Project description:An autosomal recessive disease is caused by biallelic loss-of-function mutations. However, when more than two disease-causing variants are found in a patient’s gene, it has been challenging to determine which two of the variants are responsible for the disease phenotype. To decipher the pathogenic variants by precise haplotyping, we applied nanopore Cas9-targeted sequencing (nCATS) to three truncation COL7A1 variants detected in a patient with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (EB). The distance between the most 5’ and 3’ variants was around 19 kb at the level of genomic DNA. nCATS successfully delineated that the most 5’ and 3’ variants were located in one allele while the variant in between was in the other allele. Intriguingly, the proband’s mother, who was phenotypically intact, was heterozygous for the allele that harbored the two truncation variants, which could otherwise be misinterpreted as those of typical recessive dystrophic EB. Our study illuminates nCATS as a useful tool to determine haplotypes of complicated genetic cases. Haplotyping of multiple variants in a gene can tell which variant should be therapeutically targeted when nucleotide-specific gene therapy is applied.
Project description:26 limb-girdle muscular dystrophy patients from Latvia and 34 patients from Lithuania with clinical symptoms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophies, along with 204 healthy unrelated controls were genotyped for 96 most frequent known limb-girdle muscular dystrophies causing mutations for the region, using VeraCode GoldenGate system. More information can be found in article Robust genotyping tool for autosomal recessive type of limb-girdle muscular dystrophies in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders by I. Inashkina et al.
Project description:Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) is a rare paediatric disease primarily caused by mutations in the gene PKHD1. ARPKD presents with considerably clinical variability which is linked to the type of PKHD1 mutation but not position. Animal models of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) suggest there is a complex genetic landscape with genetic modifiers as a potential cause of disease variability. Transcriptomic analysis identified a considerable number of genes linked to cellular metabolism and development. Amongst these genes were those linked to WNT signalling. Two individuals in this cohort had the same mutations in PKHD1 but different rates of kidney disease progression. Amongst the transcriptomic differences of these two individuals were differences in the expression changes of WNT genes.
Project description:Non-syndromic mental retardation is one of the most important unresolved problems in genetic health care. Autosomal forms are far more common than X-linked ones, but in contrast to the latter, they are still largely unexplored. Here we report on a complex mutation in the ionotropic glutamate receptor 6 gene (GRIK2, GLUR6), which co-segregates with moderate to severe non-syndromic autosomal recessive mental retardation in a large consanguineous Iranian family1. The predicted gene product lacks the first ligand-binding domain, the two adjacent transmembrane domains and the putative pore-forming loop of the GLUK6 protein, suggesting a complete loss of function, which is supported by electrophysiological data. This finding provides the first irrefutable proof that GLUK6 is indispensable for higher brain functions in man, and future studies of this and other ionotropic kainate receptors will shed more light on the pathophysiology of mental retardation. Keywords: array CGH
Project description:Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) is a neurological disease characterized by autosomal recessive mutations in the sacsin gene (SACS), that cause in patients progressive cerebellar atrophy, damage of the peripheral nerves, and significant retinal changes and cognitive impairment. No effective therapies have been proposed for ARSACS, even if some evidences suggest that powerful antioxidant agents can be considered a therapeutic tool. Resveratrol (Res) is a natural polyphenol compound derived from vegetal sources, the application of which in biomedicine is increasing in the latest years because of its significant therapeutic effects, in particular in neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we provide evidences about its potential exploitation in the treatment of ARSACS. Because of the low solubility of resveratrol in physiological media, a nanoplatform based on nanostructured lipid carriers is here proposed for its encapsulation and delivery. Resveratrol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (Res-NLCs) have been synthetized, characterized, and tested on healthy and ARSACS patient fibroblasts. Nanovectors displayed optimal stability and biocompatibility, and excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. A comprehensive investigation at gene (with real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR)) and protein (with proteomics) level demonstrated the therapeutic potential of Res-NLCs, encouraging future investigations on pre-clinical models.
Project description:Primary autosomal recessive microcepahly and Seckel syndrome spectrum disodrers (MCPH-SCKS) include a heterogenous group of autosomal recessive inherited diseases characterized by primary (congenital) microcephaly, the absence of visceral abnormalities and a variable degree of cognitive impairment, short stature and facial dysmorphism. Recently, biallelic mutations in the nuclear pore complex (NPC) component nucleoporin 85 gene (NUP85) were reported to cause steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). Here we report that homozygous mutations in NUP85 can also cause MCPH-SCKS without SRNS and thereby expand the phenotypic spectrum of NUP85-linked diseases. Structural analysis predicts the identified NUP85 mutation to have neither an effect on NPC architecture nor on its interaction with other NUPs. We show that mutant NUP85 is, however, associated with a reduced number of NPCs, abnormal mitotic spindle morphology, altered expression levels of protein involved in of cytoskeletal dynamics and decreased cell viability in patient cells. These altered biological processes can explain the disease-causative nature of the mutant NUP85 associated with the human phenotype. Our results also indicates the link of common cellular mechanism involved in the MCPH-SCKS spectrum disorders and NUP85-associated diseases. In addition to the previous studies, our results broadened the phenotype spectrum of NUP85-specific human disease and emphasizes a role of NUP85 in the development of the nervous system.