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Song B, Qian J, Fu J. Research progress and potential application of microRNA and other non-coding RNAs in forensic medicine. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:329-350. [PMID: 37770641 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-023-03091-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
At present, epigenetic markers have been extensively studied in various fields and have a high value in forensic medicine due to their unique mode of inheritance, which does not involve DNA sequence alterations. As an epigenetic phenomenon that plays an important role in gene expression, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) act as key factors mediating gene silencing, participating in cell division, and regulating immune response and other important biological processes. With the development of molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, ncRNAs such as microRNA (miRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and P-element induced wimpy testis (PIWI)-interacting RNA (piRNA) are increasingly been shown to have potential in the practice of forensic medicine. NcRNAs, mainly miRNA, may provide new strategies and methods for the identification of tissues and body fluids, cause-of-death analysis, time-related estimation, age estimation, and the identification of monozygotic twins. In this review, we describe the research progress and application status of ncRNAs, mainly miRNA, and other ncRNAs such as circRNA, lncRNA, and piRNA, in forensic practice, including the identification of tissues and body fluids, cause-of-death analysis, time-related estimation, age estimation, and the identification of monozygotic twins. The close links between ncRNAs and forensic medicine are presented, and their research values and application prospects in forensic medicine are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binghui Song
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Laboratory of Precision Medicine and DNA Forensic Medicine, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Jie Qian
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
- Laboratory of Precision Medicine and DNA Forensic Medicine, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Junjiang Fu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetics and Oncology, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
- Laboratory of Precision Medicine and DNA Forensic Medicine, the Research Center for Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
- Laboratory of Forensic DNA, the Judicial Authentication Center, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China.
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Wang J, Fu G, Wang Q, Ma G, Wang Z, Lu C, Fu L, Zhang X, Cong B, Li S. Differences of circular RNA expression profiles between monozygotic twins' blood, with the forensic application in bloodstain and saliva. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2024; 69:103001. [PMID: 38150775 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2023.103001] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Monozygotic twins (MZTs) possess identical genomic DNA sequences and are usually indistinguishable through routine forensic DNA typing methods, which can be relevant in criminal and paternity cases. Recently, novel epigenetic methods involving DNA methylation and microRNA analysis have been introduced to differentiate MZTs. In this study, we explore the potential of using epigenetic markers, specifically circular RNAs (circRNAs), a type of non-coding RNA (ncRNA), to identify MZTs, and investigate the unique expression patterns of circRNAs within pairs of MZTs, enabling effective differentiation. Epigenetics regulates gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and plays a crucial role in cell growth and aging. CircRNAs, a recently characterized subclass of ncRNA, have a distinct covalent loop structure without the typical 5' cap or 3' tail. They have been reported to modulate various cellular processes and play roles in embryogenesis and eukaryotic development. To achieve this, we conducted a comprehensive circRNA sequencing analysis (circRNA-seq) using total RNA extracted from the blood samples of five pairs of MZTs. We identified a total of 15,257 circRNAs in all MZTs using circRNA-seq. Among them, 3, 21, 338, and 2967 differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) were shared among five, four, three, and two pairs of MZTs, respectively. Subsequently, we validated twelve selected DEcircRNAs using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays, which included hsa_circ_0004724, hsa_circ_0054196, hsa_circ_004964, hsa_circ_0000591, hsa_circ_0005077, hsa_circ_0054853, hsa_circ_0054716, hsa_circ_0002302, hsa_circ_0004482, hsa_circ_0001103, novel_circ_0030288 and novel_circ_0056831. Among them, hsa_circ_0005077 and hsa_circ_0004482 exhibited the best performance, showing differences in 7 out of 10 pairs of MZTs. These twelve differentially expressed circRNAs also demonstrated strong discriminative power when tested on saliva samples from 10 pairs of MZTs. Notably, hsa_circ_0004724 displayed differential expression in 8 out of 10 pairs of MZTs in their saliva. Additionally, we evaluated the detection sensitivity, longitudinal temporal stability, and suitability for aged bloodstains of these twelve DEcircRNAs in forensic scenarios. Our findings highlight the potential of circRNAs as molecular markers for distinguishing MZTs, emphasizing their suitability for forensic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Wang
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China.
| | - Guangping Fu
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China
| | - Qian Wang
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China
| | - Guanju Ma
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China
| | - Zhonghua Wang
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China
| | - Chaolong Lu
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China
| | - Lihong Fu
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China
| | - Xiaojing Zhang
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China
| | - Bin Cong
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China.
| | - Shujin Li
- College of Forensic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Forensic Medical Molecular Identification, Research Unit of Digestive Tract Microecosystem Pharmacology and Toxicology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei, PR China.
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Reinal I, Ontoria-Oviedo I, Selva M, Casini M, Peiró-Molina E, Fambuena-Santos C, Climent AM, Balaguer J, Cañete A, Mora J, Raya Á, Sepúlveda P. Modeling Cardiotoxicity in Pediatric Oncology Patients Using Patient-Specific iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes Reveals Downregulation of Cardioprotective microRNAs. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1378. [PMID: 37507917 PMCID: PMC10376252 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12071378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthracyclines are widely used in the treatment of many solid cancers, but their efficacy is limited by cardiotoxicity. As the number of pediatric cancer survivors continues to rise, there has been a concomitant increase in people living with anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for new models to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of anthracycline-induced cardiac damage. Here we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from two pediatric oncology patients with acute cardiotoxicity induced by anthracyclines and differentiated them to ventricular cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). Comparative analysis of these cells (CTX hiPSC-CMs) and control hiPSC-CMs revealed that the former were significantly more sensitive to cell injury and death from the anthracycline doxorubicin (DOX), as measured by viability analysis, cleaved caspase 3 expression, oxidative stress, genomic and mitochondrial damage and sarcomeric disorganization. The expression of several mRNAs involved in structural integrity and inflammatory response were also differentially affected by DOX. Functionally, optical mapping analysis revealed higher arrythmia complexity after DOX treatment in CTX iPSC-CMs. Finally, using a panel of previously identified microRNAs associated with cardioprotection, we identified lower levels of miR-22-3p, miR-30b-5p, miR-90b-3p and miR-4732-3p in CTX iPSC-CMs under basal conditions. Our study provides valuable phenotype information for cellular models of cardiotoxicity and highlights the significance of using patient-derived cardiomyocytes for studying the associated pathogenic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Reinal
- Regenerative Medicine and Heart Transplantation Unit, Health Research Institute Hospital la Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Imelda Ontoria-Oviedo
- Regenerative Medicine and Heart Transplantation Unit, Health Research Institute Hospital la Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Selva
- Regenerative Medicine and Heart Transplantation Unit, Health Research Institute Hospital la Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marilù Casini
- Regenerative Medicine and Heart Transplantation Unit, Health Research Institute Hospital la Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Esteban Peiró-Molina
- Regenerative Medicine and Heart Transplantation Unit, Health Research Institute Hospital la Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Andreu M Climent
- ITACA Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Julia Balaguer
- Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Transtational Research in Cancer Unit-Pediatric Oncology, Health Research Institute Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Adela Cañete
- Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Transtational Research in Cancer Unit-Pediatric Oncology, Health Research Institute Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Jaume Mora
- Oncology Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Ángel Raya
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
- Program for Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine in Catalonia-P-[CMRC], L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08908 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Carlos III Institute of Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Sepúlveda
- Regenerative Medicine and Heart Transplantation Unit, Health Research Institute Hospital la Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Carlos III Institute of Health, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Pathology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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Abu-Halima M, Wagner V, Rishik S, Raedle-Hurst T, Meese E, Abdul-Khaliq H. Expression profiling analysis reveals key microRNA-mRNA interactions in patients with transposition of the great arteries and systemic left and right ventricles. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 9:1056427. [PMID: 36712263 PMCID: PMC9878113 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1056427] [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: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) have different connected systemic chambers and this determines the long-term morbidities and survival. Limited findings have been reported to systematically identify miRNA and mRNA expression levels in such cohorts of patients. In this study, we aimed to characterize miRNAs, mRNAs, and miRNA-mRNA interaction networks in patients with TGA, with a systemic left (LV) and right ventricle (RV). Materials and methods Large panel of human miRNA and mRNA microarrays were conducted to determine the genome-wide expression profiles in the blood of 16 TGA-RV patients, 16 TGA-LV patients, and 16 age and gender-matched controls. Using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), the differential expression level of a single miRNA was validated. Enrichment analyses of altered miRNA and mRNA expression levels were identified using bioinformatics tools. Results Altered miRNA and mRNA expression levels were observed between TGA-RV and TGA-LV patients, together or separated, compared to controls. Among the deregulated miRNAs and mRNAs, 39 and 101 miRNAs were identified as significantly differentially expressed in patients with TGA (both TGA-RV and TGA-LV) and TGA-RV, when compared to matched controls. Furthermore, 51 miRNAs were identified as significantly differentially expressed in patients with TGA-RV when compared to patients with TGA-LV. RT-qPCR relative expression level was highly consistent with microarray analysis results. Similarly, 36 and 164 mRNAs were identified as significantly differentially expressed in patients with TGA (both TGA-RV and TGA-LV) and TGA-RV, when compared to matched controls. Additionally, miR-140-3p showed a higher expression level in patients with overt heart failure (FC = 1.54; P = 0.001) and miR-502-3p showed a higher expression level in patients died due to cardiac death (FC = 1.41; P = 0.011). Integrative analysis resulted in 21 and 23 target genes with higher and lower expression levels, respectively (r ≥ 0.50 and P < 0.05). These target genes (i.e., 21 and 23 target genes) showed an inverse direction of regulation with miRNA and exhibited a miRNA binding site position within the 3'UTR of the target gene. Conclusion Our findings provide new insights into a potential molecular biomarker(s) for patients with TGA that may guide better risk stratification and the development of novel targeting therapies. Future studies are needed to investigate the potential significance of miRNAs and mRNAs in TGA-related cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masood Abu-Halima
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany,Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany,*Correspondence: Masood Abu-Halima,
| | - Viktoria Wagner
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany,Center for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Shusruto Rishik
- Center for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Tanja Raedle-Hurst
- Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Hashim Abdul-Khaliq
- Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
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Bao B, Hu H, Chen L, Lu S, Tang Q, Liang Z. SNP and DNA methylation analyses of a monozygotic twins discordant for complete endocardial cushion defect: a case report. Am J Transl Res 2022; 14:8271-8278. [PMID: 36505317 PMCID: PMC9730093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The exact cause of complete endocardial cushion defect (ECD) is still unknown. This report describes a unique pair of monozygotic twins (MZ twins) discordant for ECD. The chromosome karyotyping analysis revealed normal karyotype of 46, XY, 16qh+ and mat in both MZ twins. A genome-wide analysis of DNA using the Affymetrix SNP 6.0 revealed identical genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy number variations (CNVs). An extensive methylation assay was carried out by NimbleGen 3 × 720 K CpG Island Plus RefSeq Promoter Arrays to analyze the potential epigenetic differences. The DNA methylation profiles of the affected twin seemed increased compared with that of the unaffected twin. However, further validation of Notch1 promoter hypermethylation and six top-ranked differentially methylated CpG sites by sodium bisulfate modification and methylation-specific PCR, failed to reveal consistent methylation differences between the twins. Other relevant factors, such as heritability and penetrance of the condition that place the MZ twins near to a threshold for ECD or variations in local epigenetic events in the twins' heart tissues, are probably responsible for the phenotypic discordance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bihui Bao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qingbaijiang Women’s and Children’s Hospital (Maternal and Child Health Hospital), West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610300, Sichuan, China
| | - Hua Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital (Xinqiao Hospital), Army Medical UniversityChongqing 400037, China
| | - Limei Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qingbaijiang Women’s and Children’s Hospital (Maternal and Child Health Hospital), West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610300, Sichuan, China
| | - Shiyong Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qingbaijiang Women’s and Children’s Hospital (Maternal and Child Health Hospital), West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610300, Sichuan, China
| | - Qifeng Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Hechuan-Rhine TCM HospitalShanghai 201103, China
| | - Zhiqing Liang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital (Southwest Hospital), Army Medical UniversityChongqing 400038, China
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Abdurahman A, Aierken W, Zhang F, Obulkasim R, Aniwashi J, Sulayman A. miR-1306 induces cell apoptosis by targeting BMPR1B gene in the ovine granulosa cells. Front Genet 2022; 13:989912. [PMID: 36212145 PMCID: PMC9539929 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.989912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone morphogenetic protein receptor type-1B (BMPR1B) is one of the major gene for sheep prolificacy. However, few studies investigated its regulatory region. In this study, we reported that miR-1306 is a direct inhibitor of BMPR1B gene in the ovine granulosa cells (ovine GCs). We detected a miRNA response element of miR-1306 in the 3’ untranslated region of the ovine BMPR1B gene. Luciferase assay showed that the ovine BMPR1B gene is a direct target of miR-1306. qPCR and western blotting revealed that miR-1306 reduces the expression of BMPR1B mRNA and protein in the ovine granulosa cells. Furthermore, miR-1306 promoted cell apoptosis by suppressing BMPR1B expression in the ovine granulosa cells. Overall, our results suggest that miR-1306 is an epigenetic regulator of BMPR1B, and may serve as a potential target to improve the fecundity of sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwar Abdurahman
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Ecology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Fei Zhang
- Animal Diseases Control and Prevention Centre of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi, China
| | | | - Jueken Aniwashi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Ablat Sulayman
- Institute of Animal Husbandry, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Science, Urumqi, China
- *Correspondence: Ablat Sulayman,
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Kannan S, Bodurtha JN, Hamosh A, Jordan C. Monochorionic twins with 15q26.3 duplication presenting with selective intrauterine growth restriction and discordant cardiac anomalies: A case report. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2022; 10:e1947. [PMID: 35795918 PMCID: PMC9356548 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1947] [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: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duplication of the distal end of chromosome 15q has been previously implicated in a characteristic overgrowth syndrome. Additionally, many patients have other congenital malformations, including cardiac, renal, genital, and musculoskeletal anomalies. However, some patients may present with intrauterine growth restriction and short stature. Different breakpoints within 15q, as well as different environmental factors, may underlie these varied presentations. CASE PRESENTATION We discuss monochorionic-diamniotic twins with a ~345 kb maternally inherited duplication in 15q26.3. The twins presented with discordant pathology-one twin with a single umbilical artery, selective intrauterine growth restriction, and multiple cardiac defects including aortic coarctation, aortic valve stenosis, and ventricular septal defect, whereas the other twin was unaffected. To our knowledge, this case represents the smallest reported duplication of distal 15q. CONCLUSION The discordant phenotype seen in the twins is likely due to a complex interplay between genetic and environmental causes. The affected infant presented prenatally with growth restriction and a single umbilical artery rather than overgrowth, potentially due to a unique breakpoint within 15q. This, in turn, may have produced hemodynamic perturbations between the twins, leading to discordant cardiac disease. Our report thus highlights the importance of genetic and nongenetic mechanisms underlying discordant anomalies in monochorionic twins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suraj Kannan
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joann N Bodurtha
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ada Hamosh
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher Jordan
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Huang Y, Deng L, Zeng L, Bao S, Ye K, Li C, Hou X, Yao Y, Li D, Xiong Z. Silencing of H19 alleviates oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation-triggered injury through the regulation of the miR-1306-5p/BCL2L13 axis. Metab Brain Dis 2021; 36:2461-2472. [PMID: 34436746 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-021-00822-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains a leading cause of death and disability. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert key functions in cerebral I/R injury. Here, we sought to elucidate the mechanism underlying the regulation of H19 in cerebral I/R cell injury. An in vitro model of cerebral I/R injury was created using oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). The levels of H19, miR-1306-5p and B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-like 13 (BCL2L13) were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined by the Cell Counting-8 Kit (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cytokines were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Direct relationships among H19, miR-1306-5p and BCL2L13 were verified by dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pulldown assays. Our data showed that H19 and BCL2L13 were highly expressed in the cerebral I/R injury rats and OGD/R-triggered SK-N-SH and IMR-32 cells. The knockdown of H19 or BLC2L13 alleviated OGD/R-triggered injury in SK-N-SH and IMR-32 cells. Moreover, H19 silencing protected against OGD/R-triggered cell injury by down-regulating BCL2L13. H19 acted as a sponge of miR-1306-5p and BCL2L13 was a direct target of miR-1306-5p. H19 mediated BCL2L13 expression by sequestering miR-1306-5p. Furthermore, miR-1306-5p was a molecular mediator of H19 function. These results suggested that H19 silencing alleviated OGD/R-triggered I/R injury at least partially depending on the regulation of the miR-1306-5p/BCL2L13 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxing Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Lisha Deng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Zeng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Shanlin Bao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Quxian County People's Hospital, No. 88, Heping Road, Dazhou, 635200, Sichuan, China
| | - Kun Ye
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Chengxun Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Dingjun Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhen Xiong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39, Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China.
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Abu-Halima M, Meese E, Abdul-Khaliq H, Raedle-Hurst T. MicroRNA-183-3p Is a Predictor of Worsening Heart Failure in Adult Patients With Transposition of the Great Arteries and a Systemic Right Ventricle. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:730364. [PMID: 34568463 PMCID: PMC8455927 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.730364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play an important role in the progression of heart failure (HF). The aim of our study was to analyze miRNAs in the blood of patients with transposition of the great arteries and a systemic right ventricle (TGA-RV) in order to identify those that predict worsening HF. Materials and Methods: In 36 patients with TGA-RV, SurePrint™ 8 × 60K Human v21 miRNA microarrays were used to determine the miRNA abundance profiles and compared to 35 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers (HVs). MiRNAs that were most significantly abundant or best related to worsening HF were further validated by RT-qPCR. Results: Using miRNA array analysis, a total of 50 down-regulated and 56 up-regulated miRNAs were found to be differentially abundant in TGA-RV patients compared to HVs. Six of these 106 miRNAs were significantly related to worsening HF. After validation by RT-qPCR, four miRNAs turned out to be significantly associated with worsening HF, namely miR-150-5p, miR-1255b-5p, miR-423-3p, and miR-183-3p. In the stepwise multivariable Cox regression analysis, ejection fraction of the systemic RV, high sensitive TNT and miR-183-3p were found to be independent predictors of worsening HF (P = 0.001, P = 0.002, and P = 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: In patients with TGA-RV, miR-183-3p is an independent predictor of worsening HF and thus may be used as additional biomarker in the risk assessment of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masood Abu-Halima
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.,Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Hashim Abdul-Khaliq
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Raedle-Hurst
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
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10
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Balasubramanian R, Vuppalapati S, Avanthika C, Jhaveri S, Peddi NC, Ahmed S, Reddy A, Kaur J. Epidemiology, Genetics and Epigenetics of Congenital Heart Diseases in Twins. Cureus 2021; 13:e17253. [PMID: 34540478 PMCID: PMC8448266 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.17253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHDs) refer to abnormalities in the heart function that arise at the fetal stages. It is the most common birth defect that affects 0.8% of all liveborn infants. There is an increase in the incidence of congenital heart disease in monochorionic twin gestation. A six-fold increase in CHDs exists among monochorionic twins especially in association with twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) compared to dichorionic twin pregnancy. In this review article, we discussed the epidemiology, the role of genetics like protein-coding genes, epigenetics, placenta, hemodynamics and environmental factors in the etiology of CHD in twins. We conducted a literature search in PubMed indexed journals using the medical terms "twin pregnancy" and "congenital heart defect" to provide an overview of the uptrend in CHD in twin pregnancies, primarily due to assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) and multiple other factors. Both the heart and placenta are vascular and share a common development window; therefore, CHD can develop secondary to placental pathologies. Among environmental factors, the strongest association of maternal smoking with CHD has been seen. We studied the causative factors to suggest improvement in echocardiographic skills in case of abnormal findings in twin gestations to decrease the CHD-associated morbidity and mortality, as early diagnosis allows doctors to precisely determine the risk of CHD. Systemic ultrasound scanning with five transverse views is very effective in diagnosing fetal CHD in twin pregnancy. In the case of genetics, prenatal counseling allows the expectant to understand the full ramifications of possible events after the pregnancy. The pathological basis of malformations specific to conjoined twinning and twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence is addressed. Also, there is evidence that folate supplementation may be protective against CHD but more research is needed to clarify the mechanisms. We concluded from the literature that monochorionic twins are at high risk of CHD. Chorionicity seems to play a more vital role than zygosity. Even the type of heart defect in monochorial twin pregnancies was unique from single, dizygotic, or dichorionic twin pregnancies. We also emphasize improving echocardiographic skills of technicians in referring ART dichorionic twin fetuses with suspicious findings to fetal cardiologists and performing postnatal scans in the case of TTTS. To understand the role of the placenta, making use of newer technologies and examining the placenta both during pregnancy and beyond delivery will play a vital role in understanding the etiology. Even identifying early signals impacting the heart and placental vasculature and correcting them using advanced technology could downtrend the incidence in coming years. Increased maternal age as well as multiple pregnancies increasing the risk of CHD has also been implicated. For more clarity on the role of genetics, the cost of DNA sequencing needs to decrease. This will enable whole-genome sequencing in the future thus helping to discover the gene responsible for CHD ultimately proving beneficial for future generations. For environmental factors, we have to rely on observational studies to assess the risk to the unborn child. There is difficulty in studying natural factors due to the unreliability of exposure to contaminants like pesticides and air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sravya Vuppalapati
- Pediatrics, People's Education Society Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, IND
| | | | - Sharan Jhaveri
- Internal Medicine, Smt. Nathiba Hargovandas Lakhmichand Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad, IND
| | - Nikhil Chowdary Peddi
- Pediatrics, People's Education Society Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, IND
| | - Sana Ahmed
- Internal Medicine, Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College, Pune, IND
| | - Apeksha Reddy
- Pediatrics, People's Education Society Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, IND
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11
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Abu-Halima M, Becker LS, Ayesh BM, Baus SL, Hamza A, Fischer U, Hammadeh M, Keller A, Meese E. Characterization of micro-RNA in women with different ovarian reserve. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13351. [PMID: 34172798 PMCID: PMC8233349 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92901-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Women undergoing infertility treatment are routinely subjected to one or more tests of ovarian reserve. Therefore, an adequate assessment of the ovarian reserve is necessary for the treatment. In this study, we aimed to characterize the potential role of microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers for women with different ovarian reserves. A total of 159 women were recruited in the study and classified according to their anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level into three groups: (1) low ovarian reserve (LAMH, n = 39), (2) normal ovarian reserve (NAMH, n = 80), and (3) high ovarian reserve (HAMH, n = 40). SurePrint Human miRNA array screening and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were respectively employed to screen and validate the miRNA abundance level in the three tested groups. Compared with NAMH, the abundance level of 34 and 98 miRNAs was found to be significantly altered in LAMH and HAMH, respectively. The abundance level of miRNAs was further validated by RT-qPCR in both, the screening samples as well as in an independent set of validation samples. The abundance levels of the validated miRNAs were significantly correlated with the AMH level. The best AUC value for the prediction of the increase and decrease in the AMH level was obtained for the miR-100-5p and miR-21-5p, respectively. The level of miRNAs abundance correlates with the level of AMH, which may serve as a tool for identifying women with a different ovarian reserve and may help to lay the ground for the development of novel diagnostic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masood Abu-Halima
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Saar, Germany.
| | - Lea Simone Becker
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Basim M Ayesh
- Department of Laboratory Medical Sciences, Alaqsa University, Gaza, Palestine
| | - Simona Lucia Baus
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Amer Hamza
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Saar, Germany.,Kantonspital Baden, Im Ergel 1, 5400, Baden, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Fischer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Mohamad Hammadeh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Andreas Keller
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421, Homburg, Saar, Germany
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12
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Imany-Shakibai H, Yin O, Russell MR, Sklansky M, Satou G, Afshar Y. Discordant congenital heart defects in monochorionic twins: Risk factors and proposed pathophysiology. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251160. [PMID: 33956871 PMCID: PMC8101911 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A six-fold increase in congenital heart defects (CHD) exists among monochorionic (MC) twins compared to singleton or dichorionic twin pregnancies. Though MC twins share an identical genotype, discordant phenotypes related to CHD and other malformations have been described, with reported rates of concordance for various congenital anomalies at less than 20%. Our objective was to characterize the frequency and spectrum of CHD in a contemporary cohort of MC twins, coupled with genetic and clinical variables to provide insight into risk factors and pathophysiology of discordant CHD in MC twins. Retrospective analysis of all twins receiving prenatal fetal echocardiography at a single institution from January 2010 –March 2020 (N = 163) yielded 23 MC twin pairs (46 neonates) with CHD (n = 5 concordant CHD, n = 18 discordant CHD). The most common lesions were septal defects (60% and 45.5% in concordant and discordant cohorts, respectively) and right heart lesions (40% and 18.2% in concordant and discordant cohorts, respectively). Diagnostic genetic testing was abnormal for 20% of the concordant and 5.6% of the discordant pairs, with no difference in rate of abnormal genetic results between the groups (p = 0.395). No significant association was found between clinical risk factors and development of discordant CHD (p>0.05). This data demonstrates the possibility of environmental and epigenetic influences versus genotypic factors in the development of discordant CHD in monochorionic twins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helia Imany-Shakibai
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ophelia Yin
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Matthew R. Russell
- Department of Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Mark Sklansky
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Gary Satou
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Yalda Afshar
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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13
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Abu-Halima M, Wagner V, Becker LS, Ayesh BM, Abd El-Rahman M, Fischer U, Meese E, Abdul-Khaliq H. Integrated microRNA and mRNA Expression Profiling Identifies Novel Targets and Networks Associated with Ebstein's Anomaly. Cells 2021; 10:cells10051066. [PMID: 33946378 PMCID: PMC8146150 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about abundance level changes of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNA) in patients with Ebstein’s anomaly (EA). Here, we performed an integrated analysis to identify the differentially abundant miRNAs and mRNA targets and to identify the potential therapeutic targets that might be involved in the mechanisms underlying EA. A large panel of human miRNA and mRNA microarrays were conducted to determine the genome-wide expression profiles in the blood of 16 EA patients and 16 age and gender-matched healthy control volunteers (HVs). Differential abundance level of single miRNA and mRNA was validated by Real-Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Enrichment analyses of altered miRNA and mRNA abundance levels were identified using bioinformatics tools. Altered miRNA and mRNA abundance levels were observed between EA patients and HVs. Among the deregulated miRNAs and mRNAs, 76 miRNAs (49 lower abundance and 27 higher abundance, fold-change of ≥2) and 29 mRNAs (25 higher abundance and 4 lower abundance, fold-change of ≥1.5) were identified in EA patients compared to HVs. Bioinformatics analysis identified 37 pairs of putative miRNA-mRNA interactions. The majority of the correlations were detected between the lower abundance level of miRNA and higher abundance level of mRNA, except for let-7b-5p, which showed a higher abundance level and their target gene, SCRN3, showed a lower abundance level. Pathway enrichment analysis of the deregulated mRNAs identified 35 significant pathways that are mostly involved in signal transduction and cellular interaction pathways. Our findings provide new insights into a potential molecular biomarker(s) for the EA that may guide the development of novel targeting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masood Abu-Halima
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (V.W.); (L.S.B.); (U.F.); (E.M.)
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (M.A.E.-R.); (H.A.-K.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Viktoria Wagner
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (V.W.); (L.S.B.); (U.F.); (E.M.)
- Center for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Lea Simone Becker
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (V.W.); (L.S.B.); (U.F.); (E.M.)
| | - Basim M. Ayesh
- Department of Laboratory Medical Sciences, Alaqsa University, Gaza 4051, Palestine;
| | - Mohammed Abd El-Rahman
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (M.A.E.-R.); (H.A.-K.)
| | - Ulrike Fischer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (V.W.); (L.S.B.); (U.F.); (E.M.)
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (V.W.); (L.S.B.); (U.F.); (E.M.)
| | - Hashim Abdul-Khaliq
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, 66421 Homburg, Germany; (M.A.E.-R.); (H.A.-K.)
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14
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Abu-Halima M, Meese E, Saleh MA, Keller A, Abdul-Khaliq H, Raedle-Hurst T. MicroRNA-29b/c-3p Indicate Advanced Liver Fibrosis/Cirrhosis in Univentricular Heart Patients With and Without Fontan Palliation. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 7:619083. [PMID: 33490119 PMCID: PMC7820747 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2020.619083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The present study aims to identify those microRNAs (miRNAs) in patients with univentricular heart (UVH) disease with and without Fontan palliation that may be associated with advanced liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. Materials and Methods: SurePrint™ 8 × 60K Human v21 miRNA arrays were used to determine the miRNA abundance profiles in the blood of 48 UVH patients with and without Fontan palliation and 32 matched healthy controls. The abundance levels of selected miRNAs have been validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results: According to microarray analysis, 50 miRNAs were found to be significantly abundant in UVH patients of which miR-29b-3p and miR-29c-3p were significantly related to the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD)-Albumin and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score representing advanced liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. Relative expression levels of both miRNAs were significantly higher in patients with a higher collapsibility index representing venous hepatic congestion, a higher MELD-Albumin or ALBI score and incomplete or no Fontan palliation. In the logistic regression analysis, a MELD-Albumin score ≥ 11 or ALBI score > -2.6 were best predicted by total bilirubin (OR 6.630, P = 0.016), albumin (OR 0.424, P = 0.026), and miR-29c-3p (OR 33.060, P = 0.047). After adjustment to the status of Fontan palliation, however, no statistical significance of these parameters was found thus underlining the importance of palliation status on progression of liver fibrosis/ cirrhosis in UVH patients. Conclusions: In UVH patients with and without Fontan palliation, miR-29b-3p and miR-29c-3p seem to be markers of advanced liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and thus may be used in the risk assessment of these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masood Abu-Halima
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Mohamad Ali Saleh
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Keller
- Center for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Hashim Abdul-Khaliq
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Raedle-Hurst
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany
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15
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Grunert M, Appelt S, Grossfeld P, Sperling SR. The Needle in the Haystack-Searching for Genetic and Epigenetic Differences in Monozygotic Twins Discordant for Tetralogy of Fallot. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2020; 7:jcdd7040055. [PMID: 33276527 PMCID: PMC7761217 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd7040055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common birth defect in human with an incidence of almost 1% of all live births. Most cases have a multifactorial origin with both genetics and the environment playing a role in its development and progression. Adding an epigenetic component to this aspect is exemplified by monozygotic twins which share the same genetic background but have a different disease status. As a result, the interplay between the genetic, epigenetic and the environmental conditions might contribute to the etiology and phenotype. To date, the underlying causes of the majority of CHDs remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed genome-wide high-throughput sequencing to examine the genetic, structural genomic and epigenetic differences of two identical twin pairs discordant for Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), representing the most common cyanotic form of CHDs. Our results show the almost identical genetic and structural genomic identity of the twins. In contrast, several epigenetic alterations could be observed given by DNA methylation changes in regulatory regions of known cardiac-relevant genes. Overall, this study provides first insights into the impact of genetic and especially epigenetic factors underlying monozygotic twins discordant for CHD like TOF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Grunert
- Cardiovascular Genetics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany; (M.G.); (S.A.)
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), 10178 Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 10178 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Appelt
- Cardiovascular Genetics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany; (M.G.); (S.A.)
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), 10178 Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 10178 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Grossfeld
- Division of Cardiology, University of California San Diego, Rady’s Hospital MC 5004, San Diego, CA 92123, USA;
| | - Silke R. Sperling
- Cardiovascular Genetics, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 13125 Berlin, Germany; (M.G.); (S.A.)
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), 10178 Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, 10178 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-30450540123
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16
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Abu-Halima M, Oberhoffer FS, El Rahman MA, Jung AM, Zemlin M, Rohrer TR, Kahraman M, Keller A, Meese E, Abdul-Khaliq H. Insights from circulating microRNAs in cardiovascular entities in turner syndrome patients. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231402. [PMID: 32271829 PMCID: PMC7145016 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Turner syndrome (TS) is a chromosomal disorder, in which a female is partially or entirely missing one of the two X chromosomes, with a prevalence of 1:2500 live female births. The present study aims to identify a circulating microRNA (miRNA) signature for TS patients with and without congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods Microarray platform interrogating 2549 miRNAs were used to detect the miRNA abundance levels in the blood of 33 TS patients and 14 age-matched healthy volunteer controls (HVs). The differentially abundant miRNAs between the two groups were further validated by RT-qPCR. Results We identified 60 differentially abundant miRNA in the blood of TS patients compared to HVs, from which, 41 and 19 miRNAs showed a higher and a lower abundance levels in TS patients compared to HVs, respectively. RT-qPCR confirmed the significantly higher abundance levels of eight miRNAs namely miR-374b-5p, miR-199a-5p, miR-340-3p, miR-125b-5p, miR-30e-3p, miR-126-3p, miR-5695, and miR-26b-5p in TS patients as compared with the HVs. The abundance level of miR-5695 was higher in TS patients displaying CHD as compared to TS patients without CHD (p = 0.0265; log2-fold change 1.99); whereas, the abundance level of miR-126-3p was lower in TS patients with congenital aortic valve disease (AVD) compared to TS patients without BAV (p = 0.0139, log2-fold change 1.52). The clinical feature statistics revealed that miR-126-3p had a significant correlation with sinotubular junction Z-score (r = 0.42; p = 0.0154). Conclusion The identified circulating miRNAs signature for TS patients with manifestations associated with cardiovascular diseases provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of TS that may guide the development of novel diagnostic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masood Abu-Halima
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Mohammed Abd El Rahman
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Anna-Maria Jung
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Michael Zemlin
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Tilman R. Rohrer
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Mustafa Kahraman
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Andreas Keller
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Hashim Abdul-Khaliq
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
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