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Li D, Wang Y, Guo Y, Wang W. Bioinformatics analysis reveals multiple functional changes in astrocytes in temporal lobe epilepsy. Brain Res 2024; 1831:148820. [PMID: 38417653 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.148820] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a prevalent chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures and brain dysfunction. Existing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) mainly act on neurons and provide symptomatic control of seizures, but they do not modify the progression of epilepsy and may cause serious adverse effects. Increasing evidence suggests that reactive astrogliosis is critical in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. However, the function of reactive astrocytes in epilepsy has not been thoroughly explored. To provide a new perspective on the role of reactive astrocytes in epileptogenesis, we identified human astrocyte-specific genes and found 131 of these genes significantly differentially expressed in human temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) datasets. Multiple astrocytic functions, such as cell adhesion, cell morphogenesis, actin filament-based process, apoptotic cell clearance and response to oxidative stress, were found to be promoted. Moreover, multiple altered astrocyte-specific genes were enriched in phagocytosis, perisynaptic astrocyte processes (PAPs), plasticity, and synaptic functions. Nine hub genes (ERBB2, GFAP, NOTCH2, ITGAV, ABCA1, AQP4, LRP1, GJA1, and YAP1) were identified by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. The correlation between the expression of these hub genes and seizure frequency, as well as epilepsy-related factors, including inflammatory mediators, complement factors, glutamate excitotoxicity and astrocyte reactivity, were analyzed. Additionally, upstream transcription factors of the hub genes were predicted. Finally, astrogliosis and the expression of the hub genes were validated in an epileptic rat model. Our findings reveal the various changes in astrocyte function associated with epilepsy and provide candidate astrocyte-specific genes that could be potential antiepileptogenic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxiao Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China; Neurological Laboratory of Hebei Province, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China
| | - Yansu Guo
- Beijing Geriatric Healthcare Center, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing, China
| | - Weiping Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China; Neurological Laboratory of Hebei Province, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, 215 Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China.
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Abid R, Nisar H, Chaudhary SU, Hamid M, Sahibzada KI, Firdous S, Mudassar M, Sadaf S. Association of epilepsy and neurological impairments with homozygous recessive missense mutations found in the genes responsible for ganglioside biosynthesis ( ST3GAL5) and calcium voltage-gated channels ( CACNA1H) - insights through molecular dynamic simulations. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38356142 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2314751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
With over 2.2 million cases, the incidence rate of epilepsy in Pakistan is far higher than the rest of the world due primarily to the frequent, traditionally imposed cousin marriages. In the present study, comprehensive whole exome sequencing (WES) analyses of a three-generation family with four affected members presenting 'unexplained' childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), seizures and dementia, was performed in a quest to identify heritable, epilepsy-causal gene variants to better aid in carrier screening and genetic counselling. The WES data was generated, analyzed, and validated through Sanger's sequencing, molecular dynamic simulation (MDS) analysis, and molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation (MM/GBSA) studies. Two homozygous recessive, missense mutations in ST3GAL5 (c.311A > G, p. His104Arg) and CACNA1H (c.6230G > A, p. Arg2077His) genes, earlier regarded as benign or of uncertain significance, have been identified as a potential etiology. Comparative MDS and free binding energy calculations revealed substantial structural perturbations in mutant forms of ST3GAL5 leading to decreased binding and reduced catalytic activity of the p.His104Arg and two other functional variants (p.Val74Glu and p.Arg288Ter) when compared with wild type. Our findings reinforce that WES analyses may uncover 'hidden', heritable variants and together with MDS and MM/GBSA may provide plausible clues to answer the unexplained causes of epilepsy for an effective management and better patient outcome. Further, revisit of epilepsy-associated mutational landscape in population context is imperative as the variants with 'benign' tags may turn out to be 'non-benign', when exist in combination with other benign.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rizwan Abid
- School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Haseeb Nisar
- Department of Life-Sciences, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Safee Ullah Chaudhary
- Biomedical Informatics & Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Life-Sciences, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Maham Hamid
- Biomedical Informatics & Engineering Research Laboratory, Department of Life-Sciences, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Kashif Iqbal Sahibzada
- Department of Health Professional Technologies, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Safia Firdous
- School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
- Faculty of Rehabilitation and Allied Health Sciences, Riphah International University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Saima Sadaf
- School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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Wang S, Xie Z, Jun T, Ma X, Zhang M, Rao F, Xu H, Lu J, Ding X, Li Z. Identification of potential crucial genes and therapeutic targets for epilepsy. Eur J Med Res 2024; 29:43. [PMID: 38212777 PMCID: PMC10782668 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-024-01643-8] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epilepsy, a central neurological disorder, has a complex genetic architecture. There is some evidence suggesting that genetic factors play a role in both the occurrence of epilepsy and its treatment. However, the genetic determinants of epilepsy are largely unknown. This study aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets for epilepsy. METHODS Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were extracted from the expression profiles of GSE44031 and GSE1834. Gene co-expression analysis was used to confirm the regulatory relationship between newly discovered epilepsy candidate genes and known epilepsy genes. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis was conducted to determine if epilepsy risk single-nucleotide polymorphisms regulate DEGs' expression in human brain tissue. Finally, protein-protein interaction analysis and drug-gene interaction analysis were performed to assess the role of DEGs in epilepsy treatment. RESULTS The study found that the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor-type O gene (PTPRO) and the growth arrest and DNA damage inducible alpha gene (GADD45A) were significantly upregulated in epileptic rats compared to controls in both datasets. Gene co-expression analysis revealed that PTPRO was co-expressed with RBP4, NDN, PAK3, FOXG1, IDS, and IDS, and GADD45A was co-expressed with LRRK2 in human brain tissue. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis suggested that epilepsy risk single-nucleotide polymorphisms could be responsible for the altered PTPRO and GADD45A expression in human brain tissue. Moreover, the protein encoded by GADD45A had a direct interaction with approved antiepileptic drug targets, and GADD45A interacts with genistein and cisplatin. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study highlight PTPRO and GADD45A as potential genes for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shitao Wang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Fuyang People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, Anhui, China.
| | - Zhenrong Xie
- The Medical Biobank, First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, China
| | - Tian Jun
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Fuyang People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, Anhui, China
| | - Xuelu Ma
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Fuyang People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, Anhui, China
| | - Mengen Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Fuyang People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, Anhui, China
| | - Feng Rao
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Fuyang People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, Anhui, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Fuyang People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, Anhui, China
| | - Jinghong Lu
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Fuyang People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, Anhui, China
| | - Xiangqian Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Zongyou Li
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Fuyang People's Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, Anhui, China
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Girard A, Moreau C, Michaud JL, Minassian B, Cossette P, Girard SL. Unraveling the role of non-coding rare variants in epilepsy. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291935. [PMID: 37756314 PMCID: PMC10529579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery of new variants has leveled off in recent years in epilepsy studies, despite the use of very large cohorts. Consequently, most of the heritability is still unexplained. Rare non-coding variants have been largely ignored in studies on epilepsy, although non-coding single nucleotide variants can have a significant impact on gene expression. We had access to whole genome sequencing (WGS) from 247 epilepsy patients and 377 controls. To assess the functional impact of non-coding variants, ExPecto, a deep learning algorithm was used to predict expression change in brain tissues. We compared the burden of rare non-coding deleterious variants between cases and controls. Rare non-coding highly deleterious variants were significantly enriched in Genetic Generalized Epilepsy (GGE), but not in Non-Acquired Focal Epilepsy (NAFE) or all epilepsy cases when compared with controls. In this study we showed that rare non-coding deleterious variants are associated with epilepsy, specifically with GGE. Larger WGS epilepsy cohort will be needed to investigate those effects at a greater resolution. Nevertheless, we demonstrated the importance of studying non-coding regions in epilepsy, a disease where new discoveries are scarce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Girard
- Centre Intersectoriel en Santé Durable, University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Canada
| | - Claudia Moreau
- Centre Intersectoriel en Santé Durable, University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Canada
| | - Jacques L. Michaud
- CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences and Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Berge Minassian
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Pediatrics, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patrick Cossette
- CHUM Research Center, Montréal, Canada
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Montreal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Simon L. Girard
- Centre Intersectoriel en Santé Durable, University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Canada
- CERVO Research Center, Laval University, Québec, Canada
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Lu M, Feng R, Zhang C, Xiao Y, Yin C. Identifying Novel Drug Targets for Epilepsy Through a Brain Transcriptome-Wide Association Study and Protein-Wide Association Study with Chemical-Gene-Interaction Analysis. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:5055-5066. [PMID: 37246165 PMCID: PMC10415436 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03382-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a severe neurological condition affecting 50-65 million individuals worldwide that can lead to brain damage. Nevertheless, the etiology of epilepsy remains poorly understood. Meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies involving 15,212 epilepsy cases and 29,677 controls of the ILAE Consortium cohort were used to conduct transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) and protein-wide association studies (PWAS). Furthermore, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was generated using the STRING database, and significant epilepsy-susceptible genes were verified using chip data. Chemical-related gene set enrichment analysis (CGSEA) was performed to determine novel drug targets for epilepsy. TWAS analysis identified 21,170 genes, of which 58 were significant (TWASfdr < 0.05) in ten brain regions, and 16 differentially expressed genes were verified based on mRNA expression profiles. The PWAS identified 2249 genes, of which 2 were significant (PWASfdr < 0.05). Through chemical-gene set enrichment analysis, 287 environmental chemicals associated with epilepsy were identified. We identified five significant genes (WIPF1, IQSEC1, JAM2, ICAM3, and ZNF143) that had causal relationships with epilepsy. CGSEA identified 159 chemicals that were significantly correlated with epilepsy (Pcgsea < 0.05), such as pentobarbital, ketone bodies, and polychlorinated biphenyl. In summary, we performed TWAS, PWAS (for genetic factors), and CGSEA (for environmental factors) analyses and identified several epilepsy-associated genes and chemicals. The results of this study will contribute to our understanding of genetic and environmental factors for epilepsy and may predict novel drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengnan Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, Shanxi, China
| | - Ruoyang Feng
- Department of Joint Surgery, HongHui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, Shanxi, China
| | - Chenglin Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, Shanxi, China
| | - Yanfeng Xiao
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, Shanxi, China.
| | - Chunyan Yin
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, Shanxi, China.
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Pickrell WO, Fry AE. Epilepsy genetics: a practical guide for adult neurologists. Pract Neurol 2023; 23:111-119. [PMID: 36639246 DOI: 10.1136/pn-2022-003623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
An understanding of epilepsy genetics is important for adult neurologists, as making a genetic diagnosis gives clinical benefit. In this review, we describe the key features of different groups of genetic epilepsies. We describe the common available genetic tests for epilepsy, and how to interpret them.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Owen Pickrell
- Department of Neurology, Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, UK
- Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Andrew E Fry
- All Wales Medical Genomics Service, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Shared genetic architecture between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and lifespan. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:981-990. [PMID: 36906694 PMCID: PMC10209393 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01555-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
There is evidence linking ADHD to a reduced life expectancy. The mortality rate in individuals with ADHD is twice that of the general population and it is associated with several factors, such as unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, social adversity, and mental health problems that may in turn increase mortality rates. Since ADHD and lifespan are heritable, we used data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of ADHD and parental lifespan, as proxy of individual lifespan, to estimate their genetic correlation, identify genetic loci jointly associated with both phenotypes and assess causality. We confirmed a negative genetic correlation between ADHD and parental lifespan (rg = -0.36, P = 1.41e-16). Nineteen independent loci were jointly associated with both ADHD and parental lifespan, with most of the alleles that increased the risk for ADHD being associated with shorter lifespan. Fifteen loci were novel for ADHD and two were already present in the original GWAS on parental lifespan. Mendelian randomization analyses pointed towards a negative causal effect of ADHD liability on lifespan (P = 1.54e-06; Beta = -0.07), although these results were not confirmed by all sensitivity analyses performed, and further evidence is required. The present study provides the first evidence of a common genetic background between ADHD and lifespan, which may play a role in the reported effect of ADHD on premature mortality risk. These results are consistent with previous epidemiological data describing reduced lifespan in mental disorders and support that ADHD is an important health condition that could negatively affect future life outcomes.
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