1
|
Pradhan A, Mounford H, Peixinho J, Rea E, Epeslidou E, Scott JS, Cull J, Maxwell S, Webster R, Beeson D, Dong YY, Prekovic S, Bermudez I, Newbury DF. Unraveling the molecular interactions between α7 nicotinic receptor and a RIC3 variant associated with backward speech. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:129. [PMID: 38472514 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05149-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Recent work putatively linked a rare genetic variant of the chaperone Resistant to Inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (RIC3) (NM_024557.4:c.262G > A, NP_078833.3:p.G88R) to a unique ability to speak backwards, a language skill that is associated with exceptional working memory capacity. RIC3 is important for the folding, maturation, and functional expression of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). We compared and contrasted the effects of RIC3G88R on assembly, cell surface expression, and function of human α7 receptors using fluorescent protein tagged α7 nAChR and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy imaging in combination with functional assays and 125I-α-bungarotoxin binding. As expected, the wild-type RIC3 protein was found to increase both cell surface and functional expression of α7 receptors. In contrast, the variant form of RIC3 decreased both. FRET analysis showed that RICG88R increased the interactions between RIC3 and α7 protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. These results provide interesting and novel data to show that a RIC3 variant alters the interaction of RIC3 and α7, which translates to decreased cell surface and functional expression of α7 nAChR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Pradhan
- Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, England
| | - Hayley Mounford
- Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, England
| | - Jessica Peixinho
- Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, England
| | - Edward Rea
- Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, England
- Oxford Brookes Centre for Bioimaging, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, England
| | - Emmanouela Epeslidou
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Julia S Scott
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joanna Cull
- Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, England
| | - Susan Maxwell
- Neurosciences Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DS, England
| | - Richard Webster
- Neurosciences Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DS, England
| | - David Beeson
- Neurosciences Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DS, England
| | - Yin Yao Dong
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, England
| | - Stefan Prekovic
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Isabel Bermudez
- Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, England
| | - Dianne F Newbury
- Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, England.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
van Wijngaarden V, de Wilde H, Mink van der Molen D, Petter J, Stegeman I, Gerrits E, Smit AL, van den Boogaard MJ. Genetic outcomes in children with developmental language disorder: a systematic review. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1315229. [PMID: 38298611 PMCID: PMC10828955 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1315229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a common childhood condition negatively influencing communication and psychosocial development. An increasing number of pathogenic variants or chromosomal anomalies possibly related to DLD have been identified. To provide a base for accurate clinical genetic diagnostic work-up for DLD patients, understanding the specific genetic background is crucial. This study aims to give a systematic literature overview of pathogenic variants or chromosomal anomalies causative for DLD in children. Methods We conducted a systematic search in PubMed and Embase on available literature related to the genetic background of diagnosed DLD in children. Included papers were critically appraised before data extraction. An additional search in OMIM was performed to see if the described DLD genes are associated with a broader clinical spectrum. Results The search resulted in 15,842 papers. After assessing eligibility, 47 studies remained, of which 25 studies related to sex chromosome aneuploidies and 15 papers concerned other chromosomal anomalies (SCAs) and/or Copy Number Variants (CNVs), including del15q13.1-13.3 and del16p11.2. The remaining 7 studies displayed a variety of gene variants. 45 (candidate) genes related to language development, including FOXP2, GRIN2A, ERC1, and ATP2C2. After an additional search in the OMIM database, 22 of these genes were associated with a genetic disorder with a broader clinical spectrum, including intellectual disability, epilepsy, and/or autism. Conclusion Our study illustrates that DLD can be related to SCAs and specific CNV's. The reported (candidate) genes (n = 45) in the latter category reflect the genetic heterogeneity and support DLD without any comorbidities and syndromic language disorder have an overlapping genetic etiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hester de Wilde
- Department of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Jildo Petter
- Faculty of Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Inge Stegeman
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ellen Gerrits
- Research Group Speech and Language Therapy, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Adriana L. Smit
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Research Group Speech and Language Therapy, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Espinosa-Mojica AA, Varo Varo C. Determining the Linguistic Profile of Children With Rare Genetic Disorders. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024; 67:170-186. [PMID: 38085694 DOI: 10.1044/2023_jslhr-23-00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Language studies on populations with rare genetic disorders are limited. Hence, there is little data on commonly found or expected developmental linguistic traits and cognitive mechanisms that may be impaired. Based on the hypothesis that there is a close connection between language and cognition and the relevance of specific genetic changes in the development of each, our goal was to provide linguistic data on relationships with other executive functioning mechanisms. METHOD This study assessed language skills, communicative behaviors, and executive functions in four children, aged 7-9 years, with rare genetic disorders, using standardized protocols and tests. RESULTS The findings revealed different levels of language impairment and executive functioning problems in each case. The overall executive function index performance for each of the four cases studied was clinically significantly high, indicating executive dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS The cases analyzed illustrate different types of atypical development that affect both language and other cognitive mechanisms and underscore the importance of executive skills and the various ways in which they are involved in diverse levels of language that might be affected to a greater or lesser degree in rare genetic disorders. In conclusion, we found that language dysfunction is a salient feature of the rare genetic disorders included in our study, although this is not necessarily true for all genetic disorders. Along with these conclusive results, we performed a qualitative analysis of the linguistic and cognitive components that enable functional communication in order to allow optimal interpretation of the data we have collected, laying the foundations for a more effective therapeutic approach.
Collapse
|
4
|
Giovenale AMG, Ruotolo G, Soriano AA, Turco EM, Rotundo G, Casamassa A, D’Anzi A, Vescovi AL, Rosati J. Deepening the understanding of CNVs on chromosome 15q11-13 by using hiPSCs: An overview. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1107881. [PMID: 36684422 PMCID: PMC9852989 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1107881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The human α7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNA7) is widely expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems. This receptor is implicated in both brain development and adult neurogenesis thanks to its ability to mediate acetylcholine stimulus (Ach). Copy number variations (CNVs) of CHRNA7 gene have been identified in humans and are genetically linked to cognitive impairments associated with multiple disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and others. Currently, α7 receptor analysis has been commonly performed in animal models due to the impossibility of direct investigation of the living human brain. But the use of model systems has shown that there are very large differences between humans and mice when researchers must study the CNVs and, in particular, the CNV of chromosome 15q13.3 where the CHRNA7 gene is present. In fact, human beings present genomic alterations as well as the presence of genes of recent origin that are not present in other model systems as well as they show a very heterogeneous symptomatology that is associated with both their genetic background and the environment where they live. To date, the induced pluripotent stem cells, obtained from patients carrying CNV in CHRNA7 gene, are a good in vitro model for studying the association of the α7 receptor to human diseases. In this review, we will outline the current state of hiPSCs technology applications in neurological diseases caused by CNVs in CHRNA7 gene. Furthermore, we will discuss some weaknesses that emerge from the overall analysis of the published articles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Maria Giada Giovenale
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy,Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Ruotolo
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy,Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Amata Amy Soriano
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Elisa Maria Turco
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Giovannina Rotundo
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Alessia Casamassa
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Angela D’Anzi
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Angelo Luigi Vescovi
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy,Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy,*Correspondence: Jessica Rosati, ; Angelo Luigi Vescovi,
| | - Jessica Rosati
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy,*Correspondence: Jessica Rosati, ; Angelo Luigi Vescovi,
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Selten I, Boerma T, Everaert E, Gerrits E, Houben M, Wijnen F, Vorstman J. Behaviors related to autism spectrum disorder in children with developmental language disorder and children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS 2023; 8:23969415231179844. [PMID: 37362238 PMCID: PMC10286206 DOI: 10.1177/23969415231179844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Background and Aim Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) are at an increased risk to develop behaviors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The relationship between early language difficulties and the occurrence of ASD-related behaviors in DLD is poorly understood. One factor that may hinder progress in understanding this relationship is the etiological heterogeneity of DLD. We therefore study this relationship in an etiologically homogeneous group of children, who share phenotypic characteristics with children with DLD: children with the 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11DS). We compare children with 22q11DS, to children with DLD and age-matched typically developing children (TD). Method 44 children with 22q11DS, 65 children with DLD and 81 TD children, between 3.0-6.5 years old, participated in a longitudinal cohort study that included a baseline measure and a follow-up measure with a 1-year interval. A parental questionnaire (SRS-2) was used to measure the incidence of behaviors in two key behavioral domains associated with ASD: Social Communication and Interaction and Restricted Repetitive Behaviors and Interests. At baseline, we assessed children's expressive and receptive language abilities as well as their intellectual functioning with standardized tests. We compared the distribution of ASD-related behaviors between the three groups. We used regression analyses to investigate whether language abilities at baseline predict ASD-related behavior at follow-up, accounting for ASD-related behavior at baseline, demographic variables and intellectual functioning. Results Both the children with 22q11DS and the children with DLD displayed significantly more ASD-related behaviors than the TD children. Over 30% of children in both clinical groups had scores exceeding the subclinical threshold for ASD in both behavioral domains. Both in 22q11DS and DLD, baseline receptive language scores were negatively correlated with ASD-related behaviors 1 year later, when controlling for baseline SRS-scores. However, this association was statistically significant only in children with 22q11DS, even when controlled for IQ-scores, and it was significantly stronger as than in the TD group. The strength of the association did not differ significantly between 22q11DS and DLD. Conclusion Both children with 22q11DS and children with DLD present with elevated rates of ASD-related behaviors at a preschool-age. Only in children with 22q11DS we observed that weaker receptive language skills were related to increased behavioral problems in the domain of social communication and interaction one year later. Implications Our findings indicate that relations between early language impairment and other behavioral phenotypes may be more feasible to detect in a subgroup of children with a homogeneous etiology, than in a group of children with a heterogeneous etiology (such as children with DLD). Our results in 22q11DS reveal that receptive language is especially important in predicting the occurrence of ASD-related behaviors. Future research is needed to determine to what extent receptive language predicts the occurrence of ASD-related behaviors in children with DLD, especially among those children with DLD with the weakest receptive language. Clinically, screening for ASD-related behaviors in children with developmental language difficulties is recommended from a young age, especially among children with receptive language difficulties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iris Selten
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, Research Institute, and Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Emma Everaert
- Institute for Language Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen Gerrits
- Institute for Language Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Research group Speech and Language Therapy – Participation is Communication, HU University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel Houben
- Department of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Wijnen
- Institute for Language Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Erbeli F, Rice M, Paracchini S. Insights into Dyslexia Genetics Research from the Last Two Decades. Brain Sci 2021; 12:27. [PMID: 35053771 PMCID: PMC8773624 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dyslexia, a specific reading disability, is a common (up to 10% of children) and highly heritable (~70%) neurodevelopmental disorder. Behavioral and molecular genetic approaches are aimed towards dissecting its significant genetic component. In the proposed review, we will summarize advances in twin and molecular genetic research from the past 20 years. First, we will briefly outline the clinical and educational presentation and epidemiology of dyslexia. Next, we will summarize results from twin studies, followed by molecular genetic research (e.g., genome-wide association studies (GWASs)). In particular, we will highlight converging key insights from genetic research. (1) Dyslexia is a highly polygenic neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex genetic architecture. (2) Dyslexia categories share a large proportion of genetics with continuously distributed measures of reading skills, with shared genetic risks also seen across development. (3) Dyslexia genetic risks are shared with those implicated in many other neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., developmental language disorder and dyscalculia). Finally, we will discuss the implications and future directions. As the diversity of genetic studies continues to increase through international collaborate efforts, we will highlight the challenges in advances of genetics discoveries in this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florina Erbeli
- Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Marianne Rice
- Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Silvia Paracchini
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9AJ, UK;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Budisteanu M, Papuc SM, Streata I, Cucu M, Pirvu A, Serban-Sosoi S, Erbescu A, Andrei E, Iliescu C, Ioana D, Severin E, Ioana M, Arghir A. The Phenotypic Spectrum of 15q13.3 Region Duplications: Report of 5 Patients. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:1025. [PMID: 34356041 PMCID: PMC8306426 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome 15q13.3 microduplications are associated with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from normal to different neuropsychiatric conditions, such as developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), epilepsy, hypotonia, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. The smallest region of overlap for 15q13.3 duplications encompasses the Cholinergic Receptor Nicotinic Alpha 7 Subunit (CHRNA7) gene, a strong candidate for the behavioral abnormalities. We report on a series of five patients with 15q13.3 duplications detected by chromosomal microarray. The size of the duplications ranged from 378 to 537 kb, and involved the CHRNA7 gene in all patients. The most common clinical features, present in all patients, were speech delay, autistic behavior, and muscle hypotonia; DD/ID was present in three patients. One patient presented epileptic seizures; EEG anomalies were observed in three patients. No consistent dysmorphic features were noted. Neuroimaging studies revealed anomalies in two patients: Dandy-Walker malformation and a right temporal cyst. 15q13.3 duplications are associated with various neuropsychiatric features, including speech delay, hypotonia, ASD, and ID, also present in our patient group. Our study brings detailed clinical and molecular data from five ASD patients with 15q13.3 microduplications involving the CHRNA7 gene, contributing to the existing knowledge about the association of 15q13.3 duplications with neuropsychiatric phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Budisteanu
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Prof. Dr. Alex. Obregia Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, 041914 Bucharest, Romania; (M.B.); (E.A.); (C.I.); (D.I.)
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania; (A.E.); (A.A.)
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Titu Maiorescu University, 031593 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Sorina Mihaela Papuc
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania; (A.E.); (A.A.)
| | - Ioana Streata
- Human Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania; (I.S.); (M.C.); (A.P.); (S.S.-S.); (M.I.)
- Regional Center of Medical Genetics Dolj, 200642 Craiova, Romania
| | - Mihai Cucu
- Human Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania; (I.S.); (M.C.); (A.P.); (S.S.-S.); (M.I.)
- Regional Center of Medical Genetics Dolj, 200642 Craiova, Romania
| | - Andrei Pirvu
- Human Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania; (I.S.); (M.C.); (A.P.); (S.S.-S.); (M.I.)
- Regional Center of Medical Genetics Dolj, 200642 Craiova, Romania
| | - Simona Serban-Sosoi
- Human Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania; (I.S.); (M.C.); (A.P.); (S.S.-S.); (M.I.)
- Regional Center of Medical Genetics Dolj, 200642 Craiova, Romania
| | - Alina Erbescu
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania; (A.E.); (A.A.)
| | - Emanuela Andrei
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Prof. Dr. Alex. Obregia Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, 041914 Bucharest, Romania; (M.B.); (E.A.); (C.I.); (D.I.)
| | - Catrinel Iliescu
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Prof. Dr. Alex. Obregia Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, 041914 Bucharest, Romania; (M.B.); (E.A.); (C.I.); (D.I.)
| | - Doina Ioana
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Prof. Dr. Alex. Obregia Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, 041914 Bucharest, Romania; (M.B.); (E.A.); (C.I.); (D.I.)
| | - Emilia Severin
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest, 050474 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Mihai Ioana
- Human Genomics Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania; (I.S.); (M.C.); (A.P.); (S.S.-S.); (M.I.)
- Regional Center of Medical Genetics Dolj, 200642 Craiova, Romania
| | - Aurora Arghir
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania; (A.E.); (A.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Martinelli A, Rice ML, Talcott JB, Diaz R, Smith S, Raza MH, Snowling MJ, Hulme C, Stein J, Hayiou-Thomas ME, Hawi Z, Kent L, Pitt SJ, Newbury DF, Paracchini S. A rare missense variant in the ATP2C2 gene is associated with language impairment and related measures. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:1160-1171. [PMID: 33864365 PMCID: PMC8188402 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
At least 5% of children present unexpected difficulties in expressing and understanding spoken language. This condition is highly heritable and often co-occurs with other neurodevelopmental disorders such as dyslexia and ADHD. Through an exome sequencing analysis, we identified a rare missense variant (chr16:84405221, GRCh38.p12) in the ATP2C2 gene. ATP2C2 was implicated in language disorders by linkage and association studies, and exactly the same variant was reported previously in a different exome sequencing study for language impairment (LI). We followed up this finding by genotyping the mutation in cohorts selected for LI and comorbid disorders. We found that the variant had a higher frequency in LI cases (1.8%, N = 360) compared with cohorts selected for dyslexia (0.8%, N = 520) and ADHD (0.7%, N = 150), which presented frequencies comparable to reference databases (0.9%, N = 24 046 gnomAD controls). Additionally, we observed that carriers of the rare variant identified from a general population cohort (N = 42, ALSPAC cohort) presented, as a group, lower scores on a range of reading and language-related measures compared to controls (N = 1825; minimum P = 0.002 for non-word reading). ATP2C2 encodes for an ATPase (SPCA2) that transports calcium and manganese ions into the Golgi lumen. Our functional characterization suggested that the rare variant influences the ATPase activity of SPCA2. Thus, our results further support the role of ATP2C2 locus in language-related phenotypes and pinpoint the possible effects of a specific rare variant at molecular level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mabel L Rice
- Child Language Doctoral Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Joel B Talcott
- Aston Brain Centre, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Rebeca Diaz
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Shelley Smith
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | | | - Margaret J Snowling
- Department of Experimental Psychology and St John's College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Charles Hulme
- Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - John Stein
- Department of Physiology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Ziarih Hawi
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Lindsey Kent
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Samantha J Pitt
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Dianne F Newbury
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pavone P, Pappalardo XG, Ohazuruike UNN, Striano P, Parisi P, Corsello G, Marino SD, Ruggieri M, Parano E, Falsaperla R. Chromosome 15q BP4-BP5 Deletion in a Girl with Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy, Migraine, Circumscribed Hypertrichosis, and Language Impairment. J Epilepsy Res 2020; 10:84-91. [PMID: 33659201 PMCID: PMC7903043 DOI: 10.14581/jer.20014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The 15q13.3 microdeletion (microdel15q13.3) syndrome (OMIM 612001) has been reported in healthy subjects as well as in individuals with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from mild to severe neurological disorders, including developmental delay/intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, behavioral problems and speech dysfunction. This study explored the link between this genomic rearrangement and nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE), which could improve the clinical interpretation. A clinical and genomic investigation was carried out on an 8-year-girl with a de novo deletion flanking the breakpoints (BPs) 4 and 5 of 15q13.3 detected by array comparative genomic hybridization analysis, affected by NFLE, migraine with aura, minor facial features, mild cognitive and language impairment, and circumscribed hypertrichosis. Literature survey of clinical studies was included. Nine years follow-up have displayed a benign course of the epileptic disorder with a progressive reduction and disappearance of the epileptic seizures, mild improvement of cognitive and language skills, partial cutaneous hypertrichosis regression, but stable ongoing of migraine episodes. A likely relationship between the BP4–BP5 deletion and NFLE with other symptoms presented by the girl is discussed together with a review of the literature on phenotypic features in microdel15q13.3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Piero Pavone
- Unit of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
| | - Xena Giada Pappalardo
- Unit of Catania, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Council of Research, Catania, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Pasquale Striano
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS 'G. Gaslini' Institute, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pasquale Parisi
- Child Neurology, NESMOS Department, Faculty of Medicine & Psychology, "Sapienza" University, c/o Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Corsello
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Martino Ruggieri
- Unit of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
| | - Enrico Parano
- Unit of Catania, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Council of Research, Catania, Italy
| | - Raffaele Falsaperla
- Unit of Neonatology University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Paduano F, Colao E, Loddo S, Orlando V, Trapasso F, Novelli A, Perrotti N, Iuliano R. 7q35 Microdeletion and 15q13.3 and Xp22.33 Microduplications in a Patient with Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy, Microcephaly, Dysmorphisms, Severe Psychomotor Delay and Intellectual Disability. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11050525. [PMID: 32397165 PMCID: PMC7288449 DOI: 10.3390/genes11050525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Copy number variations (CNVs) play a key role in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we describe the detection of three CNVs simultaneously in a female patient with evidence of severe myoclonic epilepsy, microcephaly, hypertelorism, dimorphisms as well as severe psychomotor delay and intellectual disability. Array-CGH analysis revealed a ~240 kb microdeletion at the 7q35 inherited from her father, a ∼538 kb microduplication at the 15q13.3 region and a ∼178 kb microduplication at Xp22.33 region, both transmitted from her mother. The microdeletion in 7q35 was included within an intragenic region of the contactin associated protein-like 2 (CNTNAP2) gene, whereas the microduplications at 15q13.3 and Xp22.33 involved the cholinergic receptor nicotinic α 7 subunit (CHRNA7) and the cytokine receptor-like factor 2 (CRLF2) genes, respectively. Here, we describe a female patient harbouring three CNVs whose additive contribution could be responsible for her clinical phenotypes.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Adult
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15/ultrastructure
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7/ultrastructure
- Chromosomes, Human, X/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, X/ultrastructure
- Consanguinity
- DNA Copy Number Variations
- Epilepsies, Myoclonic/genetics
- Female
- Gene Duplication
- Genetic Association Studies
- Humans
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Microcephaly/genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics
- Pedigree
- Receptors, Cytokine/genetics
- Sequence Deletion
- Tissue Array Analysis
- alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor/genetics
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Paduano
- Medical Genetics Unit, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.P.); (E.C.); (F.T.); (N.P.)
- Tecnologica Research Institute and Marrelli Health, Biomedical Section, Stem Cells Unit, 88900 Crotone, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Campus S. Venuta, Viale Europa, Località Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Emma Colao
- Medical Genetics Unit, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.P.); (E.C.); (F.T.); (N.P.)
| | - Sara Loddo
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (V.O.); (A.N.)
| | - Valeria Orlando
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (V.O.); (A.N.)
| | - Francesco Trapasso
- Medical Genetics Unit, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.P.); (E.C.); (F.T.); (N.P.)
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Campus S. Venuta, Viale Europa, Località Germaneto, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Antonio Novelli
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy; (S.L.); (V.O.); (A.N.)
| | - Nicola Perrotti
- Medical Genetics Unit, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.P.); (E.C.); (F.T.); (N.P.)
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Iuliano
- Medical Genetics Unit, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (F.P.); (E.C.); (F.T.); (N.P.)
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Casamassa A, Ferrari D, Gelati M, Carella M, Vescovi AL, Rosati J. A Link between Genetic Disorders and Cellular Impairment, Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Reveal the Functional Consequences of Copy Number Variations in the Central Nervous System-A Close Look at Chromosome 15. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051860. [PMID: 32182809 PMCID: PMC7084702 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent cutting-edge human genetics technology has allowed us to identify copy number variations (CNVs) and has provided new insights for understanding causative mechanisms of human diseases. A growing number of studies show that CNVs could be associated with physiological mechanisms linked to evolutionary trigger, as well as to the pathogenesis of various diseases, including cancer, autoimmune disease and mental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, intellectual disabilities or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Their incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity make diagnosis difficult and hinder comprehension of the mechanistic bases of these disorders. Additional elements such as co-presence of other CNVs, genomic background and environmental factors are involved in determining the final phenotype associated with a CNV. Genetically engineered animal models are helpful tools for understanding the behavioral consequences of CNVs. However, the genetic background and the biology of these animal model systems have sometimes led to confusing results. New cellular models obtained through somatic cellular reprogramming technology that produce induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from human subjects are being used to explore the mechanisms involved in the pathogenic consequences of CNVs. Considering the vast quantity of CNVs found in the human genome, we intend to focus on reviewing the current literature on the use of iPSCs carrying CNVs on chromosome 15, highlighting advantages and limits of this system with respect to mouse model systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Casamassa
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy;
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Viale Abramo Lincoln 5, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Daniela Ferrari
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy;
| | - Maurizio Gelati
- Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy; (M.G.); (M.C.)
| | - Massimo Carella
- Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy; (M.G.); (M.C.)
| | - Angelo Luigi Vescovi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy;
- Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy; (M.G.); (M.C.)
- Correspondence: (A.L.V.); (J.R.)
| | - Jessica Rosati
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy;
- Correspondence: (A.L.V.); (J.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hitchcock TJ, Paracchini S, Gardner A. Genomic Imprinting As a Window into Human Language Evolution. Bioessays 2020; 41:e1800212. [PMID: 31132171 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201800212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Humans spend large portions of their time and energy talking to one another, yet it remains unclear whether this activity is primarily selfish or altruistic. Here, it is shown how parent-of-origin specific gene expression-or "genomic imprinting"-may provide an answer to this question. First, it is shown why, regarding language, only altruistic or selfish scenarios are expected. Second, it is pointed out that an individual's maternal-origin and paternal-origin genes may have different evolutionary interests regarding investment into language, and that this intragenomic conflict may drive genomic imprinting which-as the direction of imprint depends upon whether investment into language is relatively selfish or altruistic-may be used to discriminate between these two possibilities. Third, predictions concerning the impact of various mutations and epimutations at imprinted loci on language pathologies are derived. In doing so, a framework is developed that highlights avenues for using intragenomic conflicts to investigate the evolutionary drivers of language.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Hitchcock
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Dyers Brae, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, UK
| | - Silvia Paracchini
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9TF, UK
| | - Andy Gardner
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Dyers Brae, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Pavone P, Ruggieri M, Marino SD, Corsello G, Pappalardo X, Polizzi A, Parano E, Romano C, Marino S, Praticò AD, Falsaperla R. Chromosome 15q BP3 to BP5 deletion is a likely locus for speech delay and language impairment: Report on a four-member family and an unrelated boy. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2020; 8:e1109. [PMID: 31991071 PMCID: PMC7196468 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Deletions in chromosome 15q13 have been reported both in healthy people and individuals with a wide range of behavioral and neuropsychiatric disturbances. Six main breakpoint (BP) subregions (BP1‐BP6) are mapped to the 15q13 region and three further embedded BP regions (BP3‐BP5). The deletion at BP4‐BP5 is the rearrangement most frequently observed compared to other known deletions in BP3‐BP5 and BP3‐BP4 regions. Deletions of each of these three regions have previously been implicated in a variable range of clinical phenotypes, including minor dysmorphism, developmental delay/intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders, behavioral disturbances, and speech disorders. Of note, no overt clinical difference among each group of BP region deletions has been recorded so far. Methods We report on a four‐member family plus an additional unrelated boy affected by a BP3‐BP5 deletion that presented with typical clinical signs including speech delay and language impairment. A review of the clinical features associated with the three main groups of BP regions (BP4‐BP5, BP3‐BP5, and BP3‐BP4) deletions is reported. Results Array‐CGH analysis revealed in the mother (case 1) and in her three children (cases 2, 3, and 4), as well as in the unrelated boy (case 5), the following rearrangement: arr (hg19) 15q13.1‐q13.3 (29.213.402–32.510.863) x1. Conclusion This report, along with other recent observations, suggests the hypothesis that the BP region comprised between BP3 and BP5 in chromosome 15q13 is involved in several brain human dysfunctions, including impairment of the language development and, its deletion, may be directly or indirectly responsible for the speech delay and language deficit in the affected individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Piero Pavone
- Unit of Clinical Pediatrics, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", University of Catania, Catania, Italy.,Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Martino Ruggieri
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Simona D Marino
- Units of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Corsello
- Units of Pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care, Department of Health Promotion of Maternal-Infantile Care and of Excellence Internal and Specialist Medicine "G. D'Alessandro" [PROMISE], University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Xena Pappalardo
- National Council of Research, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Unit of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Agata Polizzi
- Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Enrico Parano
- National Council of Research, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Unit of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Catia Romano
- Units of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
| | - Silvia Marino
- Units of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
| | - Andrea Domenico Praticò
- Unit of Rare Diseases of the Nervous System in Childhood, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Raffaele Falsaperla
- Units of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency, University Hospital "Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele", Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Felix RA, Chavez VA, Novicio DM, Morley BJ, Portfors CV. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit α 7-knockout mice exhibit degraded auditory temporal processing. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:451-465. [PMID: 31116647 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00170.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The CHRNA7 gene that encodes the α7-subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) has been associated with some autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental conditions characterized, in part, by auditory and language impairment. These conditions may include auditory processing disorders that represent impaired timing of neural activity, often accompanied by problems understanding speech. Here, we measure timing properties of sound-evoked activity via the auditory brainstem response (ABR) of α7-nAChR knockout mice of both sexes and wild-type colony controls. We find a significant timing delay in evoked ABR signals that represents midbrain activity in knockouts. We also examine spike-timing properties of neurons in the inferior colliculus, a midbrain nucleus that exhibits high levels of α7-nAChR during development. We find delays of evoked responses along with degraded spiking precision in knockout animals. We find similar timing deficits in responses of neurons in the superior paraolivary nucleus and ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, which are brainstem nuclei thought to shape temporal precision in the midbrain. In addition, we find that other measures of temporal acuity including forward masking and gap detection are impaired for knockout animals. We conclude that altered temporal processing at the level of the brainstem in α7-nAChR-deficient mice may contribute to degraded spike timing in the midbrain, which may underlie the observed timing delay in the ABR signals. Our findings are consistent with a role for the α7-nAChR in types of neurodevelopmental and auditory processing disorders and we identify potential neural targets for intervention.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Disrupted signaling via the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders that include impaired auditory processing. The underlying causes of dysfunction are not known but a common feature is abnormal timing of neural activity. We examined temporal processing of α7-nAChR knockout mice and wild-type controls. We found degraded spike timing of neurons in knockout animals, which manifests at the level of the auditory brainstem and midbrain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Felix
- School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Integrated Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, Washington
| | - Vicente A Chavez
- School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Integrated Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, Washington
| | - Dyana M Novicio
- School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Integrated Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, Washington
| | | | - Christine V Portfors
- School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Integrated Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, Washington
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Peter B, Dinu V, Liu L, Huentelman M, Naymik M, Lancaster H, Vose C, Schrauwen I. Exome Sequencing of Two Siblings with Sporadic Autism Spectrum Disorder and Severe Speech Sound Disorder Suggests Pleiotropic and Complex Effects. Behav Genet 2019; 49:399-414. [DOI: 10.1007/s10519-019-09957-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
|
16
|
The DCDC2 deletion is not a risk factor for dyslexia. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1182. [PMID: 28742079 PMCID: PMC5538127 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 05/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dyslexia is a specific impairment in learning to read and has strong heritability. An intronic deletion within the DCDC2 gene, with ~8% frequency in European populations, is increasingly used as a marker for dyslexia in neuroimaging and behavioral studies. At a mechanistic level, this deletion has been proposed to influence sensory processing capacity, and in particular sensitivity to visual coherent motion. Our re-assessment of the literature, however, did not reveal strong support for a role of this specific deletion in dyslexia. We also analyzed data from five distinct cohorts, enriched for individuals with dyslexia, and did not identify any signal indicative of associations for the DCDC2 deletion with reading-related measures, including in a combined sample analysis (N=526). We believe we conducted the first replication analysis for a proposed deletion effect on visual motion perception and found no association (N=445 siblings). We also report that the DCDC2 deletion has a frequency of 37.6% in a cohort representative of the general population recruited in Hong Kong (N=220). This figure, together with a lack of association between the deletion and reading abilities in this cohort, indicates the low likelihood of a direct deletion effect on reading skills. Therefore, on the basis of multiple strands of evidence, we conclude that the DCDC2 deletion is not a strong risk factor for dyslexia. Our analyses and literature re-evaluation are important for interpreting current developments within multidisciplinary studies of dyslexia and, more generally, contribute to current discussions about the importance of reproducibility in science.
Collapse
|
17
|
Zhou D, Gochman P, Broadnax DD, Rapoport JL, Ahn K. 15q13.3 duplication in two patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171:777-83. [PMID: 26968334 PMCID: PMC5069586 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
We report two cases of paternally inherited 15q13.3 duplications in carriers diagnosed with childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS), a rare neurodevelopmental disorder of proposed polygenic origin with onset in children before age 13. This study documents that the 15q13.3 deletion and duplication exhibit pathogenicity for COS, with both copy number variants (CNVs) sharing a disrupted CHRNA7 gene. CHRNA7 encodes the neuronal alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) and is a candidate gene that has been suggested as a pathophysiological process mediating adult-onset schizophrenia (AOS) and other neurodevelopmental disorders. These results support the incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity of this CNV and represent the first report of 15q13.3 duplication carriers exhibiting COS. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dale Zhou
- Child Psychiatry BranchNational Institute of Mental HealthNIHMaryland
| | - Peter Gochman
- Child Psychiatry BranchNational Institute of Mental HealthNIHMaryland
| | - Diane D. Broadnax
- Child Psychiatry BranchNational Institute of Mental HealthNIHMaryland
| | | | - Kwangmi Ahn
- Child Psychiatry BranchNational Institute of Mental HealthNIHMaryland
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Pettigrew KA, Frinton E, Nudel R, Chan MTM, Thompson P, Hayiou-Thomas ME, Talcott JB, Stein J, Monaco AP, Hulme C, Snowling MJ, Newbury DF, Paracchini S. Further evidence for a parent-of-origin effect at the NOP9 locus on language-related phenotypes. J Neurodev Disord 2016; 8:24. [PMID: 27307794 PMCID: PMC4908686 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-016-9157-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Specific language impairment (SLI) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, observed in 5-10 % of children. Family and twin studies suggest a strong genetic component, but relatively few candidate genes have been reported to date. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) described the first statistically significant association specifically for a SLI cohort between a missense variant (rs4280164) in the NOP9 gene and language-related phenotypes under a parent-of-origin model. Replications of these findings are particularly challenging because the availability of parental DNA is required. METHODS We used two independent family-based cohorts characterised with reading- and language-related traits: a longitudinal cohort (n = 106 informative families) including children with language and reading difficulties and a nuclear family cohort (n = 264 families) selected for dyslexia. RESULTS We observed association with language-related measures when modelling for parent-of-origin effects at the NOP9 locus in both cohorts: minimum P = 0.001 for phonological awareness with a paternal effect in the first cohort and minimum P = 0.0004 for irregular word reading with a maternal effect in the second cohort. Allelic and parental trends were not consistent when compared to the original study. CONCLUSIONS A parent-of-origin effect at this locus was detected in both cohorts, albeit with different trends. These findings contribute in interpreting the original GWAS report and support further investigations of the NOP9 locus and its role in language-related traits. A systematic evaluation of parent-of-origin effects in genetic association studies has the potential to reveal novel mechanisms underlying complex traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily Frinton
- />School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TF UK
| | - Ron Nudel
- />Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - May T. M. Chan
- />Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
- />Worcester College, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 2HB UK
| | - Paul Thompson
- />Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PT UK
| | | | - Joel B. Talcott
- />School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET UK
| | - John Stein
- />Department of Physiology, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PT UK
| | - Anthony P. Monaco
- />Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - Charles Hulme
- />Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, WC1 3PG UK
| | - Margaret J. Snowling
- />Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PT UK
- />St John’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3JP UK
| | - Dianne F. Newbury
- />Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - Silvia Paracchini
- />School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TF UK
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Gialluisi A, Visconti A, Willcutt EG, Smith SD, Pennington BF, Falchi M, DeFries JC, Olson RK, Francks C, Fisher SE. Investigating the effects of copy number variants on reading and language performance. J Neurodev Disord 2016; 8:17. [PMID: 27186239 PMCID: PMC4868026 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-016-9147-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reading and language skills have overlapping genetic bases, most of which are still unknown. Part of the missing heritability may be caused by copy number variants (CNVs). METHODS In a dataset of children recruited for a history of reading disability (RD, also known as dyslexia) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their siblings, we investigated the effects of CNVs on reading and language performance. First, we called CNVs with PennCNV using signal intensity data from Illumina OmniExpress arrays (~723,000 probes). Then, we computed the correlation between measures of CNV genomic burden and the first principal component (PC) score derived from several continuous reading and language traits, both before and after adjustment for performance IQ. Finally, we screened the genome, probe-by-probe, for association with the PC scores, through two complementary analyses: we tested a binary CNV state assigned for the location of each probe (i.e., CNV+ or CNV-), and we analyzed continuous probe intensity data using FamCNV. RESULTS No significant correlation was found between measures of CNV burden and PC scores, and no genome-wide significant associations were detected in probe-by-probe screening. Nominally significant associations were detected (p~10(-2)-10(-3)) within CNTN4 (contactin 4) and CTNNA3 (catenin alpha 3). These genes encode cell adhesion molecules with a likely role in neuronal development, and they have been previously implicated in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. A further, targeted assessment of candidate CNV regions revealed associations with the PC score (p~0.026-0.045) within CHRNA7 (cholinergic nicotinic receptor alpha 7), which encodes a ligand-gated ion channel and has also been implicated in neurodevelopmental conditions and language impairment. FamCNV analysis detected a region of association (p~10(-2)-10(-4)) within a frequent deletion ~6 kb downstream of ZNF737 (zinc finger protein 737, uncharacterized protein), which was also observed in the association analysis using CNV calls. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that CNVs do not underlie a substantial proportion of variance in reading and language skills. Analysis of additional, larger datasets is warranted to further assess the potential effects that we found and to increase the power to detect CNV effects on reading and language.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gialluisi
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands ; Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Alessia Visconti
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Erik G Willcutt
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA ; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA
| | - Shelley D Smith
- Munroe Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE USA
| | | | - Mario Falchi
- Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - John C DeFries
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA ; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA
| | - Richard K Olson
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA ; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO USA
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands ; Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands ; Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Paracchini S, Diaz R, Stein J. Advances in Dyslexia Genetics—New Insights Into the Role of Brain Asymmetries. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2016; 96:53-97. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|