Dataset Information

The similarity of inherited diseases (II): clinical and biological similarity between the phenotypic series.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Despite being caused by mutations in different genes, diseases in the same phenotypic series are clinically similar, as reported in Part I of this study. Here, in Part II, we hypothesized that the phenotypic series too might be clinically similar. Furthermore, on the assumption that gene mutations indirectly cause clinical phenotypes by directly affecting biological functions, we hypothesized that clinically similar phenotypic series might be biologically similar as well. METHODS:To test these hypotheses, we generated a clinical similarity network and a set of biological similarity networks. In both types of network, the nodes represent the phenotypic series, and the edges linking the nodes indicate the similarity of the linked phenotypic series. The weight of each edge is proportional to a similarity coefficient, which depends on the clinical phenotypes and the biological features that are shared by the linked phenotypic series, in the clinical and biological similarity networks, respectively. RESULTS:After assembling and analyzing the networks, we raised the threshold for the similarity coefficient, to retain edges of progressively greater weight. This way all the networks were gradually split into fragments, composed of phenotypic series with increasingly greater degrees of similarity. Finally, by comparing the fragments from the two types of network, we defined subsets of phenotypic series with varying types and degrees of clinical and biological correlation. CONCLUSIONS:Like the individual diseases, the phenotypic series too are clinically and biologically similar to each other. Furthermore, our findings unveil different modalities of correlation between the clinical manifestations and the biological features of the inherited diseases.

SUBMITTER: Gamba A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7513283 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

The similarity of inherited diseases (II): clinical and biological similarity between the phenotypic series.

Gamba Alessio A Salmona Mario M Cantù Laura L Bazzoni Gianfranco G

BMC medical genomics 20200924 1

<h4>Background</h4>Despite being caused by mutations in different genes, diseases in the same phenotypic series are clinically similar, as reported in Part I of this study. Here, in Part II, we hypothesized that the phenotypic series too might be clinically similar. Furthermore, on the assumption that gene mutations indirectly cause clinical phenotypes by directly affecting biological functions, we hypothesized that clinically similar phenotypic series might be biologically similar as well.<h4>M ...[more]

PMID: 32972400

Similar Datasets

Project description:The largest kindred with inherited prion disease P102L, historically Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome, originates from central England, with émigrés now resident in various parts of the English-speaking world. We have collected data from 84 patients in the large UK kindred and numerous small unrelated pedigrees to investigate phenotypic heterogeneity and modifying factors. This collection represents by far the largest series of P102L patients so far reported. Microsatellite and genealogical analyses of eight separate European kindreds support multiple distinct mutational events at a cytosine-phosphate diester-guanidine dinucleotide mutation hot spot. All of the smaller P102L kindreds were linked to polymorphic human prion protein gene codon 129M and were not connected by genealogy or microsatellite haplotype background to the large kindred or each other. While many present with classical Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome, a slowly progressive cerebellar ataxia with later onset cognitive impairment, there is remarkable heterogeneity. A subset of patients present with prominent cognitive and psychiatric features and some have met diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. We show that polymorphic human prion protein gene codon 129 modifies age at onset: the earliest eight clinical onsets were all MM homozygotes and overall age at onset was 7 years earlier for MM compared with MV heterozygotes (P = 0.02). Unexpectedly, apolipoprotein E4 carriers have a delayed age of onset by 10 years (P = 0.02). We found a preponderance of female patients compared with males (54 females versus 30 males, P = 0.01), which probably relates to ascertainment bias. However, these modifiers had no impact on a semi-quantitative pathological phenotype in 10 autopsied patients. These data allow an appreciation of the range of clinical phenotype, modern imaging and molecular investigation and should inform genetic counselling of at-risk individuals, with the identification of two genetic modifiers.

Dataset Information

The similarity of inherited diseases (II): clinical and biological similarity between the phenotypic series.

Publications

The similarity of inherited diseases (II): clinical and biological similarity between the phenotypic series.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets