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Low prevalence of connexin-40 gene variants in atrial tissues and blood from atrial fibrillation subjects.

ABSTRACT: The atrial gap junction protein connexin-40 (Cx40) has been implicated to play an important role in atrial conduction and development of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the frequency of Cx40 mutations in AF populations and their impact on Cx40 expression remains unclear. In this study, we sought to identify polymorphisms in the Cx40 gene GJA5, investigate the potential functional role of these polymorphisms, and determine their allelic frequencies. The prevalence of nonsynonymous Cx40 mutations in blood and atrial tissue was also compared to mutation frequencies reported in prior studies.We conducted direct sequencing of the GJA5 coding and 3' UTR regions in blood samples from 91 lone AF subjects and 67 atrial tissue-derived samples from a lone cohort, a mixed AF cohort, and several transplant donors. Reporter gene transfection and tissue allelic expression imbalance assays were used to assess the effects of a common insertion/deletion polymorphism on Cx40 mRNA stability and expression.We identified one novel synonymous SNP in blood-derived DNA from a lone AF subject. In atrial tissue-derived DNA from lone and mixed AF subjects, we observed one novel nonsynonymous SNP, one rare previously reported synonymous SNP, and one novel 3' UTR SNP. A previously noted 25 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in the 3' UTR was found to be common (minor allele frequency = 0.45) but had no effect on Cx40 mRNA stability and expression. The observed prevalence of nonsynonymous Cx40 mutations in atrial tissues derived from lone AF subjects differed significantly (p = 0.03) from a prior atrial tissue study reporting a high mutation frequency in a group of highly selected young lone AF subjects.Our results suggest that Cx40 coding SNPs are uncommon in AF populations, although rare mutations in this gene may certainly lead to AF pathogenesis. Furthermore, a common insertion/deletion polymorphism in the Cx40 3' UTR does not appear to play a role in modulating Cx40 mRNA levels.

SUBMITTER: Tchou GD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3507864 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Low prevalence of connexin-40 gene variants in atrial tissues and blood from atrial fibrillation subjects.

Tchou Gregory D GD Wirka Robert C RC Van Wagoner David R DR Barnard John J Chung Mina K MK Smith Jonathan D JD

BMC medical genetics 20121107

<h4>Background</h4>The atrial gap junction protein connexin-40 (Cx40) has been implicated to play an important role in atrial conduction and development of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the frequency of Cx40 mutations in AF populations and their impact on Cx40 expression remains unclear. In this study, we sought to identify polymorphisms in the Cx40 gene GJA5, investigate the potential functional role of these polymorphisms, and determine their allelic frequencies. The prevalence of nonsyno ...[more]

PMID: 23134779

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Project description:ImportanceEarly-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) can be the initial manifestation of a more serious underlying inherited cardiomyopathy or arrhythmia syndrome.ObjectiveTo examine the results of genetic testing for early-onset AF.Design, setting, and participantsThis prospective, observational cohort study enrolled participants from an academic medical center who had AF diagnosed before 66 years of age and underwent whole genome sequencing through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine program. Participants were enrolled from November 23, 1999, to June 2, 2015. Data analysis was performed from October 24, 2020, to March 11, 2021.ExposuresRare variants identified in a panel of 145 genes that are included on cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia panels used by commercial clinical genetic testing laboratories.Main outcomes and measuresSequencing data were analyzed using an automated process followed by manual review by a panel of independent, blinded reviewers. The primary outcome was classification of rare variants using American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics criteria: benign, likely benign, variant of undetermined significance, likely pathogenic, or pathogenic. Disease-associated variants were defined as pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in genes associated with autosomal dominant or X-linked dominant disorders.ResultsAmong 1293 participants (934 [72.2%] male; median [interquartile range] age at enrollment, 56 [48-61] years; median [interquartile range] age at AF diagnosis, 50 [41-56] years), genetic testing identified 131 participants (10.1%) with a disease-associated variant, 812 (62.8%) with a variant of undetermined significance, 92 (7.1%) as heterozygous carriers for an autosomal recessive disorder, and 258 (20.0%) with no suspicious variant. The likelihood of a disease-associated variant was highest in participants with AF diagnosed before the age of 30 years (20 of 119 [16.8%; 95% CI, 10.0%-23.6%]) and lowest after the age of 60 years (8 of 112 [7.1%; 95% CI, 2.4%-11.9%]). Disease-associated variants were more often associated with inherited cardiomyopathy syndromes compared with inherited arrhythmias. The most common genes were TTN (n = 38), MYH7 (n = 18), MYH6 (n = 10), LMNA (n = 9), and KCNQ1 (n = 8).Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study, genetic testing identified a disease-associated variant in 10% of patients with early-onset AF (the percentage was higher if diagnosed before the age of 30 years and lower if diagnosed after the age of 60 years). Most pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants are in genes associated with cardiomyopathy. These results support the use of genetic testing in early-onset AF.

Dataset Information

Low prevalence of connexin-40 gene variants in atrial tissues and blood from atrial fibrillation subjects.

Publications

Low prevalence of connexin-40 gene variants in atrial tissues and blood from atrial fibrillation subjects.

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