A case of monilethrix caused by novel compound heterozygous mutations in the desmoglein 4 (DSG4) gene

Single-Cell Sequencing Reveals the Regulatory Role of Maresin1 on Neutrophils during Septic Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is the most common type of organ injury in sepsis, with high morbidity and mortality. Sepsis is characterized by an inappropriate inflammatory response while neutrophils exert an important role in the excessive inflammatory response. The discovery of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) provides a new direction for the treatment of a series of inflammatory-related diseases including sepsis. Among them, the regulation of Maresin1 on immune cells was widely demonstrated. However, current research on the regulatory effects of Maresin1 on immune cells has remained at the level of certain cell types. Under inflammatory conditions, the immune environment is complex and immune cells exhibit obvious heterogeneity. Neutrophils play a key role in the occurrence and development of septic lung injury. Whether there is a subpopulation bias in the regulation of neutrophils by Maresin1 has not been elucidated. Therefore, with the well-established cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model and single-cell sequencing technology, our study reveals for the first time the regulatory mechanism of Maresin1 on neutrophils at the single-cell level. Our study suggested that Maresin1 can significantly reduce neutrophil infiltration in septic lung injury and that this regulatory effect is more concentrated in the Neutrophil-Cxcl3 subpopulation. Maresin1 can significantly reduce the infiltration of the Neutrophil-Cxcl3 subpopulation and inhibit the expression of related inflammatory genes and key transcription factors in the Neutrophil-Cxcl3 subpopulation. Our study provided new possibilities for specific modulation of neutrophil function in septic lung injury.

Autosomal recessive monilethrix: Novel variants of the DSG4 gene in three Chinese families

Background

Monilethrix is a rare hereditary hair loss disorder characterized by hair fragility and beaded hair shaft alterations. Monilethrix is classically inherited in an autosomal dominant (AD) fashion caused by variants in the hair keratin genes KRT81, KRT83, or KRT86. Interestingly, an autosomal recessive (AR) form of monilethrix with variants in DSG4 gene has also been reported in recent years.

Objective

To identify causative variants in Chinese patients with autosomal recessive (AR) form of monilethrix.

Methods

Three families with AR form of monilethrix were observed and sequence variant analysis of DSG4 was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative real‐time PCR, and DNA sequencing.

Results

All the patients had sparse, fragile hair involving the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes with keratotic follicular papules and pruritus since birth. Atypical‐beaded hairs and broken hair shaft fragments were identified in all the patients under dermoscopy. Heterozygous variants c.837del and c. 2389C > T, a homozygous splice site variant c.2355 + 1G > A, and a homozygous 48,644 bp large deletion variant g.31381440_31430084del in the DSG4 gene were identified and verified in the families.

Conclusion

This report provided further evidence for the phenotypic spectrum and clinical features of, and the expanded variant database of AR form of monilethrix.

Exome sequencing identifies a SREBF1 recurrent ARG557CYS mutation as the cause of hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia in a family with high clinical variability

Hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia (HMD) is an uncommon autosomal dominant disease affecting skin, mucosae, hair, eyes, and lungs. Prominent clinical features include non-scarring alopecia, mucosal erythema, perineal erythematous intertrigo, and involvement of the conjunctival mucosa. To date, 20 familial or sporadic HMD cases have been described, most of them originating from Caucasian ethnic groups. In this study, a novel HMD pedigree, including an affected father and his daughter, is reported. Clinical expression showed significant differences in affected subjects, especially in the distribution and severity of skin lesions. Exome sequencing demonstrated that both affected subjects carried a heterozygous c.1669C>T (p.Arg557Cys) pathogenic variant in the SREBF1 gene. Our results improve the knowledge of the clinical and genetic features of HMD. In addition, a comparative review of the clinical features of all published HMD cases is presented.

Mutations in genes encoding desmosomal proteins: spectrum of cutaneous and extracutaneous abnormalities

The desmosome is a type of intercellular junction found in epithelial cells, cardiomyocytes and other specialized cell types. Composed of a network of transmembranous cadherins and intracellular armadillo, plakin and other proteins, desmosomes contribute to cell-cell adhesion, signalling, development and differentiation. Mutations in genes encoding desmosomal proteins result in a spectrum of erosive skin and mucosal phenotypes that also may affect hair or heart. This review summarizes the molecular pathology and phenotypes associated with desmosomal dysfunction with a focus on inherited disorders that involve the skin/hair, as well as associated extracutaneous pathologies. We reviewed the relevant literature to collate studies of pathogenic human mutations in desmosomes that have been reported over the last 25 years. Mutations in 12 different desmosome genes have been documented, with mutations in nine genes affecting the skin/mucous membranes (DSG1, DSG3, DSC2, DSC3, JUP, PKP1, DSP, CDSN, PERP) and eight resulting in hair abnormalities (DSG4, DSC2, DSC3, JUP, PKP1, DSP, CDSN, PERP). Mutations in three genes can result in cardiocutaneous syndromes (DSC2, JUP, DSP), although mutations have been described in five genes in inherited heart disorders that may lack any dermatological manifestations (DSG2, DSC2, JUP, PKP2, DSP). Understanding the diverse nature of these clinical phenotypes, as well as the desmosome gene mutation(s), has clinical value in managing and counselling patients, as well as demonstrating the biological role and activity of specific components of desmosomes in skin and other tissues.

Bald thigh syndrome in sighthounds-Revisiting the cause of a well-known disease

Bald thigh syndrome is a common hair loss disorder in sighthounds. Numerous possible causes, including environmental conditions, trauma, stress, endocrinopathies and genetic components have been proposed, but only endocrinopathies have been ruled out scientifically. The overall goal of our study was to identify the cause of bald thigh syndrome and the pathological changes associated with it. We approached this aim by comparing skin biopsies and hair shafts of affected and control dogs microscopically as well as by applying high-throughput technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics. While the histology is rather unspecific in most cases, trichogram analysis and scanning electron microscopy revealed severe structural abnormalities in hair shafts of affected dogs. This finding is supported by the results of the transcriptomic and proteomic profiling where genes and proteins important for differentiation of the inner root sheath and the assembly of a proper hair shaft were downregulated. Transcriptome profiling revealed a downregulation of genes encoding 23 hair shaft keratins and 51 keratin associated proteins, as well as desmosomal cadherins and several actors of the BMP signaling pathway which is important for hair shaft differentiation. The lower expression of keratin 71 and desmocollin 2 on the mRNA level in skin biopsies corresponded with a decreased protein expression in the hair shafts of affected dogs. The genetic analysis revealed a missense variant in the IGFBP5 gene homozygous in all available Greyhounds and other sighthounds. Further research is required to clarify whether the IGFBP5 variant represents a predisposing genetic risk factor. We conclude from our results that structural defects in the hair shafts are the cause for this well-known disease and these defects are associated with a downregulation of genes and proteins essential for hair shaft formation. Our data add important knowledge to further understand the molecular mechanisms of HF morphogenesis and alopecia in dogs.

Inherited desmosomal disorders

Desmosomes serve as intercellular junctions in various tissues including the skin and the heart where they play a crucial role in cell-cell adhesion, signalling and differentiation. The desmosomes connect the cell surface to the keratin cytoskeleton and are composed of a transmembranal part consisting mainly of desmosomal cadherins, armadillo proteins and desmoplakin, which form the intracytoplasmic desmosomal plaque. Desmosomal genodermatoses are caused by mutations in genes encoding the various desmosomal components. They are characterized by skin, hair and cardiac manifestations occurring in diverse combinations. Their classification into a separate and distinct clinical group not only recognizes their common pathogenesis and facilitates their diagnosis but might also in the future form the basis for the design of novel and targeted therapies for these occasionally life-threatening diseases.

A guide for building biological pathways along with two case studies: hair and breast development

Genomic information is being underlined in the format of biological pathways. Building these biological pathways is an ongoing demand and benefits from methods for extracting information from biomedical literature with the aid of text-mining tools. Here we hopefully guide you in the attempt of building a customized pathway or chart representation of a system. Our manual is based on a group of software designed to look at biointeractions in a set of abstracts retrieved from PubMed. However, they aim to support the work of someone with biological background, who does not need to be an expert on the subject and will play the role of manual curator while designing the representation of the system, the pathway. We therefore illustrate with two challenging case studies: hair and breast development. They were chosen for focusing on recent acquisitions of human evolution. We produced sub-pathways for each study, representing different phases of development. Differently from most charts present in current databases, we present detailed descriptions, which will additionally guide PESCADOR users along the process. The implementation as a web interface makes PESCADOR a unique tool for guiding the user along the biointeractions, which will constitute a novel pathway.

Desmosomal genodermatoses

Desmosomes are intercellular junctions that contribute to cell-cell adhesion, signalling, development and differentiation in various tissues, including the skin. Composed of a network of transmembranous and intracellular plaque proteins, pathogenic autosomal dominant or recessive mutations have been reported in 10 different desmosomal genes, resulting in a spectrum of phenotypes variably affecting skin, hair and heart. This review summarizes the molecular pathology and phenotypes that predominantly affect the skin/hair. Recent desmosomal genodermatoses described include lethal congenital epidermolysis bullosa (plakoglobin), cardiomyopathy with alopecia and palmoplantar keratoderma (plakoglobin), hypotrichosis with scalp vesicles (desmocollin 3), and generalized peeling skin disease (corneodesmosin). Understanding the range of clinical phenotypes in combination with knowledge of the inherent desmosome gene mutation(s) is helpful in managing and counselling patients, as well as providing insight into the biological function of specific components of desmosomes in skin and other tissues.