Project description:We report miRNA profiling in patients with Alström syndrome (ALMS) and Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS). The aim of this study was to determine if the expression of circulating miRNAs in patients with ALMS and BBS differs from that in healthy and obese individuals and determine if miRNA levels correlate with metabolic tests, BMI-SDS and patient age.
Project description:We characterized the gene expression by Hierarchical Clustering and one-matrix clustering in hESC, day 12 progenitors, day 25-day 27, day82 differentiated hypothalamic neurons from hESCs and day 45 neurons derived from iPSCs generated from controls (2 independent) and BBS (Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, 3 independent) subjects.
Project description:Meckel Syndrome, Nephronophthisis, Joubert Syndrome, and Bardet-Biedl Syndrome have mutations in proteins that localize to the ciliary transition zone (TZ). The phenotypically distinct syndromes suggest these TZ proteins have differing functions. However, mutations in a single TZ gene can result in multiple syndromes suggesting the phenotype is influenced by modifier genes. We performed a comprehensive analysis of ten zebrafish TZ mutants including mks1, tmem216, tmem67, rpgrip1l, cc2d2a, b9d2, cep290, tctn1, nphp1, and nphp4, as well as mutants in ift88 and ift172. Our data indicate variations in phenotypes exists between different TZ mutants, supporting different tissue specific functions of these TZ genes. Further we observed phenotypic variations within progeny of a single TZ mutant, reminiscent of multiple disease syndromes being associated with mutations in one gene. In some mutants the dynamics of the phenotype became complex with transitory phenotypes that are corrected over time. We have also demonstrated that multiple-guide derived CRISPR/Cas9 F0 “Crispant” embryos recapitulate zygotic null phenotypes, and rapidly identified ciliary phenotypes in 11 cilia-associated gene candidates (ankfn1, ccdc65, cfap57, fhad1, nme7, pacrg, saxo2, c1orf194, ttc26, zmynd12, and cfap52).
Project description:Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in genes encoding components of the primary cilium and characterized by hyperphagic obesity. We developed a cellular model of BBS using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs)-derived hypothalamic arcuate-like neurons. Single-cell RNA sequencing of iPSC-derived hypothalamic neurons from BBS1M390R and isogenic control identified affected cell subpopulations and several down-regulated pathways in BBS1 hypomorphic neurons, including axon guidance, insulin signaling and cAMP pathway.
Project description:Craniosynostosis (CS) is the congenital premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures and represents the more prevalent craniofacial malformation in humans, with an overall incidence of 1 out of 2000-3000 live births. Non-syndromic craniosynostoses (NSC) are believed to be multifactorial disorders, with a strong genetic component, due to possible gene–gene or gene–environment interactions that remain to be clearly identified. In this study we delved into the molecular signaling acting in calvarial tissue and cells from patients affected by nonsynodromic midline craniosynostosis, using a comparative analysis between fused and unfused sutures of each affected individuals. Using comparative microarray tissue gene expression profiling we have identified a subset of genes involved in the structure and function of the primary cilium, including the Bardet-Biedl syndrome 9 (BBS9) gene, which was recently associated to sagittal synostosis in a GWAS study. We therefore characterized BBS9 expression and cilium-related signaling in cells isolated from patients’ calvarial bone.
Project description:HuMiChip was used to analyze human oral and gut microbiomes, showing significantly different functional gene profiles between oral and gut microbiome. The results were used to demonstarte the usefulness of applying HuMiChip to human microbiome studies.
