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Ran H, Li C, Rizvi SMM, Zhou R, Kong L, Shuangling S, Shao Y, Wu K, Duan C, Luo J, Shi H, Wu Q, Zhang C. Integrated analyses of Mendelian randomization, eQTL, and single-cell transcriptome identify CCN3 as a potential biomarker in aortic dissection. Sci Rep 2024; 14:32062. [PMID: 39738466 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83611-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 12/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/02/2025] Open
Abstract
Plasma secretory proteins are associated with various diseases, including aortic dissection (AD). However, current research on the correlation between AD and plasma protein levels is scarce or lacks specificity. This study aimed to explore plasma secretory proteins as potential biomarkers for AD. Through genome-wide association studies, expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis, and human plasma protein profiling, we identified DBNL, NPC2, SUMF2, and TFPI as high-risk genes and CCN3, PRKCSH, TEX264, and TGFBR3 as low-risk genes for AD. Further cell localization and differential expression analysis of these eight genes were conducted using single-cell data. We also examined their expression in three Gene Expression Omnibus datasets, measured their mRNA levels in AD versus normal tissues using qPCR, and assessed their protein levels in patients' blood versus healthy individuals using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our findings suggest that CCN3, consistently downregulated in both mRNA and plasma levels during AD, may have a protective role. Initial enrichment analyses of differentially expressed CCN3 cells suggested their involvement in focal adhesion, actin cytoskeleton regulation, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Ran
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Changying Li
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Syed M Musa Rizvi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ruiqin Zhou
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lingwen Kong
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, Chongqing University Central Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Sun Shuangling
- Department of Biochemistry, Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing, China
| | - Yue Shao
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kejia Wu
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine and Oncology Research, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Changzhu Duan
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine and Oncology Research, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Luo
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haoming Shi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qingchen Wu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Chen HN, Hu YN, Ran LL, Wang M, Zhang Z. Sexual dimorphism in aortic aneurysm: A review of the contributions of sex hormones and sex chromosomes. Vascul Pharmacol 2024; 158:107460. [PMID: 39716526 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2024.107460] [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: 10/07/2024] [Revised: 11/23/2024] [Accepted: 12/18/2024] [Indexed: 12/25/2024]
Abstract
Aortic aneurysm is a common cardiovascular disease. Over time, the disease damages the structural and functional integrity of the aorta, causing it to abnormally expand and potentially rupture, which can be fatal. Sex differences are evident in the disease, with men experiencing an earlier onset and higher incidence. However, women may face a worse prognosis and a higher risk of rupture. While there are some studies on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of aneurysm formation, it remains unclear how sex factors contribute to sexual dimorphism. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the role of sex in the occurrence of aortic aneurysms, offering valuable insights for disease prevention and the development of appropriate treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Nan Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Yan-Ni Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Li-Ling Ran
- Department of Pharmacology, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China
| | - Mi Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan, China.
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3
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Ma XR, Conley SD, Kosicki M, Bredikhin D, Cui R, Tran S, Sheth MU, Qiu WL, Chen S, Kundu S, Kang HY, Amgalan D, Munger CJ, Duan L, Dang K, Rubio OM, Kany S, Zamirpour S, DePaolo J, Padmanabhan A, Olgin J, Damrauer S, Andersson R, Gu M, Priest JR, Quertermous T, Qiu X, Rabinovitch M, Visel A, Pennacchio L, Kundaje A, Glass IA, Gifford CA, Pirruccello JP, Goodyer WR, Engreitz JM. Molecular convergence of risk variants for congenital heart defects leveraging a regulatory map of the human fetal heart. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.11.20.24317557. [PMID: 39606363 PMCID: PMC11601760 DOI: 10.1101/2024.11.20.24317557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2024]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHD) arise in part due to inherited genetic variants that alter genes and noncoding regulatory elements in the human genome. These variants are thought to act during fetal development to influence the formation of different heart structures. However, identifying the genes, pathways, and cell types that mediate these effects has been challenging due to the immense diversity of cell types involved in heart development as well as the superimposed complexities of interpreting noncoding sequences. As such, understanding the molecular functions of both noncoding and coding variants remains paramount to our fundamental understanding of cardiac development and CHD. Here, we created a gene regulation map of the healthy human fetal heart across developmental time, and applied it to interpret the functions of variants associated with CHD and quantitative cardiac traits. We collected single-cell multiomic data from 734,000 single cells sampled from 41 fetal hearts spanning post-conception weeks 6 to 22, enabling the construction of gene regulation maps in 90 cardiac cell types and states, including rare populations of cardiac conduction cells. Through an unbiased analysis of all 90 cell types, we find that both rare coding variants associated with CHD and common noncoding variants associated with valve traits converge to affect valvular interstitial cells (VICs). VICs are enriched for high expression of known CHD genes previously identified through mapping of rare coding variants. Eight CHD genes, as well as other genes in similar molecular pathways, are linked to common noncoding variants associated with other valve diseases or traits via enhancers in VICs. In addition, certain common noncoding variants impact enhancers with activities highly specific to particular subanatomic structures in the heart, illuminating how such variants can impact specific aspects of heart structure and function. Together, these results implicate new enhancers, genes, and cell types in the genetic etiology of CHD, identify molecular convergence of common noncoding and rare coding variants on VICs, and suggest a more expansive view of the cell types instrumental in genetic risk for CHD, beyond the working cardiomyocyte. This regulatory map of the human fetal heart will provide a foundational resource for understanding cardiac development, interpreting genetic variants associated with heart disease, and discovering targets for cell-type specific therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Rosa Ma
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie D Conley
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael Kosicki
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Danila Bredikhin
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ran Cui
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steven Tran
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maya U Sheth
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Wei-Lin Qiu
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sijie Chen
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Soumya Kundu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Helen Y Kang
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Current address: PhD Program in Computational and Systems Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dulguun Amgalan
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Chad J Munger
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Duan
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Dang
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Oriane Matthys Rubio
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shinwan Kany
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cardiology, University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Siavash Zamirpour
- School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John DePaolo
- Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Arun Padmanabhan
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Olgin
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Scott Damrauer
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Corporal Michael Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robin Andersson
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mingxia Gu
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James R Priest
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Tenaya Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Thomas Quertermous
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Xiaojie Qiu
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Bio-X, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marlene Rabinovitch
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Axel Visel
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Len Pennacchio
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Comparative Biochemistry Program, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Anshul Kundaje
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ian A Glass
- Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Casey A Gifford
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - James P Pirruccello
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine and Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar Computation Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William R Goodyer
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jesse M Engreitz
- Basic Science and Engineering (BASE) Initiative, Stanford Children's Health, Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Genomic Mechanisms of Disease, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
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4
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Yu Z, Wu A, Ke H, Liu J, Zhao Y, Zhu Y, Wang XY, Xiang Y, Xin HB, Tian XL. Age-Disturbed Vascular Extracellular Matrix Links to Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2024; 79:glae201. [PMID: 39312673 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glae201] [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: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common but life-threatening vascular condition in men at an advanced age. However, the underlying mechanisms of age-increased incidence and mortality of AAA remain elusive. Here, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of mouse aortas from males (young: 3-month, n = 4 vs old: 23-month, n = 4) and integrated with the data sets of human aortas (young: 20-39, n = 47 vs old: 60-79 years, n = 92) from GTEx project and the data set (GSE183464) for AAA to search for age-shifted aortic aneurysm genes, their relevant biological processes, and signaling pathways. Angiotensin II-induced AAA in mice was used to verify the critical findings. We found 1 001 genes transcriptionally changed with ages in both mouse and human. Most age-increased genes were enriched intracellularly and the relevant biological processes included mitochondrial function and translational controls, whereas the age-decreased genes were largely localized in extracellular regions and cell periphery and the involved biological processes were associated with extracellular matrix (ECM). Fifty-one were known genes for AAA and found dominantly in extracellular region. The common age-shifted vascular genes and known aortic aneurysm genes had shared functional influences on ECM organization, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Aorta with angiotensin II-induced AAA exhibited similar phenotypic changes in ECM to that in old mice. Together, we present a conserved transcriptional signature for aortic aging and provide evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction and the imbalanced ribosomal homeostasis act likely as driven-forces for aortic aging and age-disturbed ECM is the substrate for developing AAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenping Yu
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Andong Wu
- Aging and Vascular Diseases, Human Aging Research Institute (HARI), School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Aging and Disease, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Hao Ke
- Cancer and Cell Senescence, Human Aging Research Institute (HARI), School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Aging and Disease, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jiankun Liu
- Aging and Vascular Diseases, Human Aging Research Institute (HARI), School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Aging and Disease, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Ya Zhao
- Aging and Vascular Diseases, Human Aging Research Institute (HARI), School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Aging and Disease, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yuanzheng Zhu
- Aging and Vascular Diseases, Human Aging Research Institute (HARI), School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Aging and Disease, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yang Xiang
- Metabolic Control and Aging, Human Aging Research Institute (HARI), School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Aging and Disease, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Hong-Bo Xin
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xiao-Li Tian
- Aging and Vascular Diseases, Human Aging Research Institute (HARI), School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Aging and Disease, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
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5
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Butnariu LI, Russu G, Luca AC, Sandu C, Trandafir LM, Vasiliu I, Popa S, Ghiga G, Bălănescu L, Țarcă E. Identification of Genetic Variants Associated with Hereditary Thoracic Aortic Diseases (HTADs) Using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Technology and Genotype-Phenotype Correlations. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:11173. [PMID: 39456956 PMCID: PMC11508433 DOI: 10.3390/ijms252011173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2024] [Revised: 10/12/2024] [Accepted: 10/15/2024] [Indexed: 10/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hereditary thoracic aorta diseases (HTADs) are a heterogeneous group of rare disorders whose major manifestation is represented by aneurysm and/or dissection frequently located at the level of the ascending thoracic aorta. The diseases have an insidious evolution and can be encountered as an isolated manifestation or can also be associated with systemic, extra-aortic manifestations (syndromic HTADs). Along with the development of molecular testing technologies, important progress has been made in deciphering the heterogeneous etiology of HTADs. The aim of this study is to identify the genetic variants associated with a group of patients who presented clinical signs suggestive of a syndromic form of HTAD. Genetic testing based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology was performed using a gene panel (Illumina TruSight Cardio Sequencing Panel) or whole exome sequencing (WES). In the majority of cases (8/10), de novo mutations in the FBN1 gene were detected and correlated with the Marfan syndrome phenotype. In another case, a known mutation in the TGFBR2 gene associated with Loeys-Dietz syndrome was detected. Two other pathogenic heterozygous variants (one de novo and the other a known mutation) in the SLC2A10 gene (compound heterozygous genotype) were identified in a patient diagnosed with arterial tortuosity syndrome (ATORS). We presented the genotype-phenotype correlations, especially related to the clinical evolution, highlighting the particularities of each patient in a family context. We also emphasized the importance of genetic testing and patient monitoring to avoid acute aortic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lăcrămioara Ionela Butnariu
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania
| | - Georgiana Russu
- Departament of Cardiology, Saint Mary’s Emergency Children Hospital, 700309 Iași, Romania; (G.R.); (A.-C.L.)
| | - Alina-Costina Luca
- Departament of Cardiology, Saint Mary’s Emergency Children Hospital, 700309 Iași, Romania; (G.R.); (A.-C.L.)
- Department of Mother and Child, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania; (L.M.T.); (G.G.)
| | - Constantin Sandu
- Department of Medical Abilities, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania;
| | - Laura Mihaela Trandafir
- Department of Mother and Child, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania; (L.M.T.); (G.G.)
| | - Ioana Vasiliu
- Department of Morphofunctional Sciences II, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania;
| | - Setalia Popa
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania
| | - Gabriela Ghiga
- Department of Mother and Child, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania; (L.M.T.); (G.G.)
| | - Laura Bălănescu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery and Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Elena Țarcă
- Department of Surgery II—Pediatric Surgery, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iași, Romania;
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6
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DePaolo J, Biagetti G, Judy R, Wang GJ, Kelly JJ, Iyengar A, Goel NJ, Desai ND, Szeto WY, Bavaria JE, Levin MG, Damrauer SM. Polygenic Scoring for Detection of Ascending Thoracic Aortic Dilation. CIRCULATION. GENOMIC AND PRECISION MEDICINE 2024; 17:e004512. [PMID: 39324273 PMCID: PMC11540195 DOI: 10.1161/circgen.123.004512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ascending thoracic aortic dilation is a complex heritable trait that involves modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors. Polygenic scores (PGS) are increasingly used to assess risk for complex diseases. The degree to which a PGS can improve aortic diameter prediction in diverse populations is unknown. Presently, we tested whether adding a PGS to clinical prediction algorithms improves performance in a diverse biobank. METHODS The analytic cohort comprised 6235 Penn Medicine Biobank participants with available echocardiography and clinical data linked to genome-wide genotype data. Linear regression models were used to integrate PGS weights derived from a genome-wide association study of thoracic aortic diameter performed in the UK Biobank and were compared with the performance of the previously published aorta optimized regression for thoracic aneurysm (AORTA) score. RESULTS Cohort participants had a median age of 61 years (IQR, 53-70) and a mean ascending aortic diameter of 3.36 cm (SD, 0.49). Fifty-five percent were male, and 33% were genetically similar to an African reference population. Compared with the AORTA score, which explained 30.6% (95% CI, 29.9%-31.4%) of the variance in aortic diameter, AORTA score+UK Biobank-derived PGS explained 33.1%, (95% CI, 32.3%-33.8%), the reweighted AORTA score explained 32.5% (95% CI, 31.8%-33.2%), and the reweighted AORTA score+UK Biobank-derived PGS explained 34.9% (95% CI, 34.2%-35.6%). When stratified by population, models including the UK Biobank-derived PGS consistently improved upon the clinical AORTA score among individuals genetically similar to a European reference population but conferred minimal improvement among individuals genetically similar to an African reference population. Comparable performance disparities were observed in models developed to discriminate cases/noncases of thoracic aortic dilation (≥4.0 cm). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that inclusion of a UK Biobank-derived PGS to the AORTA score confers a clinically meaningful improvement in model performance only among individuals genetically similar to European reference populations and may exacerbate existing health care disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gina Biagetti
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery (G.B., G.J.W., S.M.D.)
| | | | - Grace J Wang
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery (G.B., G.J.W., S.M.D.)
| | - John J Kelly
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery (J.J.K., A.I., N.J.G., N.D.D., W.Y.S., J.E.B.)
| | - Amit Iyengar
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery (J.J.K., A.I., N.J.G., N.D.D., W.Y.S., J.E.B.)
| | - Nicholas J Goel
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery (J.J.K., A.I., N.J.G., N.D.D., W.Y.S., J.E.B.)
| | - Nimesh D Desai
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery (J.J.K., A.I., N.J.G., N.D.D., W.Y.S., J.E.B.)
| | - Wilson Y Szeto
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery (J.J.K., A.I., N.J.G., N.D.D., W.Y.S., J.E.B.)
| | - Joseph E Bavaria
- Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery (J.J.K., A.I., N.J.G., N.D.D., W.Y.S., J.E.B.)
| | - Michael G Levin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology (M.G.L.)
- Corporal Michael Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (M.G.L., S.M.D.)
| | - Scott M Damrauer
- Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery (G.B., G.J.W., S.M.D.)
- Department of Genetics (S.M.D.)
- Penn Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania (S.M.D.)
- Corporal Michael Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (M.G.L., S.M.D.)
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7
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Zhu X, Wu W. The causal relationship between immune cells and atopic dermatitis: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study. Skin Res Technol 2024; 30:e13858. [PMID: 39196303 DOI: 10.1111/srt.13858] [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: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition whose origins remain unclear. Existing epidemiological evidence suggests that inflammation and immune factors play pivotal roles in the onset and progression of AD. However, previous research on the connection between immune inflammation and AD has yielded inconclusive results. METHODS To evaluate the causal relationship between immunological characteristics and AD, this study employed a bidirectional, two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. We utilized large-scale, publicly available genome-wide association studies to investigate the causal associations between 731 immunological feature cells and the risk of AD. RESULTS Significant associations were identified between six immune phenotypes and AD risk: increased Basophil %CD33dim HLA DR-CD66b-, CD25 on IgD+ CD24+, CD40 on monocytes, HLA DR on CD14+ CD16-monocytes, HLA DR on CD14+monocytes correlated with higher AD risk, while elevated CD3 on CD4 Treg was linked to lower risk. Reverse MR analysis revealed AD as a risk factor for IgD+ CD38br AC and IgD+ CD38br %B cell, but a protective factor against CD20 on IgD+ CD38- naive and CD8 on NKT. CONCLUSION Our findings elucidate the intricate interplay between immune cells and AD, informing future research into AD pathophysiology and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Zhu
- Department of dermatology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital. The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenzhong Wu
- Department of dermatology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital. The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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8
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Musfee FI, Jun G, Mitchell LE, Chen H, Guo D, Prakash SK, Adkar SS, Grove ML, Choi RB, Klarin D, Boerwinkle E, Milewicz DM. X-linked genetic associations in sporadic thoracic aortic dissection. Am J Med Genet A 2024; 194:e63644. [PMID: 38688863 PMCID: PMC11315632 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63644] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The male predominance in sporadic thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAD) suggests that the X chromosome contributes to TAD, but this has not been tested. We investigated whether X-linked variation-common (minor allele frequency [MAF] ≥0.01) and rare (MAF <0.01)-was associated with sporadic TAD in three cohorts of European descent (Discovery: 364 cases, 874 controls; Replication: 516 cases, 440,131 controls, and ARIC [Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study]: 753 cases, 2247 controls). For analysis of common variants, we applied a sex-stratified logistic regression model followed by a meta-analysis of sex-specific odds ratios. Furthermore, we conducted a meta-analysis of overlapping common variants between the Discovery and Replication cohorts. For analysis of rare variants, we used a sex-stratified optimized sequence kernel association test model. Common variants results showed no statistically significant findings in the Discovery cohort. An intergenic common variant near SPANXN1 was statistically significant in the Replication cohort (p = 1.81 × 10-8). The highest signal from the meta-analysis of the Discovery and Replication cohorts was a ZNF182 intronic common variant (p = 3.5 × 10-6). In rare variants results, RTL9 reached statistical significance (p = 5.15 × 10-5). Although most of our results were statistically insignificant, our analysis is the most comprehensive X-chromosome association analysis of sporadic TAD to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadi I. Musfee
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Goo Jun
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Laura E. Mitchell
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Han Chen
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Dongchuan Guo
- Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Siddharth K. Prakash
- Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shaunak Sanjay Adkar
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Megan L. Grove
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ryan Bohyun Choi
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Derek Klarin
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - Eric Boerwinkle
- Human Genetics Center, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dianna M. Milewicz
- Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX 77030, USA
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9
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Yagyu T, Ida K, Noguchi T. Similarity of aortic events between siblings with heritable thoracic aortic diseases: Clinical analysis focusing on identical twins and same-sex siblings. Am J Med Genet A 2024; 194:e63632. [PMID: 38619088 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Yagyu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Japan
- Department of Genomic Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Japan
| | - Kazufumi Ida
- Department of Genomic Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Japan
| | - Teruo Noguchi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Japan
- Department of Genomic Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Japan
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10
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Goncharova IA, Shipulina SA, Sleptcov AA, Zarubin AA, Valiakhmetov NR, Panfilov DS, Lelik EV, Saushkin VV, Kozlov BN, Nazarenko LP, Nazarenko MS. Identification of Variants of Uncertain Significance in the Genes Associated with Thoracic Aortic Disease in Russian Patients with Nonsyndromic Sporadic Subtypes of the Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8315. [PMID: 39125885 PMCID: PMC11312146 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Nonsyndromic sporadic thoracic aortic aneurysm (nssTAA) is characterized by diverse genetic variants that may vary in different populations. Our aim was to identify clinically relevant variants in genes implicated in hereditary aneurysms in Russian patients with nssTAA. Forty-one patients with nssTAA without dissection were analyzed. Using massive parallel sequencing, we searched for variants in exons of 53 known disease-causing genes. Patients were found to have no (likely) pathogenic variants in the genes of hereditary TAA. Six variants of uncertain significance (VUSs) were identified in four (9.8%) patients. Three VUSs [FBN1 c.7841C>T (p.Ala2614Val), COL3A1 c.2498A>T (p.Lys833Ile), and MYH11 c.4993C>T (p.Arg1665Cys)] are located in genes with "definitive" disease association (ClinGen). The remaining variants are in "potentially diagnostic" genes or genes with experimental evidence of disease association [NOTCH1 c.964G>A (p.Val322Met), COL4A5 c.953C>G (p.Pro318Arg), and PLOD3 c.833G>A (p.Gly278Asp)]. Russian patients with nssTAA without dissection examined in this study have ≥1 VUSs in six known genes of hereditary TAA (FBN1, COL3A1, MYH11, NOTCH1, COL4A5, or PLOD3). Experimental studies expanded genetic testing, and clinical examination of patients and first/second-degree relatives may shift VUSs to the pathogenic (benign) category or to a new class of rare "predisposing" low-penetrance variants causing the pathology if combined with other risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A. Goncharova
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Ushaika Str., Tomsk 634050, Russia; (I.A.G.); (S.A.S.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.Z.); (N.R.V.); (L.P.N.)
| | - Sofia A. Shipulina
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Ushaika Str., Tomsk 634050, Russia; (I.A.G.); (S.A.S.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.Z.); (N.R.V.); (L.P.N.)
| | - Aleksei A. Sleptcov
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Ushaika Str., Tomsk 634050, Russia; (I.A.G.); (S.A.S.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.Z.); (N.R.V.); (L.P.N.)
| | - Aleksei A. Zarubin
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Ushaika Str., Tomsk 634050, Russia; (I.A.G.); (S.A.S.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.Z.); (N.R.V.); (L.P.N.)
| | - Nail R. Valiakhmetov
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Ushaika Str., Tomsk 634050, Russia; (I.A.G.); (S.A.S.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.Z.); (N.R.V.); (L.P.N.)
| | - Dmitry S. Panfilov
- Cardiology Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 111a Kievskaya Str., Tomsk 634012, Russia; (D.S.P.); (E.V.L.); (V.V.S.); (B.N.K.)
| | - Evgeniya V. Lelik
- Cardiology Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 111a Kievskaya Str., Tomsk 634012, Russia; (D.S.P.); (E.V.L.); (V.V.S.); (B.N.K.)
| | - Viktor V. Saushkin
- Cardiology Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 111a Kievskaya Str., Tomsk 634012, Russia; (D.S.P.); (E.V.L.); (V.V.S.); (B.N.K.)
| | - Boris N. Kozlov
- Cardiology Research Institute, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 111a Kievskaya Str., Tomsk 634012, Russia; (D.S.P.); (E.V.L.); (V.V.S.); (B.N.K.)
| | - Ludmila P. Nazarenko
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Ushaika Str., Tomsk 634050, Russia; (I.A.G.); (S.A.S.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.Z.); (N.R.V.); (L.P.N.)
| | - Maria S. Nazarenko
- Research Institute of Medical Genetics, Tomsk National Research Medical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 10 Ushaika Str., Tomsk 634050, Russia; (I.A.G.); (S.A.S.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.Z.); (N.R.V.); (L.P.N.)
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11
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Jiang D, Zheng S, Xu X, Yue H, Liang W, Wu Z. Uncovering Druggable Targets in Aortic Dissection: An Association Study Integrating Mendelian Randomization, pQTL, and Protein-Protein Interaction Network. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1204. [PMID: 38927411 PMCID: PMC11200553 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061204] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening acute aortic syndrome. There are limitations and challenges in the discovery and application of biomarkers and drug targets for AD. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis is a reliable analytical method to identify effective therapeutic targets. We aimed to identify novel therapeutic targets for AD and investigate their potential side-effects based on MR analysis. Data from protein quantitative trait loci (pQTLs) were used for MR analyses to identify potential therapeutic targets. We probed druggable proteins involved in the pathogenesis of aortic dissection from deCODE. In this study, a two-sample MR analysis was conducted, with druggable proteins as the exposure factor and data on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of AD as the outcome. After conducting a two-sample MR, summary data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) analysis and colocalization analysis were performed. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was also constructed to delve into the interactions between identified proteins. After MR analysis and the Steiger test, we identified five proteins as potential therapeutic targets for AD. SMR analysis and colocalization analysis also confirmed our findings. Finally, we identified ASPN (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.54, p = 4.22 × 10-5) and SPOCK2 (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.78, p = 4.52 × 10-4) as the core therapeutic targets. Through PPI network analysis, we identified six druggable targets, enabling the subsequent identification of six promising drugs from DrugBank for treating AD. This discovery of specific proteins as novel therapeutic targets represents a significant advancement in AD treatment. These findings provide more effective treatment options for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Zhong Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, China; (D.J.)
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12
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Mills AC, Sandhu HK, Ikeno Y, Tanaka A. Heritable thoracic aortic disease: a literature review on genetic aortopathies and current surgical management. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2024; 72:293-304. [PMID: 38480670 DOI: 10.1007/s11748-024-02017-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: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Heritable thoracic aortic disease puts patients at risk for aortic aneurysms, rupture, and dissections. The diagnosis and management of this heterogenous patient population continues to evolve. Last year, the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee published diagnosis and management guidelines for aortic disease, which included those with genetic aortopathies. Additionally, evolving research studying the implications of underlying genetic aberrations with new genetic testing continues to become available. In this review, we evaluate the current literature surrounding the diagnosis and management of heritable thoracic aortic disease, as well as novel therapeutic approaches and future directions of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Mills
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, 6400 Fannin St., Ste. #2850, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Harleen K Sandhu
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, 6400 Fannin St., Ste. #2850, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yuki Ikeno
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, 6400 Fannin St., Ste. #2850, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Akiko Tanaka
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, 6400 Fannin St., Ste. #2850, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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13
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Qian X, Zheng Y, Xu L, Liu Z, Chen M, Tong F, Fan P, Chen Z, Dong N, Zhang C, Liu J. Deciphering the role of CX3CL1-CX3CR1 in aortic aneurysm pathogenesis: insights from Mendelian randomization and transcriptomic analyses. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1383607. [PMID: 38715600 PMCID: PMC11074460 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1383607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The crucial role of inflammation in aortic aneurysm (AA) is gaining prominence, while there is still a lack of key cytokines or targets for effective clinical translation. Methods Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to identify the causal relationship between 91 circulating inflammatory proteins and AA and between 731 immune traits and AA. Bulk RNA sequencing data was utilized to demonstrate the expression profile of the paired ligand-receptor. Gene enrichment analysis, Immune infiltration, and correlation analysis were employed to deduce the potential role of CX3CR1. We used single-cell RNA sequencing data to pinpoint the localization of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1, which was further validated by multiplex immunofluorescence staining. Cellchat analysis was utilized to infer the CX3C signaling pathway. Trajectory analysis and the Cytosig database were exploited to determine the downstream effect of CX3CL1-CX3CR1. Results We identified 4 candidates (FGF5, CX3CL1, IL20RA, and SCF) in multiple two-sample MR analyses. Subsequent analysis of the expression profile of the paired receptor revealed the significant upregulation of CX3CR1 in AA and its positive correlation with pro-inflammatory macrophages. Two sample MR between immune cell traits and AA demonstrated the potential causality between intermediate monocytes and AA. We finally deciphered in single-cell sequencing data that CX3CL1 sent by endothelial cells (ECs) acted on CX3CR1 of intermediated monocytes, leading to its recruitment and pro-inflammatory responses. Conclusion Our study presented a genetic insight into the pathogenetic role of CX3CL1-CX3CR1 in AA, and further deciphered the CX3C signaling pathway between ECs and intermediate monocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nianguo Dong
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Junwei Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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14
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Singh AA, Shetty DK, Jacob AG, Bayraktar S, Sinha S. Understanding genomic medicine for thoracic aortic disease through the lens of induced pluripotent stem cells. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1349548. [PMID: 38440211 PMCID: PMC10910110 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1349548] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Thoracic aortic disease (TAD) is often silent until a life-threatening complication occurs. However, genetic information can inform both identification and treatment at an early stage. Indeed, a diagnosis is important for personalised surveillance and intervention plans, as well as cascade screening of family members. Currently, only 20% of heritable TAD patients have a causative mutation identified and, consequently, further advances in genetic coverage are required to define the remaining molecular landscape. The rapid expansion of next generation sequencing technologies is providing a huge resource of genetic data, but a critical issue remains in functionally validating these findings. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are patient-derived, reprogrammed cell lines which allow mechanistic insights, complex modelling of genetic disease and a platform to study aortic genetic variants. This review will address the need for iPSCs as a frontline diagnostic tool to evaluate variants identified by genomic discovery studies and explore their evolving role in biological insight through to drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sanjay Sinha
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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15
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Zhong Y, Wang F, Meng X, Zhou L. The associations between gut microbiota and inflammatory skin diseases: a bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization study. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1297240. [PMID: 38370414 PMCID: PMC10869565 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1297240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Accumulating evidence shows that dysregulation of intestinal flora is associated with inflammatory skin diseases, specifically atopic dermatitis (AD), psoriasis (PSO), and rosacea (ROS). However, the causality is still unclear. Objectives To study the underlying causality between gut microbiota (GM) and AD, PSO, and ROS, a bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization (2SMR) analysis was conducted. Methods Summary statistics of gut microbiota, AD, PSO, and ROS were extracted from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWASs). In 2SMR analysis, in addition to the inverse variance weighted as the principal method for evaluating causal association, four different methods were also used. Sensitivity analysis and reverse 2SMR study were implemented to evaluate the robustness of 2SMR results or reverse causal relationship, respectively. Results A total of 24 specific gut microbiota species related to AD, PSO, and ROS were identified by 2SMR analysis. After using the Bonferroni method for multiple testing correction, family FamilyXIII (ID: 1957) [OR = 1.28 (1.13, 1.45), p = 9.26e-05] and genus Eubacteriumfissicatenagroup (ID: 14373) [OR = 1.20 (1.09, 1.33), p = 1.65e-04] were associated with an increased risk for AD and PSO, respectively. The genus Dialister showed a negative association, suggesting a protective role against both atopic dermatitis and rosacea. Our reverse 2SMR analysis indicated no reverse causality between these inflammatory skin diseases and the identified gut microbiota. Conclusions In summary, this study provided evidence for the causality between GM and inflammatory skin diseases. These findings suggested that supplementing specific bacterial taxa may be an effective therapy for AD, PSO, and ROS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhong
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xin Meng
- Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lei Zhou
- Department of Dermatology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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16
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Raghavan A, Pirruccello JP, Ellinor PT, Lindsay ME. Using Genomics to Identify Novel Therapeutic Targets for Aortic Disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2024; 44:334-351. [PMID: 38095107 PMCID: PMC10843699 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.123.318771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Aortic disease, including dissection, aneurysm, and rupture, carries significant morbidity and mortality and is a notable cause of sudden cardiac death. Much of our knowledge regarding the genetic basis of aortic disease has relied on the study of individuals with Mendelian aortopathies and, until recently, the genetic determinants of population-level variance in aortic phenotypes remained unclear. However, the application of machine learning methodologies to large imaging datasets has enabled researchers to rapidly define aortic traits and mine dozens of novel genetic associations for phenotypes such as aortic diameter and distensibility. In this review, we highlight the emerging potential of genomics for identifying causal genes and candidate drug targets for aortic disease. We describe how deep learning technologies have accelerated the pace of genetic discovery in this field. We then provide a blueprint for translating genetic associations to biological insights, reviewing techniques for locus and cell type prioritization, high-throughput functional screening, and disease modeling using cellular and animal models of aortic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avanthi Raghavan
- Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James P. Pirruccello
- Division of Cardiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Patrick T. Ellinor
- Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark E. Lindsay
- Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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17
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Li Z, Xiong J, Guo Y, Tang H, Guo B, Wang B, Gao D, Dong Z, Tu Y. Effects of diabetes mellitus and glycemic traits on cardiovascular morpho-functional phenotypes. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2023; 22:336. [PMID: 38066511 PMCID: PMC10709859 DOI: 10.1186/s12933-023-02079-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The effects of diabetes on the cardiac and aortic structure and function remain unclear. Detecting and intervening these variations early is crucial for the prevention and management of complications. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging-derived traits are established endophenotypes and serve as precise, early-detection, noninvasive clinical risk biomarkers. We conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to examine the association between two types of diabetes, four glycemic traits, and preclinical endophenotypes of cardiac and aortic structure and function. METHODS Independent genetic variants significantly associated with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, fasting insulin (FIns), fasting glucose (FGlu), 2 h-glucose post-challenge (2hGlu), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were selected as instrumental variables. The 96 cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging traits came from six independent genome-wide association studies. These traits serve as preclinical endophenotypes and offer an early indication of the structure and function of the four cardiac chambers and two aortic sections. The primary analysis was performed using MR with the inverse-variance weighted method. Confirmation was achieved through Steiger filtering and testing to determine the causal direction. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using the weighted median, MR-Egger, and MR-PRESSO methods. Additionally, multivariable MR was used to adjust for potential effects associated with body mass index. RESULTS Genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes was associated with increased ascending aortic distensibility. Conversely, type 2 diabetes showed a correlation with a reduced diameter and areas of the ascending aorta, as well as decreased distensibility of the descending aorta. Genetically predicted higher levels of FGlu and HbA1c were correlated with a decrease in diameter and areas of the ascending aorta. Furthermore, higher 2hGlu levels predominantly showed association with a reduced diameter of both the ascending and descending aorta. Higher FIns levels corresponded to increased regional myocardial-wall thicknesses at end-diastole, global myocardial-wall thickness at end-diastole, and regional peak circumferential strain of the left ventricle. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that diabetes and glycemic traits have a causal relationship with cardiac and aortic structural and functional remodeling, highlighting the importance of intensive glucose-lowering for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyue Li
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jie Xiong
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yutong Guo
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Hao Tang
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Bingchen Guo
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Dianyu Gao
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Zengxiang Dong
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
- The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease Acousto-Optic Electromagnetic Diagnosis and Treatment in Heilongjiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Cell Transplantation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
| | - Yingfeng Tu
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
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Ponińska JK, Pelczar-Płachta W, Pollak A, Jończyk-Potoczna K, Truszkowska G, Michałowska I, Szafran E, Bilińska ZT, Bobkowski W, Płoski R. Double Heterozygous Pathogenic Variants in the LOX and PKD1 Genes in a 5-Year-Old Patient with Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Polycystic Kidney Disease. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1983. [PMID: 38002926 PMCID: PMC10671125 DOI: 10.3390/genes14111983] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections may occur as an isolated hereditary trait or as part of connective tissue disorders with Mendelian inheritance, but severe cardiovascular disease in pediatric patients is extremely rare. There is growing knowledge on pathogenic variants causing the disease; however, much of the phenotypic variability and gene-gene interactions remain to be discovered. We present a case report of a 5.5-year-old girl with an aortic aneurysm and concomitant polycystic kidney disease. Whole exome sequencing was performed, followed by family screening by amplicon deep sequencing and diagnostic imaging studies. In the proband, two pathogenic variants were identified: p.Tyr257Ter in the LOX gene inherited from her mother, and p.Thr2977Ile in the PKD1 gene inherited from her father. All adult carriers of either of these variants showed symptoms of aortic disease. We conclude that the coexistence of two independent genetic variants in the proband may be the reason for an early onset of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kinga Ponińska
- Department of Medical Biology, National Institute of Cardiology, 04-628 Warszawa, Poland;
| | - Weronika Pelczar-Płachta
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Pollak
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre of Biostructure, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-106 Warszawa, Poland
| | | | - Grażyna Truszkowska
- Department of Medical Biology, National Institute of Cardiology, 04-628 Warszawa, Poland;
| | - Ilona Michałowska
- Department of Radiology, National Institute of Cardiology, 04-628 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Emilia Szafran
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland
| | - Zofia T. Bilińska
- Unit for Screening Studies in Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, National Institute of Cardiology, 04-628 Warszawa, Poland;
| | - Waldemar Bobkowski
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland
| | - Rafał Płoski
- Department of Medical Genetics, Centre of Biostructure, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-106 Warszawa, Poland
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