scholarly journals Genetically regulated expression underlies cellular sensitivity to chemotherapy in diverse populations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley J Mulford ◽  
Claudia Wing ◽  
M Eileen Dolan ◽  
Heather E Wheeler

Abstract Most cancer chemotherapeutic agents are ineffective in a subset of patients, thus it is important to consider the role of genetic variation in drug response. Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) in 1000 Genomes Project populations of diverse ancestries are a useful model for determining how genetic factors impact variation in cytotoxicity. In our study, LCLs from three 1000 Genomes Project populations of diverse ancestries were previously treated with increasing concentrations of eight chemotherapeutic drugs and cell growth inhibition was measured at each dose with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) or area under the dose–response curve (AUC) as our phenotype for each drug. We conducted both genome-wide (GWAS) and transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) within and across ancestral populations. We identified four unique loci in GWAS and three genes in TWAS significantly associated with chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity within and across ancestral populations. For etoposide, increased STARD5 predicted expression associated with decreased etoposide IC50 (p = 8.5 x 10−8). Functional studies in A549, a lung cancer cell line, revealed that knockdown of STARD5 expression resulted in decreased sensitivity to etoposide following exposure for 72 (p = 0.033) and 96 hours (p = 0.0001). By identifying loci and genes associated with cytotoxicity across ancestral populations, we strive to understand the genetic factors impacting the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs and to contribute to the development of future cancer treatment.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuquan Rao ◽  
Yao Yao ◽  
Daniel E. Bauer

AbstractGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) have uncovered thousands of genetic variants that influence risk for human diseases and traits. Yet understanding the mechanisms by which these genetic variants, mainly noncoding, have an impact on associated diseases and traits remains a significant hurdle. In this review, we discuss emerging experimental approaches that are being applied for functional studies of causal variants and translational advances from GWAS findings to disease prevention and treatment. We highlight the use of genome editing technologies in GWAS functional studies to modify genomic sequences, with proof-of-principle examples. We discuss the challenges in interrogating causal variants, points for consideration in experimental design and interpretation of GWAS locus mechanisms, and the potential for novel therapeutic opportunities. With the accumulation of knowledge of functional genetics, therapeutic genome editing based on GWAS discoveries will become increasingly feasible.


Author(s):  
Navnit S. Makaram ◽  
Stuart H. Ralston

Abstract Purpose of Review To provide an overview of the role of genes and loci that predispose to Paget’s disease of bone and related disorders. Recent Findings Studies over the past ten years have seen major advances in knowledge on the role of genetic factors in Paget’s disease of bone (PDB). Genome wide association studies have identified six loci that predispose to the disease whereas family based studies have identified a further eight genes that cause PDB. This brings the total number of genes and loci implicated in PDB to fourteen. Emerging evidence has shown that a number of these genes also predispose to multisystem proteinopathy syndromes where PDB is accompanied by neurodegeneration and myopathy due to the accumulation of abnormal protein aggregates, emphasising the importance of defects in autophagy in the pathogenesis of PDB. Summary Genetic factors play a key role in the pathogenesis of PDB and the studies in this area have identified several genes previously not suspected to play a role in bone metabolism. Genetic testing coupled to targeted therapeutic intervention is being explored as a way of halting disease progression and improving outcome before irreversible skeletal damage has occurred.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 846-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Santpere ◽  
Fleur Darre ◽  
Soledad Blanco ◽  
Antonio Alcami ◽  
Pablo Villoslada ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 215 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Homuth ◽  
Alexander Teumer ◽  
Uwe Völker ◽  
Matthias Nauck

The metabolome, defined as the reflection of metabolic dynamics derived from parameters measured primarily in easily accessible body fluids such as serum, plasma, and urine, can be considered as the omics data pool that is closest to the phenotype because it integrates genetic influences as well as nongenetic factors. Metabolic traits can be related to genetic polymorphisms in genome-wide association studies, enabling the identification of underlying genetic factors, as well as to specific phenotypes, resulting in the identification of metabolome signatures primarily caused by nongenetic factors. Similarly, correlation of metabolome data with transcriptional or/and proteome profiles of blood cells also produces valuable data, by revealing associations between metabolic changes and mRNA and protein levels. In the last years, the progress in correlating genetic variation and metabolome profiles was most impressive. This review will therefore try to summarize the most important of these studies and give an outlook on future developments.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland Jäger ◽  
Heinz Gisslinger ◽  
Elisabeth Fuchs ◽  
Edith Bogner ◽  
Jelena D. Milosevic Feenstra ◽  
...  

Interferon alpha (IFNα) based therapies can induce hematologic and molecular responses in polycythemia vera (PV); however, patients do not respond equally. Germline genetic factors have previously been implicated in differential drug response. We addressed the effect of common germline polymorphisms on hematologic and molecular response (HR/MR) in PV therapy within the PROUD-PV and CONTINUATION-PV studies including 122 patients with PV receiving ropeginterferon alfa-2b. Genome-wide association studies using longitudinal data on HR and MR over 36 months follow-up did not reveal any associations at genome-wide significance. Further, we performed targeted association analyses at the interferon lambda 4 (IFNL4) locus, well known for its role in hepatitis C viral clearance and recently reported to influence HR during therapy of myeloproliferative neoplasms. While we did not observe any association of IFNL4 polymorphisms with HR in our study cohort, we demonstrated a statistically significant effect of the functionally causative IFNL4 diplotype (haplotype pair including the protein-coding variants rs368234815/rs117648444) on MR (p=3.91x10-4; OR=10.80; 95%CI:[2.39-69.97]) as reflected in differential JAK2V617F mutational burden changes according to IFNL4 diplotype status. Stratification of PV patients based on IFNL4 functionality may allow for optimizing patient management during IFNα treatment.


2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. E4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Achal S. Achrol ◽  
Raphael Guzman ◽  
Marco Lee ◽  
Gary K. Steinberg

Moyamoya disease is an uncommon cerebrovascular condition characterized by progressive stenosis of the bilateral internal carotid arteries with compensatory formation of an abnormal network of perforating blood vessels providing collateral circulation. The etiology and pathogenesis of moyamoya disease remain unclear. Evidence from histological studies, proteomics, and endothelial progenitor cell analyses suggests new theories underlying the cause of vascular anomalies, including moyamoya disease. Familial moyamoya disease has been noted in as many as 15% of patients, indicating an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern with incomplete penetrance. Genetic analyses in familial moyamoya disease and genome-wide association studies represent promising strategies for elucidating the pathophysiology of this condition. In this review, the authors discuss recent studies that have investigated possible mechanisms underlying the etiology of moyamoya disease, including stem cell involvement and genetic factors. They also discuss future research directions that promise not only to offer new insights into the origin of moyamoya disease but to enhance our understanding of new vessel formation in the CNS as it relates to stroke, vascular anomalies, and tumor growth.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3184
Author(s):  
Nikolay V. Kondratyev ◽  
Margarita V. Alfimova ◽  
Arkadiy K. Golov ◽  
Vera E. Golimbet

Scientifically interesting as well as practically important phenotypes often belong to the realm of complex traits. To the extent that these traits are hereditary, they are usually ‘highly polygenic’. The study of such traits presents a challenge for researchers, as the complex genetic architecture of such traits makes it nearly impossible to utilise many of the usual methods of reverse genetics, which often focus on specific genes. In recent years, thousands of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were undertaken to explore the relationships between complex traits and a large number of genetic factors, most of which are characterised by tiny effects. In this review, we aim to familiarise ‘wet biologists’ with approaches for the interpretation of GWAS results, to clarify some issues that may seem counterintuitive and to assess the possibility of using GWAS results in experiments on various complex traits.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (7A) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Bennett ◽  
Rebecca Bengtsson ◽  
Kate Baker

Bacterial of the genus Shigella are a major contributor to the global diarrhoea burden causing 100,000 deaths per annum globally. Further to this, increasing antibiotic resistance in Shigella and the lack of a licenced vaccine has led WHO to recognise Shigella as a priority organism for the development of new antibiotics. Understanding what drives the long-term persistence and success of this pathogen will thus aid the global management of shigellosis and may identify targets relevant to other enteric bacteria. To identify key genetic drivers of Shigella evolution over the past 100 years, we have used the historical Murray collection; comprising several hundred pre-antibiotic era (1917 – 1954) Enterobacteriaceae from diverse geographical locations. We employed genome-wide association studies to sequences from over 100 Shigella isolates from the Murray collection alongsidemore modern (i.e. 1950s – 2018) isolates to identify genetic factors (SNPs and genes) significantly associated with time as a continuous variable. GWAS hits (e.g. a putative resistance protein) then underwent variation, functional and phenotypic analysis to examine the plausibility of their role in shaping Shigella populations and as potential targets for managing this pathogen.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Kyu Chae ◽  
Eunmi Ban

ABSTRACTIn the recent years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been discovered to play a very important role in biological processes such as development, differentiation, and apoptosis. The miRNA expression levels in cells are associated with diverse diseases including cancers. MiRNA inhibitors have been widely employed for studying the functions and targets of miRNAs by transfecting the inhibitors into cells. The concentrations of miRNA inhibitors used for such studies can vary depending on the types of miRNAs being tested, the cell lines under study, and the analysis methods. Therefore, in order to obtain accurate results, appropriate amounts of miRNA inhibitors have to be used in the experiments. Apart from amounts, the evaluation of inhibitors may also have to be conducted for functional studies.Here we developed capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF) method for evaluating miRNA inhibitor and for optimizing miRNA inhibitor concentrations, in the A549 lung cancer cell line. The target miRNAs, miRNA-23a and miRNA-24 are biomarker candidates in lung cancer cell lines. Our results showed that miRNA-23a and miRNA-24 were effectively inhibited upon transfection with 20 nM miRNA inhibitors using CE-LIF method. Furthermore, these results demonstrated the potential of CE for fast, specific, sensitive and specific analyses for the evaluation and determination of the optimal concentration of miRNA inhibitors for functional studies.Abstract Graphics


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