Targeted sequencing analysis of ACVR2A gene identifies novel risk variants associated with preeclampsia

The genetic variant rs55986091 HLA-DQB1 is associated with a protective effect against cervical cancer

Introduction

Cervical cancer (CC) is a prevalent malignancy affecting women globally. The primary causative factor of CC is the high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus (HR-HPV). However, it is noteworthy that not all women infected with HR-HPV develop cancer, indicating the potential involvement of genetic predisposition in the development of CC. This study aims to identify genetic risks and their distribution in groups of women with different epidemiological features of HR-HPV.

Materials and methods

A comparison was conducted among four groups of women, comprising 218 HPV-negative women, 120 HPV-positive women, 191 women diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 2 or 3, and 124 women diagnosed with CC. The analysis focused on four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): rs55986091 in HLA-DQB1, rs138446575 in TTC34, rs1048943 in CYP1A1, and rs2910164 in miRNA-146a.

Results

The rs55986091-A allele exhibited a protective effect within the "CC" group when compared to the "HPV-Negative" group (OR = 0.4, 95% CI= 0.25-0.65) using a log-additive model. Additionally, similar protective effects were observed in the "CIN 2/3" group compared to the "HPV-Negative" group (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.28-0.79).

Conclusion

The data obtained emphasize the importance of developing PCR-based diagnostic kits for the identification of SNP alleles, particularly for rs55986091, among HR-HPV-positive women within the Russian population.

Multi-omics and machine learning for the prevention and management of female reproductive health

Females typically carry most of the burden of reproduction in mammals. In humans, this burden is exacerbated further, as the evolutionary advantage of a large and complex human brain came at a great cost of women's reproductive health. Pregnancy thus became a highly demanding phase in a woman's life cycle both physically and emotionally and therefore needs monitoring to assure an optimal outcome. Moreover, an increasing societal trend towards reproductive complications partly due to the increasing maternal age and global obesity pandemic demands closer monitoring of female reproductive health. This review first provides an overview of female reproductive biology and further explores utilization of large-scale data analysis and -omics techniques (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) towards diagnosis, prognosis, and management of female reproductive disorders. In addition, we explore machine learning approaches for predictive models towards prevention and management. Furthermore, mobile apps and wearable devices provide a promise of continuous monitoring of health. These complementary technologies can be combined towards monitoring female (fertility-related) health and detection of any early complications to provide intervention solutions. In summary, technological advances (e.g., omics and wearables) have shown a promise towards diagnosis, prognosis, and management of female reproductive disorders. Systematic integration of these technologies is needed urgently in female reproductive healthcare to be further implemented in the national healthcare systems for societal benefit.

An interactive analysis of the mouse oviductal miRNA profiles

MicroRNAs are small non-coding molecules that control several cellular functions and act as negative post-transcriptional regulators of the mRNA. While their implication in several biological functions is already known, an important role as regulators of different physiological and pathological processes in fertilization and embryo development is currently emerging. Indeed, miRNAs have been found in the oviductal fluid packaged within the extracellular vesicles, which might act as natural nanoshuttles by transporting lipids, proteins, RNA molecules and miRNAs from the oviduct to the gametes or embryos. Here, an exhaustive bibliography search was carried out, followed by the construction of a computational model based on the networks theory in an attempt to recreate and elucidate the pathways potentially activated by the oviductal miRNA. The omics data published to date were gathered to create the Oviductal MiRNome, in which the miRNA target genes and their interactions are represented by using stringApp and the Network analyzer from Cytoscape 3.7.2. Then, the hyperlinked nodes were identified to investigate the pathways in which they are involved using the gene ontology enrichment analysis. To study the phenotypical effects after the removal of key genes on the reproductive system and embryo, knockout mouse lines for every protein-coding gene were investigated by using the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium database. The creation of the Oviductal MiRNome revealed the presence of important genes and their interactions within the network. The functional enrichment analysis revealed that the hyperlinked nodes are involved in fundamental cellular functions, both structural and regulatory/signaling, suggesting their implication in fertilization and early embryo development. This fact was as well evidenced by the effects of the gene deletion in KO mice on the reproductive system and embryo development. The present study highlights the importance of studying the miRNA profiles and their enormous potential as tools to improve the assisted reproductive techniques currently used in human and animal reproduction.

The genetic risk factors for pregnancy-induced hypertension: Evidence from genetic polymorphisms

Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is a multifactorial and severe pregnancy complication including preeclampsia/eclampsia, gestational hypertension, chronic (pre-existing) hypertension, and preeclampsia/eclampsia variants superimposed on chronic hypertension. PIH-induced maternal mortality accounts for approximately 9% of all maternal deaths over the world. A large number of case-control studies have established the importance of various genetic factors in the occurrence and development of PIH. In this narrative review, we summarized the genetic risk factors involved in the renin-angiotensin system, endothelin system, inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, and other functional networks, with the aim of sorting out the genetic factors that may play a potential role in PIH and providing new ideas to elucidate the pathogenesis of PIH.

Protein Network Analysis of Whole Exome Sequencing of Severe Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, which complicates up to 15% of US deliveries. It is an idiopathic disorder associated with several different phenotypes. We sought to determine if the genetic architecture of preeclampsia can be described by clusters of patients with variants in genes in shared protein interaction networks. We performed a case-control study using whole exome sequencing on early onset preeclamptic mothers with severe clinical features and control mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies between 2016 and 2020. A total of 143 patients were enrolled, 61 women with early onset preeclampsia with severe features based on ACOG criteria, and 82 control women at term, matched for race and ethnicity. A network analysis and visualization tool, Proteinarium, was used to confirm there are clusters of patients with shared gene networks associated with severe preeclampsia. The majority of the sequenced patients appear in two significant clusters. We identified one case dominant and one control dominant cluster. Thirteen genes were unique to the case dominated cluster. Among these genes, LAMB2, PTK2, RAC1, QSOX1, FN1, and VCAM1 have known associations with the pathogenic mechanisms of preeclampsia. Using bioinformatic analysis, we were able to identify subsets of patients with shared protein interaction networks, thus confirming our hypothesis about the genetic architecture of preeclampsia.

Functional Evaluation of STOX1 (STORKHEAD-BOX PROTEIN 1) in Placentation, Preeclampsia, and Preterm Birth

Revaluation of the association of the STOX1 (STORKHEAD_BOX1 PROTEIN 1) transcription factor mutation (Y153H, C allele) with the early utero-vascular origins of placental pathology is warranted. To investigate if placental STOX1 Y153H genotype affects utero-vascular remodeling-compromised in both preterm birth and preeclampsia-we utilized extravillous trophoblast (EVT) explant and placental decidual coculture models, transfection of STOX1 wild-type and mutant plasmids into EVT-like trophoblast cell lines, and a cohort of 75 placentas from obstetric pathologies. Primary EVT and HTR8/SVneo cells carrying STOX1 Y153H secreted lower levels of IL (interleukin) 6, and IL-8, and higher CXCL16 (chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 16) and TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) than wild-type EVT and Swan71 cells. Media from wild-type EVT or Swan71 cells transfected with wild-type STOX1 stimulated: endothelial chemokine expression, angiogenesis, and decidual natural killer cell and monocyte migration. In contrast, Y153H EVT conditioned medium, Swan71 transfected with the Y153H plasmid, or HTR8/SVneo media had no effect. Genotyping of placental decidual cocultures demonstrated association of the placental STOX1 CC allele with failed vascular remodeling. Decidual GG NODAL R165H increased in failed cocultures carrying the placental CC alleles of STOX1. Multivariate analysis of the placental cohort showed that the STOX1 C allele correlated with premature birth, with or without severe early-onset preeclampsia, and small for gestational age babies. In conclusion, placental STOX1 Y153H is a precipitating factor in preterm birth and placental preeclampsia due to defects in early utero-placental development.

Exploring the Molecular Aetiology of Preeclampsia by Massive Parallel Sequencing of DNA

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This manuscript aims to review (for the first time) studies describing NGS sequencing of preeclampsia (PE) women's DNA.

RECENT FINDINGS

Describing markers for the early detection of PE is an essential task because, although associated molecular dysfunction begins early on during pregnancy, the disease's clinical signs usually appear late in pregnancy. Although several biochemical biomarkers have been proposed, their use in clinical environments is still limited, thereby encouraging research into PE's genetic origin. Hundreds of genes involved in numerous implantation- and placentation-related biological processes may be coherent candidates for PE aetiology. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) offers new technical possibilities for PE studying, as it enables large genomic regions to be analysed at affordable cost. This technique has facilitated the description of genes contributing to the molecular origin of a significant amount of monogenic and complex diseases. Regarding PE, NGS of DNA has been used in familial and isolated cases, thereby enabling new genes potentially related to the phenotype to be proposed. For a better understanding of NGS, technical aspects, applications and limitations are presented initially. Thereafter, NGS studies of DNA in familial and non-familial cases are described, including pitfalls and positive findings. The information given here should enable scientists and clinicians to analyse and design new studies permitting the identification of novel clinically useful molecular PE markers.