scholarly journals Host Genetics and Gut Microbiome: Perspectives for Multiple Sclerosis

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 1181
Author(s):  
Alessandro Maglione ◽  
Miriam Zuccalà ◽  
Martina Tosi ◽  
Marinella Clerico ◽  
Simona Rolla
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Host Genetics

As a complex disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS)’s etiology is determined by both genetic and environmental factors. In the last decade, the gut microbiome has emerged as an important environmental factor, but its interaction with host genetics is still unknown. In this review, we focus on these dual aspects of MS pathogenesis: we describe the current knowledge on genetic factors related to MS, based on genome-wide association studies, and then illustrate the interactions between the immune system, gut microbiome and central nervous system in MS, summarizing the evidence available from Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis mouse models and studies in patients. Finally, as the understanding of influence of host genetics on the gut microbiome composition in MS is in its infancy, we explore this issue based on the evidence currently available from other autoimmune diseases that share with MS the interplay of genetic with environmental factors (Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus), and discuss avenues for future research.

scholarly journals New Horizons in the Genetic Etiology of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Lupus-Like Disease: Monogenic Lupus and Beyond

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erkan Demirkaya ◽  
Sezgin Sahin ◽  
Micol Romano ◽  
Qing Zhou ◽  
Ivona Aksentijevich
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Genetic Diagnosis ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Degree Relative ◽  
Adult Age

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous autoimmune disease. The etiology of lupus and the contribution of genetic, environmental, infectious and hormonal factors to this phenotype have yet to be elucidated. The most straightforward approach to unravel the molecular pathogenesis of lupus may rely on studies of patients who present with early-onset severe phenotypes. Typically, they have at least one of the following clinical features: childhood onset of severe disease (<5 years), parental consanguinity, and presence of family history for autoimmune diseases in a first-degree relative. These patients account for a small proportion of patients with lupus but they inform considerable knowledge about cellular pathways contributing to this inflammatory phenotype. In recent years with the aid of new sequencing technologies, novel or rare pathogenic variants have been reported in over 30 genes predisposing to SLE and SLE-like diseases. Future studies will likely discover many more genes with private variants associated to lupus-like phenotypes. In addition, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a number of common alleles (SNPs), which increase the risk of developing lupus in adult age. Discovery of a possible shared immune pathway in SLE patients, either with rare or common variants, can provide important clues to better understand this complex disorder, it’s prognosis and can help guide new therapeutic approaches. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge of the clinical presentation, genetic diagnosis and mechanisms of disease in patents with lupus and lupus-related phenotypes.

scholarly journals Current Insights in Genetics of Sarcoidosis: Functional and Clinical Impacts

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Calender ◽  
Thomas Weichhart ◽  
Dominique Valeyre ◽  
Yves Pacheco
Keyword(s):  
Complex Disease ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Genetic Research ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Whole Exome ◽  
Next Generation Sequencing Ngs ◽  
Generation Sequencing ◽  
Future Management

Sarcoidosis is a complex disease that belongs to the vast group of autoinflammatory disorders, but the etiological mechanisms of which are not known. At the crosstalk of environmental, infectious, and genetic factors, sarcoidosis is a multifactorial disease that requires a multidisciplinary approach for which genetic research, in particular, next generation sequencing (NGS) tools, has made it possible to identify new pathways and propose mechanistic hypotheses. Codified treatments for the disease cannot always respond to the most progressive forms and the identification of new genetic and metabolic tracks is a challenge for the future management of the most severe patients. Here, we review the current knowledge regarding the genes identified by both genome wide association studies (GWAS) and whole exome sequencing (WES), as well the connection of these pathways with the current research on sarcoidosis immune-related disorders.

Genetic and environmental determinants of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in multiple sclerosis

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 1414-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie H Laursen ◽  
Helle Bach Søndergaard ◽  
Anders Albrechtsen ◽  
Ruth Frikke-Schmidt ◽  
Nils Koch-Henriksen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Vitamin D ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Allelic Discrimination ◽  
Vitamin D Metabolism ◽  
Hydroxyvitamin D ◽  
25 Hydroxyvitamin D

Background: Evidence is accumulating supporting a beneficial effect of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis (MS). Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have shown significant associations between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in key genes in the vitamin D metabolism. Objective: To examine the association between 25(OH)D and six GWAS SNPs and environmental factors in 1497 MS patients. Methods: Blood samples and lifestyle questionnaires were collected between 2009 and 2012. Genotyping of GC-, CYP2R1- and NADSYN1-SNPs was performed by TaqMan allelic discrimination (Life Technologies). Results: We found significant associations between 25(OH)D and SNPs in GC (rs7041, p = 0.01 and rs2282679, p = 0.03) and CYP2R1 (rs10741657, p =1.8 × 10−4). Season of blood sampling (p = 2.8 × 10−31), sex ( p = 1.9 × 10−5), BMI ( p = 2.3 × 10−5), vitamin supplements ( p = 7.0 × 10−22), and fish intake ( p = 0.02) also had significant effects on 25(OH)D. Conclusion: In this cross-sectional study, we found significant effects of environmental factors and SNPs in GC and CYP2R1 on 25(OH)D in MS patients. Since 25(OH)D might have protective effects in MS, and vitamin D supply is a modifiable factor, it may be important to include this in the MS treatment regimen.

scholarly journals Exploring the Triple Interaction between the Host Genome, the Epigenome, and the Gut Microbiome in Type 1 Diabetes

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Duaa Ahmed Elhag ◽  
Manoj Kumar ◽  
Souhaila Al Khodor
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Immune Disorder ◽  
Microbiome Composition

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an auto-immune disorder characterized by a complex interaction between the host immune system and various environmental factors in genetically susceptible individuals. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified different T1D risk and protection alleles, however, little is known about the environmental factors that can be linked to these alleles. Recent evidence indicated that, among those environmental factors, dysbiosis (imbalance) in the gut microbiota may play a role in the pathogenesis of T1D, affecting the integrity of the gut and leading to systemic inflammation and auto-destruction of the pancreatic β cells. Several studies have identified changes in the gut microbiome composition in humans and animal models comparing T1D subjects with controls. Those changes were characterized by a higher abundance of Bacteroides and a lower abundance of the butyrate-producing bacteria such as Clostridium clusters IV and XIVa. The mechanisms by which the dysbiotic bacteria and/or their metabolites interact with the genome and/or the epigenome of the host leading to destructive autoimmunity is still not clear. As T1D is a multifactorial disease, understanding the interaction between different environmental factors such as the gut microbiome, the genetic and the epigenetic determinants that are linked with the early appearance of autoantibodies can expand our knowledge about the disease pathogenesis. This review aims to provide insights into the interaction between the gut microbiome, susceptibility genes, epigenetic factors, and the immune system in the pathogenesis of T1D.

Genetic contributions to anxiety disorders: where we are and where we are heading

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Helga Ask ◽  
Rosa Cheesman ◽  
Eshim S. Jami ◽  
Daniel F. Levey ◽  
Kirstin L. Purves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Genome Wide

Abstract Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders worldwide. They often onset early in life, with symptoms and consequences that can persist for decades. This makes anxiety disorders some of the most debilitating and costly disorders of our time. Although much is known about the synaptic and circuit mechanisms of fear and anxiety, research on the underlying genetics has lagged behind that of other psychiatric disorders. However, alongside the formation of the Psychiatric Genomic Consortium Anxiety workgroup, progress is rapidly advancing, offering opportunities for future research. Here we review current knowledge about the genetics of anxiety across the lifespan from genetically informative designs (i.e. twin studies and molecular genetics). We include studies of specific anxiety disorders (e.g. panic disorder, generalised anxiety disorder) as well as those using dimensional measures of trait anxiety. We particularly address findings from large-scale genome-wide association studies and show how such discoveries may provide opportunities for translation into improved or new therapeutics for affected individuals. Finally, we describe how discoveries in anxiety genetics open the door to numerous new research possibilities, such as the investigation of specific gene–environment interactions and the disentangling of causal associations with related traits and disorders. We discuss how the field of anxiety genetics is expected to move forward. In addition to the obvious need for larger sample sizes in genome-wide studies, we highlight the need for studies among young people, focusing on specific underlying dimensional traits or components of anxiety.

scholarly journals Host genetic control of gut microbiome composition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason A. Bubier ◽  
Elissa J. Chesler ◽  
George M. Weinstock
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Control ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Genetic Variant ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Disease Phenotype ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Host Genetics ◽  
Microbiome Composition ◽  
Host Genetic

AbstractThe gut microbiome plays a significant role in health and disease, and there is mounting evidence indicating that the microbial composition is regulated in part by host genetics. Heritability estimates for microbial abundance in mice and humans range from (0.05–0.45), indicating that 5–45% of inter-individual variation can be explained by genetics. Through twin studies, genetic association studies, systems genetics, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), hundreds of specific host genetic loci have been shown to associate with the abundance of discrete gut microbes. Using genetically engineered knock-out mice, at least 30 specific genes have now been validated as having specific effects on the microbiome. The relationships among of host genetics, microbiome composition, and abundance, and disease is now beginning to be unraveled through experiments designed to test causality. The genetic control of disease and its relationship to the microbiome can manifest in multiple ways. First, a genetic variant may directly cause the disease phenotype, resulting in an altered microbiome as a consequence of the disease phenotype. Second, a genetic variant may alter gene expression in the host, which in turn alters the microbiome, producing the disease phenotype. Finally, the genetic variant may alter the microbiome directly, which can result in the disease phenotype. In order to understand the processes that underlie the onset and progression of certain diseases, future research must take into account the relationship among host genetics, microbiome, and disease phenotype, and the resources needed to study these relationships.

scholarly journals Environmental modifiable risk factors for multiple sclerosis: Report from the 2016 ECTRIMS focused workshop

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 590-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Pia Amato ◽  
Tobias Derfuss ◽  
Bernard Hemmer ◽  
Roland Liblau ◽  
Xavier Montalban ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Demyelinating Disease ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Modifiable Risk Factors ◽  
Patient Counselling

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and neurodegenerative demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), most likely autoimmune in origin, usually beginning in early adulthood. The aetiology of the disease is not well understood; it is viewed currently as a multifactorial disease which results from complex interactions between genetic predisposition and environmental factors, of which a few are potentially modifiable. Improving our understanding of these factors can lead to new and more effective approaches to patient counselling and, possibly, prevention and management of the disease. The 2016 focused workshop of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) addressed the topic of environmental, modifiable risk factors for MS, gathering experts from around the world, to collate experimental and clinical research into environmental factors that have been associated with the disease onset and, in a few cases, disease activity and progression. A number of factors, including infections, vitamin D deficiency, diet and lifestyle factors, stress and comorbidities, were discussed. The meeting provided a forum to analyse available evidence, to identify inconsistencies and gaps in current knowledge and to suggest avenues for future research.

scholarly journals Twelve years of GWAS discoveries for osteoporosis and related traits: advances, challenges and applications

Bone Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaowei Zhu ◽  
Weiyang Bai ◽  
Houfeng Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Drug Targets ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Osteoporotic Fractures ◽  
Disease Prediction ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Mineral Density ◽  
Small Effect Size ◽  
Endocrine Status ◽  
Meta Analyses

AbstractOsteoporosis is a common skeletal disease, affecting ~200 million people around the world. As a complex disease, osteoporosis is influenced by many factors, including diet (e.g. calcium and protein intake), physical activity, endocrine status, coexisting diseases and genetic factors. In this review, we first summarize the discovery from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in the bone field in the last 12 years. To date, GWASs and meta-analyses have discovered hundreds of loci that are associated with bone mineral density (BMD), osteoporosis, and osteoporotic fractures. However, the GWAS approach has sometimes been criticized because of the small effect size of the discovered variants and the mystery of missing heritability, these two questions could be partially explained by the newly raised conceptual models, such as omnigenic model and natural selection. Finally, we introduce the clinical use of GWAS findings in the bone field, such as the identification of causal clinical risk factors, the development of drug targets and disease prediction. Despite the fruitful GWAS discoveries in the bone field, most of these GWAS participants were of European descent, and more genetic studies should be carried out in other ethnic populations to benefit disease prediction in the corresponding population.

scholarly journals Genetic Basis of Mastitis Resistance in Dairy Cattle – A Review / Podstawy Genetyczne Odporności Krów Mlecznych Na Zapalenie Wymienia – Artykuł Przeglądowy

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 663-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grażyna Sender ◽  
Agnieszka Korwin-Kossakowska ◽  
Adrianna Pawlik ◽  
Karima Galal Abdel Hameed ◽  
Jolanta Oprządek
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Genetic Resistance ◽  
Clinical Mastitis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Candidate Gene Approach ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Polygenic Control ◽  
Breeding Programmes

Abstract Mastitis is one of the most important mammary gland diseases impacting lactating animals. Resistance to this disease could be improved by breeding. There are several selection methods for mastitis resistance. To improve the natural genetic resistance of cows in succeeding generations, current breeding programmes use somatic cell count and clinical mastitis cases as resistance traits. However, these methods of selection have met with limited success. This is partly due to the complex nature of the disease. The limited progress in improving udder health by conventional selection procedures requires applying information on molecular markers of mastitis susceptibility in marker-assisted selection schemes. Mastitis is under polygenic control, so there are many genes that control this trait in many loci. This review briefly describes genome-wide association studies which have been carried out to identify quantitative trait loci associated with mastitis resistance in dairy cattle worldwide. It also characterizes the candidate gene approach focus on identifying genes that are strong candidates for the mastitis resistance trait. In the conclusion of the paper we focus our attention on future research which should be conducted in the field of the resistance to mastitis.

scholarly journals Genetic and Epigenetic Modifiers of Alcoholic Liver Disease

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 3857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marica Meroni ◽  
Miriam Longo ◽  
Raffaela Rametta ◽  
Paola Dongiovanni
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcoholic Liver Disease ◽  
Complex Disease ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Phenotypic Variability ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Epigenetic Factors ◽  
Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), a disorder caused by excessive alcohol consumption is a global health issue. More than two billion people consume alcohol in the world and about 75 million are classified as having alcohol disorders. ALD embraces a wide spectrum of hepatic lesions including steatosis, alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). ALD is a complex disease where environmental, genetic, and epigenetic factors contribute to its pathogenesis and progression. The severity of alcohol-induced liver disease depends on the amount, method of usage and duration of alcohol consumption as well as on age, gender, presence of obesity, and genetic susceptibility. Genome-wide association studies and candidate gene studies have identified genetic modifiers of ALD that can be exploited as non-invasive biomarkers, but which do not completely explain the phenotypic variability. Indeed, ALD development and progression is also modulated by epigenetic factors. The premise of this review is to discuss the role of genetic variants and epigenetic modifications, with particular attention being paid to microRNAs, as pathogenic markers, risk predictors, and therapeutic targets in ALD.

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