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Sabatino L, Lapi D, Del Seppia C. Factors and Mechanisms of Thyroid Hormone Activity in the Brain: Possible Role in Recovery and Protection. Biomolecules 2024; 14:198. [PMID: 38397435 PMCID: PMC10886502 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) are essential in normal brain development, and cognitive and emotional functions. THs act through a cascade of events including uptake by the target cells by specific cell membrane transporters, activation or inactivation by deiodinase enzymes, and interaction with nuclear thyroid hormone receptors. Several thyroid responsive genes have been described in the developing and in the adult brain and many studies have demonstrated a systemic or local reduction in TH availability in neurologic disease and after brain injury. In this review, the main factors and mechanisms associated with the THs in the normal and damaged brain will be evaluated in different regions and cellular contexts. Furthermore, the most common animal models used to study the role of THs in brain damage and cognitive impairment will be described and the use of THs as a potential recovery strategy from neuropathological conditions will be evaluated. Finally, particular attention will be given to the link observed between TH alterations and increased risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the most prevalent neurodegenerative and dementing condition worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sabatino
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Council of Research, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Dominga Lapi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, 56127 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Cristina Del Seppia
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Council of Research, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
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2
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Ducreux B, Barberet J, Guilleman M, Pérez-Palacios R, Teissandier A, Bourc’his D, Fauque P. Assessing the influence of distinct culture media on human pre-implantation development using single-embryo transcriptomics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1155634. [PMID: 37435029 PMCID: PMC10330962 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1155634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of assisted reproductive technologies is consistently rising across the world. However, making an informed choice on which embryo culture medium should be preferred to ensure satisfactory pregnancy rates and the health of future children critically lacks scientific background. In particular, embryos within their first days of development are highly sensitive to their micro-environment, and it is unknown how their transcriptome adapts to different embryo culture compositions. Here, we determined the impact of culture media composition on gene expression in human pre-implantation embryos. By employing single-embryo RNA-sequencing after 2 or 5 days of the post-fertilization culture in different commercially available media (Ferticult, Global, and SSM), we revealed medium-specific differences in gene expression changes. Embryos cultured pre-compaction until day 2 in Ferticult or Global media notably displayed 266 differentially expressed genes, which were related to essential developmental pathways. Herein, 19 of them could have a key role in early development, based on their previously described dynamic expression changes across development. When embryos were cultured after day 2 in the same media considered more suitable because of its amino acid enrichment, 18 differentially expressed genes thought to be involved in the transition from early to later embryonic stages were identified. Overall, the differences were reduced at the blastocyst stage, highlighting the ability of embryos conceived in a suboptimal in vitro culture medium to mitigate the transcriptomic profile acquired under different pre-compaction environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastien Ducreux
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté—Equipe Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), INSERM UMR1231, Dijon, France
| | - Julie Barberet
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté—Equipe Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), INSERM UMR1231, Dijon, France
- CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction—CECOS, Dijon, France
| | - Magali Guilleman
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté—Equipe Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), INSERM UMR1231, Dijon, France
- CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction—CECOS, Dijon, France
| | - Raquel Pérez-Palacios
- Departamento de Anatomía, Embriología y Genética Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | | | - Patricia Fauque
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté—Equipe Génétique des Anomalies du Développement (GAD), INSERM UMR1231, Dijon, France
- CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Reproduction—CECOS, Dijon, France
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3
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Zoghi S, Masoudi MS, Taheri R. The Evolving Role of Next Generation Sequencing in Pediatric Neurosurgery: a Call for Action for Research, Clinical Practice, and Optimization of Care. World Neurosurg 2022; 168:232-242. [PMID: 36122859 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.09.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) is one of the most promising technologies that have truly revolutionized many aspects of clinical practice in recent years. It has been and is increasingly applied in many disciplines of medicine; however, it appears that pediatric neurosurgery despite its great potential has not truly embraced this new technology and is hesitant to employ it in its routine practice and guidelines. In this review, we briefly summarized the developments that lead to the establishment of NGS technology, reviewed the current applications and potentials of NGS in the disorders treated by pediatric neurosurgeons, and lastly discuss the steps we need to take to better harness NGS in pediatric neurosurgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Zoghi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Reza Taheri
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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4
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Abstract
The functional mass of kidney tissue in an adult is an important determinant of human health. Kidney formation during development is an essential determinant of the final nephron endowment of the adult organ, and no evidence has been reported that mice or humans are able to generate new nephrons after the developmental period. Mechanisms controlling organ growth after development are essential to establish the final adult organ size. The potential for organ growth is maintained in adult life and the size of one kidney may be significantly increased by loss of the contralateral kidney. The mouse has provided a model system for investigators to critically explore genetic, cell biological, and hormonal control of developmental and juvenile kidney growth. This article reviews three basic aspects of kidney size regulation: (1) Mechanisms that control nephron formation and how these are altered by the cessation of nephrogenesis at the end of the developmental period. (2) Applicability of the general model for growth hormone-insulin like growth factor control to kidney growth both pre- and postnatally. (3) Commonalities between mechanisms of juvenile kidney growth and the compensatory growth that is stimulated in adult life by reduction of kidney mass. Understanding the mechanisms that determine set-points for cell numbers and size in the kidney may inform ongoing efforts to generate kidney tissue from stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leif Oxburgh
- The Rogosin Institute, New York, NY, United States.
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5
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Ochoa E, Zuber V, Bottolo L. Accurate Measurement of DNA Methylation: Challenges and Bias Correction. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2432:25-47. [PMID: 35505205 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1994-0_3] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a key epigenetic modification involved in gene regulation whose contribution to disease susceptibility is still not fully understood. As the cost of genome sequencing technologies continues to drop, it will soon become commonplace to perform genome-wide quantification of DNA methylation at a single base-pair resolution. However, the demand for its accurate quantification might vary across studies. When the scope of the analysis is to detect regions of the genome with different methylation patterns between two or more conditions, e.g., case vs control; treatments vs placebo, accuracy is not crucial. This is the case in epigenome-wide association studies used as genome-wide screening of methylation changes to detect new candidate genes and regions associated with a specific disease or condition. If the aim of the analysis is to use DNA methylation measurements as a biomarker for diseases diagnosis and treatment (Laird, Nat Rev Cancer 3:253-266, 2003; Bock, Epigenomics 1:99-110, 2009), it is instead recommended to produce accurate methylation measurements. Furthermore, if the objective is the detection of DNA methylation in subclonal tumor cell populations or in circulating tumor DNA or in any case of mosaicism, the importance of accuracy becomes critical. The aim of this chapter is to describe the factors that could affect the precise measurement of methylation levels and a recent Bayesian statistical method called MethylCal and its extension that have been proposed to minimize this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eguzkine Ochoa
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Verena Zuber
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Leonardo Bottolo
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK.
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6
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High Maternal Serum Estradiol in First Trimester of Multiple Pregnancy Contributes to Small for Gestational Age via DNMT1-Mediated CDKN1C Upregulation. Reprod Sci 2021; 29:1368-1378. [PMID: 34580843 PMCID: PMC8907102 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00735-8] [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: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
High maternal serum estradiol (E2) levels in the first trimester of pregnancy are associated with a high incidence of low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA). This study aimed to investigate the effect of first-trimester high maternal serum E2 levels on fetal growth and the underlying mechanisms in multiple pregnancies. Maternal serum E2 levels of women at 8 weeks of gestation were measured. The expression levels of imprinted genes and DNMT1 were determined by RT-qPCR, and KvDMR1 methylation in embryo tissue, placenta, and newborn cord blood samples was examined by bisulfite sequencing PCR. The effect of E2 on CDKN1C expression was investigated in HTR8 cells. The incidence of SGA was significantly higher in multiple pregnancies reduced to singleton than that in primary singleton pregnancies (11.4% vs. 2.9%) (P < 0.01) and multiple pregnancies reduced to twins than primary twins (38.5% vs. 27.3%) (P < 0.01). The maternal serum E2 level at 8 weeks of gestation increased with the number of fetuses and was negatively correlated with offspring birth weight. CDKN1C and DNMT1 expression was significantly upregulated in embryo tissue, placenta, and cord blood from multiple pregnancies. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between CDKN1C mRNA expression and KvDMR1 methylation levels. In HTR8 cells, DNMT1 mediated the estrogen-induced upregulation of CDKN1C, which might contribute to SGA. To minimize the risks of LBW and SGA, our findings suggest that abnormally high maternal serum E2 levels should be avoided during the first trimester of multiple pregnancies from assisted reproductive technology (ART).
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Lamfoon S, Abuzinada S, Yamani A, Binmadi N. Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome with macroglossia as the most significant manifestation: A case report. Clin Case Rep 2021; 9:e04479. [PMID: 34257987 PMCID: PMC8259928 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.4479] [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: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome is a complex multisystem disorder that requires collaboration of medical and dental teamfor its diagnosis and management. We present a dental overview and an update of the clinical and molecular diagnoses of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and its management with emphasis on macroglossia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shatha Lamfoon
- Oral Diagnostic Sciences DepartmentFaculty of DentistryKing Abdulaziz UniversityJeddahSaudi Arabia
| | - Sondos Abuzinada
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery DepartmentFaculty of DentistryKing Abdulaziz UniversityJeddahSaudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Yamani
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery DepartmentFaculty of DentistryKing Abdulaziz UniversityJeddahSaudi Arabia
| | - Nada Binmadi
- Oral Diagnostic Sciences DepartmentFaculty of DentistryKing Abdulaziz UniversityJeddahSaudi Arabia
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8
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Huang TC, Chang KC, Chang JY, Tsai YS, Yang YJ, Chang WC, Mo CF, Yu PH, Chiang CT, Lin SP, Kuo PL. Variants in Maternal Effect Genes and Relaxed Imprinting Control in a Special Placental Mesenchymal Dysplasia Case with Mild Trophoblast Hyperplasia. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9050544. [PMID: 34068021 PMCID: PMC8152467 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9050544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) and partial hydatidiform mole (PHM) placentas share similar characteristics, such as placental overgrowth and grape-like placental tissues. Distinguishing PMD from PHM is critical because the former can result in normal birth, while the latter diagnosis will lead to artificial abortion. Aneuploidy and altered dosage of imprinted gene expression are implicated in the pathogenesis of PHM and also some of the PMD cases. Diandric triploidy is the main cause of PHM, whereas mosaic diploid androgenetic cells in the placental tissue have been associated with the formation of PMD. Here, we report a very special PMD case also presenting with trophoblast hyperplasia phenotype, which is a hallmark of PHM. This PMD placenta has a normal biparental diploid karyotype and is functionally sufficient to support normal fetal growth. We took advantage of this unique case to further dissected the potential common etiology between these two diseases. We show that the differentially methylated region (DMR) at NESP55, a secondary DMR residing in the GNAS locus, is significantly hypermethylated in the PMD placenta. Furthermore, we found heterozygous mutations in NLRP2 and homozygous variants in NLRP7 in the mother’s genome. NLRP2 and NLRP7 are known maternal effect genes, and their mutation in pregnant females affects fetal development. The variants/mutations in both genes have been associated with imprinting defects in mole formation and potentially contributed to the mild abnormal imprinting observed in this case. Finally, we identified heterozygous mutations in the X-linked ATRX gene, a known maternal–zygotic imprinting regulator in the patient. Overall, our study demonstrates that PMD and PHM may share overlapping etiologies with the defective/relaxed dosage control of imprinted genes, representing two extreme ends of a spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien-Chi Huang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; (T.-C.H.); (J.-Y.C.); (W.-C.C.); (C.-F.M.)
| | - Kung-Chao Chang
- Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 704, Taiwan;
| | - Jen-Yun Chang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; (T.-C.H.); (J.-Y.C.); (W.-C.C.); (C.-F.M.)
| | - Yi-Shan Tsai
- Department of Radiology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 704, Taiwan;
| | - Yao-Jong Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 704, Taiwan;
| | - Wei-Chun Chang
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; (T.-C.H.); (J.-Y.C.); (W.-C.C.); (C.-F.M.)
| | - Chu-Fan Mo
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; (T.-C.H.); (J.-Y.C.); (W.-C.C.); (C.-F.M.)
| | - Pei-Hsiu Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kuo General Hospital, Tainan 700, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Ting Chiang
- Department and Graduated Institute of Forensic Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan;
| | - Shau-Ping Lin
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; (T.-C.H.); (J.-Y.C.); (W.-C.C.); (C.-F.M.)
- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
- Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
- Center for Systems Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (S.-P.L.); (P.-L.K.)
| | - Pao-Lin Kuo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan;
- Correspondence: (S.-P.L.); (P.-L.K.)
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9
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Papulino C, Chianese U, Nicoletti MM, Benedetti R, Altucci L. Preclinical and Clinical Epigenetic-Based Reconsideration of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome. Front Genet 2020; 11:563718. [PMID: 33101381 PMCID: PMC7522569 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.563718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics has achieved a profound impact in the biomedical field, providing new experimental opportunities and innovative therapeutic strategies to face a plethora of diseases. In the rare diseases scenario, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a pediatric pathological condition characterized by a complex molecular basis, showing alterations in the expression of different growth-regulating genes. The molecular origin of BWS is associated with impairments in the genomic imprinting of two domains at the 11p15.5 chromosomal region. The first domain contains three different regions: insulin growth like factor gene (IGF2), H19, and abnormally methylated DMR1 region. The second domain consists of cell proliferation and regulating-genes such as CDKN1C gene encoding for cyclin kinase inhibitor its role is to block cell proliferation. Although most cases are sporadic, about 5-10% of BWS patients have inheritance characteristics. In the 11p15.5 region, some of the patients have maternal chromosomal rearrangements while others have Uniparental Paternal Disomy UPD(11)pat. Defects in DNA methylation cause alteration of genes and the genomic structure equilibrium leading uncontrolled cell proliferation, which is a typical tumorigenesis event. Indeed, in BWS patients an increased childhood tumor predisposition is observed. Here, we summarize the latest knowledge on BWS and focus on the impact of epigenetic alterations to an increased cancer risk development and to metabolic disorders. Moreover, we highlight the correlation between assisted reproductive technologies and this rare disease. We also discuss intriguing aspects of BWS in twinning. Epigenetic therapies in clinical trials have already demonstrated effectiveness in oncological and non-oncological diseases. In this review, we propose a potential "epigenetic-based" approaches may unveil new therapeutic options for BWS patients. Although the complexity of the syndrome is high, patients can be able to lead a normal life but tumor predispositions might impair life expectancy. In this sense epigenetic therapies should have a supporting role in order to guarantee a good prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Papulino
- Department of Precision Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Ugo Chianese
- Department of Precision Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Maddalena Nicoletti
- Department of Precision Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Rosaria Benedetti
- Department of Precision Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia Altucci
- Department of Precision Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
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10
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Ochoa E, Zuber V, Fernandez-Jimenez N, Bilbao JR, Clark GR, Maher ER, Bottolo L. MethylCal: Bayesian calibration of methylation levels. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:e81. [PMID: 31049595 PMCID: PMC6698668 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bisulfite amplicon sequencing has become the primary choice for single-base methylation quantification of multiple targets in parallel. The main limitation of this technology is a preferential amplification of an allele and strand in the PCR due to methylation state. This effect, known as 'PCR bias', causes inaccurate estimation of the methylation levels and calibration methods based on standard controls have been proposed to correct for it. Here, we present a Bayesian calibration tool, MethylCal, which can analyse jointly all CpGs within a CpG island (CGI) or a Differentially Methylated Region (DMR), avoiding 'one-at-a-time' CpG calibration. This enables more precise modeling of the methylation levels observed in the standard controls. It also provides accurate predictions of the methylation levels not considered in the controlled experiment, a feature that is paramount in the derivation of the corrected methylation degree. We tested the proposed method on eight independent assays (two CpG islands and six imprinting DMRs) and demonstrated its benefits, including the ability to detect outliers. We also evaluated MethylCal's calibration in two practical cases, a clinical diagnostic test on 18 patients potentially affected by Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, and 17 individuals with celiac disease. The calibration of the methylation levels obtained by MethylCal allows a clearer identification of patients undergoing loss or gain of methylation in borderline cases and could influence further clinical or treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eguzkine Ochoa
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Verena Zuber
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SR, UK
| | - Nora Fernandez-Jimenez
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Jose Ramon Bilbao
- Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
- CIBERDEM Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases, Spain
| | - Graeme R Clark
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Eamonn R Maher
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Leonardo Bottolo
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SR, UK
- The Alan Turing Institute, London NW1 2DB, UK
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11
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Jeffrey P. Placental mesenchymal dysplasia vs molar pregnancy: A case report. SONOGRAPHY 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/sono.12200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philippa Jeffrey
- Ultrasound DepartmentPacific Radiology Group Christchurch New Zealand
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12
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Rashid A, Khattak SA, Ali L, Zaib M, Jehan S, Ayub M, Ullah S. Geochemical profile and source identification of surface and groundwater pollution of District Chitral, Northern Pakistan. Microchem J 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2018.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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13
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Sharma A, Lacko LA, Argueta LB, Glendinning MD, Stuhlmann H. miR-126 regulates glycogen trophoblast proliferation and DNA methylation in the murine placenta. Dev Biol 2019; 449:21-34. [PMID: 30771304 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A functional placenta develops through a delicate interplay of its vascular and trophoblast compartments. We have identified a previously unknown expression domain for the endothelial-specific microRNA miR-126 in trophoblasts of murine and human placentas. Here, we determine the role of miR-126 in placental development using a mouse model with a targeted deletion of miR-126. In addition to vascular defects observed only in the embryo, loss of miR-126 function in the placenta leads to junctional zone hyperplasia at E15.5 at the expense of the labyrinth, reduced placental volume for nutrient exchange and intra-uterine growth restriction of the embryos. Junctional zone hyperplasia results from increased numbers of proliferating glycogen trophoblast (GlyT) progenitors at E13.5 that give rise to an expanded glycogen trophoblast population at E15.5. Transcriptomic profile of miR-126-/- placentas revealed dysregulation of a large number of GlyT (Prl6a1, Prl7c1, Pcdh12) and trophoblast-specific genes (Tpbpa, Tpbpb, Prld1) and genes with known roles in placental development. We show that miR-126-/- placentas, but not miR-126-/- embryos, display aberrant expression of imprinted genes with important roles in glycogen trophoblasts and junctional zone development, including Igf2, H19, Cdkn1c and Phlda2, during mid-gestation. We also show that miR126-/- placentas display global hypermethylation, including at several imprint control centers. Our findings uncover a novel role for miR-126 in regulating extra-embryonic energy stores, expression of imprinted genes and DNA methylation in the placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhijeet Sharma
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 60, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Lauretta A Lacko
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 60, New York, NY 10065, United States; Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 60, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Lissenya B Argueta
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 60, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Michael D Glendinning
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 60, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Heidi Stuhlmann
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, Box 60, New York, NY 10065, United States.
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14
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Marques P, Korbonits M. Pseudoacromegaly. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 52:113-143. [PMID: 30448536 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with acromegaloid physical appearance or tall stature may be referred to endocrinologists to exclude growth hormone (GH) excess. While some of these subjects could be healthy individuals with normal variants of growth or physical traits, others will have acromegaly or pituitary gigantism, which are, in general, straightforward diagnoses upon assessment of the GH/IGF-1 axis. However, some patients with physical features resembling acromegaly - usually affecting the face and extremities -, or gigantism - accelerated growth/tall stature - will have no abnormalities in the GH axis. This scenario is termed pseudoacromegaly, and its correct diagnosis can be challenging due to the rarity and variability of these conditions, as well as due to significant overlap in their characteristics. In this review we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of pseudoacromegaly conditions, highlighting their similarities and differences with acromegaly and pituitary gigantism, to aid physicians with the diagnosis of patients with pseudoacromegaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Marques
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Márta Korbonits
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.
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Velicky P, Meinhardt G, Plessl K, Vondra S, Weiss T, Haslinger P, Lendl T, Aumayr K, Mairhofer M, Zhu X, Schütz B, Hannibal RL, Lindau R, Weil B, Ernerudh J, Neesen J, Egger G, Mikula M, Röhrl C, Urban AE, Baker J, Knöfler M, Pollheimer J. Genome amplification and cellular senescence are hallmarks of human placenta development. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007698. [PMID: 30312291 PMCID: PMC6200260 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome amplification and cellular senescence are commonly associated with pathological processes. While physiological roles for polyploidization and senescence have been described in mouse development, controversy exists over their significance in humans. Here, we describe tetraploidization and senescence as phenomena of normal human placenta development. During pregnancy, placental extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) invade the pregnant endometrium, termed decidua, to establish an adapted microenvironment required for the developing embryo. This process is critically dependent on continuous cell proliferation and differentiation, which is thought to follow the classical model of cell cycle arrest prior to terminal differentiation. Strikingly, flow cytometry and DNAseq revealed that EVT formation is accompanied with a genome-wide polyploidization, independent of mitotic cycles. DNA replication in these cells was analysed by a fluorescent cell-cycle indicator reporter system, cell cycle marker expression and EdU incorporation. Upon invasion into the decidua, EVTs widely lose their replicative potential and enter a senescent state characterized by high senescence-associated (SA) β-galactosidase activity, induction of a SA secretory phenotype as well as typical metabolic alterations. Furthermore, we show that the shift from endocycle-dependent genome amplification to growth arrest is disturbed in androgenic complete hydatidiform moles (CHM), a hyperplastic pregnancy disorder associated with increased risk of developing choriocarinoma. Senescence is decreased in CHM-EVTs, accompanied by exacerbated endoreduplication and hyperploidy. We propose induction of cellular senescence as a ploidy-limiting mechanism during normal human placentation and unravel a link between excessive polyploidization and reduced senescence in CHM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Velicky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gudrun Meinhardt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kerstin Plessl
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sigrid Vondra
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tamara Weiss
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, St. Anna Children´s Hospital, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Haslinger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Lendl
- Biooptics Facility of Institute of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology and Gregor Mendel Institute, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Aumayr
- Biooptics Facility of Institute of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology and Gregor Mendel Institute, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mario Mairhofer
- Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Xiaowei Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Birgit Schütz
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Roberta L. Hannibal
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Robert Lindau
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Beatrix Weil
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jürgen Neesen
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerda Egger
- Clinical Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mario Mikula
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clemens Röhrl
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander E. Urban
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Tasha and John Morgridge Faculty Scholar, Stanford Child Health Research Institute, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Julie Baker
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Martin Knöfler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jürgen Pollheimer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Hernandez A, Stohn JP. The Type 3 Deiodinase: Epigenetic Control of Brain Thyroid Hormone Action and Neurological Function. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19061804. [PMID: 29921775 PMCID: PMC6032375 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19061804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) influence multiple processes in the developing and adult central nervous system, and their local availability needs to be maintained at levels that are tailored to the requirements of their biological targets. The local complement of TH transporters, deiodinase enzymes, and receptors is critical to ensure specific levels of TH action in neural cells. The type 3 iodothyronine deiodinase (DIO3) inactivates THs and is highly present in the developing and adult brain, where it limits their availability and action. DIO3 deficiency in mice results in a host of neurodevelopmental and behavioral abnormalities, demonstrating the deleterious effects of TH excess, and revealing the critical role of DIO3 in the regulation of TH action in the brain. The fact the Dio3 is an imprinted gene and that its allelic expression pattern varies across brain regions and during development introduces an additional level of control to deliver specific levels of hormone action in the central nervous system (CNS). The sensitive epigenetic nature of the mechanisms controlling the genomic imprinting of Dio3 renders brain TH action particularly susceptible to disruption due to exogenous treatments and environmental exposures, with potential implications for the etiology of human neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Hernandez
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME 04074, USA.
- Graduate School for Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
| | - J Patrizia Stohn
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME 04074, USA.
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17
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Peng H, Zhao P, Liu J, Zhang J, Zhang J, Wang Y, Wu L, Song M, Wang W. Novel Epigenomic Biomarkers of Male Infertility Identified by Methylation Patterns of CpG Sites Within Imprinting Control Regions of H19 and SNRPN Genes. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2018; 22:354-364. [PMID: 29708855 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2018.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Male infertility is an important global health burden that can benefit from novel biomarkers and diagnostics innovation. Aberrant methylation of the imprinted genes H19 and SNRPN (small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N) in sperm DNA has been implicated in abnormal sperm parameters and male infertility. However, whether certain methylation patterns of one or multiple CpG sites within an imprinted gene are pathological for multiple sperm defects remains poorly understood. To examine the diagnostic potential of certain methylation patterns of CpG sites for multiphenotype defects in human sperm, the sperm DNA methylation patterns of individual CpG sites within imprinting control regions (ICRs) of imprinted genes H19 and SNRPN were measured by bisulfite pyrosequencing in a Han Chinese population sample: 39 oligoasthenozoospermia (OA) patients, 36 asthenoteratozoospermia (AT) patients, and 50 normozoospermia (N) controls. A partial least squares discriminant analysis model was built with the CpG sites as independent variables. Among the 16 CpG sites screened, the methylation patterns of eight CpG sites within H19-ICR (CpG sites 1, 6-9, 12 and 15-16), and eight CpG sites within SNRPN-ICR (CpG sites 2, 5-6, 8-10, 13, and 16) correctly classified 74.4% and 72.0% of the samples in terms of male fertile status, respectively. Furthermore, by combination of these 16 selected CpG sites within ICRs of H19 and SNRPN, 88.0% of the samples could be successfully classified. Our study demonstrates that methylation profiles of CpG sites within ICRs of imprinted genes H19 and SNRPN may potentially serve as epigenomic biomarkers for assessment of infertility in men with multiple sperm defects. Further studies in independent population samples are called for diagnostic significance of methylation patterns of CpG sites within imprinted genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongli Peng
- 1 School of Public Health, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China .,2 Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology , Beijing, China
| | - Panlin Zhao
- 3 Air Force General Hospital , PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaonan Liu
- 1 School of Public Health, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China .,2 Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology , Beijing, China
| | - Jinxia Zhang
- 1 School of Public Health, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China .,2 Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology , Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- 1 School of Public Health, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China .,2 Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology , Beijing, China
| | - Youxin Wang
- 1 School of Public Health, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China .,2 Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology , Beijing, China
| | - Lijuan Wu
- 1 School of Public Health, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China .,2 Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology , Beijing, China
| | - Manshu Song
- 1 School of Public Health, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China .,2 Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology , Beijing, China .,4 School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University , Perth, Australia
| | - Wei Wang
- 1 School of Public Health, Capital Medical University , Beijing, China .,2 Municipal Key Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology , Beijing, China .,4 School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University , Perth, Australia .,5 School of Public Health, Taishan Medical University , Taian, China
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YAMADA Y, YAMADA Y. The causal relationship between epigenetic abnormality and cancer development: in vivo reprogramming and its future application. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2018; 94:235-247. [PMID: 29887568 PMCID: PMC6085517 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.94.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that cancer cells acquire epigenetic abnormalities as well as genetic mutations during cancer initiation, maintenance, and progression. However, the role of epigenetic regulation in cancer development, especially at the organismal level, remains to be elucidated. Here, we describe the causative role of epigenetic abnormalities in cancer, referring to our in vivo studies using induced pluripotent stem cell technology. We first summarize epigenetic reorganization during cellular reprogramming and introduce our in vivo reprogramming system for investigating the impact of dedifferentiation-driven epigenetic disruption in cancer development. Accordingly, we propose that particular types of cancer, in which causative mutations are not often detectable, such as pediatric cancers like Wilms' tumor, may develop mainly through alterations in epigenetic regulation triggered by dedifferentiation. Finally, we discuss issues that still remain to be resolved, and propose possible future applications of in vivo reprogramming to study cancer and other biological phenomena including organismal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke YAMADA
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro YAMADA
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Division of Stem Cell Pathology, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- AMED-CREST, AMED, Tokyo, Japan
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19
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Anckaert E, Fair T. DNA methylation reprogramming during oogenesis and interference by reproductive technologies: Studies in mouse and bovine models. Reprod Fertil Dev 2017; 27:739-54. [PMID: 25976160 DOI: 10.1071/rd14333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) to overcome fertility problems has continued to increase since the birth of the first baby conceived by ART over 30 years ago. Similarly, embryo transfer is widely used as a mechanism to advance genetic gain in livestock. Despite repeated optimisation of ART treatments, pre- and postnatal outcomes remain compromised. Epigenetic mechanisms play a fundamental role in successful gametogenesis and development. The best studied of these is DNA methylation; the appropriate establishment of DNA methylation patterns in gametes and early embryos is essential for healthy development. Superovulation studies in the mouse indicate that specific ARTs are associated with normal imprinting establishment in oocytes, but abnormal imprinting maintenance in embryos. A similar limited impact of ART on oocytes has been reported in cattle, whereas the majority of embryo-focused studies have used cloned embryos, which do exhibit aberrant DNA methylation. The present review discusses the impact of ART on oocyte and embryo DNA methylation with regard to data available from mouse and bovine models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Anckaert
- Follicle Biology Laboratory and Center for Reproductive Medicine, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Trudee Fair
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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20
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Genomic imprinting of DIO3, a candidate gene for the syndrome associated with human uniparental disomy of chromosome 14. Eur J Hum Genet 2016; 24:1617-1621. [PMID: 27329732 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2016.66] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with uniparental disomy of chromosome 14 (Temple and Kagami-Ogata syndromes) exhibit a number of developmental abnormalities originating, in part, from aberrant developmental expression of imprinted genes in the DLK1-DIO3 cluster. Although genomic imprinting has been reported in humans for some genes in the cluster, little evidence is available about the imprinting status of DIO3, which modulates developmental exposure to thyroid hormones. We used pyrosequencing to evaluate allelic expression of DLK1 and DIO3 in cDNAs prepared from neonatal foreskins carrying single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the exonic sequence of those genes, and hot-stop PCR to quantify DIO3 allelic expression in cDNA obtained from a skin specimen collected from an adult individual with known parental origin of the DIO3 SNP. In neonatal skin, DLK1 and DIO3 both exhibited a high degree of monoallelic expression from the paternal allele. In the adult skin sample, the allele preferentially expressed is that inherited from the mother, although a different, larger DIO3 mRNA transcript appears the most abundant at this stage. We conclude that DIO3 is an imprinted gene in humans, suggesting that alterations in thyroid hormone exposure during development may partly contribute to the phenotypes associated with uniparental disomy of chromosome 14.
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21
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Hackeng WM, Hruban RH, Offerhaus GJA, Brosens LAA. Surgical and molecular pathology of pancreatic neoplasms. Diagn Pathol 2016; 11:47. [PMID: 27267993 PMCID: PMC4897815 DOI: 10.1186/s13000-016-0497-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Histologic characteristics have proven to be very useful for classifying different types of tumors of the pancreas. As a result, the major tumor types in the pancreas have long been classified based on their microscopic appearance. MAIN BODY Recent advances in whole exome sequencing, gene expression profiling, and knowledge of tumorigenic pathways have deepened our understanding of the underlying biology of pancreatic neoplasia. These advances have not only confirmed the traditional histologic classification system, but also opened new doors to early diagnosis and targeted treatment. CONCLUSION This review discusses the histopathology, genetic and epigenetic alterations and potential treatment targets of the five major malignant pancreatic tumors - pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm, acinar cell carcinoma and pancreatoblastoma.
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MESH Headings
- Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics
- Carcinoma, Acinar Cell/diagnosis
- Carcinoma, Acinar Cell/genetics
- Carcinoma, Acinar Cell/surgery
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/diagnosis
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/genetics
- Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/surgery
- Eye Diseases, Hereditary/diagnosis
- Eye Diseases, Hereditary/genetics
- Eye Diseases, Hereditary/surgery
- Humans
- Neuroendocrine Tumors/diagnosis
- Neuroendocrine Tumors/genetics
- Neuroendocrine Tumors/surgery
- Optic Nerve Diseases/diagnosis
- Optic Nerve Diseases/genetics
- Optic Nerve Diseases/surgery
- Pancreas/pathology
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/diagnosis
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/genetics
- Pancreatic Neoplasms/surgery
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzel M Hackeng
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ralph H Hruban
- Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - G Johan A Offerhaus
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lodewijk A A Brosens
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Martinez-Payo C, Bernabeu RA, Villar IS, Goy EI. Intrauterine Growth Restriction Associated with Hematologic Abnormalities: Probable Manifestations of Placental Mesenchymal Dysplasia. AJP Rep 2015; 5:e085-8. [PMID: 26495159 PMCID: PMC4603849 DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 10/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Placental mesenchymal dysplasia is a rare vascular disease associated with intrauterine growth restriction, fetal demise as well as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Some neonates present hematologic abnormalities possibly related to consumptive coagulopathy and hemolytic anemia in the placental circulation. Case report We present a case of placental mesenchymal dysplasia in a fetus with intrauterine growth restriction and cerebellar hemorrhagic injury diagnosed in the 20th week of pregnancy. During 26th week, our patient had an intrauterine fetal demise in the context of gestational hypertension. We have detailed the ultrasound findings that made us suspect the presence of hematologic disorders during 20th week. Discussion We believe that the cerebellar hematoma could be the consequence of thrombocytopenia accompanied by anemia. If hemorrhagic damage during fetal life is found, above all associates with an anomalous placental appearance and with intrauterine growth restriction, PMD should be suspected along other etiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Martinez-Payo
- Servicio de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocio Alvarez Bernabeu
- Servicio de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Salas Villar
- Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Enrique Iglesias Goy
- Servicio de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
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A novel large deletion of the ICR1 region including H19 and putative enhancer elements. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2015; 16:30. [PMID: 25943194 PMCID: PMC4630834 DOI: 10.1186/s12881-015-0173-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Background Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a rare pediatric overgrowth disorder with a variable clinical phenotype caused by deregulation affecting imprinted genes in the chromosomal region 11p15. Alterations of the imprinting control region 1 (ICR1) at the IGF2/H19 locus resulting in biallelic expression of IGF2 and biallelic silencing of H19 account for approximately 10% of patients with BWS. The majority of these patients have epimutations of the ICR1 without detectable DNA sequence changes. Only a few patients were found to have deletions. Most of these deletions are small affecting different parts of the ICR1 differentially methylated region (ICR1-DMR) removing target sequences for CTCF. Only a very few deletions reported so far include the H19 gene in addition to the CTCF binding sites. None of these deletions include IGF2. Case presentation A male patient was born with hypotonia, facial dysmorphisms and hypoglycemia suggestive of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Using methylation-specific (MS)-MLPA (Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification) we have identified a maternally inherited large deletion of the ICR1 region in a patient and his mother. The deletion results in a variable clinical expression with a classical BWS in the mother and a more severe presentation of BWS in her son. By genome-wide SNP array analysis the deletion was found to span ~100 kb genomic DNA including the ICR1DMR, H19, two adjacent non-imprinted genes and two of three predicted enhancer elements downstream to H19. Methylation analysis by deep bisulfite next generation sequencing revealed hypermethylation of the maternal allele at the IGF2 locus in both, mother and child, although IGF2 is not affected by the deletion. Conclusions We here report on a novel large familial deletion of the ICR1 region in a BWS family. Due to the deletion of the ICR1-DMR CTCF binding cannot take place and the residual enhancer elements have access to the IGF2 promoters. The aberrant methylation (hypermethylation) of the maternal IGF2 allele in both affected family members may reflect the active state of the normally silenced maternal IGF2 copy and can be a consequence of the deletion. The deletion results in a variable clinical phenotype and expression. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12881-015-0173-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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The impact of assisted reproductive technologies on genomic imprinting and imprinting disorders. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2015; 26:210-21. [PMID: 24752003 DOI: 10.1097/gco.0000000000000071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Genomic imprinting refers to preferential allele-specific gene expression. DNA methylation-based molecular mechanisms regulate establishment and maintenance of parental imprints during early embryo development and gametogenesis. Because of the coincident timing, a potential association between assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures and imprinting defects has been investigated in various studies. In this review, we provide an overview of genomic imprinting and present a summary of the relevant clinical data. RECENT FINDINGS ART procedures affect DNA methylation pattern, parental imprinting status, and imprinted gene expression in the mouse embryo. In humans, several case series suggested an association between ART and imprinting disorders, with a three-fold to six-fold higher prevalence of ART use among children born with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome compared to the general population. However, more recent studies failed to support these findings and could not demonstrate an association between imprinting disorders and ARTs, independent of subfertility. SUMMARY ART procedures may affect methylation status of imprinted regions in the DNA, leading to imprinting disorders. Although the low prevalence of imprinting disorders makes it challenging to perform conclusive clinical trials, further studies in large registries are required to determine the real impact of ARTs on their occurrence.
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Martinez ME, Charalambous M, Saferali A, Fiering S, Naumova AK, St Germain D, Ferguson-Smith AC, Hernandez A. Genomic imprinting variations in the mouse type 3 deiodinase gene between tissues and brain regions. Mol Endocrinol 2014; 28:1875-86. [PMID: 25232934 PMCID: PMC4213365 DOI: 10.1210/me.2014-1210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Dio3 gene, which encodes for the type 3 deiodinase (D3), controls thyroid hormone (TH) availability. The lack of D3 in mice results in tissue overexposure to TH and a broad neuroendocrine phenotype. Dio3 is an imprinted gene, preferentially expressed from the paternally inherited allele in the mouse fetus. However, heterozygous mice with paternal inheritance of the inactivating Dio3 mutation exhibit an attenuated phenotype when compared with that of Dio3 null mice. To investigate this milder phenotype, the allelic expression of Dio3 was evaluated in different mouse tissues. Preferential allelic expression of Dio3 from the paternal allele was observed in fetal tissues and neonatal brain regions, whereas the biallelic Dio3 expression occurred in the developing eye, testes, and cerebellum and in the postnatal brain neocortex, which expresses a larger Dio3 mRNA transcript. The newborn hypothalamus manifests the highest degree of Dio3 expression from the paternal allele, compared with other brain regions, and preferential allelic expression of Dio3 in the brain relaxed in late neonatal life. A methylation analysis of two regulatory regions of the Dio3 imprinted domain revealed modest but significant differences between tissues, but these did not consistently correlate with the observed patterns of Dio3 allelic expression. Deletion of the Dio3 gene and promoter did not result in significant changes in the tissue-specific patterns of Dio3 allelic expression. These results suggest the existence of unidentified epigenetic determinants of tissue-specific Dio3 imprinting. The resulting variation in the Dio3 allelic expression between tissues likely explains the phenotypic variation that results from paternal Dio3 haploinsufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Elena Martinez
- Department of Molecular Medicine (M.E.M., D.S.G., A.H.), Maine Medical Center Research Institute, Scarborough, Maine 04074; Centre for Endocrinology (M.C.), William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 1BB, United Kingdom; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Human Genetics (A.S., A.K.N.), McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada H9X 3V9; Department of Microbiology and Immunology (S.F.), Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756; and Department of Genetics (A.C.F.-S.), University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, United Kingdom
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Gatford KL, Heinemann GK, Thompson SD, Zhang JV, Buckberry S, Owens JA, Dekker GA, Roberts CT. Circulating IGF1 and IGF2 and SNP genotypes in men and pregnant and non-pregnant women. Endocr Connect 2014; 3:138-49. [PMID: 25117571 PMCID: PMC4151385 DOI: 10.1530/ec-14-0068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Circulating IGFs are important regulators of prenatal and postnatal growth, and of metabolism and pregnancy, and change with sex, age and pregnancy. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes coding for these hormones associate with circulating abundance of IGF1 and IGF2 in non-pregnant adults and children, but whether this occurs in pregnancy is unknown. We therefore investigated associations of plasma IGF1 and IGF2 with age and genotype at candidate SNPs previously associated with circulating IGF1, IGF2 or methylation of the INS-IGF2-H19 locus in men (n=134), non-pregnant women (n=74) and women at 15 weeks of gestation (n=98). Plasma IGF1 concentrations decreased with age (P<0.001) and plasma IGF1 and IGF2 concentrations were lower in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women or men (each P<0.001). SNP genotypes in the INS-IGF2-H19 locus were associated with plasma IGF1 (IGF2 rs680, IGF2 rs1004446 and IGF2 rs3741204) and IGF2 (IGF2 rs1004446, IGF2 rs3741204 and H19 rs217727). In single SNP models, effects of IGF2 rs680 were similar between groups, with higher plasma IGF1 concentrations in individuals with the GG genotype when compared with GA (P=0.016), or combined GA and AA genotypes (P=0.003). SNPs in the IGF2 gene associated with IGF1 or IGF2 were in linkage disequilibrium, hence these associations could reflect other genotype variations within this region or be due to changes in INS-IGF2-H19 methylation previously associated with some of these variants. As IGF1 in early pregnancy promotes placental differentiation and function, lower IGF1 concentrations in pregnant women carrying IGF2 rs680 A alleles may affect placental development and/or risk of pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- K L Gatford
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive HealthRobinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - G K Heinemann
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive HealthRobinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - S D Thompson
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive HealthRobinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - J V Zhang
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive HealthRobinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - S Buckberry
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive HealthRobinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - J A Owens
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive HealthRobinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - G A Dekker
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive HealthRobinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - C T Roberts
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive HealthRobinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
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Antonini SR, Leal LF, Cavalcanti MM. Pediatric adrenocortical tumors: diagnosis, management and advancements in the understanding of the genetic basis and therapeutic implications. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2014; 9:445-464. [PMID: 30736208 DOI: 10.1586/17446651.2014.941813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Adrenocortical tumors (ACTs) may be sporadic or related to inherited genetic syndromes. Uncovering the molecular defects underlying these genetic syndromes has revealed key signaling pathways involved in adrenocortical tumorigenesis. Although the understanding of ACT biology has improved, to date, very few potential prognostic molecular markers of childhood ACTs have been identified. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment options for pediatric patients with ACTs. A review of the genetic basis of adrenocortical tumorigenesis is presented, focusing on the main molecular abnormalities involved in the tumorigenic process and potential novel therapy targets that have been generated, or are being generated, with the discovery of these molecular defects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Letícia F Leal
- a Department of Pediatrics, Ribeirao Preto Medical-School - University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo M Cavalcanti
- a Department of Pediatrics, Ribeirao Preto Medical-School - University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Zhang Y, Su HJ, Pan KF, Zhang L, Ma JL, Shen L, Li JY, Liu WD, Oze I, Matsuo K, Yuasa Y, You WC. Methylation status of blood leukocyte DNA and risk of gastric cancer in a high-risk Chinese population. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014; 23:2019-26. [PMID: 25086101 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-13-0994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To evaluate the relationship between methylation status of blood leukocyte DNA and risk of gastric cancer, a population-based study was conducted in Linqu County. METHODS Methylation levels of IGFII and N33 were determined by quantitative methylation-specific PCR. The temporal trend of methylation levels during gastric cancer development was investigated in 133 gastric cancer cases from two cohorts with pre- and/or post-gastric cancer samples. As the references of pre-GCs, 204 intestinal metaplasia (IM) or dysplasia (DYS) subjects who did not progress to gastric cancer during the follow-up period were selected. Meanwhile, 285 subjects with superficial gastritis/chronic atrophic gastritis (SG/CAG) were also selected as controls. RESULTS IGFII median methylation level was significantly higher in gastric cancer cases than those with SG/CAG (61.47% vs. 49.73%; P < 0.001). IGFII and N33 methylation levels were elevated at least 5 years ahead of clinical gastric cancer diagnosis comparing with SG/CAG (63.38% vs. 49.73% for IGFII, 9.12% vs. 5.70% for N33; all P < 0.001). Furthermore, the frequency of hypermethylated IGFII was markedly increased in IM or DYS subjects who progressed to gastric cancer in contrast to those who remained with IM and DYS, and adjusted ORs were 12.52 [95% confidence interval (CI), 3.81-41.15] for IM and 10.12 (95% CI, 2.68-38.22) for DYS. Similar results were also found for N33 in subjects with IM (OR, 3.77; 95% CI, 1.20-11.86). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested that hypermethylated IGFII and N33 in blood leukocyte DNA were associated with risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population. IMPACT IGFII and N33 methylation status may be related to gastric carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Hui-Juan Su
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Kai-Feng Pan
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China.
| | - Lian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jun-Ling Ma
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Shen
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Ji-You Li
- Department of Pathology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | | | - Isao Oze
- Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Aichi, Japan
| | - Keitaro Matsuo
- Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Yuasa
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wei-Cheng You
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China.
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Massah S, Hollebakken R, Labrecque MP, Kolybaba AM, Beischlag TV, Prefontaine GG. Epigenetic characterization of the growth hormone gene identifies SmcHD1 as a regulator of autosomal gene clusters. PLoS One 2014; 9:e97535. [PMID: 24818964 PMCID: PMC4018343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2013] [Accepted: 04/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory elements for the mouse growth hormone (GH) gene are located distally in a putative locus control region (LCR) in addition to key elements in the promoter proximal region. The role of promoter DNA methylation for GH gene regulation is not well understood. Pit-1 is a POU transcription factor required for normal pituitary development and obligatory for GH gene expression. In mammals, Pit-1 mutations eliminate GH production resulting in a dwarf phenotype. In this study, dwarf mice illustrated that Pit-1 function was obligatory for GH promoter hypomethylation. By monitoring promoter methylation levels during developmental GH expression we found that the GH promoter became hypomethylated coincident with gene expression. We identified a promoter differentially methylated region (DMR) that was used to characterize a methylation-dependent DNA binding activity. Upon DNA affinity purification using the DMR and nuclear extracts, we identified structural maintenance of chromosomes hinge domain containing -1 (SmcHD1). To better understand the role of SmcHD1 in genome-wide gene expression, we performed microarray analysis and compared changes in gene expression upon reduced levels of SmcHD1 in human cells. Knock-down of SmcHD1 in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells revealed a disproportionate number of up-regulated genes were located on the X-chromosome, but also suggested regulation of genes on non-sex chromosomes. Among those, we identified several genes located in the protocadherin β cluster. In addition, we found that imprinted genes in the H19/Igf2 cluster associated with Beckwith-Wiedemann and Silver-Russell syndromes (BWS & SRS) were dysregulated. For the first time using human cells, we showed that SmcHD1 is an important regulator of imprinted and clustered genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Massah
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Robert Hollebakken
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Mark P. Labrecque
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Addie M. Kolybaba
- Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
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Xu Y, Qi Y, Zhu Y, Ning G, Huang Y. Molecular markers and targeted therapies for adrenocortical carcinoma. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2014; 80:159-68. [PMID: 24304415 DOI: 10.1111/cen.12358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Revised: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a lethal disease with poor prognosis and lack of effective therapeutic options. Systemic treatment is often employed to treat patients with advanced ACC, but outcomes are disappointing. During the last decade, some of the causative genetic mutations in sporadic ACCs have been identified. Molecular analysis has had a significant impact on the understanding of the pathogenetic mechanism of ACC development and the evaluation of prognostic and predictive markers. Preclinical investigations and clinical trials of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and anti-angiogenic compounds have been initiated to seek target therapy of ACCs. This review summarizes the current view of molecular alterations involved in the pathophysiology of adrenocortical carcinogenesis. The rationale for testing targeted therapies of ACC is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunze Xu
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Magalhães HR, Leite SBP, Paz CCPD, Duarte G, Ramos ES. Placental hydroxymethylation vs methylation at the imprinting control region 2 on chromosome 11p15.5. Braz J Med Biol Res 2013; 46:916-919. [PMID: 24270911 PMCID: PMC3854339 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x20133035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to methylated cytosines (5-mCs), hydroxymethylcytosines (5-hmCs) are present in CpG dinucleotide-enriched regions and some transcription regulator binding sites. Unlike methylation, hydroxymethylation does not result in silencing of gene expression, and the most commonly used methods to study methylation, such as techniques based on restriction enzymatic digestion and/or bisulfite modification, are unable to distinguish between them. Genomic imprinting is a process of gene regulation where only one member of an allelic pair is expressed depending on the parental origin. Chromosome 11p15.5 has an imprinting control region (ICR2) that includes a differentially methylated region (KvDMR1) that guarantees parent-specific gene expression. The objective of the present study was to determine the presence of 5-hmC at the KvDMR1 in human placentas. We analyzed 16 third-trimester normal human placentas (chorionic villi). We compared two different methods based on real-time PCR after enzymatic digestion. The first method distinguished methylation from hydroxymethylation, while the other method did not. Unlike other methylation studies, subtle variations of methylation in ICRs could represent a drastic deregulation of the expression of imprinted genes, leading to important phenotypic consequences, and the presence of hydroxymethylation could interfere with the results of many studies. We observed agreement between the results of both methods, indicating the absence of hydroxymethylation at the KvDMR1 in third-trimester placentas. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing the investigation of hydroxymethylation in human placenta using a genomic imprinting model.
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Affiliation(s)
- H R Magalhães
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão PretoSP, Brasil
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Rancourt RC, Harris HR, Barault L, Michels KB. The prevalence of loss of imprinting of H19 and IGF2 at birth. FASEB J 2013; 27:3335-43. [PMID: 23620526 DOI: 10.1096/fj.12-225284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Imprinted genes are monoallelically expressed according to the parent of origin and are critical for proper placental and embryonic development. Disruption of methylation patterns at imprinted loci resulting in loss of imprinting (LOI) may lead to serious imprinting disorders (e.g., Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome) and is described in some cancers (e.g., Wilms' tumor). As most research has focused on children with cancer or other abnormal phenotypes, the imprinting status in healthy infants at birth has not been characterized. We examined the prevalence of H19 and IGF2 LOI at birth by allele-specific expression assays analysis on 114 human individuals. Overall expression and methylation analyses were performed on a subset of samples. We found that LOI of H19 was observed for 4% of individuals in cord blood and 3.3% in placenta, and for IGF2 of 22% of individuals in the cord blood and 0% in placenta. Interestingly, LOI status did not correspond to aberrant methylation levels of the imprinted DMRs or with changes in overall gene expression for the majority of individuals. Our observations suggest that LOI is present in phenotypically healthy infants. Determining a "normal" human epigenotype range is important for discovering factors required to maintain a healthy pregnancy and embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C Rancourt
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Choufani S, Shuman C, Weksberg R. Molecular findings in Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2013; 163C:131-40. [PMID: 23592339 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) has recently been enhanced by advances in its molecular characterization. These advances have further delineated intricate (epi)genetic regulation of the imprinted gene cluster on chromosome 11p15.5 and the role of these genes in normal growth and development. Studies of the molecular changes associated with the BWS phenotype have been instrumental in elucidating critical molecular elements in this imprinted region. This review will provide updated information on the multiple new regulatory elements that have been recently found to contribute to in cis or in trans control of imprinted gene expression in the chromosome 11p15.5 region and the clinical expression of the BWS phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaa Choufani
- Research Institute of the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Nayeri UA, West AB, Grossetta Nardini HK, Copel JA, Sfakianaki AK. Systematic review of sonographic findings of placental mesenchymal dysplasia and subsequent pregnancy outcome. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2013; 41:366-374. [PMID: 23239538 DOI: 10.1002/uog.12359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the sonographic features and pregnancy outcomes of placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD), an entity often misdiagnosed as molar pregnancy. METHODS We reviewed PMD cases from our institution and performed a systematic review of the existing literature. Inclusion criteria for the review were diagnosis of PMD as defined by placental pathology, description of placental morphology on antenatal ultrasound and reporting of pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS We found three cases of PMD at our institution. Patient 1 had elevated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and an enlarged, hydropic placenta at 13 weeks, suggestive of a molar pregnancy. Patient 2 also had elevated hCG with large, vascular placental lakes on ultrasound suggesting placenta accreta or molar pregnancy. Case 3 involved placentomegaly and fetal anomalies suggestive of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. From the literature review, 61 cases met the inclusion criteria. The most common sonographic features included enlarged (50%) and cystic (80%) placenta with dilated chorionic vessels. Biochemical aneuploidy screening abnormalities were relatively common as were fetal anomalies, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and other genetic abnormalities. Pregnancy complications included intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR; 33%), intrauterine fetal death (IUFD; 13%), and preterm labor (33%). Pregnancies without fetal anomalies, IUGR, IUFD or preterm labor had normal neonatal outcomes despite PMD (9%). CONCLUSIONS The differential diagnosis of PMD includes molar pregnancy and other placental vascular anomalies. PMD is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome, so heightened surveillance with genetic evaluation, serial growth scans and third-trimester assessment of wellbeing should be considered. PMD must be differentiated from gestational trophoblastic disease because management and outcomes differ.
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Affiliation(s)
- U A Nayeri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13202, USA.
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35
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Altered expressions and DNA methylation of imprinted genes in chromosome 7 in brain of mouse offspring conceived from in vitro maturation. Reprod Toxicol 2012; 34:420-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2012.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2011] [Revised: 04/03/2012] [Accepted: 04/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Takao T, Asanoma K, Tsunematsu R, Kato K, Wake N. The maternally expressed gene Tssc3 regulates the expression of MASH2 transcription factor in mouse trophoblast stem cells through the AKT-Sp1 signaling pathway. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:42685-94. [PMID: 23071113 PMCID: PMC3522269 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.388777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tssc3 is a maternally expressed/paternally silenced imprinted gene. Recent evidence suggests that the loss of TSSC3 results in placental overgrowth in mice. These findings showed that the TSSC3 gene functions as a negative regulator of placental growth. In this study, we describe the function of TSSC3 and its signaling pathway in mouse trophoblast stem (TS) cell differentiation. First of all, we tested Tssc3 expression levels in TS cells. TS cells expressed Tssc3, and its expression level was the highest from day 1 to 4 but was down-regulated at day 5 after the induction of differentiation. Overexpression of TSSC3 in TS cells up-regulated Gcm1 and Mash2, which are marker genes of mouse trophoblast differentiation. Down-regulation of TSSC3 by siRNA enhanced Pl1 and Tpbpa expression in TS cells cultured under stem cell conditions, suggesting the contribution of TSSC3 to the differentiation from TS to trophoblast progenitors and/or labyrinth trophoblasts. TSSC3 activated the PI3K/AKT pathway through binding with phosphatidylinositol phosphate lipids and enhanced the activity of a promoter containing an E-box structure, which is the binding sequence of the Mash2 downstream target gene promoter. PI3K inhibitor suppressed the promoter activity induced by TSSC3. TSSC3 induced Sp1 translocation from cytoplasm to nucleus through the PI3K/AKT pathway. Nuclear Sp1 activated the Mash2 transcription by Sp1 binding with a consensus Sp1-binding motif. This is the first report describing that TSSC3 plays an important role in the differentiation from TS to trophoblast progenitors and/or labyrinth trophoblasts through the TSSC3/PI3K/AKT/MASH2 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoka Takao
- Research Center for Environment and Developmental Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
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Andreasen L, Bolund L, Niemann I, Hansen E, Sunde L. Mosaic moles and non-familial biparental moles are not caused by mutations in NLRP7, NLRP2 or C6orf221. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 18:593-8. [DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gas036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Busanello A, Battistelli C, Carbone M, Mostocotto C, Maione R. MyoD regulates p57kip2 expression by interacting with a distant cis-element and modifying a higher order chromatin structure. Nucleic Acids Res 2012; 40:8266-75. [PMID: 22740650 PMCID: PMC3458561 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gks619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The bHLH transcription factor MyoD, the prototypical master regulator of differentiation, directs a complex program of gene expression during skeletal myogenesis. The up-regulation of the cdk inhibitor p57kip2 plays a critical role in coordinating differentiation and growth arrest during muscle development, as well as in other tissues. p57kip2 displays a highly specific expression pattern and is subject to a complex epigenetic control driving the imprinting of the paternal allele. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing its expression during development are still poorly understood. We have identified an unexpected mechanism by which MyoD regulates p57kip2 transcription in differentiating muscle cells. We show that the induction of p57kip2 requires MyoD binding to a long-distance element located within the imprinting control region KvDMR1 and the consequent release of a chromatin loop involving p57kip2 promoter. We also show that differentiation-dependent regulation of p57kip2, while involving a region implicated in the imprinting process, is distinct and hierarchically subordinated to the imprinting control. These findings highlight a novel mechanism, involving the modification of higher order chromatin structures, by which MyoD regulates gene expression. Our results also suggest that chromatin folding mediated by KvDMR1 could account for the highly restricted expression of p57kip2 during development and, possibly, for its aberrant silencing in some pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Busanello
- Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, Sezione di Genetica Molecolare, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Viale Regina Elena 324, Roma 00161, Italy
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Rancourt RC, Harris HR, Michels KB. Methylation levels at imprinting control regions are not altered with ovulation induction or in vitro fertilization in a birth cohort. Hum Reprod 2012; 27:2208-16. [PMID: 22587996 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/des151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Do fertility treatments, including ovulation induction (OI), alter epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation at imprinted loci? SUMMARY ANSWER We observed small but statistically significant differences in certain imprinting control regions (ICRs) based on the method of conception, however, these small changes in methylation did not correlate to the overall transcriptional levels of the genes adjacent to the ICRs (such as KCNQ1 and SNRPN). WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been associated with an increase in the risk of rare childhood disorders caused by loss of imprinting (LOI). This study provides novel epigenetic analyses on infants conceived by OI and examines how methylation levels correlate with gene expression. DESIGN Data and biospecimens used in this study were from 147 participants of the Epigenetic Birth Cohort comprising 1941 mother-child dyads recruited between June 2007 and June 2009 at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston, MA, USA. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to examine the differences in median percent methylation at each differentially methylated region (DMR) between the spontaneous conception control group and the fertility treatment groups (OI and IVF). PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING For each woman who reported IVF we selected a woman who conceived spontaneously matched on age (± 2 years). To increase efficiency, we matched the same controls from the spontaneously conceived group to participants who reported OI. If an appropriate control was not identified that had been previously matched to an IVF participant, a new control was selected. The final analytic sample consisted of 61 spontaneous, 59 IVF and 27 OI conceptions. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE No functionally relevant differences in methylation levels were observed across five (out of six) imprinted DMRs in either the placenta or cord blood of infants conceived with OI or IVF compared with infants conceived spontaneously. While KCNQ1, SNRPN and H19 DMRs demonstrated small but statistically significant differences in methylation based on the method of conception, expression levels of the genes related to these control regions only correlated with the methylation levels of H19. BIAS, CONFOUNDING AND OTHER REASONS FOR CAUTION Limitations of our study include the limited sample size, lack of information on OI medication used and culture medium for the IVF procedures and underlying reasons for infertility among OI and IVF patients. We did not perform allele-specific expression analyses and therefore cannot make any inferences about LOI. GENERALIZABILITY TO OTHER POPULATIONS These results are likely to be generalizable to non-Hispanic white individuals in populations with similar ART and fertility treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- R C Rancourt
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Abstract
Pancreatoblastoma is a rare malignant tumor of the pancreas mostly diagnosed in childhood. The clinical presentation and outcome of infantile and congenital pancreatoblastoma have not been clearly elucidated. This report describes our recent institutional experience with an unusual case of congenital pancreatoblastoma. Review of the scientific literature identifies approximately 200 cases of pancreatoblastoma. We describe the 9 infantile (aged 3 mo and younger) and 4 congenital cases previously reported and summarize their clinical presentation and outcome. We also define the close association of infantile/congenital pancreatoblastoma and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (50%) versus all affected age groups (4.5%).
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Nie L, Wu HJ, Hsu JM, Chang SS, LaBaff AM, Li CW, Wang Y, Hsu JL, Hung MC. Long non-coding RNAs: versatile master regulators of gene expression and crucial players in cancer. Am J Transl Res 2012; 4:127-150. [PMID: 22611467 PMCID: PMC3353529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2012] [Accepted: 02/16/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
With rapid development of sequencing technologies such as deep sequencing and whole genome high-density tiling array, we now know that most of the "junk" genomic sequences are transcribed as non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). A large number of long ncRNA transcripts (> 200bp) have been identified, and these long ncRNAs (LncRNAs) are found to be crucial regulators for epigenetic modulation, transcription, and translation. In this review, we briefly summarize the regulatory function of LncRNAs with a particular focus on the underlying mechanisms of LncRNAs in oncogenesis, tumor metastasis and suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Nie
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Hsing-Ju Wu
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University HospitalTaichung,Taiwan
| | - Jung-Mao Hsu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Shih-Shin Chang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Adam M LaBaff
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Chia-Wei Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Jennifer L. Hsu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University HospitalTaichung,Taiwan
- Asia UniversityTaichung, Taiwan
| | - Mien-Chie Hung
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University HospitalTaichung,Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine, China Medical UniversityTaichung, Taiwan
- Asia UniversityTaichung, Taiwan
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Charalambous M, Hernandez A. Genomic imprinting of the type 3 thyroid hormone deiodinase gene: regulation and developmental implications. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2012; 1830:3946-55. [PMID: 22498139 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2012.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2012] [Revised: 03/08/2012] [Accepted: 03/23/2012] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, findings in a number of animal and human models have ignited renewed interest in the type 3 deiodinase (D3), the main enzyme responsible for the inactivation of thyroid hormones. The induction of D3 in models of illness and injury has raised critical questions about the physiological significance of reduced thyroid hormone availability in those states. Phenotypes in transgenic mice lacking this enzyme also point to important developmental roles for D3. A critical determinant of D3 expression is genomic imprinting, an epigenetic phenomenon that regulates a small number of dosage-critical genes in the mammalian genome. The D3 gene (Dio3) is imprinted and preferentially expressed from one of the alleles in most tissues. SCOPE OF REVIEW In the context of the physiological significance of D3 and the characteristics and purported origins of genomic imprinting, we review the current knowledge about the epigenetic mechanisms specifying gene dosage in the Dio3 locus. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS Altered Dio3 dosage is detrimental to development, suggesting that the level of thyroid hormone action needs to be exquisitely tailored in a timely fashion to the requirements of particular tissues. An appropriate Dio3 dosage is the result of the coordinated action of certain genomic elements and epigenetic marks in the Dlk1-Dio3 domain. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The imprinting of Dio3 prompts intriguing questions about why the level of thyroid hormone signaling should be regulated in this rare epigenetic manner, and to what extent altered Dio3 expression due to aberrant imprinting may be implicated in human conditions. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Thyroid hormone signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marika Charalambous
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Lefebvre L. The placental imprintome and imprinted gene function in the trophoblast glycogen cell lineage. Reprod Biomed Online 2012; 25:44-57. [PMID: 22560119 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2012.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2012] [Revised: 03/08/2012] [Accepted: 03/14/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Imprinted genes represent a unique class of autosomal genes expressed from only one of the parental alleles during development. The choice of the expressed allele is not random but rather is determined by the parental origin of the allele. Consequently, the mouse genome contains more than 100 genes expressed preferentially or exclusively from the maternally or the paternally inherited allele. Current research efforts are focused on understanding the molecular mechanism of this epigenetic phenomenon as well as the biological functions of the genes under its regulation. Both theoretical considerations and experimental results support a role for genomic imprinting in the regulation of embryonic growth and placental biology. In this review, recent efforts to establish the complete set of genes showing imprinted expression in the mouse placenta are first discussed. Then, the evidence suggesting that imprinted genes might be implicated in the emergence, maintenance and function of trophoblast glycogen cells is presented. Although the origin and functions of this trophoblast cell lineage are currently unknown, the analysis of mutations in imprinted genes in the mouse are providing new insights into these issues. The implications of this work for placental pathologies in human are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Lefebvre
- Department of Medical Genetics, Molecular Epigenetics Group, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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44
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Ribeiro TC, Latronico AC. Insulin-like growth factor system on adrenocortical tumorigenesis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 351:96-100. [PMID: 22019903 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.09.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2011] [Revised: 09/21/2011] [Accepted: 09/27/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway has many important roles in normal cell growth and development. Remarkably, all of the components of this system (IGFs, receptors, and binding proteins) are expressed in human fetal adrenals. Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, a congenital overgrowth disorder characterized by a high risk of development of childhood tumors, is also distinguished by a high incidence of adrenocortical carcinomas. This disease has been associated with structural abnormalities at the 11p15 locus, which harbors the IGF2 gene as well as the genes coding for insulin, H19, and p57kip2. Notably, rearrangements at the 11p15 locus and overexpression of IGF2 were also described in sporadic adrenocortical tumors. In addition, the IGF2 overexpression was exclusively demonstrated in adults with adrenocortical tumors as a frequent feature of the malignant state. More recent studies demonstrated that the interaction of IGF-2 with IGF receptor type 1 (IGF-1R) plays also a pivotal role in adrenocortical tumorigenesis. IGF1R expression levels were significantly higher in pediatric adrenocortical carcinomas, suggesting that IGF1R expression represents a potential prognostic marker in this group of patients. These findings indicate that the IGF system is an important pathway for autonomous growth of adrenocortical cells and potential inhibitors of this system could be a rational therapeutic target for adrenocortical tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamaya Castro Ribeiro
- Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular, LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Antonini SRR, Colli LM, Ferro L, Mermejo L, Castro MD. Tumores adrenocorticais na criança: da abordagem clínica à avaliação molecular. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 55:599-606. [DOI: 10.1590/s0004-27302011000800014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2011] [Accepted: 10/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Tumores do córtex adrenal (TCA) são mais frequentes em crianças, mas podem ocorrer em qualquer faixa etária. São classificados como funcionantes, não funcionantes (predominam no adulto), e mistos. O diagnóstico é baseado na avaliação clínica, hormonal e exames de imagem. Em crianças, o método de escolha para diferenciar entre benigno ou maligno é a classificação baseada no estadiamento do tumor. Alguns marcadores moleculares merecem destaque: além de mutações inativadoras no gene supressor tumoral TP53, há evidências de envolvimento do IGF2 em 90% de TAC malignos, e mutações no éxon 3 do gene CTNNB1 foram encontradas em 6% dos TAC pediátricos. Além disso, microRNAs podem atuar como reguladores negativos da expressão gênica e participar da tumorigênese adrenocortical. Métodos para análise da expressão gênica permitem identificar TCA com prognóstico bom ou ruim, e espera-se que esses estudos possam facilitar o desenvolvimento de drogas para tratar pacientes de acordo com as vias de sinalização específicas que estiverem alteradas.
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General imprinting status is stable in assisted reproduction-conceived offspring. Fertil Steril 2011; 96:1417-1423.e9. [PMID: 21982732 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2011] [Revised: 09/19/2011] [Accepted: 09/19/2011] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the genomic imprinting status of assistant reproductive technology (ART)-conceived offspring is stable. DESIGN Prospective clinical observational study. SETTING In vitro fertilization (IVF) center, university-affiliated teaching hospital. PATIENT(S) Sixty ART-conceived babies (30 IVF and 30 intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) and 60 naturally conceived babies. INTERVENTION(S) Collection of umbilical cord blood and peripheral blood samples. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Expression profile was examined by microarray and real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), allele-specific expression was studied by direct sequencing after PCR, and DNA methylation status was investigated by sodium bisulfite sequencing. RESULT(S) Hierarchic clustering demonstrated no obvious clustering between the ART- and naturally conceived offspring, suggesting similar genomic imprinting expression between the two groups. Three differentially expressed genes were identified in ART-conceived offspring, with PEG10 and L3MBTL up-regulated and PHLDA2 down-regulated. Allele-specific expression of the differentially expressed imprinted genes was maintained in the majority of the ART- and naturally conceived offspring. However, in one ICSI case, monoallelic expression of L3MBTL was disrupted and all CpGs were completely unmethylated. These were not inherited from the parents. CONCLUSION(S) The global profile of imprinting is stable in children conceived through ART. However, imprinting of a few specific imprinted genes may be vulnerable in a fraction of ART-conceived children.
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Moore GE. What is the evidence for causal epigenetic influences on the Silver–Russell syndrome phenotype? Epigenomics 2011; 3:529-31. [DOI: 10.2217/epi.11.79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gudrun E Moore
- Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street London, WC1C 1EH, UK
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Abstract
Wilms' tumour (WT) is an embryonal cancer of childhood and is thought to be derived from embryonic kidney precursor cells. The Knudson two hit model was initially thought to occur in WT, but findings emerging from genetic and cytogenetic studies in the past two decades have implicated several genetic events. Recent techniques in genetic analysis have improved our ability to characterise changes in genes involved in WT which include WT1, CTNNB1, IGF2 and WTX. These genetic events have not only provided insight into the pathobiology of this malignancy, but the recognition of these candidate genes may offer potential targets for novel therapies. In this review, we will provide an overview of the pathological, genetic and cytogenetic characteristics of WT.
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Tierling S, Souren NY, Reither S, Zang KD, Meng-Hentschel J, Leitner D, Oehl-Jaschkowitz B, Walter J. DNA methylation studies on imprinted loci in a male monozygotic twin pair discordant for Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Clin Genet 2011; 79:546-53. [PMID: 20618351 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2010.01482.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is one of the most prevalent congenital disorders predominantly caused by epigenetic alterations. Here we present an extensive case study of a monozygotic monochorionic male twin pair discordant for BWS. Our analysis allows to correlate BWS symptoms, like a protruding tongue, indented ears and transient neonatal hypoglycaemia, to an abnormal methylation at the KvDMR1. DNAs extracted from peripheral blood, skin fibroblasts, saliva and buccal swab of both twins, their sister and parents were analysed at 11 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) including all four relevant DMRs of the BWS region. The KvDMR1 was exclusively found to be hypomethylated in all cell types of the affected BWS twin, while the unaffected twin and the relatives showed normal methylation in fibroblasts, buccal swab and saliva DNA. Interestingly, the twins share a common blood-specific hypomethylation phenotype most probably caused by a feto-fetal transfusion between both twins. Because microsatellite analysis furthermore revealed a normal biparental karyotype for chromosome 11, our results point to an exclusive correlation of the observed BWS symptoms to locally restricted epimutations at the KvDMR1 of the maternal chromosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Tierling
- Universität des Saarlandes, FR8.3 Biowissenschaften, Genetik/Epigenetik, Saarbrücken, Germany.
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Doi T, Puri P, Bannigan J, Thompson J. Alteration of gene expression of IQGAP1 and Rho-family GTPases in the cadmium-induced ventral body wall defects in the chick model. Reprod Toxicol 2011; 32:124-8. [PMID: 21679763 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2011.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2010] [Revised: 05/06/2011] [Accepted: 05/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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