1
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Tritto V, Bettinaglio P, Mangano E, Cesaretti C, Marasca F, Castronovo C, Bordoni R, Battaglia C, Saletti V, Ranzani V, Bodega B, Eoli M, Natacci F, Riva P. Genetic/epigenetic effects in NF1 microdeletion syndrome: beyond the haploinsufficiency, looking at the contribution of not deleted genes. Hum Genet 2024; 143:775-795. [PMID: 38874808 PMCID: PMC11186880 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-024-02683-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
NF1 microdeletion syndrome, accounting for 5-11% of NF1 patients, is caused by a deletion in the NF1 region and it is generally characterized by a severe phenotype. Although 70% of NF1 microdeletion patients presents the same 1.4 Mb type-I deletion, some patients may show additional clinical features. Therefore, the contribution of several pathogenic mechanisms, besides haploinsufficiency of some genes within the deletion interval, is expected and needs to be defined. We investigated an altered expression of deletion flanking genes by qPCR in patients with type-1 NF1 deletion, compared to healthy donors, possibly contributing to the clinical traits of NF1 microdeletion syndrome. In addition, the 1.4-Mb deletion leads to changes in the 3D chromatin structure in the 17q11.2 region. Specifically, this deletion alters DNA-DNA interactions in the regions flanking the breakpoints, as demonstrated by our 4C-seq analysis. This alteration likely causes position effect on the expression of deletion flanking genes.Interestingly, 4C-seq analysis revealed that in microdeletion patients, an interaction was established between the RHOT1 promoter and the SLC6A4 gene, which showed increased expression. We performed NGS on putative modifier genes, and identified two "likely pathogenic" rare variants in RAS pathway, possibly contributing to incidental phenotypic features.This study provides new insights into understanding the pathogenesis of NF1 microdeletion syndrome and suggests a novel pathomechanism that contributes to the expression phenotype in addition to haploinsufficiency of genes located within the deletion.This is a pivotal approach that can be applied to unravel microdeletion syndromes, improving precision medicine, prognosis and patients' follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Tritto
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, Segrate, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Bettinaglio
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, Segrate, Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Mangano
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies (ITB), National Research Council (CNR), Segrate (Milan), Italy
| | - Claudia Cesaretti
- Medical Genetics Unit, Woman-Child-Newborn Department, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Marasca
- Genome Biology Unit, Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare (INGM) "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Castronovo
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies (ITB), National Research Council (CNR), Segrate (Milan), Italy
| | - Roberta Bordoni
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies (ITB), National Research Council (CNR), Segrate (Milan), Italy
| | - Cristina Battaglia
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, Segrate, Milan, Italy
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies (ITB), National Research Council (CNR), Segrate (Milan), Italy
| | - Veronica Saletti
- Developmental Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Ranzani
- Genome Biology Unit, Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare (INGM) "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Beatrice Bodega
- Genome Biology Unit, Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare (INGM) "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
- Department of Biosciences (DBS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marica Eoli
- Molecular Neuroncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Natacci
- Medical Genetics Unit, Woman-Child-Newborn Department, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
| | - Paola Riva
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (BIOMETRA), University of Milan, Segrate, Milan, Italy.
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2
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Pacot L, Girish M, Knight S, Spurlock G, Varghese V, Ye M, Thomas N, Pasmant E, Upadhyaya M. Correlation between large rearrangements and patient phenotypes in NF1 deletion syndrome: an update and review. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:73. [PMID: 38448973 PMCID: PMC10919053 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01843-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
About 5-10% of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients exhibit large genomic germline deletions that remove the NF1 gene and its flanking regions. The most frequent NF1 large deletion is 1.4 Mb, resulting from homologous recombination between two low copy repeats. This "type-1" deletion is associated with a severe clinical phenotype in NF1 patients, with several phenotypic manifestations including learning disability, a much earlier development of cutaneous neurofibromas, an increased tumour risk, and cardiovascular malformations. NF1 adjacent co-deleted genes could act as modifier loci for the specific clinical manifestations observed in deleted NF1 patients. Furthermore, other genetic modifiers (such as CNVs) not located at the NF1 locus could also modulate the phenotype observed in patients with large deletions. In this study, we analysed 22 NF1 deletion patients by genome-wide array-CGH with the aim (1) to correlate deletion length to observed phenotypic features and their severity in NF1 deletion syndrome, and (2) to identify whether the deletion phenotype could also be modulated by copy number variations elsewhere in the genome. We then review the role of co-deleted genes in the 1.4 Mb interval of type-1 deletions, and their possible implication in the main clinical features observed in this high-risk group of NF1 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Pacot
- Fédération de Génétique et Médecine Génomique, Hôpital Cochin, DMU BioPhyGen, AP-HP, Centre-Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Cité, CARPEM, Paris, France
| | - Milind Girish
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Samantha Knight
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Vinod Varghese
- All Wales Medical Genomics Service, Cardiff, Great Britain
| | - Manuela Ye
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Cité, CARPEM, Paris, France
| | - Nick Thomas
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Eric Pasmant
- Fédération de Génétique et Médecine Génomique, Hôpital Cochin, DMU BioPhyGen, AP-HP, Centre-Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Cité, CARPEM, Paris, France.
| | - Meena Upadhyaya
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics, Cardiff University, Heath Park, CF14 4XN, Cardiff, UK
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3
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Wang D, Wen X, Xu LL, Chen QX, Yan TX, Xiao HT, Xu XW. Nf1 in heart development: a potential causative gene for congenital heart disease: a narrative review. Physiol Genomics 2023; 55:415-426. [PMID: 37519249 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00024.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart disease is the most frequent congenital disorder, affecting a significant number of live births. Gaining insights into its genetic etiology could lead to a deeper understanding of this condition. Although the Nf1 gene has been identified as a potential causative gene, its role in congenital heart disease has not been thoroughly clarified. We searched and summarized evidence from cohort-based and experimental studies on the issue of Nf1 and heart development in congenital heart diseases from various databases. Available evidence demonstrates a correlation between Nf1 and congenital heart diseases, mainly pulmonary valvar stenosis. The mechanism underlying this correlation may involve dysregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The Nf1 gene affects the EMT process via multiple pathways, including directly regulating the expression of EMT-related transcription factors and indirectly regulating the EMT process by regulating the MAPK pathway. This narrative review provides a comprehensive account of the Nf1 involvement in heart development and congenital cardiovascular diseases in terms of epidemiology and potential mechanisms. RAS signaling may contribute to congenital heart disease independently or in cooperation with other signaling pathways. Efficient management of both NF1 and cardiovascular disease patients would benefit from further research into these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dun Wang
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Wen
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Li Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing-Xing Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Xing Yan
- Central Laboratory, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hai-Tao Xiao
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Wen Xu
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
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4
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Cutruzzolà A, Irace C, Frazzetto M, Sabatino J, Gullace R, De Rosa S, Spaccarotella C, Concolino D, Indolfi C, Gnasso A. Functional and morphological cardiovascular alterations associated with neurofibromatosis 1. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12070. [PMID: 32694667 PMCID: PMC7374589 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68908-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Subjects with Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) develop vascular complications. The protein product of the gene affected in NF1, neurofibromin, physiologically modulates endothelial function and preserves vascular and myocardial structure. Our study aimed to verify whether subjects with NF1 have early, preclinical abnormalities of carotid artery structure, brachial artery function, and cardiac function. We recruited 22 NF1 subjects without previous cardiovascular events and 22 healthy control subjects. All subjects underwent measurement of carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), evaluation of brachial artery endothelial function after ischemia and exercise, and cardiac function. Mean IMT was 543 ± 115 μ in NF1 subjects and 487 ± 70 μ in Controls (p < 0.01). Endothelial function was significantly dumped in NF1 subjects. The dilation after ischemia and exercise was respectively 7.5(± 4.8)% and 6.7(± 3.0)% in NF1 versus 10.5(± 1.2)% and 10.5(± 2.1)% in control subjects (p < 0.02; p < 0.002). Left ventricular systolic function assessed by Global Longitudinal Strain was significantly different between NF1 subjects and Controls: − 19.3(± 1.7)% versus − 21.5(± 2.7)% (p < 0.008). These findings demonstrate that NF1 patients have early morphological and functional abnormalities of peripheral arteries and systolic cardiac impairment and suggest the need for a tight cardiovascular risk evaluation and primary prevention in subjects with NF1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Cutruzzolà
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, University Magna Græcia, Viale Europa Località Germaneto, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Concetta Irace
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Marco Frazzetto
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Jolanda Sabatino
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy.,Center of Cardiovascular Research, University Magna Graecia, Mediterranea Cardio Centro, Catanzaro, Napoli, Italy
| | - Rosa Gullace
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Salvatore De Rosa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy.,Center of Cardiovascular Research, University Magna Graecia, Mediterranea Cardio Centro, Catanzaro, Napoli, Italy
| | - Carmen Spaccarotella
- Center of Cardiovascular Research, University Magna Graecia, Mediterranea Cardio Centro, Catanzaro, Napoli, Italy
| | - Daniela Concolino
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Ciro Indolfi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, University Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy.,Center of Cardiovascular Research, University Magna Graecia, Mediterranea Cardio Centro, Catanzaro, Napoli, Italy
| | - Agostino Gnasso
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, University Magna Græcia, Viale Europa Località Germaneto, 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
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Serra G, Antona V, Corsello G, Zara F, Piro E, Falsaperla R. NF1 microdeletion syndrome: case report of two new patients. Ital J Pediatr 2019; 45:138. [PMID: 31703719 PMCID: PMC6839219 DOI: 10.1186/s13052-019-0718-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background 17q11.2 microdeletions, which include the neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) gene region, are responsible for the NF1 microdeletion syndrome, observed in 4.2% of all NF1 patients. Large deletions of the NF1 gene and its flanking regions are associated with a more severe NF1 phenotype than the NF1 general population. Case presentation We hereby describe the clinical and molecular features of two girls (aged 2 and 4 years, respectively), with non-mosaic atypical deletions. Patient 1 showed fifteen café-au-lait spots and axillary freckling, as well as a Lisch nodule in the left eye, strabismus, high-arched palate, malocclusion, severe kyphoscoliosis, bilateral calcaneovalgus foot, mild generalized hypotonia, hyperactivity and deficits of speech-related abilities. NF1 genomic rearrangements through multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) detected an heterozygous deletion of the whole NF1 gene. Array comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) analysis defined a 17q11.2 deletion of about 1 Mb (breakpoints at positions 29,124,299 and 30,151,654), which involved different genes (partially CRLF3, ATAD5, TEFM, ADAP2, RNF135, OMG, EVI2B, EVI2A, RAB11FIP4), including NF1. Patient 2 showed growth and developmental delay, supravalvular pulmonary stenosis, twenty-five café-au-lait spots, axillary freckling, craniofacial dysmorphic features, short neck with pterygium, limb abnormalities and foci of neural dysplasia on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MLPA detected an heterozygous deletion of NF1, which was detailed by a-CGH indicating the positions 29,124,299 and 30,326,958 as its breakpoints, and which included aside from the genes deleted in Patient 1 also COPRS, UTP6 and partially SUZ12. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of the parents documented a de novo origin of the deletions in both cases. Conclusions The present report will likely provide further insights and a better characterization of NF1 microdeletion syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregorio Serra
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Antona
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Corsello
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Federico Zara
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Neuroscience, Institute G. Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ettore Piro
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Raffaele Falsaperla
- Unit of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
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6
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Identification of an atypical microdeletion generating the RNF135-SUZ12 chimeric gene and causing a position effect in an NF1 patient with overgrowth. Hum Genet 2017; 136:1329-1339. [DOI: 10.1007/s00439-017-1832-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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7
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Emerging genotype-phenotype relationships in patients with large NF1 deletions. Hum Genet 2017; 136:349-376. [PMID: 28213670 PMCID: PMC5370280 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-017-1766-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The most frequent recurring mutations in neurofibromatosis type 1
(NF1) are large deletions encompassing the NF1
gene and its flanking regions (NF1
microdeletions). The majority of these deletions encompass 1.4-Mb and are associated
with the loss of 14 protein-coding genes and four microRNA genes. Patients with
germline type-1 NF1 microdeletions frequently
exhibit dysmorphic facial features, overgrowth/tall-for-age stature, significant
delay in cognitive development, large hands and feet, hyperflexibility of joints and
muscular hypotonia. Such patients also display significantly more cardiovascular
anomalies as compared with patients without large deletions and often exhibit
increased numbers of subcutaneous, plexiform and spinal neurofibromas as compared
with the general NF1 population. Further, an extremely high burden of internal
neurofibromas, characterised by >3000 ml tumour volume, is encountered
significantly, more frequently, in non-mosaic NF1
microdeletion patients than in NF1 patients lacking such deletions. NF1 microdeletion patients also have an increased risk of
malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs); their lifetime MPNST risk is
16–26%, rather higher than that of NF1 patients with intragenic NF1 mutations (8–13%). NF1 microdeletion patients, therefore, represent a high-risk group for
the development of MPNSTs, tumours which are very aggressive and difficult to treat.
Co-deletion of the SUZ12 gene in addition to
NF1 further increases the MPNST risk in
NF1 microdeletion patients. Here, we summarise
current knowledge about genotype–phenotype relationships in NF1 microdeletion patients and discuss the potential role of the genes
located within the NF1 microdeletion interval
whose haploinsufficiency may contribute to the more severe clinical
phenotype.
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8
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Venturin M, Carra S, Gaudenzi G, Brunelli S, Gallo GR, Moncini S, Cotelli F, Riva P. ADAP2 in heart development: a candidate gene for the occurrence of cardiovascular malformations in NF1 microdeletion syndrome. J Med Genet 2014; 51:436-43. [PMID: 24711647 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2013-102240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular malformations have a higher incidence in patients with NF1 microdeletion syndrome compared to NF1 patients with intragenic mutation, presumably owing to haploinsufficiency of one or more genes included in the deletion interval and involved in heart development. In order to identify which genes could be responsible for cardiovascular malformations in the deleted patients, we carried out expression studies in mouse embryos and functional studies in zebrafish. METHODS AND RESULTS The expression analysis of three candidate genes included in the NF1 deletion interval, ADAP2, SUZ12 and UTP6, performed by in situ hybridisation, showed the expression of ADAP2 murine ortholog in heart during fundamental phases of cardiac morphogenesis. In order to investigate the role of ADAP2 in cardiac development, we performed loss-of-function experiments of zebrafish ADAP2 ortholog, adap2, by injecting two different morpholino oligos (adap2-MO and UTR-adap2-MO). adap2-MOs-injected embryos (morphants) displayed in vivo circulatory and heart shape defects. The molecular characterisation of morphants with cardiac specific markers showed that the injection of adap2-MOs causes defects in heart jogging and looping. Additionally, morphological and molecular analysis of adap2 morphants demonstrated that the loss of adap2 function leads to defective valvulogenesis, suggesting a correlation between ADAP2 haploinsufficiency and the occurrence of valve defects in NF1-microdeleted patients. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings indicate that ADAP2 has a role in heart development, and might be a reliable candidate gene for the occurrence of cardiovascular malformations in patients with NF1 microdeletion and, more generally, for the occurrence of a subset of congenital heart defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Venturin
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Carra
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Germano Gaudenzi
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Brunelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Monza (MB), Italy
| | | | - Silvia Moncini
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Franco Cotelli
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Riva
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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9
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Nguyen R, Mir TS, Kluwe L, Jett K, Kentsch M, Mueller G, Kehrer-Sawatzki H, Friedman JM, Mautner VF. Cardiac characterization of 16 patients with large NF1 gene deletions. Clin Genet 2012; 84:344-9. [PMID: 23278345 DOI: 10.1111/cge.12072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2012] [Revised: 12/04/2012] [Accepted: 12/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to characterize cardiac features of patients with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and large deletions of the NF1 gene region. The study participants were 16 patients with large NF1 deletions and 16 age- and sex-matched NF1 patients without such deletions. All the patients were comprehensively characterized clinically and by echocardiography. Six of 16 NF1 deletion patients but none of 16 non-deletion NF1 patients have major cardiac abnormalities (p = 0.041). Congenital heart defects (CHDs) include mitral insufficiency in two patients and ventricular septal defect, aortic stenosis, and aortic insufficiency in one patient each. Three deletion patients have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Two patients have intracardiac tumors. NF1 patients without large deletions have increased left ventricular (LV) diastolic posterior wall thickness (p < 0.001) and increased intraventricular diastolic septal thickness (p = 0.001) compared with a healthy reference population without NF1, suggestive of eccentric LV hypertrophy. CHDs and other cardiovascular anomalies are more frequent among patients with large NF1 deletion and may cause serious clinical complications. Eccentric LV hypertrophy may occur in NF1 patients without whole gene deletions, but the clinical significance of this finding is uncertain. All patients with clinical suspicion for NF1 should be referred to a cardiologist for evaluation and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Nguyen
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
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10
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Zuccotti P, Cartelli D, Stroppi M, Pandini V, Venturin M, Aliverti A, Battaglioli E, Cappelletti G, Riva P. Centaurin-α₂ interacts with β-tubulin and stabilizes microtubules. PLoS One 2012; 7:e52867. [PMID: 23285209 PMCID: PMC3527619 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Centaurin-α₂ is a GTPase-activating protein for ARF (ARFGAP) showing a diffuse cytoplasmic localization capable to translocate to membrane, where it binds phosphatidylinositols. Taking into account that Centaurin-α₂ can localize in cytoplasm and that its cytoplasmatic function is not well defined, we searched for further interactors by yeast two-hybrid assay to investigate its biological function. We identified a further Centaurin-α₂ interacting protein, β-Tubulin, by yeast two-hybrid assay. The interaction, involving the C-terminal region of β-Tubulin, has been confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation experiments. After Centaurin-α₂ overexpression in HeLa cells and extraction of soluble (αβ dimers) and insoluble (microtubules) fractions of Tubulin, we observed that Centaurin-α₂ mainly interacts with the polymerized Tubulin fraction, besides colocalizing with microtubules (MTs) in cytoplasm accordingly. Even following the depolimerizing Tubulin treatments Centaurin-α₂ remains mainly associated to nocodazole- and cold-resistant MTs. We found an increase of MT stability in transfected HeLa cells, evaluating as marker of stability the level of MT acetylation. In vitro assays using purified Centaurin-α₂ and tubulin confirmed that Centaurin-α₂ promotes tubulin assembly and increases microtubule stability. The biological effect of Centaurin-α₂ overexpression, assessed through the detection of an increased number of mitotic HeLa cells with bipolar spindles and with the correct number of centrosomes in both dividing and not dividing cells, is consistent with the Centaurin-α₂ role on MT stabilization. Centaurin-α₂ interacts with β-Tubulin and it mainly associates to MTs, resistant to destabilizing agents, in vitro and in cell. We propose Centaurin-α₂ as a new microtubule-associated protein (MAP) increasing MT stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Zuccotti
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Daniele Cartelli
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Michela Stroppi
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Vittorio Pandini
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marco Venturin
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Elena Battaglioli
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Paola Riva
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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11
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Overexpression of Jazf1 induces cardiac malformation through the upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes in mice. Transgenic Res 2011; 20:1019-31. [DOI: 10.1007/s11248-010-9476-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2010] [Accepted: 12/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Expression analysis of genes lying in the NF1 microdeletion interval points to four candidate modifiers for neurofibroma formation. Neurogenetics 2008; 10:79-85. [PMID: 18850118 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-008-0154-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2008] [Accepted: 09/23/2008] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The hallmark of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are multiple dermal neurofibromas. They show high inter- and intrafamilial variability for which the influence of modifying genes is discussed. NF1 patients presenting microdeletions spanning NF1 and several contiguous genes have an earlier onset and higher number of dermal neurofibromas than classical NF1 patients, pointing to one of the deleted genes as modifier. Expression analysis of 13 genes of the microdeletion region in dermal neurofibromas and other tissues revealed four candidates for the modification of neurofibroma formation: CENTA2, RAB11FIP4, C17orf79, and UTP6.
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