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Connors CQ, Mauro MS, Wiles JT, Countryman AD, Martin SL, Lacroix B, Shirasu-Hiza M, Dumont J, Kasza KE, Davies TR, Canman JC. Germ fate determinants protect germ precursor cell division by reducing septin and anillin levels at the cell division plane. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar94. [PMID: 38696255 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e24-02-0096-t] [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] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal cell cytokinesis, or the physical division of one cell into two, is thought to be driven by constriction of an actomyosin contractile ring at the division plane. The mechanisms underlying cell type-specific differences in cytokinesis remain unknown. Germ cells are totipotent cells that pass genetic information to the next generation. Previously, using formincyk-1(ts) mutant Caenorhabditis elegans 4-cell embryos, we found that the P2 germ precursor cell is protected from cytokinesis failure and can divide with greatly reduced F-actin levels at the cell division plane. Here, we identified two canonical germ fate determinants required for P2-specific cytokinetic protection: PIE-1 and POS-1. Neither has been implicated previously in cytokinesis. These germ fate determinants protect P2 cytokinesis by reducing the accumulation of septinUNC-59 and anillinANI-1 at the division plane, which here act as negative regulators of cytokinesis. These findings may provide insight into the regulation of cytokinesis in other cell types, especially in stem cells with high potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Q Connors
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Michael S Mauro
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - J Tristian Wiles
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Andrew D Countryman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Sophia L Martin
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Benjamin Lacroix
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
- Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Biologie Cellulaire de Montpellier, UMR 5237 Montpellier, France
| | - Mimi Shirasu-Hiza
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Julien Dumont
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Karen E Kasza
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Timothy R Davies
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Julie C Canman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
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2
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Connors CQ, Mauro MS, Tristian Wiles J, Countryman AD, Martin SL, Lacroix B, Shirasu-Hiza M, Dumont J, Kasza KE, Davies TR, Canman JC. Germ fate determinants protect germ precursor cell division by restricting septin and anillin levels at the division plane. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.17.566773. [PMID: 38014027 PMCID: PMC10680835 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.17.566773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Animal cell cytokinesis, or the physical division of one cell into two, is thought to be driven by constriction of an actomyosin contractile ring at the division plane. The mechanisms underlying cell type-specific differences in cytokinesis remain unknown. Germ cells are totipotent cells that pass genetic information to the next generation. Previously, using formin cyk-1 (ts) mutant C. elegans embryos, we found that the P2 germ precursor cell is protected from cytokinesis failure and can divide without detectable F-actin at the division plane. Here, we identified two canonical germ fate determinants required for P2-specific cytokinetic protection: PIE-1 and POS-1. Neither has been implicated previously in cytokinesis. These germ fate determinants protect P2 cytokinesis by reducing the accumulation of septin UNC-59 and anillin ANI-1 at the division plane, which here act as negative regulators of cytokinesis. These findings may provide insight into cytokinetic regulation in other cell types, especially in stem cells with high potency.
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3
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Ribeiro JH, Altinisik N, Rajan N, Verslegers M, Baatout S, Gopalakrishnan J, Quintens R. DNA damage and repair: underlying mechanisms leading to microcephaly. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1268565. [PMID: 37881689 PMCID: PMC10597653 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1268565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-damaging agents and endogenous DNA damage constantly harm genome integrity. Under genotoxic stress conditions, the DNA damage response (DDR) machinery is crucial in repairing lesions and preventing mutations in the basic structure of the DNA. Different repair pathways are implicated in the resolution of such lesions. For instance, the non-homologous DNA end joining and homologous recombination pathways are central cellular mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells maintain genome integrity. However, defects in these pathways are often associated with neurological disorders, indicating the pivotal role of DDR in normal brain development. Moreover, the brain is the most sensitive organ affected by DNA-damaging agents compared to other tissues during the prenatal period. The accumulation of lesions is believed to induce cell death, reduce proliferation and premature differentiation of neural stem and progenitor cells, and reduce brain size (microcephaly). Microcephaly is mainly caused by genetic mutations, especially genes encoding proteins involved in centrosomes and DNA repair pathways. However, it can also be induced by exposure to ionizing radiation and intrauterine infections such as the Zika virus. This review explains mammalian cortical development and the major DNA repair pathways that may lead to microcephaly when impaired. Next, we discuss the mechanisms and possible exposures leading to DNA damage and p53 hyperactivation culminating in microcephaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Honorato Ribeiro
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nazlican Altinisik
- Laboratory for Centrosome and Cytoskeleton Biology, Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nicholas Rajan
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Mieke Verslegers
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jay Gopalakrishnan
- Laboratory for Centrosome and Cytoskeleton Biology, Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Roel Quintens
- Radiobiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
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4
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Gao S, Zhang L, Wang H. Characterizing the key genes of COVID-19 that regulate tumor immune microenvironment and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:262. [PMID: 37540264 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01184-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a highly heterogeneous malignant tumor associated with a poor prognosis, is a common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with a limited survival benefit for patients despite ongoing therapeutic breakthroughs. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a severe infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a global pandemic and a serious threat to human health. The increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and a poor prognosis in patients with cancer necessitate the exploration of the potential link between the two. No studies have investigated the relationship of COVID-19 genes with the prognosis and tumor development in patients with HCC. We screened prognosis-related COVID-19 genes in HCC, performed molecular typing, developed a stable and reliable COVID-19 genes signature for predicting survival, characterized the immune microenvironment in HCC patients, and explored new molecular therapeutic targets. Datasets of HCC patients, including RNA sequencing data and clinical information, were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Prognosis-related COVID-19 genes were identified by univariate Cox analysis. Molecular typing of HCC was performed using the consensus non-negative matrix factorization method (cNMF), followed by the analysis of survival, tumor microenvironment, and pathway enrichment for each subtype. Prognostic signatures were constructed using LASSO-Cox regression models, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to validate the predictive performance of the signature. The same approach was used for the test and external validation sets. Seven software packages were applied to determine the abundance of immune infiltration in HCC patients and investigate its relationship with the risk scores. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to explore the potential mechanisms by which the COVID-19 genes affect hepatocarcinogenesis and prognosis. Three types of machine learning methods were combined to identify the most critical genes in the signature and localize their expression at the single cell level. We identified 53 prognosis-related COVID-19 genes and classified HCC into two molecular subtypes (C1, C2) by using the NMF method. The prognosis of C2 was significantly better than that of C1, and the two subtypes differed remarkably in terms of the tumor immune microenvironment and biological functions. The 17 COVID-19 genes were screened using the LASSO regression method to develop a 17 COVID-19 genes signature, which demonstrated a good predictive performance for 1-, 2- and 3-year OS of patients with HCC. The risk score as an independent prognostic factor for HCC has better predictive accuracy than traditional clinical variables. Patients in the TCGA cohort were categorized by risk score into the high- and low-risk groups, with the high-risk group mainly enriched in the immune modulation-related pathways and the low-risk group mainly enriched in the metabolism-related pathways, suggesting that the COVID-19 genes may affect disease progression and prognosis by regulating the tumor immune microenvironment and metabolism in HCC. NOL10 was identified as the most critical gene in the signature and hypothesized to be a potential therapeutic target for HCC. Objectively, the COVID-19 genes signature developed in this study, as an independent prognostic factor in HCC patients, is closely associated with the prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment of HCC patients and indicates that they may regulate the development of HCC in multiple ways, providing us with new perspectives for understanding the molecular mechanisms of HCC and finding effective therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Gao
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Ward 4 of the Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Oncology Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, 233080, Anhui, China
| | - Huiyan Wang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, Anhui, China.
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Asif M, Abdullah U, Nürnberg P, Tinschert S, Hussain MS. Congenital Microcephaly: A Debate on Diagnostic Challenges and Etiological Paradigm of the Shift from Isolated/Non-Syndromic to Syndromic Microcephaly. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040642. [PMID: 36831309 PMCID: PMC9954724 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital microcephaly (CM) exhibits broad clinical and genetic heterogeneity and is thus categorized into several subtypes. However, the recent bloom of disease-gene discoveries has revealed more overlaps than differences in the underlying genetic architecture for these clinical sub-categories, complicating the differential diagnosis. Moreover, the mechanism of the paradigm shift from a brain-restricted to a multi-organ phenotype is only vaguely understood. This review article highlights the critical factors considered while defining CM subtypes. It also presents possible arguments on long-standing questions of the brain-specific nature of CM caused by a dysfunction of the ubiquitously expressed proteins. We argue that brain-specific splicing events and organ-restricted protein expression may contribute in part to disparate clinical manifestations. We also highlight the role of genetic modifiers and de novo variants in the multi-organ phenotype of CM and emphasize their consideration in molecular characterization. This review thus attempts to expand our understanding of the phenotypic and etiological variability in CM and invites the development of more comprehensive guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Asif
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Uzma Abdullah
- University Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology (UIBB), PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
| | - Peter Nürnberg
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Sigrid Tinschert
- Zentrum Medizinische Genetik, Medizinische Universität, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Muhammad Sajid Hussain
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Voltage-Gated T-Type Calcium Channel Modulation by Kinases and Phosphatases: The Old Ones, the New Ones, and the Missing Ones. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030461. [PMID: 36766802 PMCID: PMC9913649 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium (Ca2+) can regulate a wide variety of cellular fates, such as proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy. More importantly, changes in the intracellular Ca2+ level can modulate signaling pathways that control a broad range of physiological as well as pathological cellular events, including those important to cellular excitability, cell cycle, gene-transcription, contraction, cancer progression, etc. Not only intracellular Ca2+ level but the distribution of Ca2+ in the intracellular compartments is also a highly regulated process. For this Ca2+ homeostasis, numerous Ca2+ chelating, storage, and transport mechanisms are required. There are also specialized proteins that are responsible for buffering and transport of Ca2+. T-type Ca2+ channels (TTCCs) are one of those specialized proteins which play a key role in the signal transduction of many excitable and non-excitable cell types. TTCCs are low-voltage activated channels that belong to the family of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Over decades, multiple kinases and phosphatases have been shown to modulate the activity of TTCCs, thus playing an indirect role in maintaining cellular physiology. In this review, we provide information on the kinase and phosphatase modulation of TTCC isoforms Cav3.1, Cav3.2, and Cav3.3, which are mostly described for roles unrelated to cellular excitability. We also describe possible potential modulations that are yet to be explored. For example, both mitogen-activated protein kinase and citron kinase show affinity for different TTCC isoforms; however, the effect of such interaction on TTCC current/kinetics has not been studied yet.
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Zaqout S, Kaindl AM. Autosomal Recessive Primary Microcephaly: Not Just a Small Brain. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:784700. [PMID: 35111754 PMCID: PMC8802810 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.784700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Microcephaly or reduced head circumference results from a multitude of abnormal developmental processes affecting brain growth and/or leading to brain atrophy. Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is the prototype of isolated primary (congenital) microcephaly, affecting predominantly the cerebral cortex. For MCPH, an accelerating number of mutated genes emerge annually, and they are involved in crucial steps of neurogenesis. In this review article, we provide a deeper look into the microcephalic MCPH brain. We explore cytoarchitecture focusing on the cerebral cortex and discuss diverse processes occurring at the level of neural progenitors, early generated and mature neurons, and glial cells. We aim to thereby give an overview of current knowledge in MCPH phenotype and normal brain growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Zaqout
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Unit, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Angela M. Kaindl
- Institute of Cell and Neurobiology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Chronically Sick Children (Sozialpädiatrisches Zentrum, SPZ), Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Abstract
In this review, Phan et al. discuss the different models that have been proposed to explain how centrosome dysfunction impairs cortical development, and review the evidence supporting a unified model in which centrosome defects reduce cell proliferation in the developing cortex by prolonging mitosis and activating a mitotic surveillance pathway. Last, they also extend their discussion to centrosome-independent microcephaly mutations, such as those involved in DNA replication and repair Primary microcephaly is a brain growth disorder characterized by a severe reduction of brain size and thinning of the cerebral cortex. Many primary microcephaly mutations occur in genes that encode centrosome proteins, highlighting an important role for centrosomes in cortical development. Centrosomes are microtubule organizing centers that participate in several processes, including controlling polarity, catalyzing spindle assembly in mitosis, and building primary cilia. Understanding which of these processes are altered and how these disruptions contribute to microcephaly pathogenesis is a central unresolved question. In this review, we revisit the different models that have been proposed to explain how centrosome dysfunction impairs cortical development. We review the evidence supporting a unified model in which centrosome defects reduce cell proliferation in the developing cortex by prolonging mitosis and activating a mitotic surveillance pathway. Finally, we also extend our discussion to centrosome-independent microcephaly mutations, such as those involved in DNA replication and repair.
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Iegiani G, Di Cunto F, Pallavicini G. Inhibiting microcephaly genes as alternative to microtubule targeting agents to treat brain tumors. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:956. [PMID: 34663805 PMCID: PMC8523548 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04259-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) and gliomas are the most frequent high-grade brain tumors (HGBT) in children and adulthood, respectively. The general treatment for these tumors consists in surgery, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite the improvement in patient survival, these therapies are only partially effective, and many patients still die. In the last decades, microtubules have emerged as interesting molecular targets for HGBT, as various microtubule targeting agents (MTAs) have been developed and tested pre-clinically and clinically with encouraging results. Nevertheless, these treatments produce relevant side effects since they target microtubules in normal as well as in cancerous cells. A possible strategy to overcome this toxicity could be to target proteins that control microtubule dynamics but are required by HGBT cells much more than in normal cell types. The genes mutated in primary hereditary microcephaly (MCPH) are ubiquitously expressed in proliferating cells, but under normal conditions are selectively required during brain development, in neural progenitors. There is evidence that MB and glioma cells share molecular profiles with progenitors of cerebellar granules and of cortical radial glia cells, in which MCPH gene functions are fundamental. Moreover, several studies indicate that MCPH genes are required for HGBT expansion. Among the 25 known MCPH genes, we focus this review on KNL1, ASPM, CENPE, CITK and KIF14, which have been found to control microtubule stability during cell division. We summarize the current knowledge about the molecular basis of their interaction with microtubules. Moreover, we will discuss data that suggest these genes are promising candidates as HGBT-specific targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Iegiani
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, 10043, Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience 'Rita Levi Montalcini', University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Di Cunto
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, 10043, Orbassano, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience 'Rita Levi Montalcini', University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Pallavicini
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, 10043, Orbassano, Italy.
- Department of Neuroscience 'Rita Levi Montalcini', University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy.
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Pervaiz N, Kang H, Bao Y, Abbasi AA. Molecular evolutionary analysis of human primary microcephaly genes. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:76. [PMID: 33941077 PMCID: PMC8091745 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01801-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There has been a rapid increase in the brain size relative to body size during mammalian evolutionary history. In particular, the enlarged and globular brain is the most distinctive anatomical feature of modern humans that set us apart from other extinct and extant primate species. Genetic basis of large brain size in modern humans has largely remained enigmatic. Genes associated with the pathological reduction of brain size (primary microcephaly-MCPH) have the characteristics and functions to be considered ideal candidates to unravel the genetic basis of evolutionary enlargement of human brain size. For instance, the brain size of microcephaly patients is similar to the brain size of Pan troglodyte and the very early hominids like the Sahelanthropus tchadensis and Australopithecus afarensis. Results The present study investigates the molecular evolutionary history of subset of autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) genes; CEP135, ZNF335, PHC1, SASS6, CDK6, MFSD2A, CIT, and KIF14 across 48 mammalian species. Codon based substitutions site analysis indicated that ZNF335, SASS6, CIT, and KIF14 have experienced positive selection in eutherian evolutionary history. Estimation of divergent selection pressure revealed that almost all of the MCPH genes analyzed in the present study have maintained their functions throughout the history of placental mammals. Contrary to our expectations, human-specific adoptive evolution was not detected for any of the MCPH genes analyzed in the present study. Conclusion Based on these data it can be inferred that protein-coding sequence of MCPH genes might not be the sole determinant of increase in relative brain size during primate evolutionary history. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-021-01801-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nashaiman Pervaiz
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Program of Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Hongen Kang
- China National Center for Bioinformation and National Genomics Data Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yiming Bao
- China National Center for Bioinformation and National Genomics Data Center, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Amir Ali Abbasi
- National Center for Bioinformatics, Program of Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
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Jean F, Stuart A, Tarailo-Graovac M. Dissecting the Genetic and Etiological Causes of Primary Microcephaly. Front Neurol 2020; 11:570830. [PMID: 33178111 PMCID: PMC7593518 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.570830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH; “small head syndrome”) is a rare, heterogeneous disease arising from the decreased production of neurons during brain development. As of August 2020, the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database lists 25 genes (involved in molecular processes such as centriole biogenesis, microtubule dynamics, spindle positioning, DNA repair, transcriptional regulation, Wnt signaling, and cell cycle checkpoints) that are implicated in causing MCPH. Many of these 25 genes were only discovered in the last 10 years following advances in exome and genome sequencing that have improved our ability to identify disease-causing variants. Despite these advances, many patients still lack a genetic diagnosis. This demonstrates a need to understand in greater detail the molecular mechanisms and genetics underlying MCPH. Here, we briefly review the molecular functions of each MCPH gene and how their loss disrupts the neurogenesis program, ultimately demonstrating that microcephaly arises from cell cycle dysregulation. We also explore the current issues in the genetic basis and clinical presentation of MCPH as additional avenues of improving gene/variant prioritization. Ultimately, we illustrate that the detailed exploration of the etiology and inheritance of MCPH improves the predictive power in identifying previously unknown MCPH candidates and diagnosing microcephalic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Jean
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Amanda Stuart
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Maja Tarailo-Graovac
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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12
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Homozygosity mapping and whole exome sequencing provide exact diagnosis of Cohen syndrome in a Saudi family. Brain Dev 2020; 42:587-593. [PMID: 32402540 DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2020.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cohen syndrome (CS) is a rare multi-system autosomal recessive disorder with a high prevalence in the Finnish population. Clinical features of Finnish-type CS are homogeneous, however, in non-Finnish populations, CS diagnosis is challenging due to broad phenotypic variability. METHODS We studied a consanguineous family having three affected individuals with clinical features of severe intellectual disability and global developmental delay. Clinical diagnosis of the phenotype could not be established based on the features. Therefore, whole genome SNP genotyping and whole exome sequencing (WES) were performed on DNA samples from affected and unaffected family members. RESULTS Homozygosity mapping identified a shared loss of heterozygosity region on chromosome 8q22.1-q22.3 and WES data analysis revealed an insertion-deletion (indel) mutation (c.11519_11521delCAAinsT) in the VPS13B gene. The indel is predicted to cause a frameshift resulting in a premature termination of the VPS13B protein (NP_060360.3:p.Pro3840Leufs*2). CONCLUSION VPS13B encodes a giant transmembrane protein called vacuolar protein sorting 13 homolog B. VPS13B is known to play a role in the glycosylation of Golgi proteins and in endosomal-lysosomal trafficking. Moreover, it is thought to function in vesicle mediated transport and sorting of proteins within the cell. The mechanism by which abnormalities of the VPS13B protein lead to the phenotype of CS is currently unknown. Here, in this study, we successfully established a clinical diagnosis of CS cases from a family using genomic analyses. Clinical re-examination of the patients revealed characteristic ocular abnormalities.
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Alharby E, Bakhsh MA, Albalawi AM, Almutairi SO, Hashmi JA, Basit S. A novel missense variant in the RASGRP2 gene in patients with moderate to severe bleeding disorder. Platelets 2020; 31:646-651. [PMID: 32609603 DOI: 10.1080/09537104.2019.1663803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Inherited platelet function disorder-18 (IPD-18) is a relatively new non-syndromic autosomal recessive bleeding disorder. It is characterized by deficient or dysfunctional CalDAG-GEFI protein. The distinctive feature of the disease is impaired platelet aggregation in response to multiple physiologic agonists. We here report a family with a platelet-type bleeding disorder and a novel mutation in the RASGRP2 gene. The overall bleeding score for the affected individuals was 15 and 12. Based on the initial diagnosis of Glanzmann thrombasthenia, targeted sequencing of integrin subunit alpha 2b and integrin subunit beta 3 encoding genes ITGA2B and ITGB3 were carried out in both affected members of a family. Sequence alignment failed to identify the disease-causing variant(s) in both genes. Therefore, whole exome sequencing in one affected individual was performed. Data analysis detected a novel homozygous missense variant (c.956C>T; p.Pro319Leu) in the exon 9 of the RASGRP2 gene. Five additional individuals of a family including both parents, an affected individual and two asymptomatic individuals were Sanger sequenced for the variant (c.956C>T). The variant segregates in the family in an autosomal recessive manner. Several in silico tools predicted the variant as pathogenic. Protein modeling studies suggest that the mutation (p.Pro319Leu) cause a conformational change in the loop structure of the RasGEF domain of the CalDAG-GEFI protein. Reported variants in the RasGEF domain impair expression and/or nucleotide exchange activity of CalDAG-GEFI protein and thus inhibit the activation of Rap1 protein required for platelet adhesion and hemostatic plug formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Essa Alharby
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Medina, Almadinah Almunawwarah , Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad A Bakhsh
- College of Applied Medical Science, Taibah University Medina, Almadinah Almunawwarah , Saudi Arabia
| | - Alia M Albalawi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Medina, Almadinah Almunawwarah , Saudi Arabia
| | - Sultan O Almutairi
- College of Applied Medical Science, Taibah University Medina, Almadinah Almunawwarah , Saudi Arabia
| | - Jamil A Hashmi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Medina, Almadinah Almunawwarah , Saudi Arabia
| | - Sulman Basit
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Medina, Almadinah Almunawwarah , Saudi Arabia
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14
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Shou J, Yu C, Zhang D, Zhang Q. Overexpression of Citron Rho-Interacting Serine/Threonine Kinase Associated with Poor Outcome in Bladder Cancer. J Cancer 2020; 11:4173-4180. [PMID: 32368300 PMCID: PMC7196275 DOI: 10.7150/jca.43435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: Citron Rho-Interacting Serine/Threonine Kinase (CIT) was originally identified as a binding partner of active forms of the small GTPases Rho and Rac. This kinase participated in the regulation of cytokinesis and loss of CIT was associated with chromosomal instability. Here, we assume that CIT might be a potential prognostic biomarker for bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: The expression and prognostic significance of CIT mRNA were validated on 5 published microarray data sets, including 948 bladder cancer cases. To further confirm the results, we collected 54 non-carcinomatous human bladder tissue samples and 315 bladder cancer tissues from Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital to detect the protein level of CIT based on the immunohistochemistry analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used in survival analysis. Results: Analysis results showed that high CIT expression was associated with tumor size (p=0.0001), tumor grade (p<0.0001), smoking status (p=0.0143), TNM stage (p=0.0024), pathological tumor stage (p<0.0001) and aggressive phenotypes of bladder cancer. Independent and pooled survival analyses both indicated that overexpression of CIT was significantly associated with poor survival of bladder cancers. Conclusions: In conclusion, these findings indicated that overexpression of CIT was significantly associated with poor survival outcome in bladder cancers. CIT might serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for bladder cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Urology, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, 158 Shangtang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310014, People's Republic of China
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15
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Tedeschi A, Almagro J, Renshaw MJ, Messal HA, Behrens A, Petronczki M. Cep55 promotes cytokinesis of neural progenitors but is dispensable for most mammalian cell divisions. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1746. [PMID: 32269212 PMCID: PMC7142149 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15359-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian cell lines, the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT)-III mediates abscission, the process that physically separates daughter cells and completes cell division. Cep55 protein is regarded as the master regulator of abscission, because it recruits ESCRT-III to the midbody (MB), the site of abscission. However, the importance of this mechanism in a mammalian organism has never been tested. Here we show that Cep55 is dispensable for mouse embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis. Cep55-knockout offspring show microcephaly and primary neural progenitors require Cep55 and ESCRT for survival and abscission. However, Cep55 is dispensable for cell division in embryonic or adult tissues. In vitro, division of primary fibroblasts occurs without Cep55 and ESCRT-III at the midbody and is not affected by ESCRT depletion. Our work defines Cep55 as an abscission regulator only in specific tissue contexts and necessitates the re-evaluation of an alternative ESCRT-independent cell division mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Tedeschi
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- Cell Division and Aneuploidy Laboratory, Clare Hall Laboratories, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London, EN6 3LD, UK.
| | - Jorge Almagro
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Matthew J Renshaw
- Advanced Light Microscopy, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Hendrik A Messal
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Division of Molecular Pathology, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Axel Behrens
- Adult Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Mark Petronczki
- Cell Division and Aneuploidy Laboratory, Clare Hall Laboratories, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London, EN6 3LD, UK
- Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG, A-1121, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Moon HM, Hippenmeyer S, Luo L, Wynshaw-Boris A. LIS1 determines cleavage plane positioning by regulating actomyosin-mediated cell membrane contractility. eLife 2020; 9:51512. [PMID: 32159512 PMCID: PMC7112955 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous loss of human PAFAH1B1 (coding for LIS1) results in the disruption of neurogenesis and neuronal migration via dysregulation of microtubule (MT) stability and dynein motor function/localization that alters mitotic spindle orientation, chromosomal segregation, and nuclear migration. Recently, human- induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models revealed an important role for LIS1 in controlling the length of terminal cell divisions of outer radial glial (oRG) progenitors, suggesting cellular functions of LIS1 in regulating neural progenitor cell (NPC) daughter cell separation. Here, we examined the late mitotic stages NPCs in vivo and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) in vitro from Pafah1b1-deficient mutants. Pafah1b1-deficient neocortical NPCs and MEFs similarly exhibited cleavage plane displacement with mislocalization of furrow-associated markers, associated with actomyosin dysfunction and cell membrane hyper-contractility. Thus, it suggests LIS1 acts as a key molecular link connecting MTs/dynein and actomyosin, ensuring that cell membrane contractility is tightly controlled to execute proper daughter cell separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyang Mi Moon
- Department of Pediatrics, Institute for Human Genetics, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Simon Hippenmeyer
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Liqun Luo
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Anthony Wynshaw-Boris
- Department of Pediatrics, Institute for Human Genetics, Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, United States
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17
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The journey of Zika to the developing brain. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:3097-3115. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05349-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
AbstractZika virus is a mosquito-borne Flavivirus originally isolated from humans in 1952. Following its re-emergence in Brazil in 2015, an increase in the number of babies born with microcephaly to infected mothers was observed. Microcephaly is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterised phenotypically by a smaller than average head size, and is usually developed in utero. The 2015 outbreak in the Americas led to the World Health Organisation declaring Zika a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Since then, much research into the effects of Zika has been carried out. Studies have investigated the structure of the virus, its effects on and evasion of the immune response, cellular entry including target receptors, its transmission from infected mother to foetus and its cellular targets. This review discusses current knowledge and novel research into these areas, in hope of developing a further understanding of how exposure of pregnant women to the Zika virus can lead to impaired brain development of their foetus. Although no longer considered an epidemic in the Americas, the mechanism by which Zika acts is still not comprehensively and wholly understood, and this understanding will be crucial in developing effective vaccines and treatments.
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18
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Citron Rho-Interacting Serine/Threonine Kinase Promotes HIF1a-CypA Signaling and Growth of Human Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:9210891. [PMID: 32185224 PMCID: PMC7060418 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9210891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
In human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the cyclophilin A (CypA) is overexpressed and promotes the development of PDAC. However, the mechanism underlying cyclophilin A expression remains elusive. Here, we reported that the citron Rho-interacting serine/threonine kinase (CIT) promotes the HIF1a-CypA signaling and growth of PDAC cells. CIT expression was higher in PDAC cells compared with the normal epithelial cells, and clinical data showed that CIT was overexpressed in PDAC tissues and high expression of CIT predicted poor overall and disease-free survival. In PDAC cells, knockdown of CIT expression repressed the rate of proliferation and capacity of colony formation, which were accomplished with an increased percentage of apoptotic cells and cell cycle arrest. The knockdown of CIT in PDAC cells reduced the expression of CypA while overexpression of CIT promoted the expression of CypA. We observed that the effects of CIT on the expression of CypA relied on the transcriptional factor HIF1a, which was previously reported to transcriptionally activate the expression of CypA in PDAC cells. Furthermore, the effects of CIT on apoptosis, cell cycle, proliferation, and colony formation of PDAC cells relied on its role in the regulation of CypA expression. Collectively, our data showed that CIT promoted the activation of HIF1-CypA signaling and enhanced the growth of PDAC cells.
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19
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Basit S, Al-Edressi HM, Sairafi MH, Hashmi JA, Alharby E, Safar R, Ramzan K. Centromere protein I (CENPI) is a candidate gene for X-linked steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome. J Nephrol 2020; 33:763-769. [PMID: 31912435 DOI: 10.1007/s40620-019-00692-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with proteinuria in association with hypoalbuminemia, edema, and hyperlipidemia are considered as having nephrotic syndrome (NS). NS is the most common kidney disease seen in the paediatric age group. NS is usually classified into steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS). More than 58 genes have been identified as a monogenic cause of SRNS, however, the genetic architecture of childhood SSNS remains poorly understood. METHODS Here in this study, we performed sequencing of 66 NS candidate genes followed by whole genome SNP genotyping and whole exome sequencing in SSNS families with multiple affected individuals. RESULTS NS candidate genes sequencing did not identify any pathogenic variant in the known genes. Homozygosity mapping based on an autosomal recessive model failed to detect any shared loss of heterozygosity region in the genome. An unbiased and hypothesis-free exome data analysis identified a missense variant (c.383G>A; p.Arg128Gln) in the CENPI gene. Sanger sequencing of both parents, unaffected and affected individuals confirmed an X-linked inheritance pattern of the variant (c.383G>A) with SSNS phenotype. The variant (c.383G>A) is very rare and is potentially damaging. CONCLUSION Collectively, these observations suggest that a specific pathogenic link between SSNS development and alteration in CENPI exists. However, human mutations in CENPI causing SSNS have not been reported hitherto. Identification of genetic defects underlying SSNS will help in understanding the precise aetiology of SSNS and improved management of children with NS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulman Basit
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Almadinah Almunawwarah, Medina, 42318, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
| | | | - Mona Hamza Sairafi
- Department of Nephrology, Madinah Maternity and Children Hospital, Medina, 42319, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Jamil Amjad Hashmi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Almadinah Almunawwarah, Medina, 42318, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Essa Alharby
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Almadinah Almunawwarah, Medina, 42318, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramzia Safar
- Department of Nephrology, Madinah Maternity and Children Hospital, Medina, 42319, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Khushnooda Ramzan
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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20
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Albalawi AM, Hashmi JA, Alfadhli F, Almatrafi A, Ramzan K, Basit S. Missense Mutations in the CTSC Gene in Saudi Families Segregating Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome. Ann Dermatol 2019; 32:77-80. [PMID: 33911714 PMCID: PMC7992640 DOI: 10.5021/ad.2020.32.1.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alia M Albalawi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jamil A Hashmi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatima Alfadhli
- Department of Genetic Diseases, King Abdulla Medical City-Madinah Maternity and Children Hospital, Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Almatrafi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khushnooda Ramzan
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sulman Basit
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia
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21
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The Mitotic Apparatus and Kinetochores in Microcephaly and Neurodevelopmental Diseases. Cells 2019; 9:cells9010049. [PMID: 31878213 PMCID: PMC7016623 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulators of mitotic division, when dysfunctional or expressed in a deregulated manner (over- or underexpressed) in somatic cells, cause chromosome instability, which is a predisposing condition to cancer that is associated with unrestricted proliferation. Genes encoding mitotic regulators are growingly implicated in neurodevelopmental diseases. Here, we briefly summarize existing knowledge on how microcephaly-related mitotic genes operate in the control of chromosome segregation during mitosis in somatic cells, with a special focus on the role of kinetochore factors. Then, we review evidence implicating mitotic apparatus- and kinetochore-resident factors in the origin of congenital microcephaly. We discuss data emerging from these works, which suggest a critical role of correct mitotic division in controlling neuronal cell proliferation and shaping the architecture of the central nervous system.
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22
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Albarry MA, Hashmi JA, Alreheli AQ, Albalawi AM, Khan B, Ramzan K, Basit S. Novel homozygous loss-of-function mutations in RP1 and RP1L1 genes in retinitis pigmentosa patients. Ophthalmic Genet 2019; 40:507-513. [PMID: 31833436 DOI: 10.1080/13816810.2019.1703014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Background: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous group of ocular dystrophy. It is challenging to identify the underlying genetic defect in individuals with RP due to huge genetic heterogeneity. This study was designed to delineate the genetic defect(s) underlying RP in extended Saudi families and to describe the possible disease mechanism.Materials and Methods: Fundus photography and a high definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) were performed in order to detect the earlier stages of macular degeneration. Genomic DNA was extracted followed by genome-wide SNP genotyping and whole exome sequencing (WES). Exome data was filtered to identify the genetic variant(s) of interest.Results: Clinical examination showed that affected individuals manifest key features of RP. The fundus exam shows pale optic disc and bone spicules at the periphery. OCT shows macular degeneration as early as at the age of 4 years. Whole genome scan by SNPs identified multiple homozygous regions. WES identified a 10 bps novel insertion mutation (c.3544_3545insAGAAAAGCTG; p.Ala1182fs) in the RP1 gene in both affected individuals of family A. Affected individual from family B showed a large insertion of 48 nucleotides in the coding part of the RP1L1 gene (c.3955_3956insGGACTAAAGTAATAGAAGGGCTGCAAGAAGAGAGGGTGCAGTTAGAGG; p.Ala1319fs). Sanger sequencing validates the autosomal recessive inheritance of the mutations.Conclusion: The results strongly suggest that the insertion mutations in the RP1 and RP1L1 genes are responsible for the retinal phenotype in affected individuals from two families. Heterozygous individuals are asymptomatic carriers. We propose that the protective allele in other homozygous regions in heterozygous carriers contribute to the phenotypic variability in asymptomatic individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maan Abdullah Albarry
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Taibah University Almadinah, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jamil Amjad Hashmi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Almadinah, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahdab Qasem Alreheli
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Taibah University Almadinah, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alia M Albalawi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Almadinah, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bushra Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Khushnooda Ramzan
- Department of Genetics, Research Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sulman Basit
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Almadinah, Medina, Saudi Arabia
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23
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Pallavicini G, Berto GE, Di Cunto F. Precision Revisited: Targeting Microcephaly Kinases in Brain Tumors. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20092098. [PMID: 31035417 PMCID: PMC6539168 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20092098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme and medulloblastoma are the most frequent high-grade brain tumors in adults and children, respectively. Standard therapies for these cancers are mainly based on surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, intrinsic or acquired resistance to treatment occurs almost invariably in the first case, and side effects are unacceptable in the second. Therefore, the development of new, effective drugs is a very important unmet medical need. A critical requirement for developing such agents is to identify druggable targets required for the proliferation or survival of tumor cells, but not of other cell types. Under this perspective, genes mutated in congenital microcephaly represent interesting candidates. Congenital microcephaly comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders in which brain volume is reduced, in the absence or presence of variable syndromic features. Genetic studies have clarified that most microcephaly genes encode ubiquitous proteins involved in mitosis and in maintenance of genomic stability, but the effects of their inactivation are particularly strong in neural progenitors. It is therefore conceivable that the inhibition of the function of these genes may specifically affect the proliferation and survival of brain tumor cells. Microcephaly genes encode for a few kinases, including CITK, PLK4, AKT3, DYRK1A, and TRIO. In this review, we summarize the evidence indicating that the inhibition of these molecules could exert beneficial effects on different aspects of brain cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianmarco Pallavicini
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, 10126 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy.
| | - Gaia E Berto
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, 10126 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy.
| | - Ferdinando Di Cunto
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, 10126 Turin, Italy.
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy.
- Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), 10126 Turin, Italy.
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24
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Reilly ML, Stokman MF, Magry V, Jeanpierre C, Alves M, Paydar M, Hellinga J, Delous M, Pouly D, Failler M, Martinovic J, Loeuillet L, Leroy B, Tantau J, Roume J, Gregory-Evans CY, Shan X, Filges I, Allingham JS, Kwok BH, Saunier S, Giles RH, Benmerah A. Loss-of-function mutations in KIF14 cause severe microcephaly and kidney development defects in humans and zebrafish. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:778-795. [PMID: 30388224 PMCID: PMC6381319 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in KIF14 have previously been associated with either severe, isolated or syndromic microcephaly with renal hypodysplasia (RHD). Syndromic microcephaly-RHD was strongly reminiscent of clinical ciliopathies, relating to defects of the primary cilium, a signalling organelle present on the surface of many quiescent cells. KIF14 encodes a mitotic kinesin, which plays a key role at the midbody during cytokinesis and has not previously been shown to be involved in cilia-related functions. Here, we analysed four families with fetuses presenting with the syndromic form and harbouring biallelic variants in KIF14. Our functional analyses showed that the identified variants severely impact the activity of KIF14 and likely correspond to loss-of-function mutations. Analysis in human fetal tissues further revealed the accumulation of KIF14-positive midbody remnants in the lumen of ureteric bud tips indicating a shared function of KIF14 during brain and kidney development. Subsequently, analysis of a kif14 mutant zebrafish line showed a conserved role for this mitotic kinesin. Interestingly, ciliopathy-associated phenotypes were also present in mutant embryos, supporting a potential direct or indirect role for KIF14 at cilia. However, our in vitro and in vivo analyses did not provide evidence of a direct role for KIF14 in ciliogenesis and suggested that loss of kif14 causes ciliopathy-like phenotypes through an accumulation of mitotic cells in ciliated tissues. Altogether, our results demonstrate that KIF14 mutations result in a severe syndrome associating microcephaly and RHD through its conserved function in cytokinesis during kidney and brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline Louise Reilly
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
- Paris Diderot University, Department of Life Sciences, Paris, France
| | - Marijn F Stokman
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, JE Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Virginie Magry
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Cecile Jeanpierre
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Marine Alves
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Mohammadjavad Paydar
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Département de médecine, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Hellinga
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Marion Delous
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Pouly
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Marion Failler
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Jelena Martinovic
- Unit of Fetal Pathology, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Clamart, France
- INSERM U-788, Génétique/Neurogénétique, 94270 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Laurence Loeuillet
- Service d'Histologie-Embryologie-Cytogénétique, Hôpital Necker–Enfants Malades, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Brigitte Leroy
- Service d'Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, Centre hospitalier intercommunal de Poissy, Saint Germain en Laye, France
| | - Julia Tantau
- Service d'Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, Centre hospitalier intercommunal de Poissy, Saint Germain en Laye, France
| | - Joelle Roume
- Service de Génétique, Centre hospitalier intercommunal de Poissy, 78100 Saint Germain en Laye, France
| | - Cheryl Y Gregory-Evans
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Xianghong Shan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Isabel Filges
- Medical Genetics, Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - John S Allingham
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Benjamin H Kwok
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Département de médecine, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Station Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sophie Saunier
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
| | - Rachel H Giles
- Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3512 JE Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Alexandre Benmerah
- Laboratory of Hereditary Kidney Diseases, INSERM UMR 1163, Imagine Institute, Paris, France
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Hashmi JA, Safar RA, Afzal S, Albalawi AM, Abdu-Samad F, Iqbal Z, Basit S. Whole exome sequencing identification of a novel insertion mutation in the phospholipase C ε‑1 gene in a family with steroid resistant inherited nephrotic syndrome. Mol Med Rep 2018; 18:5095-5100. [PMID: 30280192 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2018.9528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Nephrotic syndrome (NS) represents a heterogeneous group of kidney disorders characterized by excessive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia and edema. Defects in the filtration barrier of the glomeruli results in the development of NS. The genetic cause of NS remains to be fully elucidated. However, previous studies based on positional cloning of genes mutated in NS have provided limited insight into the pathogenesis of this disease. Mutations in phospholipase C ε‑1 (PLCE1) have been reported as a cause of early onset NS characterized by histology of diffuse mesangial sclerosis. In the present study, the underlying cause of NS in a consanguineous family was identified. Clinical and molecular aspects of a consanguineous Saudi family comprised of five individuals with steroid resistant NS were examined. Seven healthy individuals from the same family were also studied. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed to detect the genetic defect underlying NS. WES identified a homozygous novel insertion mutation (c.6272_6273insT) in the PLCE1 gene. Pedigree and segregation analysis confirmed an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. This mutation may result in a bi‑allelic loss of the C‑terminal Ras‑associating domain in PLCE1 that results in NS. The present study expanded the mutational spectrum of PLCE1 in NS. In addition, the present study provided further evidence that supports the important involvement of PLCE1 in the physiological function of the glomerular filtration barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamil Amjad Hashmi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Medina 42318, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ramziah Ahmed Safar
- Department of Nephrology, Madinah Maternity and Children Hospital, Medina 42319, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Sibtain Afzal
- Prince Naif Centre for Immunology Research, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Alia M Albalawi
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Medina 42318, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Feroz Abdu-Samad
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Medina 42318, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Zafar Iqbal
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, National Guard Health Affairs, Al‑Ahsa 36428, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Sulman Basit
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Medina 42318, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Comprehensive review on the molecular genetics of autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH). Genet Res (Camb) 2018; 100:e7. [PMID: 30086807 DOI: 10.1017/s0016672318000046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary microcephaly (MCPH) is an autosomal recessive sporadic neurodevelopmental ailment with a trivial head size characteristic that is below 3-4 standard deviations. MCPH is the smaller upshot of an architecturally normal brain; a significant decrease in size is seen in the cerebral cortex. At birth MCPH presents with non-progressive mental retardation, while secondary microcephaly (onset after birth) presents with and without other syndromic features. MCPH is a neurogenic mitotic syndrome nevertheless pretentious patients demonstrate normal neuronal migration, neuronal apoptosis and neural function. Eighteen MCPH loci (MCPH1-MCPH18) have been mapped to date from various populations around the world and contain the following genes: Microcephalin, WDR62, CDK5RAP2, CASC5, ASPM, CENPJ, STIL, CEP135, CEP152, ZNF335, PHC1, CDK6, CENPE, SASS6, MFSD2A, ANKLE2, CIT and WDFY3, clarifying our understanding about the molecular basis of microcephaly genetic disorder. It has previously been reported that phenotype disease is caused by MCB gene mutations and the causes of this phenotype are disarrangement of positions and organization of chromosomes during the cell cycle as a result of mutated DNA, centriole duplication, neurogenesis, neuronal migration, microtubule dynamics, transcriptional control and the cell cycle checkpoint having some invisible centrosomal process that can manage the number of neurons that are produced by neuronal precursor cells. Furthermore, researchers inform us about the clinical management of families that are suffering from MCPH. Establishment of both molecular understanding and genetic advocating may help to decrease the rate of this ailment. This current review study examines newly identified genes along with previously identified genes involved in autosomal recessive MCPH.
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Davies T, Kim HX, Romano Spica N, Lesea-Pringle BJ, Dumont J, Shirasu-Hiza M, Canman JC. Cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic mechanisms promote cell-type-specific cytokinetic diversity. eLife 2018; 7:36204. [PMID: 30028292 PMCID: PMC6054530 DOI: 10.7554/elife.36204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytokinesis, the physical division of one cell into two, is powered by constriction of an actomyosin contractile ring. It has long been assumed that all animal cells divide by a similar molecular mechanism, but growing evidence suggests that cytokinetic regulation in individual cell types has more variation than previously realized. In the four-cell Caenorhabditis elegans embryo, each blastomere has a distinct cell fate, specified by conserved pathways. Using fast-acting temperature-sensitive mutants and acute drug treatment, we identified cell-type-specific variation in the cytokinetic requirement for a robust forminCYK-1-dependent filamentous-actin (F-actin) cytoskeleton. In one cell (P2), this cytokinetic variation is cell-intrinsically regulated, whereas in another cell (EMS) this variation is cell-extrinsically regulated, dependent on both SrcSRC-1 signaling and direct contact with its neighbor cell, P2. Thus, both cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic mechanisms control cytokinetic variation in individual cell types and can protect against division failure when the contractile ring is weakened. The successful division of one cell into two is essential for all organisms to live, grow and reproduce. For an animal cell, the nucleus – the compartment containing the genetic material – must divide before the surrounding material. The rest of the cell, called the cytoplasm, physically separates later in a process known as cytokinesis. Cytokinesis in animal cells is driven by the formation of a ring in the middle of the dividing cell. The ring is composed of myosin motor proteins and filaments made of a protein called actin. The movements of the motor proteins along the filaments cause the ring to contract and tighten. This pulls the cell membrane inward and physically pinches the cell into two. For a long time, the mechanism of cytokinesis was assumed to be same across different types of animal cell, but later evidence suggested otherwise. For example, in liver, heat and bone cells, cytokinesis naturally fails during development to create cells with two or more nuclei. If a similar ‘failure’ happened in other cell types, it could lead to diseases such as cancers or blood disorders. This raised the question: what are the molecular mechanisms that allow cytokinesis to happen differently in different cell types? Davies et al. investigated this question using embryos of the worm Caenorhabditis elegans at a stage in their development when they consist of just four cells. The proteins forming the contractile ring in this worm are the same as those in humans. However, in the worm, the contractile ring can easily be damaged using chemical inhibitors or by mutating the genes that encode its proteins. Davies et al. show that when the contractile ring was damaged, two of the four cells in the worm embryo still divided successfully. This result indicates the existence of new mechanisms to divide the cytoplasm that allow division even with a weak contractile ring. In a further experiment, the embryos were dissected to isolate each of the four cells. Davies et al. saw that one of the two dividing cells could still divide on its own, while the other cell could not. This shows that this new method of cytokinesis is regulated both by factors inherent to the dividing cell and by external signals from other cells. Moreover, one of these extrinsic signals was found to be a signaling protein that had previously been implicated in human cancers. Future work will determine if these variations in cytokinesis between the different cell types found in the worm apply to humans too; and, more importantly from a therapeutic standpoint, if these new mechanisms exist in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Davies
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Han X Kim
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States.,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Natalia Romano Spica
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Benjamin J Lesea-Pringle
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Julien Dumont
- Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS UMR 7592, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Mimi Shirasu-Hiza
- Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
| | - Julie C Canman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, United States
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Pallavicini G, Sgrò F, Garello F, Falcone M, Bitonto V, Berto GE, Bianchi FT, Gai M, Chiotto AM, Filippi M, Cutrin JC, Ala U, Terreno E, Turco E, Cunto FD. Inactivation of Citron Kinase Inhibits Medulloblastoma Progression by Inducing Apoptosis and Cell Senescence. Cancer Res 2018; 78:4599-4612. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-4060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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29
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Ahmad F, Shah K, Umair M, Jan A, Irfanullah, Khan S, Muhammad D, Basit S, Wakil SM, Ramzan K, Ahmad W. Novel autosomal recessive LAMA3 and PLEC variants underlie junctional epidermolysis bullosa generalized intermediate and epidermolysis bullosa simplex with muscular dystrophy in two consanguineous families. Clin Exp Dermatol 2018; 43:752-755. [PMID: 29797489 DOI: 10.1111/ced.13610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- F Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - K Shah
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - M Umair
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - A Jan
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Kohat University of Science and Technology [KUST], Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Irfanullah
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - S Khan
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Kohat University of Science and Technology [KUST], Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - D Muhammad
- Chandka Medical College, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - S Basit
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Al Madinah Al Munawarah, Medina, Saudi Arabia
| | - S M Wakil
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - K Ramzan
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - W Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
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30
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Khan A, Wang R, Han S, Ahmad W, Zhang X. Identification of a Novel Nonsense ASPM Mutation in a Large Consanguineous Pakistani Family Using Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers 2018; 22:159-164. [PMID: 29431480 DOI: 10.1089/gtmb.2017.0229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS To identify the pathogenic mutation underlying microcephaly primary hereditary (MCPH) in a large consanguineous Pakistani family. METHODS A five-generation family with an autosomal recessive transmission of MCPH was recruited. Targeted next-generation DNA sequencing was carried out to analyze the genomic DNA sample from the proband with MCPH using a previously designed panel targeting 46 known microcephaly-causing genes. Sanger sequencing was performed to verify all identified variants. RESULTS We found a novel homozygous nonsense mutation, c.7543C>T, in the ASPM gene. This mutation led to the substitution of an arginine with a stop codon at amino acid residue 2515 (p.Arg2515Ter). The mutation cosegregated with the MCPH phenotype in all affected and obligate carrier family members, but was not present in public databases (dbSNP147, Exome Variant Server, the 1000 Genomes Project, Exome Aggregation Consortium, Human Gene Mutation Database, and ClinVar) or 200 control individuals. The c.7543C>T mutation in ASPM may activate nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathways and could underlie the pathogenesis of MCPH through a loss-of-function mechanism. CONCLUSIONS The c.7543C>T (p.Arg2515Ter) mutation in ASPM is a novel pathogenic mutation for the typical MCPH phenotype in this family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amjad Khan
- 1 The Research Center for Medical Genomics, China Medical University , Shenyang, China .,2 State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College , Beijing, China .,3 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University , Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Rongrong Wang
- 2 State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College , Beijing, China
| | - Shirui Han
- 1 The Research Center for Medical Genomics, China Medical University , Shenyang, China .,2 State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College , Beijing, China
| | - Wasim Ahmad
- 3 Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University , Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Xue Zhang
- 1 The Research Center for Medical Genomics, China Medical University , Shenyang, China .,2 State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College , Beijing, China
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31
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Bhargav DS, Sreedevi N, Swapna N, Vivek S, Kovvali S. Whole exome sequencing identifies a novel homozygous frameshift mutation in the ASPM gene, which causes microcephaly 5, primary, autosomal recessive. F1000Res 2017; 6:2163. [PMID: 29375817 PMCID: PMC5770997 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.12102.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microcephaly is a genetically heterogeneous disorder and is one of the frequently notable conditions in paediatric neuropathology which exists either as a single entity or in association with other co-morbidities. More than a single gene is implicated in true microcephaly and the list is growing with the recent advancements in sequencing technologies. Using massive parallel sequencing, we identified a novel frame shift insertion in the abnormal spindle-like microcephaly-associated protein gene in a client with true autosomal recessive primary microcephaly. Exome sequencing in the present case helped in identifying the true cause behind the disease, which helps in the premarital counselling for the sibling to avoid future recurrence of the disorder in the family.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - N Sreedevi
- Department of Clinical Services, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, India
| | - N Swapna
- Department of Speech Language Pathology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, India
| | - Soumya Vivek
- Unit for Human Genetics, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, India
| | - Srinivas Kovvali
- Unit for Human Genetics, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, India
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32
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Bianchi FT, Gai M, Berto GE, Di Cunto F. Of rings and spines: The multiple facets of Citron proteins in neural development. Small GTPases 2017; 11:122-130. [PMID: 29185861 PMCID: PMC7053930 DOI: 10.1080/21541248.2017.1374325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Citron protein was originally identified for its capability to specifically bind the active form of RhoA small GTPase, leading to the simplistic hypothesis that it may work as a RhoA downstream effector in actin remodeling. More than two decades later, a much more complex picture has emerged. In particular, it has become clear that in animals, and especially in mammals, the functions of the Citron gene (CIT) are intimately linked to many aspects of central nervous system (CNS) development and function, although the gene is broadly expressed. More specifically, CIT encodes two main isoforms, Citron-kinase (CIT-K) and Citron-N (CIT-N), characterized by complementary expression pattern and different functions. Moreover, in many of their activities, CIT proteins act more as upstream regulators than as downstream effectors of RhoA. Finally it has been found that, besides working through actin, CIT proteins have many crucial functional interactions with the microtubule cytoskeleton and may directly affect genome stability. In this review, we will summarize these advances and illustrate their actual or potential relevance for CNS diseases, including microcephaly and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico T Bianchi
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Regione Golzole 10, Orbassano, TO, Italy.,Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marta Gai
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Gaia E Berto
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Regione Golzole 10, Orbassano, TO, Italy.,Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Di Cunto
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Regione Golzole 10, Orbassano, TO, Italy.,Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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33
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Bianchi FT, Tocco C, Pallavicini G, Liu Y, Vernì F, Merigliano C, Bonaccorsi S, El-Assawy N, Priano L, Gai M, Berto GE, Chiotto AMA, Sgrò F, Caramello A, Tasca L, Ala U, Neri F, Oliviero S, Mauro A, Geley S, Gatti M, Di Cunto F. Citron Kinase Deficiency Leads to Chromosomal Instability and TP53-Sensitive Microcephaly. Cell Rep 2017; 18:1674-1686. [PMID: 28199840 PMCID: PMC5318669 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.01.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in citron (CIT), leading to loss or inactivation of the citron kinase protein (CITK), cause primary microcephaly in humans and rodents, associated with cytokinesis failure and apoptosis in neural progenitors. We show that CITK loss induces DNA damage accumulation and chromosomal instability in both mammals and Drosophila. CITK-deficient cells display "spontaneous" DNA damage, increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation, and defective recovery from radiation-induced DNA lesions. In CITK-deficient cells, DNA double-strand breaks increase independently of cytokinesis failure. Recruitment of RAD51 to DNA damage foci is compromised by CITK loss, and CITK physically interacts with RAD51, suggesting an involvement of CITK in homologous recombination. Consistent with this scenario, in doubly CitK and Trp53 mutant mice, neural progenitor cell death is dramatically reduced; moreover, clinical and neuroanatomical phenotypes are remarkably improved. Our results underscore a crucial role of CIT in the maintenance of genomic integrity during brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Tommaso Bianchi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy.
| | - Chiara Tocco
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Pallavicini
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy
| | - Yifan Liu
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Fiammetta Vernì
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin," Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Merigliano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin," Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Bonaccorsi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin," Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Nadia El-Assawy
- Department of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, 28824 Piancavallo (VB), Italy
| | - Lorenzo Priano
- Department of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, 28824 Piancavallo (VB), Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Marta Gai
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Gaia Elena Berto
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy
| | - Alessandra Maria Adelaide Chiotto
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy
| | - Francesco Sgrò
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Alessia Caramello
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Laura Tasca
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy
| | - Ugo Ala
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Francesco Neri
- Human Genetics Foundation (HuGeF), via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Mauro
- Department of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, San Giuseppe Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, 28824 Piancavallo (VB), Italy; Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Stephan Geley
- Division of Molecular Pathophysiology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Maurizio Gatti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin," Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy; Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), CNR, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Di Cunto
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano (TO), Italy.
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Moawia A, Shaheen R, Rasool S, Waseem SS, Ewida N, Budde B, Kawalia A, Motameny S, Khan K, Fatima A, Jameel M, Ullah F, Akram T, Ali Z, Abdullah U, Irshad S, Höhne W, Noegel AA, Al-Owain M, Hörtnagel K, Stöbe P, Baig SM, Nürnberg P, Alkuraya FS, Hahn A, Hussain MS. Mutations of KIF14 cause primary microcephaly by impairing cytokinesis. Ann Neurol 2017; 82:562-577. [PMID: 28892560 DOI: 10.1002/ana.25044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a rare condition characterized by a reduced cerebral cortex accompanied with intellectual disability. Mutations in 17 genes have been shown to cause this phenotype. Recently, mutations in CIT, encoding CRIK (citron rho-interacting kinase)-a component of the central spindle matrix-were added. We aimed at identifying novel MCPH-associated genes and exploring their functional role in pathogenesis. METHODS Linkage analysis and whole exome sequencing were performed in consanguineous and nonconsanguineous MCPH families to identify disease-causing variants. Functional consequences were investigated by RNA studies and on the cellular level using immunofluorescence and microscopy. RESULTS We identified homozygous mutations in KIF14 (NM_014875.2;c.263T>A;pLeu88*, c.2480_2482delTTG; p.Val827del, and c.4071G>A;p.Gln1357=) as the likely cause in 3 MCPH families. Furthermore, in a patient presenting with a severe form of primary microcephaly and short stature, we identified compound heterozygous missense mutations in KIF14 (NM_014875.2;c.2545C>G;p.His849Asp and c.3662G>T;p.Gly1221Val). Three of the 5 identified mutations impaired splicing, and 2 resulted in a truncated protein. Intriguingly, Kif14 knockout mice also showed primary microcephaly. Human kinesin-like protein KIF14, a microtubule motor protein, localizes at the midbody to finalize cytokinesis by interacting with CRIK. We found impaired localization of both KIF14 and CRIK at the midbody in patient-derived fibroblasts. Furthermore, we observed a large number of binucleated and apoptotic cells-signs of failed cytokinesis that we also observed in experimentally KIF14-depleted cells. INTERPRETATION Our data corroborate the role of an impaired cytokinesis in the etiology of primary and syndromic microcephaly, as has been proposed by recent findings on CIT mutations. Ann Neurol 2017;82:562-577.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abubakar Moawia
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ranad Shaheen
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sajida Rasool
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Syeda Seema Waseem
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Nour Ewida
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Birgit Budde
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Amit Kawalia
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Susanne Motameny
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kamal Khan
- Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ambrin Fatima
- Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Jameel
- Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Farid Ullah
- Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Talia Akram
- Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Zafar Ali
- Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Uzma Abdullah
- Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Saba Irshad
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Wolfgang Höhne
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Angelika Anna Noegel
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mohammed Al-Owain
- Department of Medical Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Petra Stöbe
- Center for Genomics and Transcriptomics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shahid Mahmood Baig
- Human Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Peter Nürnberg
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Fowzan Sami Alkuraya
- Department of Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Saudi Human Genome Program, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Andreas Hahn
- Department of Child Neurology, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Muhammad Sajid Hussain
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Basit S, Khoshhal KI. Genetics of clubfoot; recent progress and future perspectives. Eur J Med Genet 2017; 61:107-113. [PMID: 28919208 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Clubfoot or talipes equinovarus (TEV) is an inborn three-dimensional deformity of leg, ankle and foot. It results from structural defects of several tissues of foot and lower leg leading to abnormal positioning of foot and ankle joints. TEV can lead to long-lasting functional disability, malformation and discomfort if left untreated. Substantial progress has been achieved in the management and diagnosis of limb defects; however, not much is known about the molecular players and signalling pathways underlying TEV disorder. The homeostasis and development of the limb depends on the complex interactions between the lateral plate mesoderm cells and outer ectoderm. These complex interactions include HOX signalling and PITX1-TBX4 pathways. The susceptibility to develop TEV is determined by a number of environmental and genetic factors, although the nature and level of interplay between them remains unclear. Familial occurrence and inter and intra phenotypic variability of TEV is well documented. Variants in genes that code for contractile proteins of skeletal myofibers might play a role in the aetiology of TEV but, to date, no strong candidate genes conferring increased risk have emerged, although variants in TBX4, PITX1, HOXA, HOXC and HOXD clusters genes, NAT2 and others have been shown to be associated with TEV. The mechanisms by which variants in these genes confer risk and the nature of the physical and genetic interaction between them remains to be determined. Elucidation of genetic players and cellular pathways underlying TEV will certainly increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of this deformity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulman Basit
- Centre for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Khalid I Khoshhal
- College of Medicine, Taibah University Almadinah Almunawwarah, Saudi Arabia
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36
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Johnson CA, Wright CE, Ghashghaei HT. Regulation of cytokinesis during corticogenesis: focus on the midbody. FEBS Lett 2017; 591:4009-4026. [PMID: 28493553 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Development of the cerebral cortices depends on tight regulation of cell divisions. In this system, stem and progenitor cells undergo symmetric and asymmetric divisions to ultimately produce neurons that establish the layers of the cortex. Cell division culminates with the formation of the midbody, a transient organelle that establishes the site of abscission between nascent daughter cells. During cytokinetic abscission, the final stage of cell division, one daughter cell will inherit the midbody remnant, which can then maintain or expel the remnant, but mechanisms and circumstances influencing this decision are unclear. This review describes the midbody and its constituent proteins, as well as the known consequences of their manipulation during cortical development. The potential functional relevance of midbody mechanisms is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Neurosciences Concentration Area, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Catherine E Wright
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - H Troy Ghashghaei
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Neurosciences Concentration Area, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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37
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Hanzlik E, Gigante J. Microcephaly. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2017; 4:E47. [PMID: 28598357 PMCID: PMC5483622 DOI: 10.3390/children4060047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Microcephaly is defined as a head circumference more than two standard deviations below the mean for gender and age. Congenital microcephaly is present at birth, whereas postnatal microcephaly occurs later in life. Genetic abnormalities, syndromes, metabolic disorders, teratogens, infections, prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal injuries can cause both congenital and postnatal microcephaly. Evaluation of patients with microcephaly begins with a thorough history and physical examination. In cases of worsening microcephaly or neurological signs or symptoms, neuroimaging, metabolic, or genetic testing should be strongly considered. Any further studies and workup should be directed by the presence of signs or symptoms pointing to an underlying diagnosis and are usually used as confirmatory testing for certain conditions. Neuroimaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often the first diagnostic test in evaluating children with microcephaly. Genetic testing is becoming more common and is often the next step following neuroimaging when there is no specific evidence in the history or physical examination suggesting a diagnosis. Microcephaly is a lifelong condition with no known cure. The prognosis is usually worse for children who experienced an intrauterine infection or have a chromosomal or metabolic abnormality. Zika virus has rapidly spread since 2015, and maternal infection with this virus is associated with microcephaly and other serious brain abnormalities. Microcephaly has become much more prevalent in the news and scientific community with the recent emergence of Zika virus as a cause of congenital microcephaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Hanzlik
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 8161 Doctors' Office Tower, 2200 Children's Way, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Joseph Gigante
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 8161 Doctors' Office Tower, 2200 Children's Way, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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38
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Molecular genetic analysis of consanguineous families with primary microcephaly identified pathogenic variants in the ASPM gene. J Genet 2017; 96:383-387. [DOI: 10.1007/s12041-017-0759-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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39
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Naseer MI, Rasool M, Sogaty S, Chaudhary RA, Mansour HM, Chaudhary AG, Abuzenadah AM, Al-Qahtani MH. A novel WDR62 mutation causes primary microcephaly in a large consanguineous Saudi family. Ann Saudi Med 2017; 37:148-153. [PMID: 28377545 PMCID: PMC6150548 DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.2017.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a rare developmental defect characterized by impaired cognitive functions, retarded neurodevelopment and reduced brain size. It is genetically heterogeneous and more than 17 genes so far have been identified that are associated with this disease. OBJECTIVE To study the genetic defect in a consanguineous Saudi family with primary microcephaly. DESIGN Cross-sectional clinical genetics study of a Saudi family. SETTING Medical genomics research center. PATIENTS AND METHODS Blood samples collected from six members of a family of healthy consanguineous parents were analyzed by whole exome sequencing to identify the underlying pathogenic mutations in two members of the family (23-year-old female and 7-year-old male) who presented with primary microcephaly, intellectual disability, delayed psychomotor development and walking difficulty, speech impedi-ments and seizures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Detection of mutation in the WD repeat domain 62 (WDR62) gene in a family segregating autosomal recessive primary microcephaly. RESULTS The exome variant analysis identified a novel missense mutation (c.3878C > A) in WDR62 gene in exon 30 resulting in amino acid change from alanine to aspartate (p.Ala1293Asp). Further validation in the affected patients and healthy members of family and 100 unrelated healthy persons as controls confirmed it to be pathogenic. CONCLUSIONS Functional impairment of the WDR62 gene can lead to severe neurodevelopmental de-fects, brain malformations and reduced head size. A missense mutation of exon 30 changed alanine to aspartate in the WDR62 protein leading to the typical MCPH phenotype. LIMITATIONS Mutation was identified in a single family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Imran Naseer
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmood Rasool
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sameera Sogaty
- Department of Medical Genetics, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rukhaa Adeel Chaudhary
- Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Medical Laboratory Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Haifa Mansour Mansour
- Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Medical Laboratory Technology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adeel G. Chaudhary
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel M. Abuzenadah
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad H. Al-Qahtani
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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40
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Ahmad I, Baig SM, Abdulkareem AR, Hussain MS, Sur I, Toliat MR, Nürnberg G, Dalibor N, Moawia A, Waseem SS, Asif M, Nagra H, Sher M, Khan MMA, Hassan I, Rehman SU, Thiele H, Altmüller J, Noegel AA, Nürnberg P. Genetic heterogeneity in Pakistani microcephaly families revisited. Clin Genet 2017; 92:62-68. [PMID: 28004384 DOI: 10.1111/cge.12955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a rare and heterogeneous genetic disorder characterized by reduced head circumference, low cognitive prowess and, in general, architecturally normal brains. As many as 14 different loci have already been mapped. We recruited 35 MCPH families in Pakistan and could identify the genetic cause of the disease in 31 of them. Using homozygosity mapping complemented with whole-exome, gene panel or Sanger sequencing, we identified 12 novel mutations in 3 known MCPH-associated genes - 9 in ASPM, 2 in MCPH1 and 1 in CDK5RAP2. The 2 MCPH1 mutations were homozygous microdeletions of 164,250 and 577,594 bp, respectively, for which we were able to map the exact breakpoints. We also identified four known mutations - three in ASPM and one in WDR62. The latter was initially deemed to be a missense mutation but we demonstrate here that it affects splicing. As to ASPM, as many as 17 out of 27 MCPH5 families that we ascertained in our sample were found to carry the previously reported founder mutation p.Trp1326*. This study adds to the mutational spectra of four known MCPH-associated genes and updates our knowledge about the genetic heterogeneity of MCPH in the Pakistani population considering its ethnic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Ahmad
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - S M Baig
- Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - A R Abdulkareem
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Genetic Engieneering and Biotechnology Institute, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - M S Hussain
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - I Sur
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - M R Toliat
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - G Nürnberg
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - N Dalibor
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - A Moawia
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - S S Waseem
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - M Asif
- Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - H Nagra
- Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - M Sher
- Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - M M A Khan
- Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - I Hassan
- Plant Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - S Ur Rehman
- Health Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - H Thiele
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - J Altmüller
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - A A Noegel
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - P Nürnberg
- Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Cell division controls the faithful segregation of genomic and cytoplasmic materials between the two nascent daughter cells. Members of the Aurora, Polo and cyclin-dependent (Cdk) kinase families are known to regulate multiple events throughout cell division, whereas another kinase, citron kinase (CIT-K), for a long time has been considered to function solely during cytokinesis, the last phase of cell division. CIT-K was originally proposed to regulate the ingression of the cleavage furrow that forms at the equatorial cortex of the dividing cell after chromosome segregation. However, studies in the last decade have clarified that this kinase is, instead, required for the organization of the midbody in late cytokinesis, and also revealed novel functions of CIT-K earlier in mitosis and in DNA damage control. Moreover, CIT-K mutations have recently been linked to the development of human microcephaly, and CIT-K has been identified as a potential target in cancer therapy. In this Commentary, I describe and re-evaluate the functions and regulation of CIT-K during cell division and its involvement in human disease. Finally, I offer my perspectives on the open questions and future challenges that are necessary to address, in order to fully understand this important and yet unjustly neglected mitotic kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pier Paolo D'Avino
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
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42
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Hashmi JA, Al-Harbi KM, Ramzan K, Albalawi AM, Mehmood A, Samman MI, Basit S. A novel splice-site mutation in the ASPM gene underlies autosomal recessive primary microcephaly. Ann Saudi Med 2016; 36:391-396. [PMID: 27920410 PMCID: PMC6074201 DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.2016.391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder. Patients with MCPH exhibit reduced occipito-frontal head circumference and non-progressive intellectual disability. To date, 17 genes have been known as an underlying cause of MCPH in humans. ASPM (abnormal spindle-like, microcephaly associated) is the most commonly mutated MCPH gene. OBJECTIVE Identify the genetic defect underlying MCPH in a Saudi family. DESIGN A cross-sectional clinical genetic study of a Saudi family. SETTING Madinah Maternity and Children Hospital and Centre for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University. PATIENTS AND METHODS A molecular analysis was carried out on DNA samples from 10 individuals of a Saudi family segregating MCPH. DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood of 10 individuals, including 2 patients, and whole exome sequencing was performed using the Nextera Rapid Capture kit and NextSeq500 instrument. VariantStudio was used to filter and prioritize variants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Detection of mutation in the ASPM gene in a family segregating autoso- mal recessive primary microcephaly. RESULTS A novel homozygous splice-site variant (c.3742-1G > C) in the ASPM gene was identified. The variant is predicted to have an effect on splicing. Human Splice Finder, an in silico tool, predicted skipping of exon 16 due to this variant. CONCLUSION Skipping of exon 16 may change the order and number of IQ motifs in the ASPM protein leading to typical MCPH phenotype. LIMITATIONS Single family study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sulman Basit
- Sulman Basit, Taibah University Madinah-Center for Genetics and, Inherited Diseases Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases,, Taibah University Madinah, 30001,, Saudi Arabia, Almadinah Almunawarah 30001, Saudi Arabia, T: +966535370209, sbasit.phd@ gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4294-6825
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