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Zhang J, Qiu R, Xie S, Rasmussen M, Xiang X. VezA/vezatin facilitates proper assembly of the dynactin complex in vivo. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.19.590248. [PMID: 38659795 PMCID: PMC11042379 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.19.590248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Cytoplasmic dynein-mediated intracellular transport needs the multi-component dynactin complex for cargo binding and motor activation. However, cellular factors involved in dynactin assembly remain unexplored. Here we found in Aspergillus nidulans that the vezatin homolog VezA is important for dynactin assembly. VezA affects the microtubule plus-end accumulation of dynein before cargo binding and cargo adapter-mediated dynein activation, two processes that both need dynactin. The dynactin complex contains multiple components including an Arp1 (actin-related protein 1) mini-filament associated with a pointed-end sub-complex. VezA physically interacts with dynactin either directly or indirectly via the Arp1 mini-filament and its pointed-end sub-complex. Loss of VezA causes a defect in dynactin integrity, most likely by affecting the connection between the Arp1 mini-filament and its pointed-end sub-complex. Using various dynactin mutants, we further revealed that assembly of the dynactin complex must be highly coordinated. Together, these results shed important new light on dynactin assembly in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences- F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Rongde Qiu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences- F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Sean Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences- F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
- Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan Rasmussen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences- F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Xin Xiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences- F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
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2
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Marla S, Mortlock S, Yoon S, Crawford J, Andersen S, Mueller MD, McKinnon B, Nguyen Q, Montgomery GW. Global Analysis of Transcription Start Sites and Enhancers in Endometrial Stromal Cells and Differences Associated with Endometriosis. Cells 2023; 12:1736. [PMID: 37443771 PMCID: PMC10340717 DOI: 10.3390/cells12131736] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying tissue-specific molecular signatures of active regulatory elements is critical to understanding gene regulatory mechanisms. In this study, transcription start sites (TSS) and enhancers were identified using Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) across endometrial stromal cell (ESC) samples obtained from women with (n = 4) and without endometriosis (n = 4). ESC TSSs and enhancers were compared to those reported in other tissue and cell types in FANTOM5 and were integrated with RNA-seq and ATAC-seq data from the same samples for regulatory activity and network analyses. CAGE tag count differences between women with and without endometriosis were statistically tested and tags within close proximity to genetic variants associated with endometriosis risk were identified. Over 90% of tag clusters mapping to promoters were observed in cells and tissues in FANTOM5. However, some potential cell-type-specific promoters and enhancers were also observed. Regions of open chromatin identified using ATAC-seq provided further evidence of the active transcriptional regions identified by CAGE. Despite the small sample number, there was evidence of differences associated with endometriosis at 210 consensus clusters, including IGFBP5, CALD1 and OXTR. ESC TSSs were also located within loci associated with endometriosis risk from genome-wide association studies. This study provides novel evidence of transcriptional differences in endometrial stromal cells associated with endometriosis and provides a valuable cell-type specific resource of active TSSs and enhancers in endometrial stromal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushma Marla
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.M.); (S.M.); (B.M.); (Q.N.)
| | - Sally Mortlock
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.M.); (S.M.); (B.M.); (Q.N.)
| | - Sohye Yoon
- The Genome Innovation Hub, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.Y.); (J.C.); (S.A.)
| | - Joanna Crawford
- The Genome Innovation Hub, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.Y.); (J.C.); (S.A.)
| | - Stacey Andersen
- The Genome Innovation Hub, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.Y.); (J.C.); (S.A.)
| | - Michael D. Mueller
- Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Berne, Switzerland;
| | - Brett McKinnon
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.M.); (S.M.); (B.M.); (Q.N.)
- Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, 3010 Berne, Switzerland;
| | - Quan Nguyen
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.M.); (S.M.); (B.M.); (Q.N.)
| | - Grant W. Montgomery
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.M.); (S.M.); (B.M.); (Q.N.)
- The Genome Innovation Hub, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (S.Y.); (J.C.); (S.A.)
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Huang Y, Luo J, Zhang Y, Zhang T, Fei X, Chen L, Zhu Y, Li S, Zhou C, Xu K, Ma Y, Lin J, Zhou J. Identification of MKNK1 and TOP3A as ovarian endometriosis risk-associated genes using integrative genomic analyses and functional experiments. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:1510-1522. [PMID: 36851918 PMCID: PMC9957794 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The risk of endometriosis (EM), which is a common complex gynaecological disease, is related to genetic predisposition. However, it is unclear how genetic variants confer the risk of EM. Here, via Sherlock integrative analysis, we combined large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics on EM (N = 245,494) with a blood-based eQTL dataset (N = 1490) to identify EM risk-related genes. For validation, we leveraged two independent eQTL datasets (N = 769) for integration with the GWAS data. Thus, we prioritised 14 genes, including GIMAP4, TOP3A, and NMNAT3, which showed significant association with susceptibility to EM. We also utilised two independent methods, Multi-marker Analysis of GenoMic Annotation and S-PrediXcan, to further validate the EM risk-associated genes. Moreover, protein-protein interaction network analysis showed the 14 genes were functionally connected. Functional enrichment analyses further demonstrated that these genes were significantly enriched in metabolic and immune-related pathways. Differential gene expression analysis showed that in peripheral blood samples from patients with ovarian EM, TOP3A, MKNK1, SIPA1L2, and NUCB1 were significantly upregulated, while HOXB2, GIMAP5, and MGMT were significantly downregulated compared with their expression levels in samples from the controls. Immunohistochemistry further confirmed the increased expression levels of MKNK1 and TOP3A in the ectopic and eutopic endometrium compared to normal endometrium, while HOBX2 was downregulated in the endometrium of women with ovarian EM. Finally, in ex vivo functional experiments, MKNK1 knockdown inhibited ectopic endometrial stromal cells (EESCs) migration and invasion. TOP3A knockdown inhibited EESCs proliferation, migration, and invasion, while promoting their apoptosis. Convergent lines of evidence suggested that MKNK1 and TOP3A are novel EM risk-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhou Huang
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Jie Luo
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Xiangwei Fei
- Key Laboratory of Women's Reproductive Health of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Liqing Chen
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Yingfan Zhu
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Songyue Li
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Caiyun Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Kaihong Xu
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Yunlong Ma
- Institute of Biomedical Big Data, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, School of Biomedical Engineering, Wenzhou Medical University 325027 Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Jun Lin
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
| | - Jianhong Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, PR China
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Mortlock S, McKinnon B, Montgomery GW. Genetic Regulation of Transcription in the Endometrium in Health and Disease. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 3:795464. [PMID: 36304015 PMCID: PMC9580733 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2021.795464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The endometrium is a complex and dynamic tissue essential for fertility and implicated in many reproductive disorders. The tissue consists of glandular epithelium and vascularised stroma and is unique because it is constantly shed and regrown with each menstrual cycle, generating up to 10 mm of new mucosa. Consequently, there are marked changes in cell composition and gene expression across the menstrual cycle. Recent evidence shows expression of many genes is influenced by genetic variation between individuals. We and others have reported evidence for genetic effects on hundreds of genes in endometrium. The genetic factors influencing endometrial gene expression are highly correlated with the genetic effects on expression in other reproductive (e.g., in uterus and ovary) and digestive tissues (e.g., salivary gland and stomach), supporting a shared genetic regulation of gene expression in biologically similar tissues. There is also increasing evidence for cell specific genetic effects for some genes. Sample size for studies in endometrium are modest and results from the larger studies of gene expression in blood report genetic effects for a much higher proportion of genes than currently reported for endometrium. There is also emerging evidence for the importance of genetic variation on RNA splicing. Gene mapping studies for common disease, including diseases associated with endometrium, show most variation maps to intergenic regulatory regions. It is likely that genetic risk factors for disease function through modifying the program of cell specific gene expression. The emerging evidence from our gene mapping studies coupled with tissue specific studies, and the GTEx, eQTLGen and EpiMap projects, show we need to expand our understanding of the complex regulation of gene expression. These data also help to link disease genetic risk factors to specific target genes. Combining our data on genetic regulation of gene expression in endometrium, and cell types within the endometrium with gene mapping data for endometriosis and related diseases is beginning to uncover the specific genes and pathways responsible for increased risk of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Grant W. Montgomery
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Birke L, Baston-Büst DM, Kruessel JS, Fehm TN, Bielfeld AP. Can TSH level and premenstrual spotting constitute a non-invasive marker for the diagnosis of endometriosis? BMC Womens Health 2021; 21:336. [PMID: 34544404 PMCID: PMC8454006 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-021-01474-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To date, there is no reliable non-invasive marker for the early detection and diagnosis of endometriosis available possibly resulting in a delayed diagnosis and consequently an unnecessary long ordeal for the individual woman. Therefore, the primary objective of the current study was to evaluate whether the combination of a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level > 2.5 µlU/ml and premenstrual spotting could serve as non-invasive markers of endometriosis. A secondary objective was to determine whether typical symptoms of endometriosis like dysmenorrhea and/or dyspareunia could increase the diagnostic reliability. Methods We conducted a retrospective, case–control study with 167 female patients at the Department of OB/GYN and REI (UniKiD) of the medical center of the University of Düsseldorf, between January 2015 and December 2016. 107 women with surgically confirmed endometriosis were compared to 60 without endometriosis (controls). To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, we considered sensitivity, specificity and predictive values. In order to assess the association between the non-invasive markers and endometriosis an odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval was calculated. Results In our cohort, diagnosis of endometriosis with non-invasive markers according to their sensitivity yielded the following ranking: increased TSH level, premenstrual spotting, combination of both previous parameters, addition of dysmenorrhea, addition of dyspareunia and combination of all parameters. Conclusion The existence of endometriosis should be taken into consideration when a patient suffers from thyroid dysfunction and premenstrual spotting. Apart from an increased TSH level, the presence of premenstrual spotting underlines the possible diagnosis of endometriosis with non-invasive markers and therefore, the patient´s history needs to be taken into account carefully. Trial registration The retrospective study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the medical faculty of the Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany, Registration number Düsseldorf: 5371R (approved: April 04th, 2016). Since the design of the study was retrospective no written informed consent was necessary.
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Giacomini E, Minetto S, Li Piani L, Pagliardini L, Somigliana E, Viganò P. Genetics and Inflammation in Endometriosis: Improving Knowledge for Development of New Pharmacological Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22169033. [PMID: 34445738 PMCID: PMC8396487 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22169033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
According to a rich body of literature, immune cell dysfunctions, both locally and systemically, and an inflammatory environment characterize all forms of endometriosis. Alterations in transcripts and proteins involved in the recruitment of immune cells, in the interaction between cytokines and their receptors, cellular adhesion and apoptosis have been demonstrated in endometriotic lesions. The objective of this narrative review is to provide an overview of the components and mechanisms at the intersection between inflammation and genetics that may constitute vanguard therapeutic approaches in endometriosis. The GWAS technology and pathway-based analysis highlighted the role of the MAPK and the WNT/β-catenin cascades in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. These signaling pathways have been suggested to interfere with the disease establishment via several mechanisms, including apoptosis, migration and angiogenesis. Extracellular vesicle-associated molecules may be not only interesting to explain some aspects of endometriosis progression, but they may also serve as therapeutic regimens per se. Immune/inflammatory dysfunctions have always represented attractive therapeutic targets in endometriosis. These would be even more interesting if genetic evidence supported the involvement of functional pathways at the basis of these alterations. Targeting these dysfunctions through next-generation inhibitors can constitute a therapeutic alternative for endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Giacomini
- Reproductive Sciences Laboratory, Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy; (E.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Sabrina Minetto
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy;
| | - Letizia Li Piani
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (L.L.P.); (E.S.)
| | - Luca Pagliardini
- Reproductive Sciences Laboratory, Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132 Milan, Italy; (E.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Edgardo Somigliana
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (L.L.P.); (E.S.)
| | - Paola Viganò
- Infertility Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-02-5503-4302
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7
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Genomics of Endometriosis: From Genome Wide Association Studies to Exome Sequencing. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147297. [PMID: 34298916 PMCID: PMC8304276 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This review aims at better understanding the genetics of endometriosis. Endometriosis is a frequent feminine disease, affecting up to 10% of women, and characterized by pain and infertility. In the most accepted hypothesis, endometriosis is caused by the implantation of uterine tissue at ectopic abdominal places, originating from retrograde menses. Despite the obvious genetic complexity of the disease, analysis of sibs has allowed heritability estimation of endometriosis at ~50%. From 2010, large Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS), aimed at identifying the genes and loci underlying this genetic determinism. Some of these loci were confirmed in other populations and replication studies, some new loci were also found through meta-analyses using pooled samples. For two loci on chromosomes 1 (near CCD42) and chromosome 9 (near CDKN2A), functional explanations of the SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) effects have been more thoroughly studied. While a handful of chromosome regions and genes have clearly been identified and statistically demonstrated as at-risk for the disease, only a small part of the heritability is explained (missing heritability). Some attempts of exome sequencing started to identify additional genes from families or populations, but are still scarce. The solution may reside inside a combined effort: increasing the size of the GWAS designs, better categorize the clinical forms of the disease before analyzing genome-wide polymorphisms, and generalizing exome sequencing ventures. We try here to provide a vision of what we have and what we should obtain to completely elucidate the genetics of this complex disease.
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8
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Cardoso JV, Perini JA, Machado DE, Pinto R, Medeiros R. Systematic review of genome-wide association studies on susceptibility to endometriosis. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2020; 255:74-82. [PMID: 33113402 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2020.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a complex and heterogeneous disease in which extrinsic and intrinsic factors, such as genetics, provide to the disease development. Genome-wide association (GWA) studies may be essential to recognize genetic variants associated with the endometriosis risk. However, in the current literature there are some conflicting results between these studies. The aim of the present study was to undertake a systematic review about endometriosis GWA studies, to describe the disease-associated genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to try to understand the endometriosis etiopathogenesis, besides to discuss possible bias of conflicting results among these studies. This study is a systematic review of GWA studies in endometriosis published until December 31th, 2019 by PubMed database, considering the following descriptors: endometriosis and ("polymorphism" or "SNP" or "genetic polymorphism" or "variants" or "locus") and ("GWA" or "Genome-wide" or "Genome wide" or "Genetic association study"). The included studies were analyzed with methodological rigor (STROBE and PRISMA) to enable better quality of case-control and meta-analysis studies, respectively. Of the 88 articles found, only 15 were eligible. All articles had appropriate quality evaluated by STROBE and PRISMA checklists (77% and 81%, respectively). Overall, 35,022 endometriosis cases and 181,760 controls were analyzed. The number of participants in each study was quite different (171 to 17,045 for the cases and 308 to 150,021 for the controls), with a predominance of European ethnicity. Most endometriosis cases (86%) were diagnosed by surgery, while selection of the control group was different among studies. About 47% performed only one stage (discovery stage) and 53% performed both the discovery and replication analyses. Eleven genes/SNPs were associated with endometriosis risk in more than one article (chromosome 1, 2, 6, 7, 9 and 12; WNT4, GREB1, FN1, IL1A, ETAA1, RND3, ID4, NFE2L3, CDKN2B-AS1 and VEZT). SNPs were localized in intergenic and intronic regions, their risk allele frequencies varied among the studies and their results were conflicting. In summary, WNT4 rs7521902, GREB1 rs13394619, FN1 rs1250248, IL1A rs6542095 and VEZT rs10859871 variants are highlighted due to high frequency and pathways and function that each gene influences in the development of endometriosis. However, the replication and validation of these variants in different populations are necessary for a better understanding of the endometriosis etiopathogenesis, in order to optimize the diagnosis and improve the efficiency of clinical treatment of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Vilarinho Cardoso
- Research Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University Centre of the West Zone, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Program of Post-graduation in Public Health and Environment, National School of Public Health, Oswald Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jamila Alessandra Perini
- Research Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University Centre of the West Zone, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Program of Post-graduation in Public Health and Environment, National School of Public Health, Oswald Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Daniel Escorsim Machado
- Research Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University Centre of the West Zone, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Pinto
- Molecular Oncology Group-CI, Portuguese Institute of Oncology, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Medeiros
- Molecular Oncology Group-CI, Portuguese Institute of Oncology, Porto, Portugal
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Holdsworth-Carson SJ, Colgrave EM, Donoghue JF, Fung JN, Churchill ML, Mortlock S, Paiva P, Healey M, Montgomery GW, Girling JE, Rogers PAW. Generation of immortalized human endometrial stromal cell lines with different endometriosis risk genotypes. Mol Hum Reprod 2020; 25:194-205. [PMID: 30770928 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaz006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometriotic lesions are composed in part of endometrial-like stromal cells, however, there is a shortage of immortalized human endometrial stromal cultures available for research. As genetic factors play a role in endometriosis risk, it is important that genotype is also incorporated into analysis of pathological mechanisms. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) immortalization (using Lenti-hTERT-green fluorescent protein virus) took place following genotype selection; 13 patients homozygous for either the risk or non-risk 'other' allele for one or more important endometriosis risk single nucleotide polymorphism on chromosome 1p36.12 (rs3820282, rs56318008, rs55938609, rs12037376, rs7521902 or rs12061255). Short tandem repeat DNA profiling validated that donor tissue matched that of the immortalized cell lines and confirmed that cultures were genetically novel. Expression of morphological markers (vimentin and cytokeratin) and key genes of interest (telomerase, estrogen and progesterone receptors and LINC00339) were examined and functional assays for cell proliferation, steroid hormone and inflammatory responses were performed for 7/13 cultures. All endometrial stromal cell lines maintained their fibroblast-like morphology (vimentin-positive) and homozygous endometriosis-risk genotype following introduction of hTERT. Furthermore, the new stromal cultures demonstrated positive and diverse responses to hormones (proliferation and decidualisation changes) and inflammation (dose-dependent response), while maintaining hormone receptor expression. In conclusion, we successfully developed a range of human endometrial stromal cell lines that carry important endometriosis-risk alleles. The wider implications of this approach go beyond advancing endometriosis research; these cell lines will be valuable tools for multiple endometrial pathologies offering a level of genetic and phenotypic diversity not previously available.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Holdsworth-Carson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - E M Colgrave
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - J F Donoghue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - J N Fung
- The University of Queensland, The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, 306 Carmody Rd, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - M L Churchill
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - S Mortlock
- The University of Queensland, The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, 306 Carmody Rd, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - P Paiva
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - M Healey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Royal Women's Hospital, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - G W Montgomery
- The University of Queensland, The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, 306 Carmody Rd, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - J E Girling
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,University of Otago, School of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Anatomy, 270 Great King Street, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - P A W Rogers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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10
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Genetic Characterization of Endometriosis Patients: Review of the Literature and a Prospective Cohort Study on a Mediterranean Population. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051765. [PMID: 32143537 PMCID: PMC7084255 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of endometriosis is unknown, but some evidence supports a genetic predisposition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the recent literature on the genetic characterization of women affected by endometriosis and to evaluate the influence of polymorphisms of the wingless-type mammalian mouse tumour virus integration site family member 4 (WNT4), vezatin (VEZT), and follicle stimulating hormone beta polypeptide (FSHB) genes, already known to be involved in molecular mechanisms associated with the proliferation and development of endometriotic lesions in the Sardinian population. Materials and Methods: In order to provide a comprehensive and systematic tool for those approaching the genetics of endometriosis, the most cited review, observational, cohort and case-control studies that have evaluated the genetics of endometriosis in the last 20 years were collected. Moreover, 72 women were recruited for a molecular biology analysis of whole-blood samples—41 patients affected by symptomatic endometriosis and 31 controls. The molecular typing of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was evaluated in patients and controls: rs7521902, rs10859871 and rs11031006, mapped respectively in the WNT4, VEZT and FSHB genes. In this work, the frequency of alleles, genotypes and haplotypes of these SNPs in Sardinian women is described. Results: From the initial search, a total of 73 articles were chosen. An analysis of the literature showed that in endometriosis pathogenesis, the contribution of genetics has been well supported by many studies. The frequency of genotypes observed in the groups of the study population of 72 women was globally coherent with the law of the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. For the SNP rs11031006 (FSHB), the endometriosis group did not show an increase in genotypic or allelic frequency due to this polymorphism compared to the control group (p = 0.9999, odds ratio (OR) = 0.000, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.000–15.000 and p = 0.731, OR = 1639, 95% CI, 0.39–683, respectively, for the heterozygous genotype and the polymorphic minor allele). For the SNP rs10859871 (VEZT), we found a significant difference in the frequency of the homozygous genotype in the control group compared to the affected women (p = 0.0111, OR = 0.0602, 95% CI, 0.005–0.501). For the SNP rs7521902 (WNT4), no increase in genotypic or allelic frequency between the two groups was shown (p = 0.3088, OR = 0.4133, 95% CI, 0.10–1.8 and p = 0.3297, OR = 2257, 95% CI, 0.55–914, respectively, for the heterozygous genotype and the polymorphic minor allele). Conclusion: An analysis of recent publications on the genetics of endometriosis showed a discrepancy in the results obtained in different populations. In the Sardinian population, the results obtained do not show a significant association between the investigated variants of the genes and a greater risk of developing endometriosis, although several other studies in the literature have shown the opposite. Anyway, the data underline the importance of evaluating genetic variants in different populations. In fact, in different ethnic groups, it is possible that specific risk alleles could act differently in the pathogenesis of the disease.
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11
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Mortlock S, Kendarsari RI, Fung JN, Gibson G, Yang F, Restuadi R, Girling JE, Holdsworth-Carson SJ, Teh WT, Lukowski SW, Healey M, Qi T, Rogers PAW, Yang J, McKinnon B, Montgomery GW. Tissue specific regulation of transcription in endometrium and association with disease. Hum Reprod 2020; 35:377-393. [PMID: 32103259 PMCID: PMC7048713 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Are genetic effects on endometrial gene expression tissue specific and/or associated with reproductive traits and diseases? SUMMARY ANSWER Analyses of RNA-sequence data and individual genotype data from the endometrium identified novel and disease associated, genetic mechanisms regulating gene expression in the endometrium and showed evidence that these mechanisms are shared across biologically similar tissues. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The endometrium is a complex tissue vital for female reproduction and is a hypothesized source of cells initiating endometriosis. Understanding genetic regulation specific to, and shared between, tissue types can aid the identification of genes involved in complex genetic diseases. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION RNA-sequence and genotype data from 206 individuals was analysed and results were compared with large publicly available datasets. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS RNA-sequencing and genotype data from 206 endometrial samples was used to identify the influence of genetic variants on gene expression, via expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis and to compare these endometrial eQTLs with those in other tissues. To investigate the association between endometrial gene expression regulation and reproductive traits and diseases, we conducted a tissue enrichment analysis, transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) and summary data-based Mendelian randomisation (SMR) analyses. Transcriptomic data was used to test differential gene expression between women with and without endometriosis. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE A tissue enrichment analysis with endometriosis genome-wide association study summary statistics showed that genes surrounding endometriosis risk loci were significantly enriched in reproductive tissues. A total of 444 sentinel cis-eQTLs (P < 2.57 × 10-9) and 30 trans-eQTLs (P < 4.65 × 10-13) were detected, including 327 novel cis-eQTLs in endometrium. A large proportion (85%) of endometrial eQTLs are present in other tissues. Genetic effects on endometrial gene expression were highly correlated with the genetic effects on reproductive (e.g. uterus, ovary) and digestive tissues (e.g. salivary gland, stomach), supporting a shared genetic regulation of gene expression in biologically similar tissues. The TWAS analysis indicated that gene expression at 39 loci is associated with endometriosis, including five known endometriosis risk loci. SMR analyses identified potential target genes pleiotropically or causally associated with reproductive traits and diseases including endometriosis. However, without taking account of genetic variants, a direct comparison between women with and without endometriosis showed no significant difference in endometrial gene expression. LARGE SCALE DATA The eQTL dataset generated in this study is available at http://reproductivegenomics.com.au/shiny/endo_eqtl_rna/. Additional datasets supporting the conclusions of this article are included within the article and the supplementary information files, or are available on reasonable request. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Data are derived from fresh tissue samples and expression levels are an average of expression from different cell types within the endometrium. Subtle cell-specifc expression changes may not be detected and differences in cell composition between samples and across the menstrual cycle will contribute to sample variability. Power to detect tissue specific eQTLs and differences between women with and without endometriosis was limited by the sample size in this study. The statistical approaches used in this study identify the likely gene targets for specific genetic risk factors, but not the functional mechanism by which changes in gene expression may influence disease risk. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our results identify novel genetic variants that regulate gene expression in endometrium and the majority of these are shared across tissues. This allows analysis with large publicly available datasets to identify targets for female reproductive traits and diseases. Much larger studies will be required to identify genetic regulation of gene expression that will be specific to endometrium. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) under project grants GNT1026033, GNT1049472, GNT1046880, GNT1050208, GNT1105321, GNT1083405 and GNT1107258. G.W.M is supported by a NHMRC Fellowship (GNT1078399). J.Y is supported by an ARC Fellowship (FT180100186). There are no competing interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Mortlock
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Raden I Kendarsari
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jenny N Fung
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Greg Gibson
- School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Fei Yang
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Restuadi Restuadi
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jane E Girling
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Sarah J Holdsworth-Carson
- University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Wan Tinn Teh
- University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Samuel W Lukowski
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Martin Healey
- University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Ting Qi
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Peter A W Rogers
- University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women’s Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jian Yang
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Brett McKinnon
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Inselspital University Hospital of Berne, 3010 Berne, Switzerland
| | - Grant W Montgomery
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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12
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Deiana D, Gessa S, Anardu M, Daniilidis A, Nappi L, D'Alterio MN, Pontis A, Angioni S. Genetics of endometriosis: a comprehensive review. Gynecol Endocrinol 2019; 35:553-558. [PMID: 30909768 DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2019.1588244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
This review aimed to critically evaluate the review, observational, cohort, and case-control studies performed so far in order to assess the association between endometriosis and genetics. The search strategies used included an online search of the MEDLINE database and a manual search of relevant publications and reviews. Additional reports were collected by systematically reviewing all references from the retrieved papers. Family studies have long suggested that genetic factors play a role in the etiology of endometriosis. Nevertheless, until now, studies on candidate genes have revealed inconsistent and contradictory evidence, leading to more questions rather than clear answers. It is possible that recent technological improvements in genetic evaluation could allow for a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of endometriosis in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Deiana
- a Department of Surgical Sciences, Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics , University of Cagliari , Cagliari , Italy
| | - Stefano Gessa
- b Genetic Laboratory, Forensics Institute , Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria , Cagliari , Italy
| | - Michela Anardu
- a Department of Surgical Sciences, Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics , University of Cagliari , Cagliari , Italy
| | - Angelos Daniilidis
- c Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hippokratio Hospital , Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece
| | - Luigi Nappi
- d Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology , University of Foggia , Foggia , Italy
| | - Maurizio N D'Alterio
- a Department of Surgical Sciences, Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics , University of Cagliari , Cagliari , Italy
| | - Alessandro Pontis
- e Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ospedale S. Francesco , Nuoro , Italy
| | - Stefano Angioni
- a Department of Surgical Sciences, Institute of Gynaecology and Obstetrics , University of Cagliari , Cagliari , Italy
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13
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Gajbhiye R, Fung JN, Montgomery GW. Complex genetics of female fertility. NPJ Genom Med 2018; 3:29. [PMID: 30345074 PMCID: PMC6185946 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-018-0068-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation in reproductive lifespan and female fertility have implications for health, population size and ageing. Fertility declines well before general signs of menopause and is also adversely affected by common reproductive diseases, including polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. Understanding the factors that regulate the timing of puberty and menopause, and the relationships with fertility are important for individuals and for policy. Substantial genetic variation exists for common traits associated with reproductive lifespan and for common diseases influencing female fertility. Genetic studies have identified mutations in genes contributing to disorders of reproduction, and in the last ten years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have transformed our understanding of common genetic contributions to these complex traits and diseases. These studies have made great progress towards understanding the genetic factors contributing to variation in traits and diseases influencing female fertility. The data emerging from GWAS demonstrate the utility of genetics to explain epidemiological observations, revealing shared biological pathways linking puberty timing, fertility, reproductive ageing and health outcomes. Many variants implicate DNA damage/repair genes in variation in the age at menopause with implications for follicle health and ageing. In addition to the discovery of individual genes and pathways, the increasingly powerful studies on common genetic risk factors help interpret the underlying relationships and direction of causation in the regulation of reproductive lifespan, fertility and related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Gajbhiye
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
- Department of Clinical Research, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, J. M. Street, Parel Mumbai, 400012 India
| | - Jenny N. Fung
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Grant W. Montgomery
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072 Australia
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14
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Genetic regulation of disease risk and endometrial gene expression highlights potential target genes for endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11424. [PMID: 30061686 PMCID: PMC6065421 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29462-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene expression varies markedly across the menstrual cycle and expression levels for many genes are under genetic control. We analyzed gene expression and mapped expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in endometrial tissue samples from 229 women and then analyzed the overlap of endometrial eQTL signals with genomic regions associated with endometriosis and other reproductive traits. We observed a total of 45,923 cis-eQTLs for 417 unique genes and 2,968 trans-eQTLs affecting 82 unique genes. Two eQTLs were located in known risk regions for endometriosis including LINC00339 on chromosome 1 and VEZT on chromosome 12 and there was evidence for eQTLs that may be target genes in genomic regions associated with other reproductive diseases. Dynamic changes in expression of individual genes across cycle include alterations in both mean expression and transcriptional silencing. Significant effects of cycle stage on mean expression levels were observed for (2,427/15,262) probes with detectable expression in at least 90% of samples and for (2,877/9,626) probes expressed in some, but not all samples. Pathway analysis supports similar biological control of both altered expression levels and transcriptional silencing. Taken together, these data identify strong genetic effects on genes with diverse functions in human endometrium and provide a platform for better understanding genetic effects on endometrial-related pathologies.
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15
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Fung JN, Montgomery GW. Genetics of endometriosis: State of the art on genetic risk factors for endometriosis. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2018; 50:61-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2018.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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16
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Pathogenesis of deep endometriosis. Fertil Steril 2017; 108:872-885.e1. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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17
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Montgomery GW. Discovery of genetic risk factors for disease. J R Soc N Z 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2017.1392324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Grant W. Montgomery
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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18
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Matalliotakis M, Zervou MI, Matalliotaki C, Rahmioglu N, Koumantakis G, Kalogiannidis I, Prapas I, Zondervan K, Spandidos DA, Matalliotakis I, Goulielmos GN. The role of gene polymorphisms in endometriosis. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:5881-5886. [PMID: 28901453 PMCID: PMC5865763 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a benign gynecologic disorder, affecting up to 10% of women, characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue at ectopic positions generally within the peritoneum. It is a heritable condition influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors, with an overall heritability estimated at approximately 50%. In this study, we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs7521902, rs10859871 and rs11031006, mapping to WNT4, VEZT and FSHB genetic loci, respectively, are associated with risk for endometriosis in a Greek population. This study included 166 women with histologically confirmed endometriosis diagnosed through surgery and 150 normal controls. Genotyping of the rs7521902, rs10859871 and rs11031006 SNPs was performed with Taqman primer/probe sets. A significant association was detected with the AC genotype of rs7521902 (WNT4) in patients with stage III and IV disease only. Evidence for association with endometriosis was also found for the AC genotype of the rs10859871 of VEZT. Notably, a significant difference in the distribution of the AG genotype and the minor allele A of FSHB rs11031006 SNP was found between the endometriosis patients and controls. We found a genetic association between rs11031006 (FSHB) SNP and endometriosis. WNT4 and VEZT genes constitute the most consistently associated genes with endometriosis. In the present study, an association of rs7521902 (WNT4) and rs10859871 (VEZT) was confirmed in women with endometriosis at the genotypic but not the allelic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michail Matalliotakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Venizeleio General Hospital, Heraklion 714 09, Crete, Greece
- Section of Molecular Pathology and Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion 710 03, Crete, Greece
| | - Maria I. Zervou
- Section of Molecular Pathology and Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion 710 03, Crete, Greece
| | - Charoula Matalliotaki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Venizeleio General Hospital, Heraklion 714 09, Crete, Greece
| | - Nilufer Rahmioglu
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 1JD, UK
- Endometriosis CaRe Centre, Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | | | - Ioannis Kalogiannidis
- 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 541 24, Crete, Greece
| | - Ioannis Prapas
- IAKENTRO, Infertility Treatment Center, Thessaloniki 542 50, Crete, Greece
| | - Krina Zondervan
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 1JD, UK
- Endometriosis CaRe Centre, Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Demetrios A. Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 710 03, Crete, Greece
| | - Ioannis Matalliotakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Venizeleio General Hospital, Heraklion 714 09, Crete, Greece
| | - George N. Goulielmos
- Section of Molecular Pathology and Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion 710 03, Crete, Greece
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19
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Sapkota Y, Steinthorsdottir V, Morris AP, Fassbender A, Rahmioglu N, De Vivo I, Buring JE, Zhang F, Edwards TL, Jones S, O D, Peterse D, Rexrode KM, Ridker PM, Schork AJ, MacGregor S, Martin NG, Becker CM, Adachi S, Yoshihara K, Enomoto T, Takahashi A, Kamatani Y, Matsuda K, Kubo M, Thorleifsson G, Geirsson RT, Thorsteinsdottir U, Wallace LM, Yang J, Velez Edwards DR, Nyegaard M, Low SK, Zondervan KT, Missmer SA, D'Hooghe T, Montgomery GW, Chasman DI, Stefansson K, Tung JY, Nyholt DR. Meta-analysis identifies five novel loci associated with endometriosis highlighting key genes involved in hormone metabolism. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15539. [PMID: 28537267 PMCID: PMC5458088 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 184] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a heritable hormone-dependent gynecological disorder, associated with severe pelvic pain and reduced fertility; however, its molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here we perform a meta-analysis of 11 genome-wide association case-control data sets, totalling 17,045 endometriosis cases and 191,596 controls. In addition to replicating previously reported loci, we identify five novel loci significantly associated with endometriosis risk (P<5 × 10−8), implicating genes involved in sex steroid hormone pathways (FN1, CCDC170, ESR1, SYNE1 and FSHB). Conditional analysis identified five secondary association signals, including two at the ESR1 locus, resulting in 19 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) robustly associated with endometriosis, which together explain up to 5.19% of variance in endometriosis. These results highlight novel variants in or near specific genes with important roles in sex steroid hormone signalling and function, and offer unique opportunities for more targeted functional research efforts. Endometriosis is a major cause of infertility. Molecular mechanisms underlying the disease involve genetic and environmental risk factors. In a meta-analysis of eleven GWA studies, Sapkota and colleagues identify five novel risk loci, implicating steroid sex hormone pathways in the pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadav Sapkota
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA
| | | | - Andrew P Morris
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK.,Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Amelie Fassbender
- KULeuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Organ systems, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Leuven University Fertility Centre, University Hospital Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nilufer Rahmioglu
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Immaculata De Vivo
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Julie E Buring
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Futao Zhang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Todd L Edwards
- Institute of Medicine and Public Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA
| | - Sarah Jones
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Division of Epidemiology, Institute of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA
| | - Dorien O
- KULeuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Organ systems, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Leuven University Fertility Centre, University Hospital Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Daniëlle Peterse
- KULeuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Organ systems, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Leuven University Fertility Centre, University Hospital Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kathryn M Rexrode
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Paul M Ridker
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Andrew J Schork
- Cognitive Science Department, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.,Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Centre Sct. Hans, Copenhagen University Hospital, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stuart MacGregor
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Nicholas G Martin
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Christian M Becker
- Endometriosis CaRe Centre, Nuffield Dept of Obstetrics &Gynaecology, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Sosuke Adachi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 950-2181, Japan
| | - Kosuke Yoshihara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 950-2181, Japan
| | - Takayuki Enomoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 950-2181, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takahashi
- Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, RIKEN, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Yoichiro Kamatani
- Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, RIKEN, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Koichi Matsuda
- Institute of Medical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Michiaki Kubo
- Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, RIKEN, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | | | - Reynir T Geirsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Landspitali University Hospital, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.,Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Unnur Thorsteinsdottir
- deCODE Genetics/Amgen, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.,Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Leanne M Wallace
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | | | - Jian Yang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Digna R Velez Edwards
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Institute of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA
| | - Mette Nyegaard
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.,iPSYCH, The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Siew-Kee Low
- Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, RIKEN, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Krina T Zondervan
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK.,Endometriosis CaRe Centre, Nuffield Dept of Obstetrics &Gynaecology, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Stacey A Missmer
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Thomas D'Hooghe
- KULeuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Organ systems, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Leuven University Fertility Centre, University Hospital Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Global Medical Affairs Fertility, Research and Development, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Grant W Montgomery
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.,Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Daniel I Chasman
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Kari Stefansson
- deCODE Genetics/Amgen, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.,Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Joyce Y Tung
- 23andMe, Inc., 899 W. Evelyn Avenue, Mountain View, California 94041, USA
| | - Dale R Nyholt
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.,Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Queensland 4059, Australia
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Abstract
Advances in genetics and genomics are driving progress in understanding genetic risk factors for endometriosis. Genome-wide association scans (GWAS) in endometriosis have identified 11 genomic regions associated with increased risk of disease. Many of the regions contain interesting candidate genes, but the risk alleles may not always act through the obvious candidates. Functional evidence to identify the causal gene(s) will require multiple steps including better mapping precision, genetic studies on gene expression and epigenetic marks, chromatin looping and functional studies. Evidence from gene expression studies in endometrium and chromatin looping experiments implicate CDC42 on chromosome 1, CDKN2B-AS1 on chromosome 9 and VEZT on chromosome 12 as likely causal genes in these regions. Confirming the causal gene(s) in these and other regions will identify the important pathways increasing risk for endometriosis and identify novel targets for interventions to improve diagnosis and treatment.
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21
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The genetic regulation of transcription in human endometrial tissue. Hum Reprod 2017; 32:893-904. [DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dex006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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22
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Biomarkers in endometriosis: challenges and opportunities. Fertil Steril 2017; 107:523-532. [PMID: 28189296 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a debilitating gynecologic disease affecting millions of women across the world, with symptoms including dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Theorized to stem from the phenomenon of retrograde menstruation, the diagnosis of endometriosis is typically delayed by 8-10 years owing to misinterpretation of symptoms as common menstrual cramps in adolescent girls and young women. With increased incidence of endometriosis in young girls correlated with earlier menarche, the development of diagnostic biomarkers is imperative for diagnosing and treating women afflicted with endometriosis as early as we can. In the past few years, multiple reviews highlighted the list of potential diagnostic candidates in peritoneal fluid, blood, urine, and endometrial biopsies from endometriosis patients in different stages of disease and menstrual cycle. In this review, we explore the opportunities and challenges facing the field of diagnostic biomarkers for endometriosis. We highlight the importance of eutopic endometrium as a source of potential diagnostic biomarkers by looking at the expression levels of noncoding RNA in tissue as well as in blood. Finally, we discuss some of the challenges that hinder our efforts in validating candidate diagnostic biomarkers for endometriosis.
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23
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Albertsen HM, Ward K. Genes Linked to Endometriosis by GWAS Are Integral to Cytoskeleton Regulation and Suggests That Mesothelial Barrier Homeostasis Is a Factor in the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis. Reprod Sci 2016; 24:803-811. [PMID: 27470151 DOI: 10.1177/1933719116660847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis, defined by the presence of ectopic endometrial lesions, is a common disease in reproductive-age women that profoundly affects patients' quality of life. Various pathogenic models have been proposed, but the origin of endometriosis remains elusive. In this article, we propose that the mesothelial barrier, which protects the underlying stroma from endometrial transplants present in retrograde menstrual fluid, can be compromised by activation of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) repair mechanism that lead to temporary loss of barrier integrity. Absent of the mesothelial barrier, endometrial cells can more readily adhere to the underlying peritoneal stroma and establish endometrial lesions. The hypothesis is based on the clinical and experimental observations that correlate the location of endometrial lesions with areas of mesothelial damage, together with genetic evidence that 4 genes associated with endometriosis are direct regulators of the actin-cytoskeleton, which coordinates mesothelial barrier integrity. It supports past observations that implicate the peritoneum in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and unifies previously disparate theories that endometriosis may be triggered by infection, mechanical damage, and inflammation since each of these mechanisms can induce EMT in the mesothelium. If the hypothesis is correct, inhibition of EMT in the mesothelial barrier provides a novel paradigm for the prevention and treatment of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth Ward
- 1 Juneau Biosciences, LLC, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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