A NOTCH4 missense mutation confers resistance to multiple sclerosis in Japanese

Exercise Reverses Immune-Related Genes in the Hippocampus of Multiple Sclerosis Patients

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory demyelinating lesions in the white matter of the central nervous system. Studies have shown that exercise is beneficial for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the molecular basis is largely unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We integrated multiple blood and hippocampus transcriptome data from subjects with physical activity or MS. Transcription change associations between physical activity and MS were analyzed with bioinformatic methods including GSEA (Gene Set Enrichment Analysis) and GO (Gene Ontology) analysis.

RESULTS

We find that exercise can specifically reverse immune-related genes in the hippocampus of MS patients, while this effect is not observable in blood. Moreover, many of these reversed genes encode immune-related receptors. Interestingly, higher levels of physical activity have more pronounced effects on the reversal of MS-related transcripts.

CONCLUSIONS

The immune-response related genes or pathways in the hippocampus may be the targets of exercise in alleviating MS conditions, which may offer new therapeutic clues for MS.

Polymorphisms and gene expression of Notch4 in pulmonary tuberculosis

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious public health problem to human health, but the pathogenesis of TB remains elusive.

Methods

To identify novel candidate genes associated with TB susceptibility, we performed a population-based case control study to genotype 41SNPs spanning 21 genes in 435 pulmonary TB patients and 375 health donors from China.

Results

We found Notch4 gene rs206018 and rs422951 polymorphisms were associated with susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis. The association was validated in another independent cohort including 790 TB patients and 1,190 healthy controls. Moreover, we identified that the rs206018 C allele was associated with higher level of Notch4 in PBMCs from pulmonary TB patients. Furthermore, Notch4 expression increased in TB patients and higher Notch4 expression correlated with the severer pulmonary TB. Finally, we explored the origin and signaling pathways involved in the regulation of Notch4 expression in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. We determine that Mtb induced Notch4 and its ligand Jagged1expression in macrophages, and Notch4 through TLR2/P38 signaling pathway and Jagged1 through TLR2/ERK signaling pathway.

Conclusion

Our work further strengthens that Notch4 underlay an increased risk of TB in humans and is involved in the occurrence and development of TB, which could serve as a novel target for the host-targeted therapy of TB.

A Notch4 missense mutation is associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis in Chinese population

BACKGROUND

The infection process of tuberculosis is related to the interactions between Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and the host immune system. Polymorphisms in genes involved in the host immune system are related to susceptibility to tuberculosis. The Notch signalling pathway regulates innate and adaptive immunity. Notch4 is a member of the Notch receptor family and may be a negative regulator of Mtb-induced inflammation. However, little is known about the association between Notch4 genetic polymorphisms and susceptibility to tuberculosis; therefore, we explored the association between Notch4 variants and susceptibility to tuberculosis in China.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 900 tuberculosis patients and 1534 healthy people serving as controls were enrolled consecutively at West China Hospital between January 2014 and February 2016 Twelve selected SNPs (rs2071277, rs2071285, rs206016, rs438475, rs2256594, rs429853, rs422951, rs415929, rs915895, rs443198, rs3830041 and rs375244) were genotyped by a custom-by-design 2 48-plex SNP scan TM kit. The frequencies of the alleles, genotypes and genetic models of the variants were compared between the two groups, while the SNP-SNP interactions were analysed by Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction (MDR) software. The odds ratio (OR) with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated.

RESULTS

The G allele rs2071277 of Notch4 was associated with a decreased risk for tuberculosis (OR 0.844; 95% CI 0.748-0.954, p = .006). The G allele rs422951 of Notch4 was associated with a decreased risk for tuberculosis (OR 0.818; 95% CI 0.703-0.950, p = .008). These findings were consistent with the results from both the dominant model and additive model. The allele, genotype and genetic model frequencies for the other SNPs were similar in the two groups (all P > .05). One haplotype (GTG) consisting of rs2071277, rs2071285 and rs206016 was associated with tuberculosis risk (p = .011).

CONCLUSION

Ours is the first study implies that the G allele variants of rs2071277 and rs422951 in Notch4 influence susceptibility to tuberculosis in a Chinese population, suggesting that Notch signalling is involved in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. More studies with functional verification will refine our understanding of the role of Notch signalling and provide novel avenues for therapeutic intervention.

Genetic risk factors for pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Strong evidence supports the role of both genetic and environmental factors in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) etiology.

OBJECTIVE

We comprehensively investigated the association between established major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and non-MHC adult multiple sclerosis (MS)-associated variants and susceptibility to POMS.

METHODS

Cases with onset <18 years (n = 569) and controls (n = 16,251) were included from the United States and Sweden. Adjusted logistic regression and meta-analyses were performed for individual risk variants and a weighted genetic risk score (wGRS) for non-MHC variants. Results were compared to adult MS cases (n = 7588).

RESULTS

HLA-DRB1*15:01 was strongly associated with POMS (odds ratio (OR)_meta = 2.95, p < 2.0 × 10^-16). Furthermore, 28 of 104 non-MHC variants studied (23%) were associated (p < 0.05); POMS cases carried, on average, a higher burden of these 28 variants compared to adults (OR_avg = 1.24 vs 1.13, respectively), though the difference was not significant. The wGRS was strongly associated with POMS (OR_meta = 2.77, 95% confidence interval: 2.33, 3.32, p < 2.0 × 10^-16) and higher, on average, when compared to adult cases. Additional class III risk variants in the MHC region associated with POMS were revealed after accounting for HLA-DRB1*15:01 and HLA-A*02.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric and adult MS share many genetic variants suggesting similar biological processes are present. MHC variants beyond HLA-DRB1*15:01 and HLA-A*02 are also associated with POMS.

Association of the NOTCH4 Gene Polymorphism rs204993 with Schizophrenia in the Chinese Han Population

NOTCH4 regulates signaling pathways associated with neuronal maturation, a process involved in the development and patterning of the central nervous system. The NOTCH4 gene has also been identified as a possible susceptibility gene for schizophrenia (SCZ). The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between NOTCH4 polymorphisms and SCZ in the Chinese Han population. The rs2071287 and rs204993 polymorphisms of the NOTCH4 gene were analyzed in 443 patients with SCZ and 628 controls of Han Chinese descent. Single SNP allele-, genotype-, and gender-specific associations were analyzed using different models (i.e., additive, dominant, and recessive models). This association study revealed that the rs204993 polymorphism is significantly associated with susceptibility for SCZ and that the AA genotype of rs204993 is associated with a higher risk for SCZ (P = 0.027; OR = 1.460; 95% CI, 1.043–2.054). Our data are consistent with those obtained in previous studies that suggested that rs204993 is associated with SCZ and that the AA genotype of rs204993 demonstrates a higher risk. Further large-scale association analyses in Han Chinese populations are warranted.