, UK.
| | - Zhentian Kai
- Topgen Biopharm Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Daniel Murphy
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, W2 1NY London, UK; Women's, Children's & Clinical Support (Pharmacy), Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, W2 1NY London, UK
| | - Dongyang Li
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, W12 ONN London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, W2 1NY London, UK
| | - Dilip Patel
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, W12 ONN London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, W2 1NY London, UK
| | - Adrianna M Bielowka
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, W12 ONN London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, W2 1NY London, UK
| | - Maria E Bernabeu-Herrero
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, W12 ONN London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, W2 1NY London, UK
| | - Awatif Abdulmogith
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, W12 ONN London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, W2 1NY London, UK
| | - Andrew D Mumford
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, BS8 1QU Bristol, UK
| | - Sarah K Westbury
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, BS8 1QU Bristol, UK
| | - Micheala A Aldred
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep & Occupational Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Neil Vargesson
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD Aberdeen, UK
| | - Mark J Caulfield
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, E1 4NS London, UK
| | - Claire L Shovlin
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, W12 ONN London, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, W2 1NY London, UK; Specialist Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, W12 OHS London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Halley MC, Young JL, Tang C, Mintz KT, Lucas-Griffin S, Maghiro A, Ashley EA, Tabor HK. Genomics Research with Undiagnosed Children: Ethical Challenges at the Boundaries of Research and Clinical Care. J Pediatr 2023; 261:113537. [PMID: 37271495 PMCID: PMC10527480 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the perspectives of parents of undiagnosed children enrolled in genomic diagnosis research regarding their motivations for enrolling their children, their understanding of the potential burdens and benefits, and the extent to which their experiences ultimately aligned with or diverged from their original expectations. STUDY DESIGN In-depth interviews were conducted with parents, audio-recorded and transcribed. A structured codebook was applied to each transcript, after which iterative memoing was used to identify themes. RESULTS Fifty-four parents participated, including 17 (31.5%) whose child received a diagnosis through research. Themes describing parents' expectations and experiences of genomic diagnosis research included (1) the extent to which parents' motivations for participation focused on their hope that it would directly benefit their child, (2) the ways in which parents' frustrations regarding the research process confused the dual clinical and research goals of their participation, and (3) the limited clinical benefits parents ultimately experienced for their children. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that parents of undiagnosed children seeking enrollment in genomic diagnosis research are at risk of a form of therapeutic misconception-in this case, diagnostic misconception. These findings indicate the need to examine the processes and procedures associated with this research to communicate appropriately and balance the potential burdens and benefits of study participation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan C Halley
- Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA.
| | - Jennifer L Young
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Charis Tang
- Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Kevin T Mintz
- Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Sawyer Lucas-Griffin
- Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | | | - Euan A Ashley
- Department of Genetics, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
| | - Holly K Tabor
- Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Stanford, CA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Halley MC, Olson NW. Blurred Boundaries: Toward an Expanded Ethics of Research and Clinical Care. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2023; 23:5-9. [PMID: 38410998 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2023.2224148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
|
5
|
Ackerman SL, Brown JEH, Zamora A, Outram S. "I Have Fought for so Many Things": Disadvantaged families' Efforts to Obtain Community-Based Services for Their Child after Genomic Sequencing. AJOB Empir Bioeth 2023; 14:208-217. [PMID: 37162201 PMCID: PMC10615790 DOI: 10.1080/23294515.2023.2209747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Families whose child has unexplained intellectual or developmental differences often hope that a genetic diagnosis will lower barriers to community-based therapeutic and support services. However, there is little known about efforts to mobilize genetic information outside the clinic or how socioeconomic disadvantage shapes and constrains outcomes. METHODS We conducted an ethnographic study with predominantly socioeconomically disadvantaged families enrolled in a multi-year genomics research study, including clinic observations and in-depth interviews in English and Spanish at multiple time points. Coding and thematic development were used to collaboratively interpret fieldnotes and transcripts. RESULTS Thirty-two families participated. Themes included familial expectations that a genetic diagnosis could be translated into information, understanding, and assistance to improve the quality of a child's day-to-day life. After sequencing, however, genetic information was not readily converted into improved access to services beyond the clinic, with families often struggling to use a genetic diagnosis to advocate for their child. CONCLUSION Families' ability to use a genetic diagnosis as an effective advocacy tool beyond the clinic was limited by the knowledge and resources available to them, and by the eligibility criteria used by therapeutic service providers' - which focused on clinical diagnosis and functional criteria more than etiologic information. All families undertaking genomic testing, particularly those who are disadvantaged, need additional support to understand the limits and potential benefits of genetic information beyond the clinic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara L Ackerman
- Program in Bioethics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Julia E H Brown
- Program in Bioethics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Astrid Zamora
- Program in Bioethics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Simon Outram
- Program in Bioethics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Institute for Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|