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McClellan JM, Zoghbi AW, Buxbaum JD, Cappi C, Crowley JJ, Flint J, Grice DE, Gulsuner S, Iyegbe C, Jain S, Kuo PH, Lattig MC, Passos-Bueno MR, Purushottam M, Stein DJ, Sunshine AB, Susser ES, Walsh CA, Wootton O, King MC. An evolutionary perspective on complex neuropsychiatric disease. Neuron 2024; 112:7-24. [PMID: 38016473 PMCID: PMC10842497 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.10.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The forces of evolution-mutation, selection, migration, and genetic drift-shape the genetic architecture of human traits, including the genetic architecture of complex neuropsychiatric illnesses. Studying these illnesses in populations that are diverse in genetic ancestry, historical demography, and cultural history can reveal how evolutionary forces have guided adaptation over time and place. A fundamental truth of shared human biology is that an allele responsible for a disease in anyone, anywhere, reveals a gene critical to the normal biology underlying that condition in everyone, everywhere. Understanding the genetic causes of neuropsychiatric disease in the widest possible range of human populations thus yields the greatest possible range of insight into genes critical to human brain development. In this perspective, we explore some of the relationships between genes, adaptation, and history that can be illuminated by an evolutionary perspective on studies of complex neuropsychiatric disease in diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon M McClellan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Anthony W Zoghbi
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Carolina Cappi
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - James J Crowley
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jonathan Flint
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Dorothy E Grice
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Suleyman Gulsuner
- Department of Medicine and Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Conrad Iyegbe
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Sanjeev Jain
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560029, India
| | - Po-Hsiu Kuo
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | | | | | - Meera Purushottam
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560029, India
| | - Dan J Stein
- SAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Anna B Sunshine
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Medicine and Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ezra S Susser
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Christopher A Walsh
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Division of Genetics and Genomics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Olivia Wootton
- SAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mary-Claire King
- Department of Medicine and Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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Gu Q, Palani CD, Smith A, Li B, Amos-Abanyie EK, Ogu U, Lu L, Pace BS, Starlard-Davenport A. MicroRNA29B induces fetal hemoglobin via inhibition of the HBG repressor protein MYB in vitro and in humanized sickle cell mice. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1043686. [PMID: 36507536 PMCID: PMC9732025 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1043686] [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: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Therapeutic strategies aimed at reactivating HBG gene transcription and fetal hemoglobin (HbF) synthesis remain the most effective strategy to ameliorate the clinical symptoms of sickle cell disease (SCD). We previously identified microRNA29B (MIR29B) as a novel HbF inducer via targeting enzymes involved in DNA methylation. We provided further evidence that the introduction of MIR29B into KU812 leukemia cells significantly reduced MYB protein expression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the extent to which MIR29B mediates HbF induction via targeting MYB in KU812 leukemia cells and human primary erythroid progenitors and to investigate the role of MIR29B in HbF induction in vivo in the humanized Townes SCD mouse model. Materials and methods Human KU812 were cultured and normal CD34 cells (n = 3) were differentiated using a two-phase erythropoiesis culturing system and transfected with MIR29B (50 and 100 nM) mimic or Scrambled (Scr) control in vitro. A luciferase reporter plasmid overexpressing MYB was transfected into KU812 cells. Luciferase activity was quantified after 48 h. Gene expression was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. In vivo studies were conducted using Townes SCD mice (6 per group) treated with MIR29B (2, 3, and 4 mg/kg/day) or Scr control by 28-day continuous infusion using subcutaneous mini osmotic pumps. Blood samples were collected and processed for complete blood count (CBC) with differential and reticulocytes at weeks 0, 2, and 4. Flow cytometry was used to measure the percentage of HbF-positive cells. Results In silico analysis predicted complementary base-pairing between MIR29B and the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of MYB. Overexpression of MIR29B significantly reduced MYB mRNA and protein expression in KU812 cells and erythroid progenitors. Using a luciferase reporter vector that contained the full-length MYB 3'-UTR, we observed a significant reduction in luciferase activity among KU812 cells that co-expressed MIR29B and the full-length MYB 3'-UTR as compared to cells that only expressed MYB 3'-UTR. We confirmed the inhibitory effect of a plasmid engineered to overexpress MYB on HBG activation and HbF induction in both KU812 cells and human primary erythroid progenitors. Co-expression of MIR29B and MYB in both cell types further demonstrated the inhibitory effect of MIR29B on MYB expression, resulting in HBG reactivation by real-time PCR, Western blot, and flow cytometry analysis. Finally, we confirmed the ability of MIR29B to reduce sickling and induce HbF by decreasing expression of MYB and DNMT3 gene expression in the humanized Townes sickle cell mouse model. Discussion Our findings support the ability of MIR29B to induce HbF in vivo in Townes sickle cell mice. This is the first study to provide evidence of the ability of MIR29B to modulate HBG transcription by MYB gene silencing in vivo. Our research highlights a novel MIR-based epigenetic approach to induce HbF supporting the discovery of new drugs to expand treatment options for SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Gu
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Chithra D. Palani
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Alana Smith
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Biaori Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Ernestine Kubi Amos-Abanyie
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Ugochi Ogu
- Center for Sickle Cell Disease, Department of Medicine-Hematology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Lu Lu
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Betty S. Pace
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Athena Starlard-Davenport
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States,Center for Sickle Cell Disease, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States,*Correspondence: Athena Starlard-Davenport,
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Starlard-Davenport A, Gu Q, Pace BS. Targeting Genetic Modifiers of HBG Gene Expression in Sickle Cell Disease: The miRNA Option. Mol Diagn Ther 2022; 26:497-509. [PMID: 35553407 PMCID: PMC9098152 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-022-00589-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common inherited hemoglobinopathy disorders that affects millions of people worldwide. Reactivation of HBG (HBG1, HBG2) gene expression and induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is an important therapeutic strategy for ameliorating the clinical symptoms and severity of SCD. Hydroxyurea is the only US FDA-approved drug with proven efficacy to induce HbF in SCD patients, yet serious complications have been associated with its use. Over the last three decades, numerous additional pharmacological agents that reactivate HBG transcription in vitro have been investigated, but few have proceeded to FDA approval, with the exception of arginine butyrate and decitabine; however, neither drug met the requirements for routine clinical use due to difficulties with oral delivery and inability to achieve therapeutic levels. Thus, novel approaches that produce sufficient efficacy, specificity, and sustainable HbF induction with low adverse effects are desirable. More recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have gained attention for their diagnostic and therapeutic potential to treat various diseases ranging from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease via targeting oncogenes and their gene products. Thus, it is plausible that miRNAs that target HBG regulatory genes may be useful for inducing HbF as a treatment for SCD. Our laboratory and others have documented the association of miRNAs with HBG activation or suppression via silencing transcriptional repressors and activators, respectively, of HBG expression. Herein, we review progress made in understanding molecular mechanisms of miRNA-mediated HBG regulation and discuss the extent to which molecular targets of HBG might be suitable prospects for development of SCD clinical therapy. Lastly, we discuss challenges with the application of miRNA delivery in vivo and provide potential strategies for overcoming barriers in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athena Starlard-Davenport
- College of Medicine, Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA.
| | - Qingqing Gu
- College of Medicine, Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA.,Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, 226001, China
| | - Betty S Pace
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
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Jiang P, Dong K, Zhang W, Wang H, Xiao X, Chen N, Cheng Y. A universal probe system for low-abundance point mutation detection based on endonuclease IV. Analyst 2022; 147:1534-1539. [PMID: 35311862 DOI: 10.1039/d1an02003j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Single base mutations are closely related to cancer diagnosis and treatment. The fluorescent probe method is one of the important methods to detect single-base mutations. We constructed a universal probe detection system based on endonuclease IV and the DNA strand displacement reaction. The system uses two toehold strand displacement reactions to relay the mutation information to the universal strand. There is no need to design the probe one-by-one for each mutation point during multi-site detection. It has the advantages of simple operation, rapid detection, and low cost. We used this method to detect common clinical mutation sites (PTEN R130Q/EGFR L858R/PTEN rs1473918395), and the detection limit can reach 0.1%-1%. The detection system can provide a new rapid and economical method for clinical single-base mutation detection, and has broad application prospects in diagnosis and prognostic evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Jiang
- Department of Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Kejun Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Hongbo Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Xianjin Xiao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Na Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
| | - Yanxiang Cheng
- Department of Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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Sánchez-Martínez LJ, Hernández CL, Rodríguez JN, Dugoujon JM, Novelletto A, Ropero P, Pereira L, Calderón R. Genetic variation patterns of β-thalassemia in Western Andalusia (Spain) reveal a structure of specific mutations within the Iberian Peninsula. Ann Hum Biol 2021; 48:406-417. [PMID: 34727790 DOI: 10.1080/03014460.2021.2000641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Analyses of the genomic variation in the western Mediterranean population are being used to reveal its evolutionary history and to understand the molecular basis of particular diseases. AIM To observe the β-thalassemia mutational spectrum in western Andalusia, Spain, in the context of the Mediterranean. In addition, associations between disease and neutral gene variants within the β-globin gene (HBB) were also evaluated. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This study included 63 unrelated individuals diagnosed with β-thalassemia. In addition, 97 unrelated, healthy subjects of the same territory were also analysed as proxies of the normal genetic background. Allele associations and population genetic structure analyses were performed using different methodologies. RESULTS Data have revealed a rather restricted spectrum of β-thalassemia mutations in the analysed sample. Although the detected variants fit well with the Mediterranean pattern, certain singularities support a structure of some specific β-thalassemia alleles. The IVSI-1 (G > A) shows a strong regionalisation. The spatial correlogram revealed a typically narrow wave structure, presumably linked to genetic isolation and genetic drift. CONCLUSIONS The long history of endemic malaria in the study territory, the rather high consanguinity rates among its autochthonous population, and other demographic features have been used here to understand the western Andalusian β-thalassemia molecular portrait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis J Sánchez-Martínez
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Candela L Hernández
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan N Rodríguez
- Servicio de Hematología y Hemoterapia, Hospital Juan Ramón Jiménez, Huelva, Spain
| | - Jean M Dugoujon
- CNRS UMR 5288 Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Moléculaire et d'Imagerie de Synthèse (AMIS), Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Paloma Ropero
- Servicio de Hematología y Hemoterapia, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luisa Pereira
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rosario Calderón
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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Starlard-Davenport A, Fitzgerald A, Pace BS. Exploring epigenetic and microRNA approaches for γ-globin gene regulation. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2347-2357. [PMID: 34292080 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211028195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic interventions aimed at inducing fetal hemoglobin and reducing the concentration of sickle hemoglobin is an effective approach to ameliorating acute and chronic complications of sickle cell disease, exemplified by the long-term use of hydroxyurea. However, there remains an unmet need for the development of additional safe and effective drugs for single agent or combination therapy for individuals with β-hemoglobinopathies. Regulation of the γ-globin to β-globin switch is achieved by chromatin remodeling at the HBB locus on chromosome 11 and interactions of major DNA binding proteins, such as KLF1 and BCL11A in the proximal promoters of the globin genes. Experimental evidence also supports a role of epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation, histone acetylation/methylation, and microRNA expression in γ-globin gene silencing during development. In this review, we will critically evaluate the role of epigenetic mechanisms in γ-globin gene regulation and discuss data generated in tissue culture, pre-clinical animal models, and clinical trials to support drug development to date. The question remains whether modulation of epigenetic pathways will produce sufficient efficacy and specificity for fetal hemoglobin induction and to what extent targeting these pathways form the basis of prospects for clinical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athena Starlard-Davenport
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Ashley Fitzgerald
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Betty S Pace
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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Evaluation of Longitudinal Pain Study in Sickle Cell Disease (ELIPSIS) by patient-reported outcomes, actigraphy, and biomarkers. Blood 2021; 137:2010-2020. [PMID: 33067606 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020006020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials in sickle cell disease (SCD) often focus on health care utilization for painful vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs). However, no objective, quantifiable pain biomarkers exist, pain is not specific to VOCs, health care utilization varies between patients, unreported at-home VOCs likely contribute to long-term outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes are seldom considered. This noninterventional, longitudinal, 6-month study aimed to develop tools to identify VOCs in SCD patients with or without health care utilization. Participants wore an actigraph device, tracking sleep and activity. Patients with SCD used an electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) tool to collect data on pain, medication, fatigue, and daily function. Patients self-reported when they experienced VOC pain (VOC day). Biomarkers were collected every 3 weeks (non-VOC). Self-reported VOCs triggered at-home or in-hospital blood collection. The study enrolled 37 participants with SCD; 35 completed the study. Participants reported 114 VOC events and 346 VOC days, of which 62.3% and 78.3%, respectively, were self-treated at home. The ePRO and actigraphy captured end points of pain, functionality, fatigue, activity, and sleep; each was significantly altered on VOC days compared with non-VOC days. Biomarkers collected at home or in the hospital on VOC days were significantly altered compared with non-VOC baseline values, including leukocyte-platelet aggregates, microfluidic-based blood cell adhesion, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, and thrombin-antithrombin. The Evaluation of Longitudinal Pain Study in Sickle Cell Disease (ELIPSIS) trial shows the feasibility of accurately monitoring out-of-hospital pain by using patient-reported VOC days as potential end points for clinical trials in SCD; it describes the changes in biomarkers and activity measured by actigraphy that may enable improved identification and assessment of VOCs.
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Pace BS, Starlard-Davenport A, Kutlar A. Sickle cell disease: progress towards combination drug therapy. Br J Haematol 2021; 194:240-251. [PMID: 33471938 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Dr. John Herrick described the first clinical case of sickle cell anaemia (SCA) in the United States in 1910. Subsequently, four decades later, Ingram and colleagues characterized the A to T substitution in DNA producing the GAG to GTG codon and replacement of glutamic acid with valine in the sixth position of the βS -globin chain. The establishment of Comprehensive Sickle Cell Centers in the United States in the 1970s was an important milestone in the development of treatment strategies and describing the natural history of sickle cell disease (SCD) comprised of genotypes including homozygous haemoglobin SS (HbSS), HbSβ0 thalassaemia, HbSC and HbSβ+ thalassaemia, among others. Early drug studies demonstrating effective treatments of HbSS and HbSβ0 thalassaemia, stimulated clinical trials to develop disease-specific therapies to induce fetal haemoglobin due to its ability to block HbS polymerization. Subsequently, hydroxycarbamide proved efficacious in adults with SCA and was Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved in 1998. After two decades of hydroxycarbamide use for SCD, there continues to be limited clinical acceptance of this chemotherapy drug, providing the impetus for investigators and pharmaceutical companies to develop non-chemotherapy agents. Investigative efforts to determine the role of events downstream of deoxy-HbS polymerization, such as endothelial cell activation, cellular adhesion, chronic inflammation, intravascular haemolysis and nitric oxide scavenging, have expanded drug targets which reverse the pathophysiology of SCD. After two decades of slow progress in the field, since 2018 three new drugs were FDA-approved for SCA, but research efforts to develop treatments continue. Currently over 30 treatment intervention trials are in progress to investigate a wide range of agents acting by complementary mechanisms, providing the rationale for ushering in the age of effective and safe combination drug therapy for SCD. Parallel efforts to develop curative therapies using haematopoietic stem cell transplant and gene therapy provide individuals with SCD multiple treatment options. We will discuss progress made towards drug development and potential combination drug therapy for SCD with the standard of care hydroxycarbamide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty S Pace
- Department of Pediatrics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Athena Starlard-Davenport
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38163, USA
| | - Abdullah Kutlar
- Department of Medicine, Center for Blood Disorders, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
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Wang X, Xu JZ, Conrey A, Mendelsohn L, Shriner D, Pirooznia M, Thein SL. Whole genome sequence-based haplotypes reveal a single origin of the 1393 bp HBB deletion. J Med Genet 2020; 57:567-570. [PMID: 32001505 PMCID: PMC10692763 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2019-106698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations of HBB give rise to two prevalent haemoglobin disorders-sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassaemia. While SCD is caused by a single base substitution, nearly 300 mutations that downregulate expression of HBB have been described. The vast majority of β-thalassaemia alleles are point mutations or small insertion/deletions within the HBB gene; deletions causing β-thalassaemia are very rare. We have identified three individuals with haemoglobin Sβ0-thalassaemia in which the β0-thalassaemia mutation is caused by a large deletion. OBJECTIVE To use whole genome sequence data to determine whether these deletions arose from a single origin. METHODS We used two approaches to confirm unrelatedness: pairwise comparison of SNPs and identity by descent analysis. Eagle, V.2.4, was used to generate phased haplotypes for the 683 individuals. The Neighbor-Net method implemented in SplitsTree V.4.13.1 was used to construct the network of haplotypes. RESULTS All three deletions involved 1393 bp, encompassing the β-promoter, exons 1 and 2, and part of intron 2, with identical breakpoints. The cases were confirmed to be unrelated. Haplotypes based on 29 SNPs in the HBB cluster showed that the three individuals harboured different βS haplotypes. In contrast, the haplotype harbouring the 1393 bp deletion was the same in all three individuals. CONCLUSION We suggest that all the reported cases of the 1393 bp HBB deletion, including the three cases here, are likely to be of the same ancestral origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xunde Wang
- Sickle Cell Branch, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Julia Z Xu
- Sickle Cell Branch, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna Conrey
- Sickle Cell Branch, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Daniel Shriner
- Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mehdi Pirooznia
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Barrera-Reyes PK, Tejero ME. Genetic variation influencing hemoglobin levels and risk for anemia across populations. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1450:32-46. [PMID: 31385320 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration is the outcome of the interaction between genetic variation and environmental factors, including nutritional status, sex, age, and altitude. Genetic diversity influencing this protein is complex and varies widely across populations. Variants related to abnormal Hb or altered characteristics of the erythrocytes increase the risk for anemia. The most prevalent are related to the inherited globin abnormalities affecting Hb production and structure. Malaria-endemic regions harbor the highest frequencies of variants associated with the most frequent monogenic diseases and the risk for nonnutritional anemia and are considered as public health problems. Variation in genes encoding for enzymes and membrane proteins in red blood cells also influence erythrocyte life span and risk for anemia. Most of these variants are rare. Interindividual variability of hematological parameters is also influenced by common genetic variation across the whole genome. Some of the identified variants are associated with Hb production, erythropoiesis, and iron metabolism. Specialized databases have been developed to organize and update the large body of available information on genetic variation related to Hb variation, their frequency, geographical distribution, and clinical significance. Our present review analyzed the underlying genetic factors that affect Hb concentrations, their clinical relevance, and geographical distribution across populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paloma K Barrera-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Nutrigenómica y Nutrigenética, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Ciudad de, México, Mexico.,Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de, México, Mexico
| | - M Elizabeth Tejero
- Laboratorio de Nutrigenómica y Nutrigenética, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Ciudad de, México, Mexico
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Starlard-Davenport A, Smith A, Vu L, Li B, Pace BS. MIR29B mediates epigenetic mechanisms of HBG gene activation. Br J Haematol 2019; 186:91-100. [PMID: 30891745 PMCID: PMC6589104 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.15870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects over 2 million people worldwide with high morbidity and mortality in underdeveloped countries. Therapeutic interventions aimed at reactivating fetal haemoglobin (HbF) is an effective approach for improving survival and ameliorating the clinical severity of SCD. A class of agents that inhibit DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity show promise as HbF inducers because off-target effects are not observed at low concentrations. However, these compounds are rapidly degraded by cytidine deaminase when taken by oral administration, creating a critical barrier to clinical development for SCD. We previously demonstrated that microRNA29B (MIR29B) inhibits de novo DNMT synthesis, therefore, the goal of our study was to determine if MIR29 mediates HbF induction. Overexpression of MIR29B in human KU812 cells and primary erythroid progenitors significantly increased the percentage of HbF positive cells, while decreasing the expression of DNMT3A and the HBG repressor MYB. Furthermore, HBG promoter methylation levels decreased significantly following MIR29B overexpression in human erythroid progenitors. We subsequently, observed higher MIR29B expression in SCD patients with higher HbF levels compared to those with low HbF. Our findings provide evidence for the ability of MIR29B to induce HbF and supports further investigation to expand treatment options for SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athena Starlard-Davenport
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Alana Smith
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Luan Vu
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Biaoru Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Betty S Pace
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
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12
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Crystal structure of the ferric homotetrameric β 4 human hemoglobin. Biophys Chem 2018; 240:9-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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13
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Goonasekera H, Paththinige C, Dissanayake V. Population Screening for Hemoglobinopathies. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2018; 19:355-380. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-091416-035451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Hemoglobinopathies are the most common single-gene disorders in the world. Their prevalence is predicted to increase in the future, and low-income hemoglobinopathy-endemic regions need to manage most of the world's affected persons. International organizations, governments, and other stakeholders have initiated national or regional prevention programs in both endemic and nonendemic countries by performing population screening for α- and β-thalassemia, HbE disease, and sickle cell disease in neonates, adolescents, reproductive-age adults (preconceptionally or in the early antenatal period), and family members of diagnosed cases. The main aim of screening is to reduce the number of affected births and, in the case of sickle cell disease, reduce childhood morbidity and mortality. Screening strategies vary depending on the population group, but a few common screening test methods are universally used. We discuss the salient features of population-screening programs around the globe as well as current and proposed screening test methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- H.W. Goonasekera
- Human Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka;, ,
| | - C.S. Paththinige
- Human Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka;, ,
- Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Saliyapura, Sri Lanka
| | - V.H.W. Dissanayake
- Human Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka;, ,
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14
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Bancone G, Gilder ME, Chowwiwat N, Gornsawun G, Win E, Cho WW, Moo E, Min AM, Charunwatthana P, Carrara VI, White NJ, Nosten F, McGready R. Prevalences of inherited red blood cell disorders in pregnant women of different ethnicities living along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Wellcome Open Res 2017. [PMID: 29181452 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.12338.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Inherited red blood cell disorders are prevalent in populations living in malaria endemic areas; G6PD deficiency is associated with oxidant-induced haemolysis and abnormal haemoglobin variants may cause chronic anaemia. In pregnant women, microcytic anaemia caused by haemoglobinopathies mimics iron deficiency, complicating diagnosis and treatment. Anaemia during pregnancy is associated with morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to characterise the prevalence of G6PD deficiency and haemoglobinopathies among the pregnant population living along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in this area belong to several distinct ethnic groups. Methods: Data were available for 13,520 women attending antenatal care between July 2012 and September 2016. Screening for G6PD deficiency was done by fluorescent spot test routinely. G6PD genotyping and quantitative phenotyping by spectrophotometry were analysed in a subsample of women. Haemoglobin variants were diagnosed by HPLC or capillary electrophoresis and molecular methods. The prevalence and distribution of inherited red blood cell disorders was analysed with respect to ethnicity. Results: G6PD deficiency was common, especially in the Sgaw Karen ethnic group, in whom the G6PD Mahidol variant allele frequency was 20.7%. Quantitative G6PD phenotyping showed that 60.5% of heterozygous women had an intermediate enzymatic activity between 30% and 70% of the population median. HbE, beta-thalassaemia trait and Hb Constant Spring were found overall in 15.6% of women. Only 45.2% of women with low percentage of HbA 2 were carriers of mutations on the alpha globin genes. Conclusions: Distribution of G6PD and haemoglobin variants varied among the different ethnic groups, but the prevalence was generally high throughout the cohort. These findings encourage the implementation of an extended program of information and genetic counselling to women of reproductive age and will help inform future studies and current clinical management of anaemia in the pregnant population in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germana Bancone
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Mary Ellen Gilder
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Nongnud Chowwiwat
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Gornpan Gornsawun
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Elsi Win
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Win Win Cho
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Eh Moo
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Aung Myat Min
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Prakaykaew Charunwatthana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Verena I Carrara
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Nicholas J White
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Francois Nosten
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Rose McGready
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
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15
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Bancone G, Gilder ME, Chowwiwat N, Gornsawun G, Win E, Cho WW, Moo E, Min AM, Charunwatthana P, Carrara VI, White NJ, Nosten F, McGready R. Prevalences of inherited red blood cell disorders in pregnant women of different ethnicities living along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Wellcome Open Res 2017; 2:72. [PMID: 29181452 PMCID: PMC5686509 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.12338.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Inherited red blood cell disorders are prevalent in populations living in malaria endemic areas; G6PD deficiency is associated with oxidant-induced haemolysis and abnormal haemoglobin variants may cause chronic anaemia. In pregnant women, microcytic anaemia caused by haemoglobinopathies mimics iron deficiency, complicating diagnosis and treatment. Anaemia during pregnancy is associated with morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to characterise the prevalence of G6PD deficiency and haemoglobinopathies among the pregnant population living along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in this area belong to several distinct ethnic groups. Methods: Data were available for 13,520 women attending antenatal care between July 2012 and September 2016. Screening for G6PD deficiency was done by fluorescent spot test routinely. G6PD genotyping and quantitative phenotyping by spectrophotometry were analysed in a subsample of women. Haemoglobin variants were diagnosed by HPLC or capillary electrophoresis and molecular methods. The prevalence and distribution of inherited red blood cell disorders was analysed with respect to ethnicity. Results: G6PD deficiency was common, especially in the Sgaw Karen ethnic group, in whom the G6PD Mahidol variant allele frequency was 20.7%. Quantitative G6PD phenotyping showed that 60.5% of heterozygous women had an intermediate enzymatic activity between 30% and 70% of the population median. HbE, beta-thalassaemia trait and Hb Constant Spring were found overall in 15.6% of women. Only 45.2% of women with low percentage of HbA
2 were carriers of mutations on the alpha globin genes. Conclusions: Distribution of G6PD and haemoglobin variants varied among the different ethnic groups, but the prevalence was generally high throughout the cohort. These findings encourage the implementation of an extended program of information and genetic counselling to women of reproductive age and will help inform future studies and current clinical management of anaemia in the pregnant population in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germana Bancone
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Mary Ellen Gilder
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Nongnud Chowwiwat
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Gornpan Gornsawun
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Elsi Win
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Win Win Cho
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Eh Moo
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Aung Myat Min
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Prakaykaew Charunwatthana
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Verena I Carrara
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Nicholas J White
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Francois Nosten
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Rose McGready
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, , Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
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16
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SLC25 Family Member Genetic Interactions Identify a Role for HEM25 in Yeast Electron Transport Chain Stability. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2017; 7:1861-1873. [PMID: 28404662 PMCID: PMC5473764 DOI: 10.1534/g3.117.041194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The SLC25 family member SLC25A38 (Hem25 in yeast) was recently identified as a mitochondrial glycine transporter that provides substrate to initiate heme/hemoglobin synthesis. Mutations in the human SLC25A38 gene cause congenital sideroblastic anemia. The full extent to which SLC25 family members coregulate heme synthesis with other mitochondrial functions is not clear. In this study, we surveyed 29 nonessential SLC25 family members in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for their ability to support growth in the presence and absence of HEM25. Six SLC25 family members were identified that were required for growth or for heme synthesis in cells lacking Hem25 function. Importantly, we determined that loss of function of the SLC25 family member Flx1, which imports FAD into mitochondria, together with loss of function of Hem25, resulted in inability to grow on media that required yeast cells to supply energy using mitochondrial respiration. We report that specific components of complexes of the electron transport chain are decreased in the absence of Flx1 and Hem25 function. In addition, we show that mitochondria from flx1Δ hem25Δ cells contain uncharacterized Cox2-containing high molecular weight aggregates. The functions of Flx1 and Hem25 provide a facile explanation for the decrease in heme level, and in specific electron transport chain complex components.
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17
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Abd D, Alwan JK, Ibrahim M, Naeem MB. The utilisation of machine learning approaches for medical data classification and personal care system mangementfor sickle cell disease. 2017 ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON NEW TRENDS IN INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS (NTICT) 2017. [DOI: 10.1109/ntict.2017.7976147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
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18
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Scheps KG, Francipane L, Nevado J, Basack N, Attie M, Bergonzi MF, Cerrone GE, Lapunzina P, Varela V. Multiple copy number variants in a pediatric patient with Hb H disease and intellectual disability. Am J Med Genet A 2016; 170A:986-91. [PMID: 26753516 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Two distinct syndromes that link α-thalassemia and intellectual disability (ID) have been described: ATR-X, due to mutations in the ATRX gene, and ATR-16, a contiguous gene deletion syndrome in the telomeric region of the short arm of chromosome 16. A critical region where the candidate genes for the ID map has been established. In a pediatric patient with Hemoglobin H disease, dysmorphic features and ID, 4 novel and clinically relevant Copy Number Variants were identified. PCR-GAP, MLPA and FISH analyses established the cause of the α-thalassemia. SNP-array analysis revealed the presence of 4 altered loci: 3 deletions (arr[hg19]Chr16(16p13.3; 88,165-1,507,988) x1; arr[hg19]Chr6(6p21.1; 44,798,701-45,334,537) x1 and arr[hg19]Chr17(17q25.3; 80,544,855-81,057,996) x1) and a terminal duplication (arr[hg19]Chr7(7p22.3-p22.2; 4,935-4,139,785) x3). The -α(3.7) mutation and the ∼1.51 Mb in 16p13.3 are involved in the alpha-thalassemic phenotype. However, the critical region for ATR-16 cannot be narrowed down. The deletion affecting 6p21.1 removes the first 2 exons and part of intron 2 of the RUNX2 gene. Although heterozygous loss of function mutations affecting this gene have been associated with cleidocranial dysplasia, the patient does not exhibit pathognomonic signs of this syndrome, possibly due to the fact that the isoform d of the transcription factor remains unaffected. This work highlights the importance of searching for cryptic deletions in patients with ID and reiterates the need of the molecular analysis when it is associated to microcytic hypochromic anemia with normal iron status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen G Scheps
- Cátedra de Genética, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,INIGEM (Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Liliana Francipane
- División Genética, Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín", Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Julián Nevado
- INGEMM (Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular), Hospital Universitario La Paz-IdiPaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,CIBERER (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras), Madrid, Spain
| | - Nora Basack
- División Hematología, Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez", Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Myriam Attie
- División Hematología, Hospital de Niños "Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez", Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Fernanda Bergonzi
- División Genética, Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín", Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gloria E Cerrone
- Cátedra de Genética, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,INIGEM (Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo Lapunzina
- INGEMM (Instituto de Genética Médica y Molecular), Hospital Universitario La Paz-IdiPaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,CIBERER (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras), Madrid, Spain
| | - Viviana Varela
- Cátedra de Genética, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,INIGEM (Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo), CONICET- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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19
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Carlos AM, Souza RAV, Souza BMBD, Pereira GDA, Tostes Júnior S, Martins PRJ, Moraes-Souza H. Hemoglobinopathies in newborns in the southern region of the Triângulo Mineiro, Brazil. Cross-sectional study. SAO PAULO MED J 2015; 133:439-44. [PMID: 26648434 PMCID: PMC10871810 DOI: 10.1590/1516-3180.2015.00042302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Hemoglobinopathies are among the commonest and most widespread genetic disorders worldwide. Their prevalence varies according to ethnic composition and/or geographical region. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of hemoglobinopathies and their association with ethnicity among 1,004 newborns, to confirm the guideline of the Brazilian National Neonatal Screening Program. DESIGN AND SETTING Cross-sectional study conducted in a public referral hospital in the Triângulo Mineiro region, Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHODS Qualitative assessment of hemoglobin was performed through electrophoresis on cellulose acetate: at alkaline pH to identify the hemoglobin (Hb) profile and at acid pH to differentiate Hb S from Hb D and Hb C from Hb E and others that migrate to similar positions at alkaline pH. Neutral pH was used to detect Hb Bart's identified in alpha thalassemia (α-thal). The elution method after electrophoresis was used to quantitatively assess hemoglobins. RESULTS There was predominance of α-thal, with 105 cases (10.46%), followed by Hb S with 61 cases (6.08%, comprising 46 Hb AS, 2 Hb SS and 13 Hb S/α-thal), 9 cases (0.9%) of Hb AC and 6 cases (0.6%) suggestive of beta thalassemia (β-thal). The frequency of hemoglobinopathies was significantly higher among Afro-descendants. CONCLUSIONS These findings corroborated of the National Neonatal Screening Program for diagnosing sickle cell disease and Hb C, Hb D, Hb E and β-thal hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gilberto de Araujo Pereira
- Biostatistics Section, Department of Nursing, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Sebastião Tostes Júnior
- Forensic Medicine Section, Department of Social Medicine, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Paulo Roberto Juliano Martins
- Hematology and Hemotherapy Section, Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Helio Moraes-Souza
- Hematology and Hemotherapy Section, Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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20
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Weatherall DJ. Is medical research in danger of suffering the same fate as the NHS? QJM 2015; 108:519-22. [PMID: 25140026 PMCID: PMC4480119 DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcu163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D J Weatherall
- From the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.
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21
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LIN28A expression reduces sickling of cultured human erythrocytes. PLoS One 2014; 9:e106924. [PMID: 25188417 PMCID: PMC4154803 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) has therapeutic importance for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and the beta-thalassemias. It was recently reported that increased expression of LIN28 proteins or decreased expression of its target let-7 miRNAs enhances HbF levels in cultured primary human erythroblasts from adult healthy donors. Here LIN28A effects were studied further using erythrocytes cultured from peripheral blood progenitor cells of pediatric subjects with SCD. Transgenic expression of LIN28A was accomplished by lentiviral transduction in CD34(+) sickle cells cultivated ex vivo in serum-free medium. LIN28A over-expression (LIN28A-OE) increased HbF, reduced beta (sickle)-globin, and strongly suppressed all members of the let-7 family of miRNAs. LIN28A-OE did not affect erythroblast differentiation or prevent enucleation, but it significantly reduced or ameliorated the sickling morphologies of the enucleated erythrocytes.
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22
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Bhattacharyya DM, Mukhopadhyay A, Basak J. Descriptive profile of β-thalassemia mutations in West Bengal population: a hospital-based study. Int J Hematol 2014; 99:345-53. [DOI: 10.1007/s12185-014-1511-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Revised: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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