Dataset Information

Ectopic GRHL2 Expression Due to Non-coding Mutations Promotes Cell State Transition and Causes Posterior Polymorphous Corneal Dystrophy 4.

ABSTRACT: In a large family of Czech origin, we mapped a locus for an autosomal-dominant corneal endothelial dystrophy, posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy 4 (PPCD4), to 8q22.3-q24.12. Whole-genome sequencing identified a unique variant (c.20+544G>T) in this locus, within an intronic regulatory region of GRHL2. Targeted sequencing identified the same variant in three additional previously unsolved PPCD-affected families, including a de novo occurrence that suggests this is a recurrent mutation. Two further unique variants were identified in intron 1 of GRHL2 (c.20+257delT and c.20+133delA) in unrelated PPCD-affected families. GRHL2 is a transcription factor that suppresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and is a direct transcriptional repressor of ZEB1. ZEB1 mutations leading to haploinsufficiency cause PPCD3. We previously identified promoter mutations in OVOL2, a gene not normally expressed in the corneal endothelium, as the cause of PPCD1. OVOL2 drives mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) by directly inhibiting EMT-inducing transcription factors, such as ZEB1. Here, we demonstrate that the GRHL2 regulatory variants identified in PPCD4-affected individuals induce increased transcriptional activity in vitro. Furthermore, although GRHL2 is not expressed in corneal endothelial cells in control tissue, we detected GRHL2 in the corneal "endothelium" in PPCD4 tissue. These cells were also positive for epithelial markers E-Cadherin and Cytokeratin 7, indicating they have transitioned to an epithelial-like cell type. We suggest that mutations inducing MET within the corneal endothelium are a convergent pathogenic mechanism leading to dysfunction of the endothelial barrier and disease.

SUBMITTER: Liskova P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5985340 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Ectopic GRHL2 Expression Due to Non-coding Mutations Promotes Cell State Transition and Causes Posterior Polymorphous Corneal Dystrophy 4.

Liskova Petra P Dudakova Lubica L Evans Cerys J CJ Rojas Lopez Karla E KE Pontikos Nikolas N Athanasiou Dimitra D Jama Hodan H Sach Josef J Skalicka Pavlina P Stranecky Viktor V Kmoch Stanislav S Thaung Caroline C Filipec Martin M Cheetham Michael E ME Davidson Alice E AE Tuft Stephen J SJ Hardcastle Alison J AJ

American journal of human genetics 20180301 3

In a large family of Czech origin, we mapped a locus for an autosomal-dominant corneal endothelial dystrophy, posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy 4 (PPCD4), to 8q22.3-q24.12. Whole-genome sequencing identified a unique variant (c.20+544G>T) in this locus, within an intronic regulatory region of GRHL2. Targeted sequencing identified the same variant in three additional previously unsolved PPCD-affected families, including a de novo occurrence that suggests this is a recurrent mutation. Two f ...[more]

PMID: 29499165

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Project description:Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPCD, also known as PPMD) is a rare disease involving metaplasia and overgrowth of corneal endothelial cells. In patients with PPCD, these cells manifest in an epithelial morphology and gene expression pattern, produce an aberrant basement membrane, and, sometimes, spread over the iris and nearby structures in a way that increases the risk for glaucoma. We previously mapped PPCD to a region (PPCD3) on chromosome 10 containing the gene that encodes the two-handed zinc-finger homeodomain transcription factor TCF8. Here, we report a heterozygous frameshift mutation in TCF8 that segregates with PPCD in the family used to map PPCD3 and four different heterozygous nonsense and frameshift mutations in TCF8 in four other PPCD probands. Family reports of inguinal hernia, hydrocele, and possible bone anomalies in affected individuals suggest that individuals with TCF8 mutations should be examined for nonocular anomalies. We detect transcripts of all three identified PPCD genes (VSX1, COL8A2, and TCF8) in the cornea. We show presence of a complex (core plus secondary) binding site for TCF8 in the promoter of Alport syndrome gene COL4A3, which encodes collagen type IV alpha 3, and we present immunohistochemical evidence of ectopic expression of COL4A3 in corneal endothelium of the proband of the original PPCD3 family. Identification of TCF8 as the PPCD3 gene provides a valuable tool for the study of critical gene regulation events in PPCD pathology and suggests a possible role for TCF8 mutations in altered structure and function of cells lining body cavities other than the anterior chamber of the eye. Thus, this study has identified TCF8 as the gene responsible for approximately half of the cases of PPCD, has implicated TCF8 mutations in developmental abnormalities outside the eye, and has presented the TCF8 regulatory target, COL4A3, as a key, shared molecular component of two different diseases, PPCD and Alport syndrome.

Project description:Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPCD) is an autosomal-dominant disorder of the corneal endothelium associated with visually significant corneal edema and glaucoma. Statistical genetic analysis of 4 families with PPCD has demonstrated linkage to a 2.4 cM common support interval on chromosome 20 bordered by the markers D20S182 and D20S139. We sought to identify the genetic basis of PPCD linked to chromosome 20 (PPCD1) by screening the 26 positional candidate genes between these markers in a family previously mapped to the PPCD1 region.The coding regions of the 26 positional candidate genes mapped to the common PPCD1 support interval were amplified and sequenced in affected and unaffected individuals from a family previously linked to the PPCD1 locus. Nine other genes positioned just outside of the common PPCD1 support interval but within the autosomal-dominant congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy interval were also screened.Four DNA sequence variants in 3 of the positional candidate genes demonstrated complete segregation with the affected phenotype: p.Thr109Thr (rs6111803) in OVOL2, p.Arg56Gln (novel variant-RPSnovel) in RPS19P1, and p.Thr85Thr (rs1053834) and p.Pro99Ser (rs1053839) in C20orf79. Each of these 4 sequence variants demonstrated significant linkage with the affected phenotype in this family (P = 2.5 x 10 for RPSnovel, rs1053834 and rs1053839; P = 8.6 x 10 for rs6111803). However, we also identified each of these 4 sequence variants in > or = affected control individuals. The haplotype on which the disease-causing mutation is segregating was found to have a population frequency of 4.2% in the CEPH HapMap trios. Although a number of other previously described and novel single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified in the 35 positional candidate genes located within the PPCD1 and congenital hereditary endothelial dystrophy intervals, none segregated with the affected phenotype.We report the absence of a presumed pathogenic coding region mutation in the common PPCD1 support interval. Although minor alleles of 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified that segregated with the affected phenotype, the relatively high frequency of each minor allele in the general population indicates that none is a candidate for the causal variant for PPCD. Instead, the causal variant is most likely a coding region deletion or a variant in a noncoding region of the PPCD1 common support interval.

Project description:ImportanceThe identification of steep corneal curvatures in a significant percentage of patients with posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPCD) confirms this previously reported association and suggests a role for the ZEB1 protein in keratocyte function.ObjectiveTo determine whether PPCD is characterized by significant corneal steepening.Design, setting, and participantsCross-sectional study at university-based and private ophthalmology practices of 38 individuals (27 affected and 11 unaffected) from 23 families with PPCD.ExposureSlitlamp examination and corneal topographic imaging were performed for individuals with PPCD and unaffected family members. Saliva or blood samples were obtained from each individual for DNA isolation and ZEB1 sequencing. Corneal ZEB1 expression was measured using immunohistochemistry.Main outcomes and measuresPercentage of individuals affected with PPCD and controls with an average keratometric value greater than 48.0 diopters (D) in each eye; the mean keratometric value averaged for both eyes of individuals with PPCD and controls; and the correlation of ZEB1 mutation with keratometric value.ResultsZEB1 coding region mutations were identified in 7 of the 27 affected individuals. Ten of the 38 individuals (26.3%) had average keratometric values greater than 48.0 D OU: 10 of 27 individuals with PPCD (37.0%; 6 of 7 individuals with ZEB1 mutations [85.7%] and 4 of 20 individuals without ZEB1 mutations [20.0%]) and 0 of 11 unaffected individuals (P = .04 for unaffected vs affected individuals; P = .004 for individuals with PPCD with vs without ZEB1 mutation). The mean keratometric value of each eye of affected individuals (48.2 D) was significantly greater than that of each eye of unaffected family members (44.1 D) (P = .03). Affected individuals with ZEB1 mutations demonstrated a mean keratometric value of 53.3 D, which was significantly greater than that of affected individuals without ZEB1 mutations (46.5 D; P = .004). Fluorescence immunohistochemistry demonstrated ZEB1 expression in keratocyte nuclei.Conclusions and relevanceAbnormally steep corneal curvatures are identified in 37% of all individuals with PPCD and 86% of affected individuals with PPCD secondary to ZEB1 mutations. ZEB1 is present in keratocyte nuclei, suggesting a role for ZEB1 in keratocyte function. Therefore, ZEB1 may play a role in both corneal stromal and endothelial development and function, and PPCD should be considered both an endothelial dystrophy and an ectatic disorder.

Dataset Information

Ectopic GRHL2 Expression Due to Non-coding Mutations Promotes Cell State Transition and Causes Posterior Polymorphous Corneal Dystrophy 4.

Publications

Ectopic GRHL2 Expression Due to Non-coding Mutations Promotes Cell State Transition and Causes Posterior Polymorphous Corneal Dystrophy 4.

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