15q11.2 deletion is enriched in patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

2020 ◽  
pp. jmedgenet-2019-106608
Author(s):  
Xiaoliang Li ◽  
Guocheng Shi ◽  
Yang Li ◽  
Xiaoqing Zhang ◽  
Ying Xiang ◽  
...  

IntroductionCNV is a vital pathogenic factor of congenital heart disease (CHD). However, few CNVs have been reported for total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC), which is a rare form of CHD. Using case-control study, we identified 15q11.2 deletion associated with TAPVC. We then used a TAPVC trio as model to reveal possible molecular basis of 15q11.2 microdeletion.MethodsCNVplex and Chromosomal Microarray were used to identify and validate CNVs in samples from 231 TAPVC cases and 200 healthy controls from Shanghai Children’s Medical Center. In vitro cardiomyocyte differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells for a TAPVC trio with paternal inherited 15q11.2 deletion was performed to characterise the effect of the deletion on cardiomyocyte differentiation and gene expression.ResultsThe 15q11.2 microdeletion was significantly enriched in patients with TAPVC compared with healthy control (13/231 in patients vs 0/200 in controls, p=5.872×10−2, Bonferroni adjusted) using Fisher’s exact test. Induced pluripotent stem cells from the proband could not differentiate into normal cardiomyocyte. Transcriptomic analysis identified a number of differentially expressed genes in the 15q11.2 deletion carriers of the family. TAPVC disease-causing genes such as PITX2, NKX2-5 and ANKRD1 showed significantly higher expression in the proband compared with her healthy mother. Knockdown of TUBGCP5 could lead to abnormal cardiomyocyte differentiation.ConclusionWe discovered that the 15q11.2 deletion is significantly associated with TAPVC. Gene expression profile that might arise from 15q11.2 deletion for a TAPVC family was characterised using cell experiments.

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S234-S234
Author(s):  
Lorna Farrelly ◽  
Shuangping Zhang ◽  
Erin Flaherty ◽  
Aaron Topol ◽  
Nadine Schrode ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe psychiatric disorder affecting ~1% of the world’s population. It is largely heritable with genetic risk reflected by a combination of common variants of small effect and highly penetrant rare mutations. Chromatin modifications are known to play critical roles in the mediation of many neurodevelopmental processes, and, when disturbed, may also contribute to the precipitation of psychiatric disorders, such as SCZ. While a handful of candidate-based studies have measured changes in promoter-bound histone modifications, few mechanistic studies have been carried out to explore how these modifications may affect chromatin to precipitate behavioral phenotypes associated with the disease. Methods We applied an unbiased proteomics approach to evaluate the epigenetic landscape of SCZ in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and neurons from SCZ patients vs. matched controls. We utilized proteomics-based, label free liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on purified histones from these cells and confirmed our results by western blotting in postmortem SCZ cortical brain tissues. Furthermore we validated our findings with the application of histone interaction assays and structural and biophysical assessments to identify and confirm novel chromatin ‘readers’. To relate our findings to a SCZ phenotype we used a SCZ rodent model of prepulse inhibition (PPI) to perform pharmacological manipulations and behavioral assessments. Results Using label free mass spectrometry we performed PTM screening of hiPSCs, NPCs and matured neurons derived from SCZ patients and matched controls. We identified, amongst others, altered patterns of hyperacetylation in SCZ neurons. Additionally we identified enhanced binding of particular acetylation ‘reader’ proteins. Pharmacological inhibition of such proteins in an animal model of amphetamine sensitization ameliorated PPI deficits further validating this epigenetic signature in SCZ. Discussion Recent evidence indicates that relevance and patterns of acetylation in epigenetics advances beyond its role in transcription and small molecule inhibitors of these aberrant interactions hold promise as useful therapeutics. This study identifies a role for modulating gene expression changes associated with a SCZ epigenetic signature and warrants further investigation in terms of how this early gene expression pattern perhaps determines susceptibility or severity of the SCZ disease trajectory.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Duong ◽  
Alesya Evstratova ◽  
Adam Sivitilli ◽  
J. Javier Hernandez ◽  
Jessica Gosio ◽  
...  

AbstractMitochondrial health plays a crucial role in human brain development and diseases. However, the evaluation of mitochondrial health in the brain is not incorporated into clinical practice due to ethical and logistical concerns. As a result, the development of targeted mitochondrial therapeutics remains a significant challenge due to the lack of appropriate patient-derived brain tissues. To address these unmet needs, we developed cerebral organoids (COs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and monitored mitochondrial health from the primary, reprogrammed and differentiated stages. Our results show preserved mitochondrial genetics, function and treatment responses across PBMCs to iPSCs to COs, and measurable neuronal activity in the COs. We expect our approach will serve as a model for more widespread evaluation of mitochondrial health relevant to a wide range of human diseases using readily accessible patient peripheral (PBMCs) and stem-cell derived brain tissue samples.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Andrianto ◽  
Adityo Basworo ◽  
Ivana Purnama Dewi ◽  
Budi Susetio Pikir

IntroductionIt is possible to induce pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells, offering an infinite cell resource with the potential for disease research and use in regenerative medicine. Due to ease of accessibility, minimum invasive treatment, and can be kept frozen, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were an attractive source cell. VC6TFZ, a small molecule compound, has been successfully reprogrammed from mouse fibroblast induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). However, it has not been confirmed in humans.ObjectiveThe aim of this research is to determine whether the small molecule compound VC6TFZ can induced pluripotency of PBMC to generate iPSCs detected with expression of SSEA4 and TRA1-60.MethodsUsing the centrifugation gradient density process, mononuclear cells were separated from peripheral venous blood. Mononuclear cells were cultured for 6 days in the expansion medium. The cells were divided into four groups; group 1 (P1), which was not exposed to small molecules (control group) and groups 2-4 (P2-P4), the experimental groups, subjected to various dosages of the small molecule compound VC6TFZ (VPA, CHIR, Tranylcypromine, FSK, Dznep, and TTNPB). The induction of pluripotency using small molecule compound VC6TFZ was completed within 14 days, then for 7 days the medium shifted to 2i medium. iPSCs identification in based on colony morphology and pluripotent gene expression, SSEA4 and TRA1-60 marker, using immunocytochemistry.ResultsColonies appeared on reprogramming process in day 7th. These colonies had round, large, and cobble stone morphology like ESC. Gene expression of SSEA4 and TRA 1-60 increased statisticaly significant than control group (SSEA4 were P2 p=0.007; P3 p=0.001; P4 p=0.009 and TRA 1-60 were P2 p=0.002; P3 p=0.001; P4 p=0.001).ConclusionSmall molecule compound VC6TFZ could induced pluripotency of human PBMC to generate iPSCs. Pluripotxency marker gene expression, SSEA 4 and TRA 1-60, in the experimental group was statistically significantly higher than in the control group.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shailaja Rao ◽  
Qian Zhang ◽  
Haruto Uchino ◽  
Arjun Pendharkar ◽  
Michelle Cheng ◽  
...  

Background: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare, progressive steno-occlusive cerebrovascular disorder of the internal carotid artery, leading to stroke. Affected arteries exhibit thickened intima with depleted elastic lamina and media, indicating a dysfunction of the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs). However the pathogenesis of the disease is still unclear. We aim to address this gap in knowledge by using patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to generate VSMCs and ECs. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from controls and MMD patients (n=3 per group) were used for generating iPSCs. VSMC functionality was measured by collagen gel contraction assay and scratch assay. EC proliferative function was assessed by BrDU incorporation assay, and its migration capacity was evaluated by scratch assay and in vitro tube formation. VSMCs and ECs were also exposed to either hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or normoxia/ hypoxia model (1%O 2 ) to investigate how cells respond to these insults. Hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) activation was determined using western blot. Results: MMD VSMCs trended towards being more contractile and migrating faster than control VSMCs, in response to 10%FBS or SDF1α. On the other hand, MMD ECs migrated slower than control ECs in response to 10%FBS (p=0.0081) or VEGF (p=0.0072). MMD ECs also formed lesser tubes and exhibited fewer branch points when compared to controls. The rate of EC proliferation was similar between both groups. Cell death assays indicate that MMD VSMCs and ECs were more sensitive to the deleterious effects of H2O2 exposure when compared to control cells. Interestingly, MMD VSMCs had elevated HIF1α protein expression in normoxia, which was further increased after hypoxia. Conclusions: Our preliminary results indicate that both MMD VSMCs and ECs are dysfunctional and may be related to the elevated basal expression of HIF1α, possibly contributing to MMD pathology. We are currently investigating the interactions between VSMCs and ECs in MMD compared with controls using co-cultures. Ongoing studies also include transcriptome analysis of these differentiated cells, which will advance the understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying MMD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (10) ◽  
pp. 888-895
Author(s):  
Atsuko Hamada ◽  
Eri Akagi ◽  
Fumitaka Obayashi ◽  
Sachiko Yamasaki ◽  
Koichi Koizumi ◽  
...  

AbstractNoonan syndrome is an autosomal dominant developmental disorder. Although it is relatively common, and its phenotypical variability is well documented, its pathophysiology is not fully understood. Previously, with the aim of revealing the pathogenesis of genetic disorders, we reported the induction of cleidocranial dysplasia-specific human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from patient’s dental pulp cells (DPCs) under serum-free, feeder-free, and integration-free conditions. Notably, these cells showed potential for application to genetic disorder disease models. Furthermore, using similar procedures, we reported the induction of hiPSCs derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy volunteers. These methods are beneficial, because they are carried out without invasive and painful biopsies. Using those procedures, we reprogrammed DPCs and PBMCs that were derived from a patient with Noonan syndrome (NS) to establish NS-specific hiPSCs (NS-DPC-hiPSCs and NS-PBMC-hiPSCs, respectively). The induction efficiency of NS-hiPSCs was higher than that of WT-hiPSCs. We hypothesize that this was caused by high NANOG expression. Here, we describe the experimental results and findings related to NS-hiPSCs. This is the first report on the establishment of NS-hiPSCs and their disease modeling.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 367-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daiki Nukaya ◽  
Kohtaro Minami ◽  
Ritsuko Hoshikawa ◽  
Norihide Yokoi ◽  
Susumu Seino

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