SUMO1 genetic polymorphisms may contribute to the risk of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without palate: a meta-analysis

Progress of epigenetic modification of SATB2 gene in the pathogenesis of non-syndromic cleft lip and palate

Non-syndromic Cleft Lip and Palate (NSCLP) is one of the most common congenital craniofacial malformations. However, there is no enough knowledge about its mechanism, even through many relevant studies verify that cleft lip and palate is caused by interactions between environmental and genetic factors. SATB2 gene is one of the most common candidate genes of NSCLP, and the development of epigenetics provides a new direction on pathogenesis of cleft lip and palate. This review summarizes SATB2 gene in the pathogenesis of non-syndromic cleft lip and palate, expecting to provide strategies to prevent and treat cleft and palate in the future.

Identification of microRNAs and gene regulatory networks in cleft lip common in humans and mice

The etiology of cleft lip with/without cleft palate (CL/P), one of the most frequent craniofacial birth defects worldwide, is complicated by contributions of both genetic and environmental factors. Understanding the etiology of these conditions is essential for developing preventive strategies. This study thus aims to identify regulatory networks of microRNAs (miRNAs), transcriptional factors (TFs) and non-TF genes associated with cleft lip (CL) that are conserved in humans and mice. Notably, we found that miR-27b, miR-133b, miR-205, miR-376b and miR-376c were involved in the regulation of CL-associated gene expression in both humans and mice. Among the candidate miRNAs, the overexpression of miR-27b, miR-133b and miR-205, but not miR-376b and miR-376c, significantly inhibited cell proliferation through suppression of CL-associated genes (miR-27b suppressed PAX9 and RARA; miR-133b suppressed FGFR1, PAX7, and SUMO1; and miR-205 suppressed PAX9 and RARA) in cultured human and mouse lip mesenchymal cells. Taken together, our results suggest that elevated expression of miR-27b, miR-133b and miR-205 may play a crucial role in CL through the suppression of genes associated with CL.

Association between 20q12 rs13041247 polymorphism and risk of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous genome-wide association studies have identified a link between the rs13041247 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the chromosome 20q12 locus and the development of the congenital malformation known as nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P). The present meta-analysis was therefore designed to formally assess the relationship between rs13041247 and NSCL/P.

METHODS

We searched Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, the China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), and the China Wanfang database in order to identify relevant published through 25 June 2019. This allowed us to identify 13 studies incorporating 4914 patients and 5981 controls for whom rs13041247 genotyping had been conducted, with STATA 12.0 then being used to conduct a meta-analysis of these pooled results. The I² statistic was used to compare heterogeneity among studies.

RESULTS

In total this analysis incorporated 13 case-control studies. No association between the rs13041247 polymorphism and NSCL/P risk was detected in individuals of Asian ethnicity (C vs T: OR = 0.847, 95% CI = 0.702-1.021; CC vs TT: OR = 0.725, 95% CI = 0.494-1.063; CC vs CT: OR = 0.837, 95% CI = 0.657-1.067; CT + TT vs CC: OR = 1.265, 95% CI = 0.951-1.684; CC + CT vs TT: OR = 0.805, 95% CI = 0.630-1.029) or Caucasian ethnicity (C vs T: OR = 0.936, 95% CI = 0.786-1.114; CC vs TT: OR = 0.988, 95% CI = 0.674-1.446; CC vs CT: OR = 1.197, 95% CI = 0.816-1.757; CT + TT vs CC: OR = 0.918, 95% CI = 0.639-1.318; CC + CT vs TT: OR = 0.855, 95% CI = 0.677-1.081). However, an overall analysis of all participants in these studies revealed the rs13041247 C allele, the CT genotype, and the CC + CT model to be linked to a reduced NSCL/P risk (C vs T: OR = 0.897, 95% CI: 0.723-1.114, P = 0.048; CT vs TT: OR = 0.839, 95% CI: 0.734-0.959, P = 0.01; CC + CT vs TT: OR = 0.824, 95% CI: 0.701-0.968, P = 0.019).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the rs13041247 SNP located at the 20q12 chromosomal locus is associated with NSCL/P risk in an overall pooled study population, although this association was not significant in East Asian or Caucasian populations.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms at 20q12 with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in a Southern Chinese Han cohort

BACKGROUND

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) is a common congenital malformation in the world. Both environment and genetics are involved with the etiology of the disease. Genome-wide association studies have identified two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at chromosome 20q12 to be associated with NSCL/P. The current study aimed to explore the association of the two SNPs at 20q12 with NSCL/P and different subtypes in a Southern Chinese Han cohort.

METHODS

A total of 430 NSCL/P patients and 451 controls were recruited in the current study. Two SNPs including rs17820943 and rs6072081 at 20q12 were genotyped in the study cohort using Taqman SNP genotyping analysis. Chi-Square test was used to compare allele and genotype frequencies of NSCL/P patients and control group.

RESULTS

Case-control analysis showed that the allele and genotype of rs17820943 and rs6072081 were significantly associated with NSCL/P (p < .01). Comparison between subtypes of NSCL/P and controls showed that frequencies of the G allele and GG genotype of rs6072081 (p = 4.52 × 10^-4 and p = .001 respectively), and those of the T allele and TT genotype of rs17820943 (p = 6.7 × 10^-5 and p = 1.71 × 10^-4 respectively) were decreased in cleft lip and palate (CLP). No significant association of the two SNPs with cleft lip only (CLO) and cleft palate only (CPO) was found (p > .05).

CONCLUSION

These results showed that rs17820943 and rs6072081 at 20q12 were associated with NSCL/P, especially with the CLP subtype in a Southern Chinese Han cohort.

Association Between CRISPLD2 Polymorphisms and the Risk of Nonsyndromic Clefts of the Lip and/or Palate: A Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Nonsyndromic clefts of the lip and/or palate (NSCL/P) are one of the most common polygenic diseases. Recently, many studies focused on the association between CRISPLD2 polymorphisms and NSCL/P risk. However, some studies have shown opposite results. In this study, meta-analysis was used to confirm whether CRISPLD2 polymorphism was associated with NSCL/P, and the possible mechanism between CRISPLD2 and NSCL/P was explored.

METHODS

Relevant studies were conducted on PubMed, Ovid, EBSCO, CINAHL, FMRS, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang databases from their inception up to June 31, 2016. Review Manager 5.0.24 was used to analyze whether CRISPLD2 polymorphism was involved in NSCL/P by pooling odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Potential publication bias was evaluated by visual inspection of the funnel plot.

RESULTS

CRISPLD2 rs4783099 was associated with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) statistically (OR = 3.18, P < .01). Compared to genotype TT, genotypes CC and CT were correlated significantly (OR = 2.04, P = .04) with CL/P. No evidence showed an association between genetic variation at the CRISPLD2 locus and cleft palate only (CP).

CONCLUSION

The polymorphism of CRISPLD2 rs4783099 is correlated with an increased risk of CL/P.

Gene-gene interaction between MSX1 and TP63 in Asian case-parent trios with nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate

BACKGROUND

Small ubiquitin-like modification, also known as sumoylation, is a crucial post-translational regulatory mechanisms involved in development of the lip and palate. Recent studies reported two sumoylation target genes, MSX1 and TP63, to have achieved genome-wide level significance in tests of association with nonsyndromic clefts. Here, we performed a candidate gene analysis considering gene-gene and gene-environment interaction for SUMO1, MSX1, and TP63 to further explore the etiology of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P).

METHODS

A total of 130 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in or near SUMO1, MSX1, and TP63 was analyzed among 1,038 Asian NSCL/P trios ascertained through an international consortium. Conditional logistic regression models were used to explore gene-gene (G × G) and gene-environment (G × E) interaction involving maternal environmental tobacco smoke and multivitamin supplementation. Bonferroni correction was used for G × E analysis and permutation tests were used for G × G analysis.

RESULTS

While transmission disequilibrium tests and gene-environment interaction analysis showed no significant results, we did find signals of gene-gene interaction between SNPs near MSX1 and TP63. Three pairwise interactions yielded significant p values in permutation tests (rs884690 and rs9290890 with p = 9.34 × 10^-5 and empirical p = 1.00 × 10^-4 , rs1022136 and rs4687098 with p = 2.41 × 10^-4 and empirical p = 2.95 × 10^-4 , rs6819546 and rs9681004 with p = 5.15 × 10^-4 and empirical p = 3.02 × 10^-4 ).

CONCLUSION

Gene-gene interaction between MSX1 and TP63 may influence the risk of NSCL/P in Asian populations. Our study provided additional understanding of the genetic etiology of NSCL/P and underlined the importance of considering gene-gene interaction in the etiology of this common craniofacial malformation.

A Systematic Quality Evaluation of Meta-Analyses Related to Plastic Surgery

INTRODUCTION

Meta-analyses are considered to be an important source of evidence. This review aims to systematically assess the quality of meta-analyses addressing topics in plastic surgery.

METHODS

Electronic databases were selected for systematic review. A search was performed focusing on communication addresses containing terms related to plastic surgery, and detailed inclusion criteria were used. Related data were extracted and recorded according to the items of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. To assess the quality of the meta-analyses over time, studies published before and after PRISMA were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 116 meta-analyses were included. There was 1 study that was fully in compliance with the PRISMA items. The main flaws impacting the overall quality of the included studies were in the following areas: structured summary (48%), protocol and registration (2%), full electronic search strategy (35%), risk of bias in individual studies (41%), additional analyses (27%), risk of bias within studies (47%), additional analysis (30%), and funding (47%). Study quality was evaluated using relative risks (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI); this revealed that there were few significant improvements in adherence to the PRISMA statement after its release, especially in selection (RR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.08-2.99), results of individual studies (RR, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.41-5.91), synthesis of results (RR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.32-7.17), and funding (RR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.21-2.24).

CONCLUSIONS

There have been measurable improvements in the quality of meta-analyses over recent years. However, several serious deficiencies remain according to the PRISMA statement. Future reviewers should pay more attention to not only reporting the main findings but also encouraging compliance with proper standards.

The Roles of SUMO in Metabolic Regulation

Protein modification with the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) can affect protein function, enzyme activity, protein-protein interactions, protein stability, protein targeting and cellular localization. SUMO influences the function and regulation of metabolic enzymes within pathways, and in some cases targets entire metabolic pathways by affecting the activity of transcription factors or by facilitating the translocation of entire metabolic pathways to subcellular compartments. SUMO modification is also a key component of nutrient- and metabolic-sensing mechanisms that regulate cellular metabolism. In addition to its established roles in maintaining metabolic homeostasis, there is increasing evidence that SUMO is a key factor in facilitating cellular stress responses through the regulation and/or adaptation of the most fundamental metabolic processes, including energy and nucleotide metabolism. This review focuses on the role of SUMO in cellular metabolism and metabolic disease.

Sumoylation in Craniofacial Disorders

Craniofacial development requires a complex series of coordinated and finely tuned events to take place, during a relatively short time frame. These events are set in motion by switching on and off transcriptional cascades that involve the use of numerous signalling pathways and a multitude of factors that act at the site of gene transcription. It is now well known that amidst the subtlety of this process lies the intricate world of protein modification, and the posttranslational addition of the small ubiquitin -like modifier, SUMO, is an example that has been implicated in this process. Many proteins that are required for formation of various structures in the embryonic head and face adapt specific functions with SUMO modification. Interestingly, the main clinical phenotype reported for a disruption of the SUMO1 locus is the common birth defect cleft lip and palate. In this chapter therefore, we discuss the role of SUMO1 in craniofacial development, with emphasis on orofacial clefts. We suggest that these defects can be a sensitive indication of down regulated SUMO modification at a critical stage during embryogenesis. As well as specific mutations affecting the ability of particular proteins to be sumoylated, non-genetic events may have the effect of down-regulating the SUMO pathway to give the same result. Enzymes regulating the SUMO pathway may become important therapeutic targets in the preventative and treatment therapies for craniofacial defects in the future.

Identification of Novel Variants in the PVRL1 Gene in Patients With Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip With or Without Cleft Palate

OBJECTIVE

Nonsyndromic cleft lip with/without cleft palate (nsCL/P, OMIM 119530) is one of the most common birth defects with a prevalence of ∼1/1000 in Caucasians. Studies have demonstrated an association between nsCL/P and the variants of the poliovirus receptor like-1 gene (PVRL1). The aim of this study was to describe novel variants in exon 3 of the PVRL1 gene and to investigate the association between exon 3 of the PVRL1 gene and Turkish patients with nsCL/P.

METHODS

205 Turkish subjects were enrolled: 80 nsCL/P patients and 125 unrelated control individuals. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes, and exon 3 of the PVRL1 gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). After PCR, the amplied DNA was sequenced using an automated sequencer.

RESULTS

We identified two new variants of the PVRL1 gene at codons 174 and 187 in exon 3. These variants had nucleotide substitutions 520T>A and 560C>A, resulting in S174T and T187N amino acid changes, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Two novel variants of the PVRL 1 gene were identified in nsCL/P patients. These findings suggest that PVRL1 variants make a contribution to nsCL/P in Turkish patients.