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Abdel‐latif R, Badji R, Mohammed S, Al‐Muftah W, Mbarek H, Darwish D, Assaf D, Al‐Badriyeh D, Elewa H, Afifi N, Masoodi NA, Omar AS, Al Suwaidi J, Bujassoum S, Al Hail M, Ismail SI, Althani A. QPGx-CARES: Qatar pharmacogenetics clinical applications and research enhancement strategies. Clin Transl Sci 2024; 17:e13800. [PMID: 38818903 PMCID: PMC11140449 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Pharmacogenetic (PGx)-informed medication prescription is a cutting-edge genomic application in contemporary medicine, offering the potential to overcome the conventional "trial-and-error" approach in drug prescription. The ability to use an individual's genetic profile to predict drug responses allows for personalized drug and dosage selection, thereby enhancing the safety and efficacy of treatments. However, despite significant scientific and clinical advancements in PGx, its integration into routine healthcare practices remains limited. To address this gap, the Qatar Genome Program (QGP) has embarked on an ambitious initiative known as QPGx-CARES (Qatar Pharmacogenetics Clinical Applications and Research Enhancement Strategies), which aims to set a roadmap for optimizing PGx research and clinical implementation on a national scale. The goal of QPGx-CARES initiative is to integrate PGx testing into clinical settings with the aim of improving patient health outcomes. In 2022, QGP initiated several implementation projects in various clinical settings. These projects aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of PGx testing, gather valuable insights into the effective dissemination of PGx data to healthcare professionals and patients, and identify the gaps and the challenges for wider adoption. QPGx-CARES strategy aimed to integrate evidence-based PGx findings into clinical practice, focusing on implementing PGx testing for cardiovascular medications, supported by robust scientific evidence. The current initiative sets a precedent for the nationwide implementation of precision medicine across diverse clinical domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania Abdel‐latif
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Precision Health InstituteQatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Radja Badji
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Precision Health InstituteQatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | | | - Wadha Al‐Muftah
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Precision Health InstituteQatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Hamdi Mbarek
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Precision Health InstituteQatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Dima Darwish
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Precision Health InstituteQatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Duha Assaf
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Precision Health InstituteQatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | | | - Hazem Elewa
- College of Pharmacy, QU HealthQatar UniversityDohaQatar
| | - Nahla Afifi
- Qatar Biobank for Medical ResearchQatar Foundation for Education, Science, and CommunityDohaQatar
| | | | - Amr Salah Omar
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular SurgeryDepartment Hamad Medical CorporationDohaQatar
| | - Jassim Al Suwaidi
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular SurgeryDepartment Hamad Medical CorporationDohaQatar
| | - Salha Bujassoum
- Medical Oncology, National Center for Cancer Care and ResearchDepartment Hamad Medical CorporationDohaQatar
| | - Moza Al Hail
- Pharmacy DepartmentHamad Medical CorporationDohaQatar
| | - Said I. Ismail
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Precision Health InstituteQatar FoundationDohaQatar
| | - Asma Althani
- Biomedical Research CenterQatar UniversityDohaQatar
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2
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Elgaali E, Mezzavilla M, Ahmed I, Elanbari M, Ali A, Abdelaziz G, Fakhro KA, Saleh A, Ben-Omran T, Almulla N, Cugno C. Genetic background of primary and familial HLH in Qatar: registry data and population study. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1326489. [PMID: 38808104 PMCID: PMC11130942 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1326489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHLH) is an inherited life-threatening disease. Five types are identified, with the addition of congenital immunodeficiency syndromes in which HLH is a typical manifestation. The literature on this disease is very scarce in the Middle East, with only a few scattered reports. Methods We report detailed demographic, clinical, and genomic data from 28 patients diagnosed with primary and familial HLH over the last decade in Qatar. An evaluation was performed of allele frequencies of deleterious variants from 12 primary and familial HLH causative genes on the Qatar Genome Programme (QGP) cohort of 14,669 Qatari individuals. Results The genetic diagnosis was obtained in 15 patients, and four novel mutations in Perforin 1 (PRF1), UNC13D, LYST, and RAB27A genes were found. We identified 22,945 low/high/moderate/modifier impact variants significantly enriched in the QGP in those 12 genes. The variants rs1271079313 in PRF1 and rs753966933 in RAB27A found in our patient cohort were significantly more prevalent in the QGP compared to the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) database, with a high carrier frequency in the Qatari population. Conclusions We established the first primary and familial HLH Registry in the Gulf Region and identified novel possibly pathogenic variants present at higher frequency in the Qatari population, which could be used for screening purposes. Raising awareness about primary and familial HLH and implementing screening activities in the Qatari highly inbred population could stem into more comprehensive premarital and prenatal evaluations and faster diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elkhansa Elgaali
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Ikhlak Ahmed
- Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Aesha Ali
- Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | | | - Ayman Saleh
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Tawfeg Ben-Omran
- Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Medical Genetics, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Naima Almulla
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Chiara Cugno
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
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3
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Elashi AA, Toor SM, Umlai UKI, Al-Sarraj YA, Taheri S, Suhre K, Abou-Samra AB, Albagha OME. Genome-wide association study and trans-ethnic meta-analysis identify novel susceptibility loci for type 2 diabetes mellitus. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:115. [PMID: 38685053 PMCID: PMC11059680 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01855-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genetic basis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is under-investigated in the Middle East, despite the rapidly growing disease prevalence. We aimed to define the genetic determinants of T2D in Qatar. METHODS Using whole genome sequencing of 11,436 participants (2765 T2D cases and 8671 controls) from the population-based Qatar Biobank (QBB), we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of T2D with and without body mass index (BMI) adjustment. RESULTS We replicated 93 known T2D-associated loci in a BMI-unadjusted model, while 96 known loci were replicated in a BMI-adjusted model. The effect sizes and allele frequencies of replicated SNPs in the Qatari population generally concurred with those from European populations. We identified a locus specific to our cohort located between the APOBEC3H and CBX7 genes in the BMI-unadjusted model. Also, we performed a transethnic meta-analysis of our cohort with a previous GWAS on T2D in multi-ancestry individuals (180,834 T2D cases and 1,159,055 controls). One locus in DYNC2H1 gene reached genome-wide significance in the meta-analysis. Assessing polygenic risk scores derived from European- and multi-ancestries in the Qatari population showed higher predictive performance of the multi-ancestry panel compared to the European panel. CONCLUSION Our study provides new insights into the genetic architecture of T2D in a Middle Eastern population and identifies genes that may be explored further for their involvement in T2D pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma A Elashi
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Education City, Doha, P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
| | - Salman M Toor
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Education City, Doha, P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
| | - Umm-Kulthum Ismail Umlai
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Education City, Doha, P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
| | - Yasser A Al-Sarraj
- Qatar Genome Program (QGP), Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha, P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| | - Shahrad Taheri
- Qatar Metabolic Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, Qatar
| | - Karsten Suhre
- Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Doha, P.O. Box 24144, Qatar
- Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 510065, New York, USA
| | | | - Omar M E Albagha
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Education City, Doha, P.O. Box 34110, Qatar.
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Edinburgh, UK.
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4
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Aamer W, Al-Maraghi A, Syed N, Gandhi GD, Aliyev E, Al-Kurbi AA, Al-Saei O, Kohailan M, Krishnamoorthy N, Palaniswamy S, Al-Malki K, Abbasi S, Agrebi N, Abbaszadeh F, Akil ASAS, Badii R, Ben-Omran T, Lo B, Mokrab Y, Fakhro KA. Burden of Mendelian disorders in a large Middle Eastern biobank. Genome Med 2024; 16:46. [PMID: 38584274 PMCID: PMC11000384 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-024-01307-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genome sequencing of large biobanks from under-represented ancestries provides a valuable resource for the interrogation of Mendelian disease burden at world population level, complementing small-scale familial studies. METHODS Here, we interrogate 6045 whole genomes from Qatar-a Middle Eastern population with high consanguinity and understudied mutational burden-enrolled at the national Biobank and phenotyped for 58 clinically-relevant quantitative traits. We examine a curated set of 2648 Mendelian genes from 20 panels, annotating known and novel pathogenic variants and assessing their penetrance and impact on the measured traits. RESULTS We find that 62.5% of participants are carriers of at least 1 known pathogenic variant relating to recessive conditions, with homozygosity observed in 1 in 150 subjects (0.6%) for which Peninsular Arabs are particularly enriched versus other ancestries (5.8-fold). On average, 52.3 loss-of-function variants were found per genome, 6.5 of which affect a known Mendelian gene. Several variants annotated in ClinVar/HGMD as pathogenic appeared at intermediate frequencies in this cohort (1-3%), highlighting Arab founder effect, while others have exceedingly high frequencies (> 5%) prompting reconsideration as benign. Furthermore, cumulative gene burden analysis revealed 56 genes having gene carrier frequency > 1/50, including 5 ACMG Tier 3 panel genes which would be candidates for adding to newborn screening in the country. Additionally, leveraging 58 biobank traits, we systematically assess the impact of novel/rare variants on phenotypes and discover 39 candidate large-effect variants associating with extreme quantitative traits. Furthermore, through rare variant burden testing, we discover 13 genes with high mutational load, including 5 with impact on traits relevant to disease conditions, including metabolic disorder and type 2 diabetes, consistent with the high prevalence of these conditions in the region. CONCLUSIONS This study on the first phase of the growing Qatar Genome Program cohort provides a comprehensive resource from a Middle Eastern population to understand the global mutational burden in Mendelian genes and their impact on traits in seemingly healthy individuals in high consanguinity settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waleed Aamer
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Najeeb Syed
- Applied Bioinformatics Core, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Elbay Aliyev
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Omayma Al-Saei
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | | | | | | | - Saleha Abbasi
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Nourhen Agrebi
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | | | - Ramin Badii
- Diagnostic Genomic Division, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Tawfeg Ben-Omran
- Section of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, Department of pediatrics, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Pediatric, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar
- Division of Genetic & Genomics Medicine, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Bernice Lo
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Younes Mokrab
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar.
- College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Khalid A Fakhro
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar.
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar.
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5
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Bastaki K, Velayutham D, Irfan A, Adnan M, Mohammed S, Mbarek H, Qoronfleh MW, Jithesh PV. Forging the path to precision medicine in Qatar: a public health perspective on pharmacogenomics initiatives. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1364221. [PMID: 38550311 PMCID: PMC10977610 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1364221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is an important component of precision medicine that promises tailored treatment approaches based on an individual's genetic information. Exploring the initiatives in research that help to integrate PGx test into clinical setting, identifying the potential barriers and challenges as well as planning the future directions, are all important for fruitful PGx implementation in any population. Qatar serves as an exemplar case study for the Middle East, having a small native population compared to a diverse immigrant population, advanced healthcare system, national genome program, and several educational initiatives on PGx and precision medicine. This paper attempts to outline the current state of PGx research and implementation in Qatar within the global context, emphasizing ongoing initiatives and educational efforts. The inclusion of PGx in university curricula and healthcare provider training, alongside precision medicine conferences, showcase Qatar's commitment to advancing this field. However, challenges persist, including the requirement for population specific implementation strategies, complex genetic data interpretation, lack of standardization, and limited awareness. The review suggests policy development for future directions in continued research investment, conducting clinical trials for the feasibility of PGx implementation, ethical considerations, technological advancements, and global collaborations to overcome these barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kholoud Bastaki
- Clinical and Pharmacy Practice Department, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dinesh Velayutham
- College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Doha, Qatar
| | - Areeba Irfan
- College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mohd Adnan
- College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sawsan Mohammed
- College of Medicine, Pre-Clinical Education Department, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - M. Waild Qoronfleh
- Q3 Research Institute (QRI), Research & Policy Division, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Puthen Veettil Jithesh
- College of Health & Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Education City, Doha, Qatar
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6
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Alamad B, Elliott K, Knight JC. Cross-population applications of genomics to understand the risk of multifactorial traits involving inflammation and immunity. CAMBRIDGE PRISMS. PRECISION MEDICINE 2024; 2:e3. [PMID: 38549844 PMCID: PMC10953767 DOI: 10.1017/pcm.2023.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The interplay between genetic and environmental factors plays a significant role in interindividual variation in immune and inflammatory responses. The availability of high-throughput low-cost genotyping and next-generation sequencing has revolutionized our ability to identify human genetic variation and understand how this varies within and between populations, and the relationship with disease. In this review, we explore the potential of genomics for patient benefit, specifically in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of inflammatory and immune-related diseases. We summarize the knowledge arising from genetic and functional genomic approaches, and the opportunity for personalized medicine. The review covers applications in infectious diseases, rare immunodeficiencies and autoimmune diseases, illustrating advances in diagnosis and understanding risk including use of polygenic risk scores. We further explore the application for patient stratification and drug target prioritization. The review highlights a key challenge to the field arising from the lack of sufficient representation of genetically diverse populations in genomic studies. This currently limits the clinical utility of genetic-based diagnostic and risk-based applications in non-Caucasian populations. We highlight current genome projects, initiatives and biobanks from diverse populations and how this is being used to improve healthcare globally by improving our understanding of genetic susceptibility to diseases and regional pathogens such as malaria and tuberculosis. Future directions and opportunities for personalized medicine and wider application of genomics in health care are described, for the benefit of individual patients and populations worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bana Alamad
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kate Elliott
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian C. Knight
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Chinese Academy of Medical Science Oxford Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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7
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Abdi M, Aliyev E, Trost B, Kohailan M, Aamer W, Syed N, Shaath R, Gandhi GD, Engchuan W, Howe J, Thiruvahindrapuram B, Geng M, Whitney J, Syed A, Lakshmi J, Hussein S, Albashir N, Hussein A, Poggiolini I, Elhag SF, Palaniswamy S, Kambouris M, de Fatima Janjua M, Tahir MOE, Nazeer A, Shahwar D, Azeem MW, Mokrab Y, Aati NA, Akil A, Scherer SW, Kamal M, Fakhro KA. Genomic architecture of autism spectrum disorder in Qatar: The BARAKA-Qatar Study. Genome Med 2023; 15:81. [PMID: 37805537 PMCID: PMC10560429 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-023-01228-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social and communication skills, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. The prevalence of ASD among children in Qatar was recently estimated to be 1.1%, though the genetic architecture underlying ASD both in Qatar and the greater Middle East has been largely unexplored. Here, we describe the first genomic data release from the BARAKA-Qatar Study-a nationwide program building a broadly consented biorepository of individuals with ASD and their families available for sample and data sharing and multi-omics research. METHODS In this first release, we present a comprehensive analysis of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of the first 100 families (372 individuals), investigating the genetic architecture, including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), copy number variants (CNVs), tandem repeat expansions (TREs), as well as mitochondrial DNA variants (mtDNA) segregating with ASD in local families. RESULTS Overall, we identify potentially pathogenic variants in known genes or regions in 27 out of 100 families (27%), of which 11 variants (40.7%) were classified as pathogenic or likely-pathogenic based on American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines. Dominant variants, including de novo and inherited, contributed to 15 (55.6%) of these families, consisting of SNVs/indels (66.7%), CNVs (13.3%), TREs (13.3%), and mtDNA variants (6.7%). Moreover, homozygous variants were found in 7 families (25.9%), with a sixfold increase in homozygous burden in consanguineous versus non-consanguineous families (13.6% and 1.8%, respectively). Furthermore, 28 novel ASD candidate genes were identified in 20 families, 23 of which had recurrent hits in MSSNG and SSC cohorts. CONCLUSIONS This study illustrates the value of ASD studies in under-represented populations and the importance of WGS as a comprehensive tool for establishing a molecular diagnosis for families with ASD. Moreover, it uncovers a significant role for recessive variation in ASD architecture in consanguineous settings and provides a unique resource of Middle Eastern genomes for future research to the global ASD community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Abdi
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Elbay Aliyev
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Brett Trost
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Waleed Aamer
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Najeeb Syed
- Genomics Data Science Core, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Rulan Shaath
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Worrawat Engchuan
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Howe
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bhooma Thiruvahindrapuram
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa Geng
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joe Whitney
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amira Syed
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Sura Hussein
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Amal Hussein
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Saba F Elhag
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Marios Kambouris
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department, Genetics Division, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | | | | | - Ahsan Nazeer
- Department of Psychiatry, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Durre Shahwar
- Department of Psychiatry, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Muhammad Waqar Azeem
- Department of Psychiatry, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Younes Mokrab
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Ammira Akil
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Madeeha Kamal
- Department of Pediatrics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Khalid A Fakhro
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar.
- Department of Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
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8
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Smatti MK, Al-Sarraj YA, Albagha O, Yassine HM. Genome-wide association study identifies several loci for HEV seropositivity. iScience 2023; 26:107586. [PMID: 37664632 PMCID: PMC10470371 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E viral (HEV) infection imposes a heavy global health burden. The variability in the prevalence of serological markers of HEV infection between different ethnic groups proposes a host genetic influence. Here, we report genetic polymorphisms associated with anti-HEV antibody positivity and level using binary- and quantitative-trait genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on a population from Qatar (n = 5829). We identified a region in 12p11.1 (lead SNP: rs559856097, allele: A, p = 2.3 × 10-10) significantly associated with anti-HEV antibodies level. This intergenic variant is located near SNORD112, a small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA). Additional gene-set and pathway enrichment analyses highlighted a strong correlation with anti-viral response-related pathways, including IFNs (alpha/beta) and interleukin-21 (IL-21) signaling. This is the first GWAS on the response to HEV infection. Further replication and functional experimentation are warranted to validate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K. Smatti
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Yasser A. Al-Sarraj
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Omar Albagha
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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9
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Al-Mousa H, Barbouche MR. Genetics of Inborn Errors of Immunity in highly consanguineous Middle Eastern and North African populations. Semin Immunol 2023; 67:101763. [PMID: 37075586 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Consanguineous marriages in Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries are deeply-rooted tradition and highly prevalent resulting into increased prevalence of autosomal recessive diseases including Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEIs). Molecular genetic testing is an important diagnostic tool for IEIs since it provides a definite diagnosis, genotype-phenotype correlation, and guide therapy. In this review, we will discuss the current state and challenges of genomic and variome studies in MENA region populations, as well as the importance of funding advanced genome projects. In addition, we will review the MENA underlying molecular genetic defects of over 2457 patients published with the common IEIs, where autosomal recessive mode of inheritance accounts for 76% of cases with increased prevalence of combined immunodeficiency diseases (50%). The efforts made in the last three decades in terms of international collaboration and of in situ capacity building in MENA region countries led to the discovery of more than 150 novel genes involved in IEIs. Expanding sequencing studies within the MENA will undoubtedly be a unique asset for the IEI genetics which can advance research, and support precise genomic diagnostics and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamoud Al-Mousa
- Section of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mohamed-Ridha Barbouche
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain.
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Ahmad S, Ali MZ, Abbasi SW, Abbas S, Ahmed I, Abbas S, Nawaz S, Ziab M, Ahmed I, Fakhro KA, Khan MA, Akil AAS. A GHRHR founder mutation causes isolated growth hormone deficiency type IV in a consanguineous Pakistani family. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1066182. [PMID: 36960394 PMCID: PMC10029353 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1066182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) is caused by a severe shortage or absence of growth hormone (GH), which results in aberrant growth and development. Patients with IGHD type IV (IGHD4) have a short stature, reduced serum GH levels, and delayed bone age. Objectives To identify the causative mutation of IGHD in a consanguineous family comprising four affected patients with IGHD4 (MIM#618157) and explore its functional impact in silico. Methods Clinical and radiological studies were performed to determine the phenotypic spectrum and hormonal profile of the disease, while whole-exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify the disease-causing mutation. In-silico studies involved protein structural modeling and docking, and molecular dynamic simulation analyses using computational tools. Finally, data from the Qatar Genome Program (QGP) were screened for the presence of the founder variant in the Qatari population. Results All affected individuals presented with a short stature without gross skeletal anomalies and significantly reduced serum GH levels. Genetic mapping revealed a homozygous nonsense mutation [NM_000823:c.G214T:p.(Glu72*)] in the third exon of the growth-hormone-releasing hormone receptor gene GHRHR (MIM#139191) that was segregated in all patients. The substituted amber codon (UAG) seems to truncate the protein by deleting the C-terminus GPCR domain, thus markedly disturbing the GHRHR receptor and its interaction with the growth hormone-releasing hormone. Conclusion These data support that a p.Glu72* founder mutation in GHRHR perturbs growth hormone signaling and causes IGHD type IV. In-silico and biochemical analyses support the pathogenic effect of this nonsense mutation, while our comprehensive phenotype and hormonal profiling has established the genotype-phenotype correlation. Based on the current study, early detection of GHRHR may help in better therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safeer Ahmad
- Gomal Centre of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zeeshan Ali
- Gomal Centre of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Sumra Wajid Abbasi
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Safdar Abbas
- Gomal Centre of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Iftikhar Ahmed
- Gomal Centre of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Shakil Abbas
- Gomal Centre of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Shoaib Nawaz
- Laboratory of Genomic Medicine-Precision Medicine Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mubarak Ziab
- Department of Human Genetics, Precision Medicine of Diabetes Prevention Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ikhlak Ahmed
- Department of Human Genetics, Precision Medicine of Diabetes Prevention Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Khalid A. Fakhro
- Laboratory of Genomic Medicine-Precision Medicine Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College-Doha, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Muzammil Ahmad Khan
- Gomal Centre of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Ammira Al-Shabeeb Akil
- Laboratory of Genomic Medicine-Precision Medicine Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Human Genetics, Precision Medicine of Diabetes Prevention Program, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
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11
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Horgan D, Hamdi Y, Lal JA, Nyawira T, Meyer S, Kondji D, Francisco NM, De Guzman R, Paul A, Bernard B, Reddy Nallamalla K, Park WY, Triapthi V, Tripathi R, Johns A, Singh MP, Phipps ME, Dube F, Rasheed HMA, Kozaric M, Pinto JA, Doral Stefani S, Aponte Rueda ME, Fujita Alarcon R, Barrera-Saldana HA. Framework for Adoption of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Globally in the Oncology Area. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11030431. [PMID: 36767006 PMCID: PMC9914369 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11030431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Radical new possibilities of improved treatment of cancer are on offer from an advanced medical technology already demonstrating its significance: next-generation sequencing (NGS). This refined testing provides unprecedentedly precise diagnoses and permits the use of focused and highly personalized treatments. However, across regions globally, many cancer patients will continue to be denied the benefits of NGS as long as some of the yawning gaps in its implementation remain unattended. The challenges at the regional and national levels are linked because putting the solutions into effect is highly dependent on cooperation between regional- and national-level cooperation, which could be hindered by shortfalls in interpretation or understanding. The aim of the paper was to define and explore the necessary conditions for NGS and make recommendations for effective implementation based on extensive exchanges with policy makers and stakeholders. As a result, the European Alliance for Personalised Medicine (EAPM) developed a maturity framework structured around demand-side and supply-side issues to enable interested stakeholders in different countries to self-evaluate according to a common matrix. A questionnaire was designed to identify the current status of NGS implementation, and it was submitted to different experts in different institutions globally. This revealed significant variability in the different aspects of NGS uptake. Within different regions globally, to ensure those conditions are right, this can be improved by linking efforts made at the national level, where patients have needs and where care is delivered, and at the global level, where major policy initiatives in the health field are underway or in preparation, many of which offer direct or indirect pathways for building those conditions. In addition, in a period when consensus is still incomplete and catching up is needed at a political level to ensure rational allocation of resources-even within individual countries-to enable the best ways to make the necessary provisions for NGS, a key recommendation is to examine where closer links between national and regional actions could complement, support, and mutually reinforce efforts to improve the situation for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Horgan
- European Alliance for Personalised Medicine, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Engineering, Jacob Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj 211007, India
- Correspondence:
| | - Yosr Hamdi
- Laboratory of Biomedical Genomics and Oncogenetics, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
- Laboratory of Human and Experimental Pathology, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis 1002, Tunisia
| | - Jonathan A. Lal
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Engineering, Jacob Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj 211007, India
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, GROW School of Oncology and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Institute for Public Health Genomics, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Teresia Nyawira
- National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation in Kenya (NACOSTI), Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | | | - Dominique Kondji
- Health & Development Communication, Building Capacity for Better Health in Africa, Yaounde P.O. Box 2032, Cameroon
| | - Ngiambudulu M. Francisco
- Grupo de Investigação Microbiana e Imunológica, Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (National Institute for Health Research), Luanda 3635, Angola
| | - Roselle De Guzman
- Oncology and Pain Management Section, Manila Central University—Filemon D. Tanchoco Medical Foundation Hospital, Caloocan 1400, Philippines
| | - Anupriya Paul
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj 211007, India
| | - Branka Bernard
- European Alliance for Personalised Medicine, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
- Mediterranean Institute for Life Sciences, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | | | - Woong-Yang Park
- Samsung Medical Center, Samsung Genome Institute, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Republic of Korea
| | - Vijay Triapthi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Engineering, Jacob Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj 211007, India
| | - Ravikant Tripathi
- Department Health Government of India, Ministry of Labor, New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Amber Johns
- Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney 2010, Australia
| | - Mohan P. Singh
- Center of Biotechnology, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211002, India
| | - Maude E. Phipps
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - France Dube
- Precision Medicine and Breast Cancer Department, Astra Zeneca, 1800 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803, USA
| | | | - Marta Kozaric
- European Alliance for Personalised Medicine, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joseph A. Pinto
- Center for Basic and Translational Research, Auna Ideas, Lima 15036, Peru
| | | | | | - Ricardo Fujita Alarcon
- Centro de Genética y Biología Molecular, Universidad de San Martín de Porres, Lima 15024, Peru
| | - Hugo A. Barrera-Saldana
- Innbiogem SC/Vitagenesis SA at National Laboratory for Services of Research, Development, and Innovation for the Pharma and Biotech Industries (LANSEIDI) of CONACyT Vitaxentrum Group, Monterrey 64630, Mexico
- Schools of Medicine and Biology, Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 66451, Mexico
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12
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Shan J, Megarbane A, Chouchane A, Karthik D, Temanni R, Romero AR, Hua H, Pan C, Chen X, Subramanian M, Saad C, Mbarek H, Mehawej C, Chouery E, Abuaqel SW, Dömling A, Remadi S, Yaghi C, Li P, Chouchane L. Genetic predisposition to porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder: A functional genomic-based, multigenerational family study. Hepatology 2023; 77:501-511. [PMID: 35989577 PMCID: PMC9869943 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD) is a group of liver vascular diseases featuring lesions encompassing the portal venules and sinusoids unaccompanied by cirrhosis, irrespective of the presence/absence of portal hypertension. It can occur secondary to coagulation disorders or insult by toxic agents. However, the cause of PSVD remains unknown in most cases. Hereditary cases of PSVD are exceptionally rare, but they are of particular interest and may unveil genetic alterations and molecular mechanisms associated with the disease. APPROACH AND RESULTS We performed genome sequencing of four patients and two healthy individuals of a large multigenerational Lebanese family with PSVD and identified a heterozygous deleterious variant (c.547C>T, p.R183W) of FCH and double SH3 domains 1 ( FCHSD1 ), an uncharacterized gene, in patients. This variant segregated with the disease, and its pattern of inheritance was suggestive of autosomal dominant with variable expressivity. RNA structural modelling of human FCHSD1 suggests that the C-to-T substitution at position 547, corresponding to FCHSD1R183W , may increase both messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein stability and its interaction with MTOR-associated protein, LST8 homolog, a key protein of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR pathway). These predictions were substantiated by biochemical analyses, which showed that FCHSD1R183W induced high FCHSD1 mRNA stability, overexpression of FCHSD1 protein, and an increase in mTORC1 activation. This human FCHSD1 variant was introduced into mice through CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. Nine out of the 15 mice carrying the human FCHSD1R183W variant mimicked the phenotype of human PSVD, including splenomegaly and enlarged portal vein. CONCLUSIONS Aberrant FCHSD1 structure and function leads to mTOR pathway overactivation and may cause PSVD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Shan
- Genetic Intelligence Laboratory , Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar , Qatar Foundation , Doha , Qatar.,Department of Genetic Medicine , Weill Cornell Medicine , New York , New York , USA
| | - André Megarbane
- Department of Human Genetics , Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine , Lebanese American University , Beirut , Lebanon.,Institut Jérôme Lejeune , CRB BioJeL , Paris , France
| | - Aziz Chouchane
- Faculta di Medicina e Chirurgia , Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuero , Rome , Italy.,Institute of Pathology , University of Bern , Bern , Switzerland
| | - Deepak Karthik
- Genetic Intelligence Laboratory , Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar , Qatar Foundation , Doha , Qatar
| | | | - Atilio Reyes Romero
- Drug Design Group, Department of Pharmacy , University of Groningen , Groningen , Netherlands
| | - Huiying Hua
- Department of Pediatrics , Ruijin Hospital , Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , P.R. China
| | - Chun Pan
- Department of Pediatrics , Ruijin Hospital , Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , P.R. China
| | - Xixi Chen
- Department of Pediatrics , Ruijin Hospital , Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , P.R. China
| | - Murugan Subramanian
- Genetic Intelligence Laboratory , Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar , Qatar Foundation , Doha , Qatar
| | - Chadi Saad
- Genome Programme , Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation , Qatar Foundation , Doha , Qatar
| | - Hamdi Mbarek
- Genome Programme , Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation , Qatar Foundation , Doha , Qatar
| | - Cybel Mehawej
- Department of Human Genetics , Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine , Lebanese American University , Beirut , Lebanon
| | - Eliane Chouery
- Department of Human Genetics , Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine , Lebanese American University , Beirut , Lebanon
| | - Sirin W Abuaqel
- Genetic Intelligence Laboratory , Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar , Qatar Foundation , Doha , Qatar
| | - Alexander Dömling
- Drug Design Group, Department of Pharmacy , University of Groningen , Groningen , Netherlands
| | | | - Cesar Yaghi
- Department of Gastroenterology , Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital , Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University of Beirut , Beirut , Lebanon
| | - Pu Li
- Department of Pediatrics , Ruijin Hospital , Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine , Shanghai , P.R. China
| | - Lotfi Chouchane
- Genetic Intelligence Laboratory , Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar , Qatar Foundation , Doha , Qatar.,Department of Genetic Medicine , Weill Cornell Medicine , New York , New York , USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology , Weill Cornell Medicine , New York , New York , USA
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13
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Ateia H, Ogrodzki P, Wilson HV, Ganesan S, Halwani R, Koshy A, Zaher WA. Population Genome Programs across the Middle East and North Africa: Successes, Challenges, and Future Directions. Biomed Hub 2023; 8:60-71. [PMID: 37900972 PMCID: PMC10601860 DOI: 10.1159/000530619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, we discuss the current state of population genome programs (PGPs) conducted in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. This region has high prevalence of genetic diseases and significant health challenges as well as being a significantly underrepresented population in public genetic databases. The majority of ongoing PGPs represent regions in Europe, North and South America, South Asia, Australia, and Africa, with little to no descriptive information highlighted only on the MENA Region when it comes to genome programs databases, outcomes, or the challenges that MENA region countries may face establishing their own national programs. This review has identified 6 PGPs currently underway in the MENA region, namely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Iran. Due to the rapidly growing involvement of the MENA region in national-scale genomic data collection, an increase in representation in public genetic databases is to be expected to occur in the near future. Whilst significant progress is being made in some MENA countries, future initiatives as well as ongoing programs will be facing several challenges related to collaboration, finance, infrastructure and institutional data access, data analysis, sustainability, health records, and biobanks. The review also reiterates the need for ensuring ethical and regulated genomic initiatives which can drive developments in personalized medicine treatments to improve patient prognosis and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagar Ateia
- G42 Healthcare, Masdar City Abu Dhabi, UAE
- IROS (Insights Research Organization and Solutions), Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | | | - Hannah V. Wilson
- IROS (Insights Research Organization and Solutions), Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - Subhashini Ganesan
- G42 Healthcare, Masdar City Abu Dhabi, UAE
- IROS (Insights Research Organization and Solutions), Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | | | | | - Walid A. Zaher
- G42 Healthcare, Masdar City Abu Dhabi, UAE
- IROS (Insights Research Organization and Solutions), Abu Dhabi, UAE
- UAE University, Al Ain, UAE
- Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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14
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Lapizco-Encinas BH, Zhang YV. Microfluidic systems in clinical diagnosis. Electrophoresis 2023; 44:217-245. [PMID: 35977346 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202200150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The use of microfluidic devices is highly attractive in the field of biomedical and clinical assessments, as their portability and fast response time have become crucial in providing opportune therapeutic treatments to patients. The applications of microfluidics in clinical diagnosis and point-of-care devices are continuously growing. The present review article discusses three main fields where miniaturized devices are successfully employed in clinical applications. The quantification of ions, sugars, and small metabolites is examined considering the analysis of bodily fluids samples and the quantification of this type of analytes employing real-time wearable devices. The discussion covers the level of maturity that the devices have reached as well as cost-effectiveness. The analysis of proteins with clinical relevance is presented and organized by the function of the proteins. The last section covers devices that can perform single-cell metabolomic and proteomic assessments. Each section discusses several strategically selected recent reports on microfluidic devices successfully employed for clinical assessments, to provide the reader with a wide overview of the plethora of novel systems and microdevices developed in the last 5 years. In each section, the novel aspects and main contributions of each reviewed report are highlighted. Finally, the conclusions and future outlook section present a summary and speculate on the future direction of the field of miniaturized devices for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca H Lapizco-Encinas
- Microscale Bioseparations Laboratory and Biomedical Engineering Department, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Yan Victoria Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
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15
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Elashi AA, Toor SM, Diboun I, Al-Sarraj Y, Taheri S, Suhre K, Abou-Samra AB, Albagha OME. The Genetic Spectrum of Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) in Qatar, a Population-Based Study. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010130. [PMID: 36613572 PMCID: PMC9820507 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a rare monogenic form of diabetes mellitus. In this study, we estimated the prevalence and genetic spectrum of MODY in the Middle Eastern population of Qatar using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 14,364 subjects from the population-based Qatar biobank (QBB) cohort. We focused our investigations on 14 previously identified genes ascribed to the cause of MODY and two potentially novel MODY-causing genes, RFX6 and NKX6-1. Genetic variations within the 16 MODY-related genes were assessed for their pathogenicity to identify disease-causing mutations. Analysis of QBB phenotype data revealed 72 subjects (0.5%) with type 1 diabetes, 2915 subjects (20.3%) with type 2 diabetes and 11,377 (79.2%) without diabetes. We identified 22 mutations in 67 subjects that were previously reported in the Human Genetic Mutation Database (HGMD) as disease-causing (DM) or likely disease causing (DM?) for MODY. We also identified 28 potentially novel MODY-causing mutations, predicted to be among the top 1% most deleterious mutations in the human genome, which showed complete (100%) disease penetrance in 34 subjects. Overall, we estimated that MODY accounts for around 2.2-3.4% of diabetes patients in Qatar. This is the first population-based study to determine the genetic spectrum and estimate the prevalence of MODY in the Middle East. Further research to characterize the newly identified mutations is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma A. Elashi
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
| | - Salman M. Toor
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
| | - Ilhame Diboun
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
- Medical and Population Genomics Lab, Sidra Medicine, Doha P.O. Box 26999, Qatar
| | - Yasser Al-Sarraj
- Qatar Genome Program (QGP), Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha P.O. Box 5825, Qatar
| | - Shahrad Taheri
- Qatar Metabolic Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha P.O. Box 3050, Qatar
| | - Karsten Suhre
- Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Doha P.O. Box 24144, Qatar
- Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Omar M. E. Albagha
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha P.O. Box 34110, Qatar
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +974-4454-2974
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16
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Dajani R, Mbarek H, Ismail SI, Mohammad A, Somai M. Overcoming Eurocentric bias makes for better science. MED 2022; 3:813-814. [PMID: 36495859 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
To understand disease, scientists are producing comprehensive omics datasets. However, the majority of these are Eurocentric. Recently, the inclusion of patients from Asia and the Middle East in genomic analyses uncovered unique loci linked to COVID-19 severity. This demonstrates that focusing on diversity and underrepresented populations can benefit all.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Dajani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
| | - Hamdi Mbarek
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Said I Ismail
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, Doha, Qatar; College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar; Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; Medical School, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | | | - Melek Somai
- Center for Collaborative Health Delivery Science, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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17
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Mbarek H, Ismail SI. Mapping the Arab genome. Nat Genet 2022; 54:1761-1763. [PMID: 36446885 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01239-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hamdi Mbarek
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, Doha, Qatar. .,Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, and Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Said I Ismail
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, Doha, Qatar. .,Medical School, The Univeristy of Jordan, Amman, Jordan. .,Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. .,College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa Univeristy, Doha, Qatar.
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18
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Saad M, El-Menyar A, Kunji K, Ullah E, Al Suwaidi J, Kullo IJ. Validation of Polygenic Risk Scores for Coronary Heart Disease in a Middle Eastern Cohort Using Whole Genome Sequencing. CIRCULATION. GENOMIC AND PRECISION MEDICINE 2022; 15:e003712. [PMID: 36252120 PMCID: PMC9770120 DOI: 10.1161/circgen.122.003712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enthusiasm for using polygenic risk scores (PRSs) in clinical practice is tempered by concerns about their portability to diverse ancestry groups, thus motivating genome-wide association studies in non-European ancestry cohorts. METHODS We conducted a genome-wide association study for coronary heart disease in a Middle Eastern cohort using whole genome sequencing and assessed the performance of 6 PRSs developed with methods including LDpred (PGS000296), metaGRS (PGS000018), Pruning and Thresholding (PGS000337), and an EnsemblePRS we developed. Additionally, we evaluated the burden of rare variants in lipid genes in cases and controls. Whole genome sequencing at 30× coverage was performed in 1067 coronary heart disease cases (mean age=59 years; 70.3% males) and 6170 controls (mean age=40 years; 43.5% males). RESULTS The majority of PRSs performed well; odds ratio (OR) per 1 SD increase (OR1sd) was highest for PGS000337 (OR1sd=1.81, 95% CI [1.66-1.98], P=3.07×10-41). EnsemblePRS performed better than individual PRSs (OR1sd=1.8, 95% CI [1.66-1.96], P=5.89×10-44). The OR for the 10th decile versus the remaining deciles was >3.2 for PGS000337, PGS000296, PGS000018, and reached 4.58 for EnsemblePRS. Of 400 known genome-wide significant loci, 33 replicated at P<10-4. However, the 9p21 locus did not replicate. Six suggestive (P<10-5) new loci/genes with plausible biological function were identified (eg, CORO7, RBM47, PDE4D). The burden of rare functional variants in LDLR, APOB, PCSK9, and ANGPTL4 was greater in cases than controls. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we demonstrate that PRSs derived from European ancestry genome-wide association studies performed well in a Middle Eastern cohort, suggesting these could be used in the clinical setting while ancestry-specific PRSs are developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad Saad
- Qatar Computing Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar (M.S., K.K., E.U.)
| | | | - Khalid Kunji
- Qatar Computing Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar (M.S., K.K., E.U.)
| | - Ehsan Ullah
- Qatar Computing Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar (M.S., K.K., E.U.)
| | | | - Iftikhar J. Kullo
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, and the Gonda Vascular Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (I.J.K.)
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Belkadi A, Thareja G, Abbaszadeh F, Badii R, Fauman E, Albagha OM, Suhre K. Identification of PCSK9-like human gene knockouts using metabolomics, proteomics, and whole-genome sequencing in a consanguineous population. CELL GENOMICS 2022; 3:100218. [PMID: 36777185 PMCID: PMC9903797 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Natural human knockouts of genes associated with desirable outcomes, such as PCSK9 with low levels of LDL-cholesterol, can lead to the discovery of new drug targets and treatments. Rare loss-of-function variants are more likely to be found in the homozygous state in consanguineous populations, and deep molecular phenotyping of blood samples from homozygous carriers can help to discriminate between silent and functional variants. Here, we combined whole-genome sequencing with proteomics and metabolomics for 2,935 individuals from the Qatar Biobank (QBB) to evaluate the power of this approach for finding genes of clinical and pharmaceutical interest. As proof-of-concept, we identified a homozygous carrier of a very rare PCSK9 variant with extremely low circulating PCSK9 levels and low LDL. Our study demonstrates that the chances of finding such variants are about 168 times higher in QBB compared with GnomAD and emphasizes the potential of consanguineous populations for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aziz Belkadi
- Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Doha 24144, Qatar,Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gaurav Thareja
- Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Doha 24144, Qatar,Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Omar M.E. Albagha
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar,Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Karsten Suhre
- Bioinformatics Core, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Education City, Doha 24144, Qatar,Department of Biophysics and Physiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Corresponding author
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20
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Mezzavilla M, Cocca M, Maisano Delser P, Badii R, Abbaszadeh F, Hadi KA, Giorgia G, Gasparini P. Ancestry-related distribution of Runs of homozygosity and functional variants in Qatari population. BMC Genom Data 2022; 23:73. [PMID: 36131251 PMCID: PMC9490902 DOI: 10.1186/s12863-022-01087-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Describing how genetic history shapes the pattern of medically relevant variants could improve the understanding of how specific loci interact with each other and affect diseases and traits prevalence. The Qatari population is characterized by a complex history of admixture and substructure, and the study of its population genomic features would provide valuable insights into the genetic landscape of functional variants. Here, we analyzed the genomic variation of 186 newly-genotyped healthy individuals from the Qatari peninsula. Results We discovered an intricate genetic structure using ancestry related analyses. In particular, the presence of three different clusters, Cluster 1, Cluster 2 and Cluster 3 (with Near Eastern, South Asian and African ancestry, respectively), was detected with an additional fourth one (Cluster 4) with East Asian ancestry. These subpopulations show differences in the distribution of runs of homozygosity (ROH) and admixture events in the past, ranging from 40 to 5 generations ago. This complex genetic history led to a peculiar pattern of functional markers under positive selection, differentiated in shared signals and private signals. Interestingly we found several signatures of shared selection on SNPs in the FADS2 gene, hinting at a possible common evolutionary link to dietary intake. Among the private signals, we found enrichment for markers associated with HDL and LDL for Cluster 1(Near Eastern ancestry) and Cluster 3 (South Asian ancestry) and height and blood traits for Cluster 2 (African ancestry). The differences in genetic history among these populations also resulted in the different frequency distribution of putative loss of function variants. For example, homozygous carriers for rs2884737, a variant linked to an anticoagulant drug (warfarin) response, are mainly represented by individuals with predominant Bedouin ancestry (risk allele frequency G at 0.48). Conclusions We provided a detailed catalogue of the different ancestral pattern in the Qatari population highlighting differences and similarities in the distribution of selected variants and putative loss of functions. Finally, these results would provide useful guidance for assessing genetic risk factors linked to consanguinity and genetic ancestry.
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12863-022-01087-1.
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21
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Diboun I, Al-Sarraj Y, Toor SM, Mohammed S, Qureshi N, Al Hail MSH, Jayyousi A, Al Suwaidi J, Albagha OME. The Prevalence and Genetic Spectrum of Familial Hypercholesterolemia in Qatar Based on Whole Genome Sequencing of 14,000 Subjects. Front Genet 2022; 13:927504. [PMID: 35910211 PMCID: PMC9337875 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.927504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited disease characterized by reduced efficiency of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) removal from the blood and, consequently, an increased risk of life-threatening early cardiovascular complications. In Qatar, the prevalence of FH has not been determined and the disease, as in many countries, is largely underdiagnosed. In this study, we combined whole-genome sequencing data from the Qatar Genome Program with deep phenotype data from Qatar Biobank for 14,056 subjects to determine the genetic spectrum and estimate the prevalence of FH in Qatar. We used the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (DLCN) as a diagnostic tool and scrutinized 11 FH-related genes for known pathogenic and possibly pathogenic mutations. Results revealed an estimated prevalence of 0.8% (1:125) for definite/probable cases of FH in the Qatari population. We detected 16 known pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutations in LDLR and one in PCSK9; all in a heterozygous state with high penetrance. The most common mutation was rs1064793799 (c.313+3A >C) followed by rs771019366 (p.Asp90Gly); both in LDLR. In addition, we identified 18 highly penetrant possibly pathogenic variants, of which 5 were Qatari-specific, in LDLR, APOB, PCSK9 and APOE, which are predicted to be among the top 1% most deleterious mutations in the human genome but further validations are required to confirm their pathogenicity. We did not detect any homozygous FH or autosomal recessive mutations in our study cohort. This pioneering study provides a reliable estimate of FH prevalence in Qatar based on a significantly large population-based cohort, whilst uncovering the spectrum of genetic variants associated with FH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilhame Diboun
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha, Qatar
- Medical and Population Genomics Lab, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Yasser Al-Sarraj
- Qatar Genome Program, Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha, Qatar
| | - Salman M. Toor
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha, Qatar
| | - Shaban Mohammed
- Department of Pharmacy, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Nadeem Qureshi
- Primary Care Stratified Medicine Research Group, Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | | | - Amin Jayyousi
- Department of Diabetes, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar
| | - Jassim Al Suwaidi
- Adult Cardiology, Heart Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar
| | - Omar M. E. Albagha
- College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar Foundation (QF), Doha, Qatar
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Omar M. E. Albagha,
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22
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Kohailan M, Aamer W, Syed N, Padmajeya S, Hussein S, Sayed A, Janardhanan J, Palaniswamy S, El Hajj N, Al-Shabeeb Akil A, Fakhro KA. Patterns and distribution of de novo mutations in multiplex Middle Eastern families. J Hum Genet 2022; 67:579-588. [PMID: 35718832 PMCID: PMC9510050 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-022-01054-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
While de novo mutations (DNMs) are key to genetic diversity, they are also responsible for a high number of rare disorders. To date, no study has systematically examined the rate and distribution of DNMs in multiplex families in highly consanguineous populations. Leveraging WGS profiles of 645 individuals in 146 families, we implemented a combinatorial approach using 3 complementary tools for DNM discovery in 353 unique trio combinations. We found a total of 27,168 DNMs (median: 70 single-nucleotide and 6 insertion-deletions per individual). Phasing revealed around 80% of DNMs were paternal in origin. Notably, using whole-genome methylation data of spermatogonial stem cells, these DNMs were significantly more likely to occur at highly methylated CpGs (OR: 2.03; p value = 6.62 × 10−11). We then examined the effects of consanguinity and ethnicity on DNMs, and found that consanguinity does not seem to correlate with DNM rate, and special attention has to be considered while measuring such a correlation. Additionally, we found that Middle-Eastern families with Arab ancestry had fewer DNMs than African families, although not significant (p value = 0.16). Finally, for families with diseased probands, we examined the difference in DNM counts and putative impact across affected and unaffected siblings, but did not find significant differences between disease groups, likely owing to the enrichment for recessive disorders in this part of the world, or the small sample size per clinical condition. This study serves as a reference for DNM discovery in multiplex families from the globally under-represented populations of the Middle-East.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Kohailan
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, P.O. Box 34110, Doha, Qatar
| | - Waleed Aamer
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar
| | - Najeeb Syed
- Biomedical Informatics Division, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sujitha Padmajeya
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sura Hussein
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar
| | - Amira Sayed
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar
| | - Jyothi Janardhanan
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Nady El Hajj
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, P.O. Box 34110, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Khalid A Fakhro
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, P.O. Box 34110, Doha, Qatar. .,Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, P.O. Box 26999, Doha, Qatar. .,Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill-Cornell Medical College, P.O. Box 24144, Doha, Qatar.
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23
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Kohailan M, Al-Saei O, Padmajeya S, Aamer W, Elbashir N, Al-Shabeeb Akil A, Kamboh AR, Fakhro K. A de novo start-loss in EFTUD2 associated with mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly: case report. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2022; 8:mcs.a006206. [PMID: 35732499 PMCID: PMC9235844 DOI: 10.1101/mcs.a006206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mandibulofacial dysostosis with microcephaly (MFDM) is a rare genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Major characteristics include developmental delay, craniofacial malformations such as malar and mandibular hypoplasia, and ear anomalies. Here, we report a 4.5-yr-old female patient with symptoms fitting MFDM. Using whole-genome sequencing, we identified a de novo start-codon loss (c.3G > T) in the EFTUD2. We examined EFTUD2 expression in the patient by RNA sequencing and observed a notable functional consequence of the variant on gene expression in the patient. We identified a novel variant for the development of MFDM in humans. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a start-codon loss in EFTUD2 associated with MFDM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Kohailan
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha 34110, Qatar
| | - Omayma Al-Saei
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar
| | | | - Waleed Aamer
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar
| | - Najwa Elbashir
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar
| | | | - Abdul-Rauf Kamboh
- Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar
| | - Khalid Fakhro
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha 34110, Qatar.,Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha 26999, Qatar.,Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill-Cornell Medical College, Doha 24144, Qatar
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24
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Kingsmore SF. Dispatches from Biotech beginning BeginNGS: Rapid newborn genome sequencing to end the diagnostic and therapeutic odyssey. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS. PART C, SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2022; 190:243-256. [PMID: 36218021 PMCID: PMC9588745 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.32005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
In this Dispatch from Biotech, we briefly review the urgent need for extensive expansion of newborn screening (NBS) by genomic sequencing, and the reasons why early attempts had limited success. During the next decade transformative developments will continue in society and in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, informatics, and medical sectors that enable prompt addition of genetic disorders to NBS by rapid whole genome sequencing (rWGS) upon introduction of new therapies that qualify them according to the Wilson and Jungner criteria (Wilson, J. M. G., & Jungner, G., World Health Organization. (1968). Principles and Practice of Screening for Disease. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/37650). Herein we describe plans, progress, and clinical trial designs for BeginNGS (Newborn Genome Sequencing to end the diagnostic and therapeutic odyssey), a new international, pre-competitive, public-private consortium that proposes to implement a self-learning healthcare delivery system for screening all newborns for over 400 hundred genetic diseases, diagnostic confirmation, implementation of effective treatment, and acceleration of orphan drug development. We invite investigators and stakeholders worldwide to join the consortium in a prospective, multi-center, international trial of the clinical utility and cost effectiveness of BeginNGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen F. Kingsmore
- Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's HospitalSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
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25
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Ratios of Acetaminophen Metabolites Identify New Loci of Pharmacogenetic Relevance in a Genome-Wide Association Study. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12060496. [PMID: 35736429 PMCID: PMC9228664 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12060496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with non-targeted metabolomics have identified many genetic loci of biomedical interest. However, metabolites with a high degree of missingness, such as drug metabolites and xenobiotics, are often excluded from such studies due to a lack of statistical power and higher uncertainty in their quantification. Here we propose ratios between related drug metabolites as GWAS phenotypes that can drastically increase power to detect genetic associations between pairs of biochemically related molecules. As a proof-of-concept we conducted a GWAS with 520 individuals from the Qatar Biobank for who at least five of the nine available acetaminophen metabolites have been detected. We identified compelling evidence for genetic variance in acetaminophen glucuronidation and methylation by UGT2A15 and COMT, respectively. Based on the metabolite ratio association profiles of these two loci we hypothesized the chemical structure of one of their products or substrates as being 3-methoxyacetaminophen, which we then confirmed experimentally. Taken together, our study suggests a novel approach to analyze metabolites with a high degree of missingness in a GWAS setting with ratios, and it also demonstrates how pharmacological pathways can be mapped out using non-targeted metabolomics measurements in large population-based studies.
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26
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Functional Characterization of the MYO6 Variant p.E60Q in Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063369. [PMID: 35328790 PMCID: PMC8949016 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hereditary hearing loss (HHL) is a common genetic disorder accounting for at least 60% of pre-lingual deafness in children, of which 70% is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. The long tradition of consanguinity among the Qatari population has increased the prevalence of HHL, which negatively impacts the quality of life. Here, we functionally validated the pathogenicity of the c.178G>C, p.E60Q mutation in the MYO6 gene, which was detected previously in a Qatari HHL family, using cellular and animal models. In vitro analysis was conducted in HeLa cells transiently transfected with plasmids carrying MYO6WT or MYO6p.E60Q, and a zebrafish model was generated to characterize the in vivo phenotype. Cells transfected with MYO6WT showed higher expression of MYO6 in the plasma membrane and increased ATPase activity. Modeling the human MYO6 variants in zebrafish resulted in severe otic defects. At 72 h post-injection, MYO6p.E60Q embryos demonstrated alterations in the sizes of the saccule and utricle. Additionally, zebrafish with MYO6p.E60Q displayed super-coiled and bent hair bundles in otic hair cells when compared to control and MYO6WT embryos. In conclusion, our cellular and animal models add support to the in silico prediction that the p.E60Q missense variant is pathogenic and damaging to the protein. Since the c.178G>C MYO6 variant has a 0.5% allele frequency in the Qatari population, about 400 times higher than in other populations, it could contribute to explaining the high prevalence of hearing impairment in Qatar.
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