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Musolf AM, Justice CM, Erdogan-Yildirim Z, Goovaerts S, Cuellar A, Shaffer JR, Marazita ML, Claes P, Weinberg SM, Li J, Senders C, Zwienenberg M, Simeonov E, Kaneva R, Roscioli T, Di Pietro L, Barba M, Lattanzi W, Cunningham ML, Romitti PA, Boyadjiev SA. Whole genome sequencing identifies associations for nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis with the intergenic region of BMP2 and noncoding RNA gene LINC01428. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8533. [PMID: 38609424 PMCID: PMC11014861 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58343-w] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Craniosynostosis (CS) is a major birth defect resulting from premature fusion of cranial sutures. Nonsyndromic CS occurs more frequently than syndromic CS, with sagittal nonsyndromic craniosynostosis (sNCS) presenting as the most common CS phenotype. Previous genome-wide association and targeted sequencing analyses of sNCS have identified multiple associated loci, with the strongest association on chromosome 20. Herein, we report the first whole-genome sequencing study of sNCS using 63 proband-parent trios. Sequencing data for these trios were analyzed using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and rare variant TDT (rvTDT) to identify high-risk rare gene variants. Sequencing data were also examined for copy number variants (CNVs) and de novo variants. TDT analysis identified a highly significant locus at 20p12.3, localized to the intergenic region between BMP2 and the noncoding RNA gene LINC01428. Three variants (rs6054763, rs6054764, rs932517) were identified as potential causal variants due to their probability of being transcription factor binding sites, deleterious combined annotation dependent depletion scores, and high minor allele enrichment in probands. Morphometric analysis of cranial vault shape in an unaffected cohort validated the effect of these three single nucleotide variants (SNVs) on dolichocephaly. No genome-wide significant rare variants, de novo loci, or CNVs were identified. Future efforts to identify risk variants for sNCS should include sequencing of larger and more diverse population samples and increased omics analyses, such as RNA-seq and ATAC-seq.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M Musolf
- Statistical Genetics Section, Computational and Statistical Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Cristina M Justice
- Neurobehavioral Clinical Research Section, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Zeynep Erdogan-Yildirim
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
| | - Seppe Goovaerts
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT-PSI, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Araceli Cuellar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - John R Shaffer
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Mary L Marazita
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Peter Claes
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT-PSI, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Seth M Weinberg
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jae Li
- Bioinformatics Core, Genome Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - Craig Senders
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Marike Zwienenberg
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Emil Simeonov
- Pediatric Clinic, Alexandrovska University Hospital, Medical University of Sofia, 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Radka Kaneva
- Molecular Medicine Center, Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Medical University of Sofia, 1431, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Tony Roscioli
- Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lorena Di Pietro
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Barba
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Wanda Lattanzi
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael L Cunningham
- Seattle Children's Craniofacial Center, Center of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Division of Craniofacial Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Paul A Romitti
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Simeon A Boyadjiev
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
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Mohammed J, Arora N, Matthews HS, Hansen K, Bader M, Walsh S, Shaffer JR, Weinberg SM, Swigut T, Claes P, Selleri L, Wysocka J. A common cis-regulatory variant impacts normal-range and disease-associated human facial shape through regulation of PKDCC during chondrogenesis. eLife 2024; 13:e82564. [PMID: 38483448 PMCID: PMC10939500 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified thousands of genetic variants linked to phenotypic traits and disease risk. However, mechanistic understanding of how GWAS variants influence complex morphological traits and can, in certain cases, simultaneously confer normal-range phenotypic variation and disease predisposition, is still largely lacking. Here, we focus on rs6740960, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the 2p21 locus, which in GWAS studies has been associated both with normal-range variation in jaw shape and with an increased risk of non-syndromic orofacial clefting. Using in vitro derived embryonic cell types relevant for human facial morphogenesis, we show that this SNP resides in an enhancer that regulates chondrocytic expression of PKDCC - a gene encoding a tyrosine kinase involved in chondrogenesis and skeletal development. In agreement, we demonstrate that the rs6740960 SNP is sufficient to confer chondrocyte-specific differences in PKDCC expression. By deploying dense landmark morphometric analysis of skull elements in mice, we show that changes in Pkdcc dosage are associated with quantitative changes in the maxilla, mandible, and palatine bone shape that are concordant with the facial phenotypes and disease predisposition seen in humans. We further demonstrate that the frequency of the rs6740960 variant strongly deviated among different human populations, and that the activity of its cognate enhancer diverged in hominids. Our study provides a mechanistic explanation of how a common SNP can mediate normal-range and disease-associated morphological variation, with implications for the evolution of human facial features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaaved Mohammed
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Neha Arora
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Harold S Matthews
- Department of Human Genetics, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Karissa Hansen
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, Department of Orofacial Sciences and Department of Anatomy, Institute of Human Genetics, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Maram Bader
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Susan Walsh
- Department of Biology, Indiana University IndianapolisIndianapolisUnited States
| | - John R Shaffer
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
- Department of Human Genetics, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
| | - Seth M Weinberg
- Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
- Department of Human Genetics, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
- Department of Anthropology, University of PittsburghPittsburghUnited States
| | - Tomek Swigut
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Peter Claes
- Department of Human Genetics, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT/PSI, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Murdoch Children’s Research InstituteMelbourneAustralia
| | - Licia Selleri
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, Department of Orofacial Sciences and Department of Anatomy, Institute of Human Genetics, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Joanna Wysocka
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
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3
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Selleri L, Rijli FM. Shaping faces: genetic and epigenetic control of craniofacial morphogenesis. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:610-626. [PMID: 37095271 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00594-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Major differences in facial morphology distinguish vertebrate species. Variation of facial traits underlies the uniqueness of human individuals, and abnormal craniofacial morphogenesis during development leads to birth defects that significantly affect quality of life. Studies during the past 40 years have advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that establish facial form during development, highlighting the crucial roles in this process of a multipotent cell type known as the cranial neural crest cell. In this Review, we discuss recent advances in multi-omics and single-cell technologies that enable genes, transcriptional regulatory networks and epigenetic landscapes to be closely linked to the establishment of facial patterning and its variation, with an emphasis on normal and abnormal craniofacial morphogenesis. Advancing our knowledge of these processes will support important developments in tissue engineering, as well as the repair and reconstruction of the abnormal craniofacial complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Licia Selleri
- Program in Craniofacial Biology, Department of Orofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Filippo M Rijli
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroepigenetics, Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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