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Wells RG, Neilson LE, McHill AW, Hiller AL. Dietary fasting and time-restricted eating in Huntington's disease: therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms. Transl Neurodegener 2024; 13:17. [PMID: 38561866 PMCID: PMC10986006 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-024-00406-z] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by aggregation of the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein, resulting from a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene HTT. HD is characterized by a variety of debilitating symptoms including involuntary movements, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric disturbances. Despite considerable efforts, effective disease-modifying treatments for HD remain elusive, necessitating exploration of novel therapeutic approaches, including lifestyle modifications that could delay symptom onset and disease progression. Recent studies suggest that time-restricted eating (TRE), a form of intermittent fasting involving daily caloric intake within a limited time window, may hold promise in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including HD. TRE has been shown to improve mitochondrial function, upregulate autophagy, reduce oxidative stress, regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and enhance cognitive function. In this review, we explore the potential therapeutic role of TRE in HD, focusing on its underlying physiological mechanisms. We discuss how TRE might enhance the clearance of mHTT, recover striatal brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, improve mitochondrial function and stress-response pathways, and synchronize circadian rhythm activity. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for the development of targeted lifestyle interventions to mitigate HD pathology and improve patient outcomes. While the potential benefits of TRE in HD animal models are encouraging, future comprehensive clinical trials will be necessary to evaluate its safety, feasibility, and efficacy in persons with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell G Wells
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
| | - Lee E Neilson
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Neurology and PADRECC VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Andrew W McHill
- Sleep, Chronobiology and Health Laboratory, School of Nursing, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Amie L Hiller
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Neurology and PADRECC VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
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Shin C, Kim R, Yoo D, Oh E, Moon J, Kim M, Lee JY, Kim JM, Koh SB, Kim M, Jeon B. A Practical Guide for Clinical Approach to Patients With Huntington's Disease in Korea. J Mov Disord 2024; 17:138-149. [PMID: 38467449 PMCID: PMC11082599 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.24040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chaewon Shin
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Ryul Kim
- Department of Neurology, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dallah Yoo
- Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eungseok Oh
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Jangsup Moon
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Minkyeong Kim
- Department of Neurology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Korea
| | - Jee-Young Lee
- Department of Neurology, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jong-Min Kim
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea
| | - Seong-Beom Koh
- Department of Neurology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Manho Kim
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Beomseok Jeon
- Department of Neurology, BJ Center for Comprehensive Parkinson Care and Rare Movement Disorders, Chung-Ang University Health Care System, Hyundae Hospital, Namyangju, Korea
| | - on behalf of the Korean Huntington’s Disease Society
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Sejong, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Neurology, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Jinju, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Neurology, BJ Center for Comprehensive Parkinson Care and Rare Movement Disorders, Chung-Ang University Health Care System, Hyundae Hospital, Namyangju, Korea
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Novy C, Busk ØL, Tysnes OB, Landa SS, Aanjesen TN, Alstadhaug KB, Bjerknes TL, Bjørnå IK, Bråthen G, Dahl E, Demic N, Fahlström M, Flemmen HØ, Hallerstig E, HogenEsch I, Kampman MT, Kleveland G, Kvernmo HB, Ljøstad U, Maniaol A, Morsund AH, Nakken O, Olsen CG, Schlüter K, Utvik MS, Yaseen R, Holla ØL, Holmøy T, Høyer H. Repeat expansions in AR, ATXN1, ATXN2 and HTT in Norwegian patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae087. [PMID: 38585669 PMCID: PMC10998343 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic repeat expansions cause neuronal degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as well as other neurodegenerative disorders such as spinocerebellar ataxia, Huntington's disease and Kennedy's disease. Repeat expansions in the same gene can cause multiple clinical phenotypes. We aimed to characterize repeat expansions in a Norwegian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cohort. Norwegian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (n = 414) and neurologically healthy controls adjusted for age and gender (n = 713) were investigated for repeat expansions in AR, ATXN1, ATXN2 and HTT using short read exome sequencing and the ExpansionHunter software. Five amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (1.2%) and two controls (0.3%) carried ≥36 repeats in HTT (P = 0.032), and seven amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (1.7%) and three controls (0.4%) carried ≥29 repeats in ATXN2 (P = 0.038). One male diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis carried a pathogenic repeat expansion in AR, and his diagnosis was revised to Kennedy's disease. In ATXN1, 50 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (12.1%) and 96 controls (13.5%) carried ≥33 repeats (P = 0.753). None of the patients with repeat expansions in ATXN2 or HTT had signs of Huntington's disease or spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, based on a re-evaluation of medical records. The diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was confirmed in all patients, with the exception of one patient who had primary lateral sclerosis. Our findings indicate that repeat expansions in HTT and ATXN2 are associated with increased likelihood of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Further studies are required to investigate the potential relationship between HTT repeat expansions and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Novy
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Øyvind L Busk
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Ole-Bjørn Tysnes
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | - Sigve S Landa
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Tori N Aanjesen
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | | | - Tale L Bjerknes
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5009 Bergen, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Ingrid K Bjørnå
- Department of Neurology, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, 3004 Drammen, Norway
| | - Geir Bråthen
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Elin Dahl
- Department of Neurology, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Natasha Demic
- Department of Neurology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, 3103 Tønsberg, Norway
| | - Maria Fahlström
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Heidi Ø Flemmen
- Department of Neurology, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Erika Hallerstig
- Department of Neurology, Østfold Hospital Trust, 1714 Grålum, Norway
| | - Ineke HogenEsch
- Department of Neurology, Fonna Hospital Trust, 5528 Haugesund, Norway
| | - Margitta T Kampman
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of North Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Grethe Kleveland
- Department of Neurology, Innlandet Hospital Trust, 2609 Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Helene B Kvernmo
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Unn Ljøstad
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway
- Department of Neurology, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, 4615 Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Angelina Maniaol
- Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Ola Nakken
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Cathrine G Olsen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Katrin Schlüter
- Department of Neurology, Stavanger University Hospital, 4019 Stavanger, Norway
| | - May-Sissel Utvik
- Department of Neurology, Namsos Hospital Trust, 7803 Namsos, Norway
| | - Ryaz Yaseen
- Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Øystein L Holla
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Trygve Holmøy
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Helle Høyer
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
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Islam MR, Jony MH, Thufa GK, Akash S, Dhar PS, Rahman MM, Afroz T, Ahmed M, Hemeg HA, Rauf A, Thiruvengadam M, Venkidasamy B. A clinical study and future prospects for bioactive compounds and semi-synthetic molecules in the therapies for Huntington's disease. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:1237-1270. [PMID: 37698833 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03604-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
A neurodegenerative disorder (ND) refers to Huntington's disease (HD) which affects memory loss, weight loss, and movement dysfunctions such as chorea and dystonia. In the striatum and brain, HD most typically impacts medium-spiny neurons. Molecular genetics, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress (OS), mitochondrial, and metabolic dysfunction are a few of the theories advanced to explicit the pathophysiology of neuronal damage and cell death. Numerous in-depth studies of the literature have supported the therapeutic advantages of natural products in HD experimental models and other treatment approaches. This article briefly discusses the neuroprotective impacts of natural compounds against HD models. The ability of the discovered natural compounds to suppress HD was tested using either in vitro or in vivo models. Many bioactive compounds considerably lessened the memory loss and motor coordination brought on by 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP). Reduced lipid peroxidation, increased endogenous enzymatic antioxidants, reduced acetylcholinesterase activity, and enhanced mitochondrial energy generation have profoundly decreased the biochemical change. It is significant since histology showed that therapy with particular natural compounds lessened damage to the striatum caused by 3-NP. Moreover, natural products displayed varying degrees of neuroprotection in preclinical HD studies because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, maintenance of mitochondrial function, activation of autophagy, and inhibition of apoptosis. This study highlighted about the importance of bioactive compounds and their semi-synthetic molecules in the treatment and prevention of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Rezaul Islam
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Maruf Hossain Jony
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Gazi Kaifeara Thufa
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shopnil Akash
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Puja Sutra Dhar
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Mominur Rahman
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tahmina Afroz
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Muniruddin Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, 1207, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Hassan A Hemeg
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Monawara, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdur Rauf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Swabi, Khyber Pukhtanukha, Pakistan.
| | - Muthu Thiruvengadam
- Department of Applied Bioscience, College of Life and Environmental Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, South Korea.
| | - Baskar Venkidasamy
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600 077, India.
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5
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Kim R, Seong MW, Oh B, Shin HS, Lee JS, Park S, Jang M, Jeon B, Kim HJ, Lee JY. Analysis of HTT CAG repeat expansion among healthy individuals and patients with chorea in Korea. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2024; 118:105930. [PMID: 37992538 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the epidemiology of Huntington's disease (HD) in Korea differs notably from that in Western countries, the genetic disparities between these regions remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To investigate the characteristics and clinical significance of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeat size associated with HD in the Korean population. METHODS We analyzed the CAG repeat lengths of the HTT gene in 941 healthy individuals (1,882 alleles) and 954 patients with chorea (1,908 alleles) from two referral hospitals in Korea. We presented normative CAG repeat length data for the Korean population and computed the reduced penetrance (36-39 CAG) and intermediate allele (27-35 CAG) frequencies in the two groups. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between intermediate alleles and chorea development using logistic regression models in individuals aged ≥55 years. RESULTS The mean (±standard deviation) CAG repeat length in healthy individuals was 17.5 ± 2.0, with a reduced penetrance allele frequency of 0.05 % (1/1882) and intermediate allele frequency of 0.69 % (13/1882). We identified 213 patients with genetically confirmed HD whose CAG repeat length ranged from 39 to 140, with a mean of 45.2 ± 7.9 in the longer allele. Compared with normal CAG repeat alleles, intermediate CAG repeat alleles were significantly related to a higher risk of developing chorea (age of onset range, 63-84 years) in individuals aged ≥55 years. CONCLUSIONS This study provides insights into the specific characteristics of CAG repeat lengths in the HTT gene in the Korean population. The reduced penetrance and intermediate allele frequencies in the Korean general population seem to be lower than those reported in Western populations. The presence of intermediate alleles may increase the risk of chorea in the Korean elderly population, which requires further large-scale investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryul Kim
- Department of Neurology, Inha University Hospital, Inha University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Moon-Woo Seong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Bumjo Oh
- Department of Familial Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ho Seop Shin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jee-Soo Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sangmin Park
- Department of Neurology, Daejeon Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Mihee Jang
- Department of Neurology, JMH Seoul Neurologic Clinic, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Beomseok Jeon
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Han-Joon Kim
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Jee-Young Lee
- Department of Neurology, Seoul Metropolitan Government - Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
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Bilal H, Harding IH, Stout JC. The relationship between disease-specific psychosocial stressors and depressive symptoms in Huntington's disease. J Neurol 2024; 271:289-299. [PMID: 37695532 PMCID: PMC10769991 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11982-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease involving motor abnormalities, cognitive decline, and psychological difficulties. Depression is among the most common psychological difficulties in HD. People with HD encounter numerous stressors related to their diagnosis and the impact of HD on their daily lives. Understanding the relationship between HD-specific psychosocial stressors and depression symptoms is critical for optimising treatment and developing a holistic, disease-specific model of depression in HD. METHODS Fifty-seven adults with the HD gene expansion (33 pre-symptomatic, 24 symptomatic) completed a self-report depression questionnaire and rated how much stress they experienced in relation to 20 psychosocial challenges commonly associated with HD. We examined associations between depression symptoms and each stressor individually, and after clustering using principal components analysis. RESULTS Depression symptoms were significantly associated with most of the psychosocial stressors assessed. Clustering with principal components analysis revealed that higher depression scores had significant independent associations with greater stress related to the future implications of HD (β = .44, p = .001) and sleep and psychological difficulties (β = .28, p = .005), but not with stress related to functional limitations (β = .11, p = .33) or interpersonal issues caused by HD (β = .15, p = .21). CONCLUSIONS Stressful experiences associated with HD constitute an important risk factor for depression in HD. Our findings support the use of more psychologically informed models of depression in HD and necessitate further research on tailored psychosocial interventions for HD patients with depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiba Bilal
- School of Psychological Sciences, and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Ian H Harding
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Prahran, VIC, Australia
| | - Julie C Stout
- School of Psychological Sciences, and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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7
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Tritt A, Yue JK, Ferguson AR, Torres Espin A, Nelson LD, Yuh EL, Markowitz AJ, Manley GT, Bouchard KE. Data-driven distillation and precision prognosis in traumatic brain injury with interpretable machine learning. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21200. [PMID: 38040784 PMCID: PMC10692236 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48054-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects how the brain functions in the short and long term. Resulting patient outcomes across physical, cognitive, and psychological domains are complex and often difficult to predict. Major challenges to developing personalized treatment for TBI include distilling large quantities of complex data and increasing the precision with which patient outcome prediction (prognoses) can be rendered. We developed and applied interpretable machine learning methods to TBI patient data. We show that complex data describing TBI patients' intake characteristics and outcome phenotypes can be distilled to smaller sets of clinically interpretable latent factors. We demonstrate that 19 clusters of TBI outcomes can be predicted from intake data, a ~ 6× improvement in precision over clinical standards. Finally, we show that 36% of the outcome variance across patients can be predicted. These results demonstrate the importance of interpretable machine learning applied to deeply characterized patients for data-driven distillation and precision prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Tritt
- Applied Math and Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - John K Yue
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Adam R Ferguson
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Abel Torres Espin
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lindsay D Nelson
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Esther L Yuh
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amy J Markowitz
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Geoffrey T Manley
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Neurohub, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Weill Neurohub, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kristofer E Bouchard
- Weill Neurohub, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Scientific Data Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute and Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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8
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Szalai C. Arguments for and against the whole-genome sequencing of newborns. Am J Transl Res 2023; 15:6255-6263. [PMID: 37969196 PMCID: PMC10641337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Recent decades have brought enormous progress in both genetics and genomics, as well as in information technology (IT). The sequence of the human genome is now known, and although our knowledge is far from complete, great progress has been made in understanding how the genome works. With the developments in storage capacity, artificial intelligence, and learning algorithms, we are now able to learn and interpret complex systems such as the human genome in a very short time. Perhaps the most important goal of learning about the human genome is to understand diseases better: how they develop; how their processes can be prevented or slowed down; and after diseases have developed, how they can be cured or their symptoms alleviated. The vast majority of diseases have a genetic background, i.e., genes, sequence variations, and gene-gene interactions play a role in most diseases to a greater or lesser extent. Accordingly, the first step is to discover which genes, or genomic variants, cause or contribute to the development of a particular disease in a given patient. Given that an individual's genome remains virtually unchanged throughout their life (with one or two exceptions, such as in the case of cancer, which is caused by somatic mutations), it might be considered advantageous to sequence the genome of every person at birth. In this paper, we set out to show the possible benefits of sequencing the entire genome of every human being at birth, while also discussing the main arguments against it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Szalai
- Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University1089 Budapest, Hungary
- Heim Pál Children’s Hospital1089 Budapest, Hungary
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9
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Van Daele SH, Moisse M, van Vugt JJFA, Zwamborn RAJ, van der Spek R, van Rheenen W, Van Eijk K, Kenna K, Corcia P, Vourc'h P, Couratier P, Hardiman O, McLaughin R, Gotkine M, Drory V, Ticozzi N, Silani V, Ratti A, de Carvalho M, Mora Pardina JS, Povedano M, Andersen PM, Weber M, Başak NA, Shaw C, Shaw PJ, Morrison KE, Landers JE, Glass JD, van Es MA, van den Berg LH, Al-Chalabi A, Veldink J, Van Damme P. Genetic variability in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2023; 146:3760-3769. [PMID: 37043475 PMCID: PMC10473563 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
With the advent of gene therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), there is a surge in gene testing for this disease. Although there is ample experience with gene testing for C9orf72, SOD1, FUS and TARDBP in familial ALS, large studies exploring genetic variation in all ALS-associated genes in sporadic ALS (sALS) are still scarce. Gene testing in a diagnostic setting is challenging, given the complex genetic architecture of sALS, for which there are genetic variants with large and small effect sizes. Guidelines for the interpretation of genetic variants in gene panels and for counselling of patients are lacking. We aimed to provide a thorough characterization of genetic variability in ALS genes by applying the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) criteria on whole genome sequencing data from a large cohort of 6013 sporadic ALS patients and 2411 matched controls from Project MinE. We studied genetic variation in 90 ALS-associated genes and applied customized ACMG-criteria to identify pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants. Variants of unknown significance were collected as well. In addition, we determined the length of repeat expansions in C9orf72, ATXN1, ATXN2 and NIPA1 using the ExpansionHunter tool. We found C9orf72 repeat expansions in 5.21% of sALS patients. In 50 ALS-associated genes, we did not identify any pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. In 5.89%, a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant was found, most commonly in SOD1, TARDBP, FUS, NEK1, OPTN or TBK1. Significantly more cases carried at least one pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant compared to controls (odds ratio 1.75; P-value 1.64 × 10-5). Isolated risk factors in ATXN1, ATXN2, NIPA1 and/or UNC13A were detected in 17.33% of cases. In 71.83%, we did not find any genetic clues. A combination of variants was found in 2.88%. This study provides an inventory of pathogenic and likely pathogenic genetic variation in a large cohort of sALS patients. Overall, we identified pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants in 11.13% of ALS patients in 38 known ALS genes. In line with the oligogenic hypothesis, we found significantly more combinations of variants in cases compared to controls. Many variants of unknown significance may contribute to ALS risk, but diagnostic algorithms to reliably identify and weigh them are lacking. This work can serve as a resource for counselling and for the assembly of gene panels for ALS. Further characterization of the genetic architecture of sALS is necessary given the growing interest in gene testing in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sien Hilde Van Daele
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, and Leuven Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human genetics, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Moisse
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, and Leuven Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joke J F A van Vugt
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ramona A J Zwamborn
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rick van der Spek
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter van Rheenen
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kristel Van Eijk
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin Kenna
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Philippe Corcia
- Centre SLA, CHRU de Tours, 37044 Tours, France
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37032 Tours, France
| | - Patrick Vourc'h
- UMR 1253, iBrain, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37032 Tours, France
| | | | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland
| | - Russell McLaughin
- Complex Trait Genomics Laboratory, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland
| | - Marc Gotkine
- The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Vivian Drory
- Department of Neurology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, 64239 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20149 Milano, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, ‘Dino Ferrari’ Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20149 Milano, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, ‘Dino Ferrari’ Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonia Ratti
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20149 Milano, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Mamede de Carvalho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | | | - Peter M Andersen
- Department of Clinical Science, Neurosciences, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Nazli A Başak
- Koç University, School of Medicine, KUTTAM-NDAL, 34010 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Chris Shaw
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Karen E Morrison
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - John E Landers
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Jonathan D Glass
- Department Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Michael A van Es
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Jan Veldink
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, and Leuven Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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10
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Laundos TL, Li S, Cheang E, De Santis R, Piccolo FM, Brivanlou AH. Huntingtin CAG-expansion mutation results in a dominant negative effect. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1252521. [PMID: 37727506 PMCID: PMC10505792 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1252521] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Huntington's disease (HD) remains an incurable and fatal neurodegenerative disease long after CAG-expansion mutation in the huntingtin gene (HTT) was identified as the cause. The underlying pathological mechanism, whether HTT loss of function or gain of toxicity results from mutation, remains a matter of debate. Methods: In this study, we genetically modulated wild-type or mutant HTT expression levels in isogenic human embryonic stem cells to systematically investigate their contribution to HD-specific phenotypes. Results: Using highly reproducible and quantifiable in vitro micropattern-based assays, we observed comparable phenotypes with HD mutation and HTT depletion. However, halving endogenous wild-type HTT levels did not strongly recapitulate the HD phenotypes, arguing against a classical loss of function mechanism. Remarkably, expression of CAG-expanded HTT in non-HD cells induced HD like phenotypes akin to HTT depletion. Discussion: By corollary, these results indicate a dominant negative effect of mutated HTT on its wild-type counterpart. Complementation with additional copies of wild-type HTT ameliorated the HD-associated phenotypes, strongly supporting a classical dominant negative mechanism. Understanding the molecular basis of this dominant negative effect will guide the development of efficient clinical strategies to counteract the deleterious impact of mutant HTT on the wild-type HTT function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago L. Laundos
- Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, United States
- ICBAS—Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- INEB—Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Shu Li
- Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Eric Cheang
- Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Riccardo De Santis
- Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Francesco M. Piccolo
- Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Ali H. Brivanlou
- Laboratory of Synthetic Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York City, NY, United States
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11
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Chowdhury MAR, An J, Jeong S. The Pleiotropic Face of CREB Family Transcription Factors. Mol Cells 2023; 46:399-413. [PMID: 37013623 PMCID: PMC10336275 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2023.2193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
cAMP responsive element-binding protein (CREB) is one of the most intensively studied phosphorylation-dependent transcription factors that provide evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of differential gene expression in vertebrates and invertebrates. Many cellular protein kinases that function downstream of distinct cell surface receptors are responsible for the activation of CREB. Upon functional dimerization of the activated CREB to cis-acting cAMP responsive elements within the promoters of target genes, it facilitates signal-dependent gene expression. From the discovery of CREB, which is ubiquitously expressed, it has been proven to be involved in a variety of cellular processes that include cell proliferation, adaptation, survival, differentiation, and physiology, through the control of target gene expression. In this review, we highlight the essential roles of CREB proteins in the nervous system, the immune system, cancer development, hepatic physiology, and cardiovascular function and further discuss a wide range of CREB-associated diseases and molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Arifur Rahman Chowdhury
- Division of Life Sciences (Molecular Biology Major), Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Jungeun An
- Division of Life Sciences (Life Sciences Major), Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
| | - Sangyun Jeong
- Division of Life Sciences (Molecular Biology Major), Department of Bioactive Material Sciences, and Research Center of Bioactive Materials, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Korea
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12
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Yao Q, Gorevic P, Shen B, Gibson G. Genetically transitional disease: a new concept in genomic medicine. Trends Genet 2023; 39:98-108. [PMID: 36564319 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Traditional classification of genetic diseases as monogenic and polygenic has lagged far behind scientific progress. In this opinion article, we propose and define a new terminology, genetically transitional disease (GTD), referring to cases where a large-effect mutation is necessary, but not sufficient, to cause disease. This leads to a working disease nosology based on gradients of four types of genetic architecture: monogenic, polygenic, GTD, and mixed. We present four scenarios under which GTD may occur; namely, subsets of traditionally Mendelian disease, modifiable Tier 1 monogenic conditions, variable penetrance, and situations where a genetic mutational spectrum produces qualitatively divergent pathologies. The implications of the new nosology in precision medicine are discussed, in which therapeutic options may target the molecular cause or the disease phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingping Yao
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - Peter Gorevic
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Bo Shen
- Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Greg Gibson
- Center for Integrative Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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13
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Jih KY, Lai KL, Lin KP, Liao YC, Lee YC. Reduced-penetrance Huntington's disease-causing alleles with 39 CAG trinucleotide repeats could be a genetic factor of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Chin Med Assoc 2023; 86:47-51. [PMID: 36599142 DOI: 10.1097/jcma.0000000000000837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Expanded HTT alleles with 40 or more CAG repeats were recently found to be a rare cause of frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) spectrum diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of HTT repeat expansions in a Taiwanese cohort with ALS. METHODS We analyzed the numbers of CAG repeats in exon 1 of HTT in a cohort of 410 Taiwanese patients with ALS and 1514 control individuals by utilizing polymerase chain reaction and amplicon fragment length analysis. RESULTS Only one of the 410 ALS patients carried a reduced-penetrance HD-causing allele with 39 CAG repeats, and none had an expanded HTT CAG repeats ≥40. The patient presented with rapidly progressive bulbar-onset ALS with disease onset at the age of 64 years. He had neither chorea nor cognitive impairment. He had a family history of chorea, but no other family member manifested with ALS. None of the 1514 control individuals carried an HTT expanded allele with CAG repeats larger than 37 repeats. CONCLUSION The HTT allele with 39 CAG repeats could be a genetic factor linked to ALS susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Yang Jih
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Physiology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Neurology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Kuan-Lin Lai
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Neurology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Kon-Ping Lin
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Neurology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Chu Liao
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Neurology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yi-Chung Lee
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Neurology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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14
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Sun E, Kang M, Wibawa P, Tsoukra V, Chen Z, Farrand S, Eratne D, Kelso W, Evans A, Walterfang M, Velakoulis D, Loi SM. Huntington's disease: Mortality and risk factors in an Australian cohort. J Neurol Sci 2022; 442:120437. [PMID: 36179426 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There has not been any examination of the risk factors associated with mortality in Huntington's Disease (HD) in an Australian cohort. METHOD This retrospective study included inpatients admitted to a specialist neuropsychiatry service in Melbourne, Australia. HD status was based on genetic testing. Risk factors included age of onset, CAG repeat length and neuroimaging. Mortality data was acquired through the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Death Index. RESULTS The cohort included 83 participants, with 44 (53%) deceased. The median age of death was 59 years and median survival was 18.8 years from onset age (median 41.0 years). CAG repeat length (median 44.0, IQR 42.5, 47.0) was inversely correlated with age of onset (r = -0.73) and age at death (r = -0.80) but was not correlated with mortality status. There was no difference in functional and cognitive assessments, nor brain volumes, in the alive group compared to the deceased group. There were more people who were alive who had a positive family history of a psychiatric condition (p = 0.006) or dementia (p = 0.009). Standardised mortality ratios demonstrated a 5.9× increased risk of death for those with HD compared to the general population. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to examine risk factors of mortality in HD in an Australian cohort. Median survival in our cohort is consistent with previous studies in HD, and markedly reduced compared to the general Australian population. CAG repeat length was not associated with mortality suggesting that non-genetic factors contribute to mortality status and warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Sun
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
| | - Matthew Kang
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
| | - Pierre Wibawa
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
| | - Vivian Tsoukra
- Department of Neurology, Evaggelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Zhibin Chen
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton 3168, Australia.
| | - Sarah Farrand
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
| | - Dhamidhu Eratne
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville 3052, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville 3052, Australia.
| | - Wendy Kelso
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
| | - Andrew Evans
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
| | - Mark Walterfang
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville 3052, Australia; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville 3052, Australia.
| | - Dennis Velakoulis
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville 3052, Australia.
| | - Samantha M Loi
- Neuropsychiatry, NorthWestern Mental Health, Melbourne Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville 3052, Australia.
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15
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Pérez‐Oliveira S, Álvarez I, Rosas I, Menendez‐González M, Blázquez‐Estrada M, Aguilar M, Corte D, Buongiorno M, Molina‐Porcel L, Aldecoa I, Martí MJ, Sánchez‐Juan P, Infante J, González‐Aramburu I, García‐González P, Rosende‐Roca M, Boada M, Ruiz A, Periñán MT, Macías‐García D, Muñoz‐Delgado L, Gómez‐Garre P, Mir P, Clarimón J, Lleo A, Alcolea D, De la Casa‐Fages B, Duarte I, Álvarez V, Pastor P. Intermediate and Expanded
HTT
Alleles and the Risk for α‐Synucleinopathies. Mov Disord 2022; 37:1841-1849. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.29153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ignacio Álvarez
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology University Hospital Mútua de Terrassa and Fundació Docència i Recerca Mútua de Terrassa Terrassa, Barcelona Spain
| | - Irene Rosas
- Laboratorio de Genética Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
| | - Manuel Menendez‐González
- Department of Neurology Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA) Oviedo Spain
| | - Marta Blázquez‐Estrada
- Department of Neurology Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA) Oviedo Spain
| | - Miquel Aguilar
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology University Hospital Mútua de Terrassa and Fundació Docència i Recerca Mútua de Terrassa Terrassa, Barcelona Spain
| | - Daniela Corte
- Biobank of Principado de Asturias Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA) Oviedo Spain
| | - Mariateresa Buongiorno
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology University Hospital Mútua de Terrassa and Fundació Docència i Recerca Mútua de Terrassa Terrassa, Barcelona Spain
| | - Laura Molina‐Porcel
- Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Neurology Department Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi I Sunyer Barcelona Spain
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank‐Hospital Clinic‐IDIBAPS Barcelona Spain
| | - Iban Aldecoa
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank‐Hospital Clinic‐IDIBAPS Barcelona Spain
- Pathology Department, Biomedical Diagnostic Center Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - María J. Martí
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Neurociències, Maeztu Center, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
| | - Pascual Sánchez‐Juan
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Alzheimer’s Centre Reina Sofia‐CIEN Foundation‐ISCIII Madrid Spain
| | - Jon Infante
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (University of Cantabria and IDIVAL) Santander Spain
| | - Isabel González‐Aramburu
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (University of Cantabria and IDIVAL) Santander Spain
| | - Pablo García‐González
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | - Maitée Rosende‐Roca
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | - Mercè Boada
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | - Agustín Ruiz
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | - María Teresa Periñán
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Daniel Macías‐García
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Laura Muñoz‐Delgado
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Pilar Gómez‐Garre
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Pablo Mir
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
- Department of Medicine, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Jordi Clarimón
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology, IIB Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Alberto Lleo
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology, IIB Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Daniel Alcolea
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology, IIB Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Beatriz De la Casa‐Fages
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón Madrid Spain
- Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón Madrid Spain
| | - Israel Duarte
- Laboratorio de Genética Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
| | - Victoria Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Genética Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA) Oviedo Spain
| | - Pau Pastor
- Unit of Neurodegenerative diseases, Department of Neurology University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol and The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) Badalona Barcelona Spain
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16
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Tabrizi SJ, Schobel S, Gantman EC, Mansbach A, Borowsky B, Konstantinova P, Mestre TA, Panagoulias J, Ross CA, Zauderer M, Mullin AP, Romero K, Sivakumaran S, Turner EC, Long JD, Sampaio C. A biological classification of Huntington's disease: the Integrated Staging System. Lancet Neurol 2022; 21:632-644. [PMID: 35716693 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(22)00120-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The current research paradigm for Huntington's disease is based on participants with overt clinical phenotypes and does not address its pathophysiology nor the biomarker changes that can precede by decades the functional decline. We have generated a new research framework to standardise clinical research and enable interventional studies earlier in the disease course. The Huntington's Disease Integrated Staging System (HD-ISS) comprises a biological research definition and evidence-based staging centred on biological, clinical, and functional assessments. We used a formal consensus method that involved representatives from academia, industry, and non-profit organisations. The HD-ISS characterises individuals for research purposes from birth, starting at Stage 0 (ie, individuals with the Huntington's disease genetic mutation without any detectable pathological change) by using a genetic definition of Huntington's disease. Huntington's disease progression is then marked by measurable indicators of underlying pathophysiology (Stage 1), a detectable clinical phenotype (Stage 2), and then decline in function (Stage 3). Individuals can be precisely classified into stages based on thresholds of stage-specific landmark assessments. We also demonstrated the internal validity of this system. The adoption of the HD-ISS could facilitate the design of clinical trials targeting populations before clinical motor diagnosis and enable data standardisation across ongoing and future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, UK.
| | - Scott Schobel
- Product Development Neuroscience, F Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | - Tiago A Mestre
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Centre, Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Christopher A Ross
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Klaus Romero
- Critical Path Institute, Tucson, Arizona 85718, USA
| | | | | | - Jeffrey D Long
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Cristina Sampaio
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ, USA; Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
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17
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The evolutionary history of the polyQ tract in huntingtin sheds light on its functional pro-neural activities. Cell Death Differ 2022; 29:293-305. [PMID: 34974533 PMCID: PMC8817008 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-021-00914-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is caused by a pathologically long (>35) CAG repeat located in the first exon of the Huntingtin gene (HTT). While pathologically expanded CAG repeats are the focus of extensive investigations, non-pathogenic CAG tracts in protein-coding genes are less well characterized. Here, we investigated the function and evolution of the physiological CAG tract in the HTT gene. We show that the poly-glutamine (polyQ) tract encoded by CAGs in the huntingtin protein (HTT) is under purifying selection and subjected to stronger selective pressures than CAG-encoded polyQ tracts in other proteins. For natural selection to operate, the polyQ must perform a function. By combining genome-edited mouse embryonic stem cells and cell assays, we show that small variations in HTT polyQ lengths significantly correlate with cells' neurogenic potential and with changes in the gene transcription network governing neuronal function. We conclude that during evolution natural selection promotes the conservation and purity of the CAG-encoded polyQ tract and that small increases in its physiological length influence neural functions of HTT. We propose that these changes in HTT polyQ length contribute to evolutionary fitness including potentially to the development of a more complex nervous system.
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18
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Kingdom R, Wright CF. Incomplete Penetrance and Variable Expressivity: From Clinical Studies to Population Cohorts. Front Genet 2022; 13:920390. [PMID: 35983412 PMCID: PMC9380816 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.920390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The same genetic variant found in different individuals can cause a range of diverse phenotypes, from no discernible clinical phenotype to severe disease, even among related individuals. Such variants can be said to display incomplete penetrance, a binary phenomenon where the genotype either causes the expected clinical phenotype or it does not, or they can be said to display variable expressivity, in which the same genotype can cause a wide range of clinical symptoms across a spectrum. Both incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity are thought to be caused by a range of factors, including common variants, variants in regulatory regions, epigenetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle. Many thousands of genetic variants have been identified as the cause of monogenic disorders, mostly determined through small clinical studies, and thus, the penetrance and expressivity of these variants may be overestimated when compared to their effect on the general population. With the wealth of population cohort data currently available, the penetrance and expressivity of such genetic variants can be investigated across a much wider contingent, potentially helping to reclassify variants that were previously thought to be completely penetrant. Research into the penetrance and expressivity of such genetic variants is important for clinical classification, both for determining causative mechanisms of disease in the affected population and for providing accurate risk information through genetic counseling. A genotype-based definition of the causes of rare diseases incorporating information from population cohorts and clinical studies is critical for our understanding of incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity. This review examines our current knowledge of the penetrance and expressivity of genetic variants in rare disease and across populations, as well as looking into the potential causes of the variation seen, including genetic modifiers, mosaicism, and polygenic factors, among others. We also considered the challenges that come with investigating penetrance and expressivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Kingdom
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline F Wright
- Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
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19
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Grivennikov IA, Tarantul VZ. Genome Editing Technology for the Study and Correction of Neurodegenerative Diseases. NEUROCHEM J+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s181971242104005x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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20
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Batino LKJ, Hiyadan J, Liquete D, Flores M. Sporadic Huntington's disease in the Philippines: a case report. Neurodegener Dis Manag 2021; 11:445-449. [PMID: 34786953 DOI: 10.2217/nmt-2021-0023] [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: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder with core clinical features of choreoathetosis, cognitive deficits and behavioral changes. It is a rare disorder, primarily affecting the Caucasian population, and rarely Asians. To date, there are only two reported, genetically proven familial HD cases in the Philippines. We present the case of a 39-year-old Filipino male with a 10-year history of progressive behavior and personality changes followed by cognitive decline and choreoathetotic movements. Neuroimaging showed atrophy of both caudate and putamen with putaminal rim sign. Genetic testing revealed a 47 CAG trinucleotide repeats in the Huntingtin gene; family history is negative. This is the first, genetically proven, sporadic and the third HD case in the Philippines. Despite its rarity, this report highlights the importance of including HD as a possible cause of adult-onset chorea among Filipinos.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Hiyadan
- Baguio General Hospital & Medical Center, Department of Neurosciences, Baguio City, Benguet, 2600, Philippines
| | - Debbie Liquete
- Baguio General Hospital & Medical Center, Department of Neurosciences, Baguio City, Benguet, 2600, Philippines
| | - Manolo Flores
- Baguio General Hospital & Medical Center, Department of Neurosciences, Baguio City, Benguet, 2600, Philippines
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21
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McDonnell EI, Wang Y, Goldman J, Marder K. Age of Onset of Huntington's Disease in Carriers of Reduced Penetrance Alleles. Mov Disord 2021; 36:2958-2961. [PMID: 34536046 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Age of manifest Huntington's disease (HD) onset correlates with number of CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene. Little is known about onset with 36 to 39 repeats, the "reduced penetrance" (RP) range. OBJECTIVES We provide allele-specific estimates of HD penetrance (diagnostic confidence level of 4) for RP allele carriers. METHODS We analyzed 431 pre-manifest RP allele carriers from Enroll-HD, the largest prospective observational HD study. Cumulative penetrance (CP) was estimated from Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS No one with 36 repeats (n = 25) phenoconverted. CP for 38 repeats (n = 120) was 32% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0%-55%) and 51% (CI, 10%-73%) by ages 70 and 75, respectively, and 68% (CI, 46%-81%) and 81% (CI, 58%-92%) by ages 70 and 75 for 39 repeats (n = 253). CP was not estimable at those ages for 37 repeats (n = 33). CONCLUSIONS Differences by RP-range repeat length did not reach significance with a 3-year median follow-up duration among censored individuals. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin I McDonnell
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yuanjia Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jill Goldman
- The Taub Institute for Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Karen Marder
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,The Taub Institute for Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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22
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Dewan R, Scholz SW, Chiò A, Traynor BJ. Highlighting the clinical potential of HTT repeat expansions in Frontotemporal Dementia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neuron 2021; 109:1947-1948. [PMID: 34139184 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ramita Dewan
- Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sonja W Scholz
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Adriano Chiò
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin 10126, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R., Rome 00185, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin 10126, Italy
| | - Bryan J Traynor
- Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Reta Lila Weston Institute, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 1PJ, UK.
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23
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Mitochondrial biogenesis in organismal senescence and neurodegeneration. Mech Ageing Dev 2020; 191:111345. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2020.111345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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24
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Piras IS, Picinelli C, Iennaco R, Baccarin M, Castronovo P, Tomaiuolo P, Cucinotta F, Ricciardello A, Turriziani L, Nanetti L, Mariotti C, Gellera C, Lintas C, Sacco R, Zuccato C, Cattaneo E, Persico AM. Huntingtin gene CAG repeat size affects autism risk: Family-based and case-control association study. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2020; 183:341-351. [PMID: 32652810 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The Huntingtin (HTT) gene contains a CAG repeat in exon 1, whose expansion beyond 39 repeats consistently leads to Huntington's disease (HD), whereas normal-to-intermediate alleles seemingly modulate brain structure, function and behavior. The role of the CAG repeat in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was investigated applying both family-based and case-control association designs, with the SCA3 repeat as a negative control. Significant overtransmission of "long" CAG alleles (≥17 repeats) to autistic children and of "short" alleles (≤16 repeats) to their unaffected siblings (all p < 10-5 ) was observed in 612 ASD families (548 simplex and 64 multiplex). Surprisingly, both 193 population controls and 1,188 neurological non-HD controls have significantly lower frequencies of "short" CAG alleles compared to 185 unaffected siblings and higher rates of "long" alleles compared to 548 ASD patients from the same families (p < .05-.001). The SCA3 CAG repeat displays no association. "Short" HTT alleles seemingly exert a protective effect from clinically overt autism in families carrying a genetic predisposition for ASD, while "long" alleles may enhance autism risk. Differential penetrance of autism-inducing genetic/epigenetic variants may imply atypical developmental trajectories linked to HTT functions, including excitation/inhibition imbalance, cortical neurogenesis and apoptosis, neuronal migration, synapse formation, connectivity and homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignazio Stefano Piras
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Chiara Picinelli
- Mafalda Luce Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaele Iennaco
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Baccarin
- Mafalda Luce Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Castronovo
- Mafalda Luce Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Milan, Italy
| | - Pasquale Tomaiuolo
- Interdepartmental Program "Autism 0-90", "Gaetano Martino" University Hospital, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Francesca Cucinotta
- Interdepartmental Program "Autism 0-90", "Gaetano Martino" University Hospital, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Arianna Ricciardello
- Interdepartmental Program "Autism 0-90", "Gaetano Martino" University Hospital, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Laura Turriziani
- Interdepartmental Program "Autism 0-90", "Gaetano Martino" University Hospital, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Nanetti
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Caterina Mariotti
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Cinzia Gellera
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Carla Lintas
- Unit of Child and Adolescent NeuroPsychiatry & Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Neurogenetics, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Sacco
- Unit of Child and Adolescent NeuroPsychiatry & Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Neurogenetics, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Zuccato
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio M Persico
- Interdepartmental Program "Autism 0-90", "Gaetano Martino" University Hospital, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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25
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Frequency of the loss of CAA interruption in the HTT CAG tract and implications for Huntington disease in the reduced penetrance range. Genet Med 2020; 22:2108-2113. [PMID: 32741964 PMCID: PMC7708297 DOI: 10.1038/s41436-020-0917-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose In some Huntington disease (HD) patients, the “loss of interruption” (LOI) variant eliminates an interrupting codon in the HTT CAG-repeat tract, which causes earlier age of onset (AOO). The magnitude of this effect is uncertain, since previous studies included few LOI carriers, and the variant also causes CAG size misestimation. We developed a rapid LOI detection screen, enabling unbiased frequency estimation among manifest HD patients. Additionally, we combined published data with clinical data from newly identified patients to accurately characterize the LOI’s effect on AOO. Methods We developed a LOI detection polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, and screened patients to estimate the frequency of the LOI variant and its effect on AOO. Results Mean onset for LOI carriers (n = 49) is 20.4 years earlier than expected based on diagnosed CAG size. After correcting for CAG size underestimation, the variant is still associated with onset 9.5 years earlier. The LOI is present in 1.02% of symptomatic HD patients, and in 32.2% of symptomatic reduced penetrance (RP) range patients (36–39 CAGs). Conclusion The LOI causes significantly earlier onset, greater than expected by CAG length, particularly in persons with 36–39 CAG repeats. Detection of this variant has implications for HD families, especially for those in the RP range.
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26
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Roberts JS, Patterson AK, Uhlmann WR. Genetic testing for neurodegenerative diseases: Ethical and health communication challenges. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 141:104871. [PMID: 32302673 PMCID: PMC7311284 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in genomic science are informing an expansion of genetic testing for neurodegenerative diseases, which can be used for diagnostic and predictive purposes and performed in both medical and consumer genomics settings. Such testing-which is often for severe and incurable conditions like Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases-raises important ethical and health communication challenges. This review addresses such challenges in the contexts of clinical, research, and direct-to-consumer genetic testing; these include informed consent, risk estimation and communication, potential benefits and psychosocial harms of genetic information (e.g., genetic discrimination), access to services, education and workforce needs, and health policies. The review also highlights future areas of likely growth in the field, including polygenic risk scores, use of genetic testing in clinical trials, and return of individual research results.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Scott Roberts
- Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, United States of America.
| | - Anne K Patterson
- University of Michigan School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Wendy R Uhlmann
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan School of Medicine, United States of America
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27
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Salamon A, Maszlag-Török R, Veres G, Boros FA, Vágvölgyi-Sümegi E, Somogyi A, Vécsei L, Klivényi P, Zádori D. Cerebellar Predominant Increase in mRNA Expression Levels of Sirt1 and Sirt3 Isoforms in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. Neurochem Res 2020; 45:2072-2081. [PMID: 32524313 PMCID: PMC7423862 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03069-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The potential role of Sirt1 and Sirt2 subtypes of Sirtuins (class III NAD+-dependent deacetylases) in the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease (HD) has been extensively studied yielding some controversial results. However, data regarding the involvement of Sirt3 and their variants in HD are considerably limited. The aim of this study was to assess the expression pattern of Sirt1 and three Sirt3 mRNA isoforms (Sirt3-M1/2/3) in the striatum, cortex and cerebellum in respect of the effect of gender, age and the presence of the transgene using the N171-82Q transgenic mouse model of HD. Striatal, cortical and cerebellar Sirt1-Fl and Sirt3-M1/2/3 mRNA levels were measured in 8, 12 and 16 weeks old N171-82Q transgenic mice and in their wild-type littermates. Regarding the striatum and cortex, the presence of the transgene resulted in a significant increase in Sirt3-M3 and Sirt1 mRNA levels, respectively, whereas in case of the cerebellum the transgene resulted in increased expression of all the assessed subtypes and isoforms. Aging exerted minor influence on Sirt mRNA expression levels, both in transgene carriers and in their wild-type littermates, and there was no interaction between the presence of the transgene and aging. Furthermore, there was no difference between genders. The unequivocal cerebellar Sirtuin activation with presumed compensatory role suggests that the cerebellum might be another key player in HD in addition to the most severely affected striatum. The mitochondrially acting Sirt3 may serve as an interesting novel therapeutic target in this deleterious condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andras Salamon
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
| | - Rita Maszlag-Török
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
| | - Gábor Veres
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fanni Annamária Boros
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
| | - Evelin Vágvölgyi-Sümegi
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
| | - Anett Somogyi
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
| | - László Vécsei
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
- MTA-SZTE Neuroscience Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Klivényi
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary
| | - Dénes Zádori
- Department of Neurology, Interdisciplinary Excellence Center, Faculty of Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center, University of Szeged, Semmelweis u. 6, Szeged, 6725, Hungary.
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28
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Minikel EV, Karczewski KJ, Martin HC, Cummings BB, Whiffin N, Rhodes D, Alföldi J, Trembath RC, van Heel DA, Daly MJ, Schreiber SL, MacArthur DG. Evaluating drug targets through human loss-of-function genetic variation. Nature 2020; 581:459-464. [PMID: 32461653 PMCID: PMC7272226 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2267-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Naturally occurring human genetic variants that are predicted to inactivate protein-coding genes provide an in vivo model of human gene inactivation that complements knockout studies in cells and model organisms. Here we report three key findings regarding the assessment of candidate drug targets using human loss-of-function variants. First, even essential genes, in which loss-of-function variants are not tolerated, can be highly successful as targets of inhibitory drugs. Second, in most genes, loss-of-function variants are sufficiently rare that genotype-based ascertainment of homozygous or compound heterozygous 'knockout' humans will await sample sizes that are approximately 1,000 times those presently available, unless recruitment focuses on consanguineous individuals. Third, automated variant annotation and filtering are powerful, but manual curation remains crucial for removing artefacts, and is a prerequisite for recall-by-genotype efforts. Our results provide a roadmap for human knockout studies and should guide the interpretation of loss-of-function variants in drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Vallabh Minikel
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Konrad J Karczewski
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Beryl B Cummings
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicola Whiffin
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- National Heart and Lung Institute and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel Rhodes
- Centre for Translational Bioinformatics, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Jessica Alföldi
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard C Trembath
- School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - David A van Heel
- Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Mark J Daly
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stuart L Schreiber
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daniel G MacArthur
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
- Centre for Population Genomics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
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Apolinário TA, da Silva IDS, Agostinho LDA, Paiva CLA. Investigation of intermediate CAG alleles of the HTT in the general population of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in comparison with a sample of Huntington disease-affected families. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2020; 8:e1181. [PMID: 32067426 PMCID: PMC7196456 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) (MIM: 143100) is a severe autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansion of CAG trinucleotides (>35) in the HTT. OBJECTIVE To investigate the frequency of intermediate CAG alleles (IAs) in individuals residing in Rio de Janeiro city with no familial history of HD (general population, GP) in comparison with a sample of individuals from families presenting with HD who were previously investigated by our group (affected sample, AS). RESULTS The frequency of normal CAG alleles was 96.2%, while that of IAs was 3.6%, and that of reduced penetrance alleles was 0.2% in the GP (n = 470 chromosomes); 7.2% (17/235 individuals) of the GP presented an IA in heterozygosis with a normal allele. There was no statistically significant difference between the frequencies of the IAs in the GP and in the AS (p = .9). The most frequent haplotype per normal allele was (CAG)17-(CCG)7 (101/461) and per IA was (CAG)27-(CCG)7 (6/17) in the GP. These haplotypes were also the most frequent in the normal and IA chromosomes of the AS, respectively. CONCLUSION The genetic profiles of the IAs obtained from GP and AS were rather similar. It is important to investigate the frequencies of the IAs because expansions arise from a step-by-step mechanism in which, during intergenerational transmission, large normal alleles can generate IAs, which are then responsible for generating de novo HD mutations. The genetic investigation of IAs in the GP was also important because it was focused on the population of Rio de Janeiro, an understudied group. CCG7 was the most frequent CCG allele in linkage disequilibrium with normal, intermediate, and expanded CAG alleles, similar to the Western Europe population. However, a more robust investigation, in conjunction with haplogroup determination (A, B, or C), will be required to elucidate the ancestral origin of the HTT mutations in Brazilians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thays A. Apolinário
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em NeurologiaUniversidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO)Rio de JaneiroRJBrazil
| | - Iane dos Santos da Silva
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Molecular e CelularUniversidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO)Rio de JaneiroRJBrazil
| | - Luciana de Andrade Agostinho
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em NeurologiaUniversidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO)Rio de JaneiroRJBrazil
- Centro Universitário FAMINAS – UNIFAMINASMuriaéMGBrazil
- Fundação Cristiano Varella‐Hospital do CâncerMuriaéMGBrazil
| | - Carmen L. A. Paiva
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em NeurologiaUniversidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO)Rio de JaneiroRJBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Biologia Molecular e CelularUniversidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO)Rio de JaneiroRJBrazil
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30
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Tibben A, Dondorp WJ, de Wert GM, de Die-Smulders CE, Losekoot M, Bijlsma EK. Risk Assessment for Huntington's Disease for (Future) Offspring Requires Offering Preconceptional CAG Analysis to Both Partners. J Huntingtons Dis 2020; 8:71-78. [PMID: 30689590 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-180314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Amongst the main reasons people at risk for Huntington's disease (HD) have for undergoing predictive genetic testing are planning a family and prevention of passing on an expanded CAG-repeat to future offspring. After having received an unfavourable test result, a couple may consider prenatal testing in the foetus or preimplantation genetic diagnostic testing (PGD) in embryos. Testing of the foetus or embryos is possible by means of direct testing of the expanded repeat. Optimal reliability in testing the foetus or embryos requires the establishment of the origin of the repeats of both parents in the foetus. For PGD the analysis is combined with or sometimes solely based on identification of the at-risk haplotype in the embryo. This policy implies that in the context of direct testing, the healthy partner's CAG repeat lengths in the HD gene are also tested, but with the expectation that the repeat lengths of the partner are within the normal range, with the proviso that the partner's pedigree is free of clinically confirmed HD. However, recent studies have shown that the expanded repeat has been observed more often in the general population than previously estimated. Moreover, we have unexpectedly observed an expanded repeat in the non-HD partner in four cases which had far-reaching consequences. Hence, we propose that in the context of reproductive genetic counselling, prior to a planned pregnancy, and irrespective of the outcome of the predictive test in the HD-partner, the non-HD partner should also be given the option of being tested on the expanded allele. International recommendations for predictive testing for HD should be adjusted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aad Tibben
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wybo J Dondorp
- Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Guido M de Wert
- Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Moniek Losekoot
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Emilia K Bijlsma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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31
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Zielonka D, Witkowski G, Puch EA, Lesniczak M, Mazur-Michalek I, Isalan M, Mielcarek M. Prevalence of Non-psychiatric Comorbidities in Pre-symptomatic and Symptomatic Huntington's Disease Gene Carriers in Poland. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:79. [PMID: 32219094 PMCID: PMC7078243 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is monogenic neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG expansions within the Huntingtin gene (Htt); it has a prevalence of 1 in 10,000 worldwide and is invariably fatal. Typically, healthy individuals have fewer than 35 CAG repeats, while the CAG expansions range from 36 to ~200 in HD patients. The hallmark of HD is neurodegeneration, especially in the striatal nuclei, basal ganglia and cerebral cortex, leading to neurological symptoms that involve motor, cognitive, and psychiatric events. However, HD is a complex disorder that may also affect peripheral organs, so it is possible that HD patients could be affected by comorbidities. Hence, we investigated the prevalence of comorbid conditions in HD patients (pre-symptomatic and symptomatic groups) and compared the frequency of those conditions to a control group. Our groups represent 65% of HD gene carriers registered in Poland. We identified 8 clusters of comorbid conditions in both HD groups, namely: musculoskeletal, allergies, cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, thyroid, psychiatric, and ophthalmologic. We found that HD patients have a significantly higher percentage of co-existing conditions in comparison to the control group. Among the 8 clusters of diseases, musculoskeletal, psychiatric, and cardiovascular events were significantly more frequent in both pre- and symptomatic HD patients, while neurological and gastrointestinal clusters showed significantly higher occurrence in the HD symptomatic group. A greater recognition of comorbidity in HD might help to better understand health outcomes and improve clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zielonka
- Department of Public Health, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Witkowski
- First Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elzbieta A. Puch
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Marta Lesniczak
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Iwona Mazur-Michalek
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michal Mielcarek
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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32
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Gardiner SL, Boogaard MW, Trompet S, de Mutsert R, Rosendaal FR, Gussekloo J, Jukema JW, Roos RAC, Aziz NA. Prevalence of Carriers of Intermediate and Pathological Polyglutamine Disease-Associated Alleles Among Large Population-Based Cohorts. JAMA Neurol 2020; 76:650-656. [PMID: 30933216 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.0423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Importance Nine hereditary neurodegenerative diseases are known as polyglutamine diseases, including Huntington disease, 6 spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) (SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, SCA7, and SCA17), dentatorubral-pallidoluysion atrophy, and spinal bulbar muscular atrophy. Objective To determine the prevalence of carriers of intermediate and pathological polyglutamine disease-associated alleles among the general population. Design, Setting, and Participants This observational cross-sectional study included data from 5 large European population-based cohorts that were compiled between 1997 and 2012, and the analyses were conducted in 2018. In total, 16 547 DNA samples were obtained from participants of the 5 cohorts. Individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of major depression were excluded (n = 2351). In the remaining 14 196 participants without an established polyglutamine disease diagnosis, the CAG repeat size in both alleles of all 9 polyglutamine disease-associated genes (PDAGs) (ie, ATXN1, ATXN2, ATXN3, CACNA1A, ATXN7, TBP, HTT, ATN1, and AR) was determined. Exposure The number of CAG repeats in the alleles of the 9 PDAGs. Main Outcomes and Measures The number of individuals with alleles within the intermediate or pathological range per PDAG, as well as differences in sex, age, and body mass index between individuals carrying alleles within the normal or intermediate range and individuals carrying alleles within the pathological range of PDAGs. Results In the 14 196 analyzed participants (age range, 18-99 years; 56.3% female), 10.7% had a CAG repeat number within the intermediate range of at least 1 PDAG. Moreover, up to 1.3% of the participants had a CAG repeat number within the disease-causing range, predominantly in the lower pathological range associated with elderly onset. No differences in sex, age, or body mass index were found between individuals with CAG repeat numbers within the pathological range and individuals with CAG repeat numbers within the normal or intermediate range. Conclusions and Relevance These results indicate a high prevalence of individuals carrying intermediate and pathological ranges of polyglutamine disease-associated alleles among the general population. Therefore, a substantially larger proportion of individuals than previously estimated may be at risk of developing a polyglutamine disease later in life or bearing children with a de novo mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Gardiner
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Merel W Boogaard
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Stella Trompet
- Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Renée de Mutsert
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Frits R Rosendaal
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jacobijn Gussekloo
- Section of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands.,Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - J Wouter Jukema
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Raymund A C Roos
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - N Ahmad Aziz
- German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
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Williams GM, Petrides AK, Balakrishnan L, Surtees JA. Tracking Expansions of Stable and Threshold Length Trinucleotide Repeat Tracts In Vivo and In Vitro Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2056:25-68. [PMID: 31586340 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9784-8_3] [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] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Trinucleotide repeat (TNR) tracts are inherently unstable during DNA replication, leading to repeat expansions and/or contractions. Expanded tracts are the cause of over 40 neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. In this chapter, we focus on the (CAG)n and (CTG)n repeat sequences that, when expanded, lead to Huntington's disease (HD) and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), respectively, as well as a number of other neurodegenerative diseases. TNR tracts in most individuals are relatively small and stable in terms of length. However, TNR tracts become increasingly prone to expansion as tract length increases, eventually leading to very long tracts that disrupt coding (e.g. HD) or noncoding (e.g., DM1) regions of the genome. It is important to understand the early stages in TNR expansions, that is, the transition from small, stable lengths to susceptible threshold lengths. We describe PCR-based in vivo assays, using the model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to determine and characterize the dynamic behavior of TNR tracts in the stable and threshold ranges. We also describe a simple in vitro system to assess tract dynamics during 5' single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) flap processing and to assess the role of different DNA metabolism proteins in these dynamics. These assays can ultimately be used to determine factors that influence the early stages of TNR tract expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M Williams
- Centre for Chromosome Biology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
- Galway Neuroscience Centre, National Universityof Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | | | - Lata Balakrishnan
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jennifer A Surtees
- Department of Biochemistry, JacobsSchool of Medicine and BiomedicalSciences, State University of New York atBuffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics Program, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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34
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Alonso R, Pisa D, Carrasco L. Brain Microbiota in Huntington's Disease Patients. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2622. [PMID: 31798558 PMCID: PMC6861841 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most important challenges facing medical science is to better understand the cause of neuronal pathology in neurodegenerative diseases. Such is the case for Huntington's disease (HD), a genetic disorder primarily caused by a triplet expansion in the Huntingtin gene (HTT). Although aberrant HTT is expressed from embryogenesis, it remains puzzling as to why the onset of disease symptoms manifest only after several decades of life. In the present study, we investigated the possibility of microbial infection in brain tissue from patients with HD, reasoning that perhaps mutated HTT could be deleterious for immune cells and neural tissue, and could facilitate microbial colonization. Using immunohistochemistry approaches, we observed a variety of fungal structures in the striatum and frontal cortex of seven HD patients. Some of these fungi were found in close proximity to the nucleus, or even as intranuclear inclusions. Identification of the fungal species was accomplished by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Interestingly, some genera, such as Ramularia, appeared unique to HD patients, and have not been previously described in other neurodegenerative diseases. Several bacterial species were also identified both by PCR and NGS. Notably, a curved and filamentous structure that immunoreacts with anti-bacterial antibodies was characteristic of HD brains and has not been previously observed in brain tissue from neurodegenerative patients. Prevalent bacterial genera included Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Burkholderia. Collectively, our results represent the first attempt to identify the brain microbiota in HD. Our observations suggest that microbial colonization may be a risk factor for HD and might explain why the onset of the disease appears after several decades of life. Importantly, they may open a new field of investigation and could help in the design of new therapeutic strategies for this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Alonso
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Pisa
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Carrasco
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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35
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A genetic association study of glutamine-encoding DNA sequence structures, somatic CAG expansion, and DNA repair gene variants, with Huntington disease clinical outcomes. EBioMedicine 2019; 48:568-580. [PMID: 31607598 PMCID: PMC6838430 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) is caused by an unstable CAG/CAA repeat expansion encoding a toxic polyglutamine tract. Here, we tested the hypotheses that HD outcomes are impacted by somatic expansion of, and polymorphisms within, the HTT CAG/CAA glutamine-encoding repeat, and DNA repair genes. METHODS The sequence of the glutamine-encoding repeat and the proportion of somatic CAG expansions in blood DNA from participants inheriting 40 to 50 CAG repeats within the TRACK-HD and Enroll-HD cohorts were determined using high-throughput ultra-deep-sequencing. Candidate gene polymorphisms were genotyped using kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP). Genotypic associations were assessed using time-to-event and regression analyses. FINDINGS Using data from 203 TRACK-HD and 531 Enroll-HD participants, we show that individuals with higher blood DNA somatic CAG repeat expansion scores have worse HD outcomes: a one-unit increase in somatic expansion score was associated with a Cox hazard ratio for motor onset of 3·05 (95% CI = 1·94 to 4·80, p = 1·3 × 10-6). We also show that individual-specific somatic expansion scores are associated with variants in FAN1 (pFDR = 4·8 × 10-6), MLH3 (pFDR = 8·0 × 10-4), MLH1 (pFDR = 0·004) and MSH3 (pFDR = 0·009). We also show that HD outcomes are best predicted by the number of pure CAGs rather than total encoded-glutamines. INTERPRETATION These data establish pure CAG length, rather than encoded-glutamine, as the key inherited determinant of downstream pathophysiology. These findings have implications for HD diagnostics, and support somatic expansion as a mechanistic link for genetic modifiers of clinical outcomes, a driver of disease, and potential therapeutic target in HD and related repeat expansion disorders. FUNDING CHDI Foundation.
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36
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Ramond F, Quadrio I, Le Vavasseur L, Chaumet H, Boyer F, Bost M, Ollagnon-Roman E. Predictive testing for Huntington disease over 24 years: Evolution of the profile of the participants and analysis of symptoms. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2019; 7:e00881. [PMID: 31436908 PMCID: PMC6785454 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative autosomal dominant genetic condition. Predictive testing (PT) is available through a defined protocol for at-risk individuals. We analyzed the over-24-years evolution of practices regarding PT for HD in a single center. METHODS We gathered data from the files of all individuals seeking PT for HD in Lyon, France, from 1994 to 2017. RESULTS 448 out of 567 participants had exploitable data. Age at consultation dichotomized over 24 years toward an eightfold increase in individuals aged >55 (2/94 vs. 30/183; 2% to 16%; p < .0001) and twice as many individuals aged 18-20 (3/94 vs. 12/183; 3%-7%; p < .05). Motives for testing remained stable. The rate of withdrawal doubled over 24 years (9/94 vs. 38/183; 9%-21%; p < .02). Independently of the time period, less withdrawal was observed for married, accompanied, at 50% risk, and symptomatic individuals, and in those able to explicit the motives for testing or taking the test to inform their children. We also assessed the consistency between the presence of subtle symptoms compatible with HD found before the test by the team's neurologist, and the positivity of the molecular test. The concordance was 100% (17/17) for associated motor and cognitive signs, 87% (27/31) for isolated motor signs, and 70% (7/10) for isolated cognitive signs. Furthermore, 91% (20/22) of individuals who requested testing because they thought they had symptoms, were indeed found carriers. CONCLUSION This over-24 years study underlines an increasing withdrawal from protocol and a dichotomization of participants' age. We also show a strong concordance between symptoms perceived by the neurologist or by the patient, and the subsequent positivity of the predictive molecular test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Ramond
- Service de neurogénétique et médecine prédictive, GH Nord-Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Service de Génétique, CHU-Hôpital Nord, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Isabelle Quadrio
- Unité des Pathologies Neurogénétiques Héréditaires - Service de biochimie et biologie moléculaire Grand Est, CBPE, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.,BIORAN Team, CNRS UMR 5292, INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Lyon 1 University, Bron, France
| | - Laurence Le Vavasseur
- Service de neurogénétique et médecine prédictive, GH Nord-Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Hélène Chaumet
- Service de neurogénétique et médecine prédictive, GH Nord-Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Fabrice Boyer
- Service de neurogénétique et médecine prédictive, GH Nord-Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Muriel Bost
- Unité des Pathologies Neurogénétiques Héréditaires - Service de biochimie et biologie moléculaire Grand Est, CBPE, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Elisabeth Ollagnon-Roman
- Service de neurogénétique et médecine prédictive, GH Nord-Hôpital de la Croix Rousse, Hospices civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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Li XY, Zhang YB, Xu M, Cheng HR, Dong Y, Ni W, Li HL, Wu ZY. Effect of Apolipoprotein E Genotypes on Huntington's Disease Phenotypes in a Han Chinese Population. Neurosci Bull 2019; 35:756-762. [PMID: 30887245 PMCID: PMC6616567 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-019-00360-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant degenerative disease that mainly encompasses movement, cognition, and behavioral symptoms. The apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is thought to be associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we enrolled a cohort of 223 unrelated Han Chinese patients with HD and 1241 unrelated healthy controls in Southeastern China and analyzed the correlation between APOE genotypes and HD phenotypes. The results showed that the frequency of the E4 allele (7.1%) in HD patients was statistically less than that in controls (12.0%) (P =0.004). In addition, we divided patients into motor-onset and non-motor-onset groups, and analyzed the relationship with APOE genotypes. The results, however, were negative. Furthermore, the age at onset (AAO), defined as the age at the onset of motor symptoms, was compared in each APOE genotype subgroup and multivariate regression analysis was used to exclude the interference of CAG repeat length on AAO, but no association was found between APOE genotypes and AAO. Finally, we analyzed adult-onset HD to exclude the interference caused by juvenile HD (n = 13), and the results were negative. Therefore, our study suggests that APOE may not be a genetic modifier for HD, especially for adult-onset HD among Chinese of Han ethnicity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of the correlation between APOE genotypes and HD phenotypes in a Han Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan Li
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yan-Bin Zhang
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350005, China
| | - Miao Xu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200041, China
| | - Hong-Rong Cheng
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yi Dong
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Wang Ni
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Hong-Lei Li
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
| | - Zhi-Ying Wu
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in the Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Joint Institute for Genetics and Genome Medicine between Zhejiang University and University of Toronto, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
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38
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Quarrell OW, Delatycki MB, Clarke AJ, Lahiri N, Craufurd D, Miedzybrodzka Z, MacLeod R, Renwick P, Tomlinson C. Letter in Response to Tibben et al., Risk Assessment for Huntington's Disease for (Future) Offspring Requires Offering Preconceptional CAG Analysis to Both Partners. J Huntingtons Dis 2019; 8:357-359. [PMID: 31282428 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-190360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver W Quarrell
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Sheffield Children's NHS Trust, OPD II Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Victorian Clinical Genetic Services, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville VIC, Australia
| | - Angus J Clarke
- Institute of Cancer and Genetics, University of Cardiff, Cardiff, UK
| | - Nayana Lahiri
- Clinical Genetics Department, St George's University of London, London, UK and St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - David Craufurd
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, Division of Evolution and Genomics Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. and St. Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Zosia Miedzybrodzka
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.,North of Scotland Regional Genetics Service, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Rhona MacLeod
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, Division of Evolution and Genomics Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. and St. Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Pamela Renwick
- Center for Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Great Maze Pond, London, UK
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Wright GEB, Collins JA, Kay C, McDonald C, Dolzhenko E, Xia Q, Bečanović K, Drögemöller BI, Semaka A, Nguyen CM, Trost B, Richards F, Bijlsma EK, Squitieri F, Ross CJD, Scherer SW, Eberle MA, Yuen RKC, Hayden MR. Length of Uninterrupted CAG, Independent of Polyglutamine Size, Results in Increased Somatic Instability, Hastening Onset of Huntington Disease. Am J Hum Genet 2019; 104:1116-1126. [PMID: 31104771 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Although the length of this repeat is inversely correlated with age of onset (AOO), it does not fully explain the variability in AOO. We assessed the sequence downstream of the CAG repeat in HTT [reference: (CAG)n-CAA-CAG], since variants within this region have been previously described, but no study of AOO has been performed. These analyses identified a variant that results in complete loss of interrupting (LOI) adenine nucleotides in this region [(CAG)n-CAG-CAG]. Analysis of multiple HD pedigrees showed that this LOI variant is associated with dramatically earlier AOO (average of 25 years) despite the same polyglutamine length as in individuals with the interrupting penultimate CAA codon. This LOI allele is particularly frequent in persons with reduced penetrance alleles who manifest with HD and increases the likelihood of presenting clinically with HD with a CAG of 36-39 repeats. Further, we show that the LOI variant is associated with increased somatic repeat instability, highlighting this as a significant driver of this effect. These findings indicate that the number of uninterrupted CAG repeats, which is lengthened by the LOI, is the most significant contributor to AOO of HD and is more significant than polyglutamine length, which is not altered in these individuals. In addition, we identified another variant in this region, where the CAA-CAG sequence is duplicated, which was associated with later AOO. Identification of these cis-acting modifiers have potentially important implications for genetic counselling in HD-affected families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen E B Wright
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Collins
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Chris Kay
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Cassandra McDonald
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | | | - Qingwen Xia
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Kristina Bečanović
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Britt I Drögemöller
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Alicia Semaka
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Charlotte M Nguyen
- The Hospital For Sick Children, The Centre for Applied Genomics, Genetics and Genome Biology, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Molecular Genetics, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Brett Trost
- The Hospital For Sick Children, The Centre for Applied Genomics, Genetics and Genome Biology, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Fiona Richards
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Emilia K Bijlsma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2333, the Netherlands
| | - Ferdinando Squitieri
- Huntington and Rare Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo 71013, Italy
| | - Colin J D Ross
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- The Hospital For Sick Children, The Centre for Applied Genomics, Genetics and Genome Biology, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Molecular Genetics, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | | | - Ryan K C Yuen
- The Hospital For Sick Children, The Centre for Applied Genomics, Genetics and Genome Biology, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; University of Toronto, Department of Molecular Genetics, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Michael R Hayden
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada.
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40
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Migliore S, Jankovic J, Squitieri F. Genetic Counseling in Huntington's Disease: Potential New Challenges on Horizon? Front Neurol 2019; 10:453. [PMID: 31114543 PMCID: PMC6503085 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare, hereditary, neurodegenerative and dominantly transmitted disorder affecting about 10 out of 100,000 people in Western Countries. The genetic cause is a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT), which is unstable and may further increase its length in subsequent generations, so called anticipation. Mutation repeat length coupled with other gene modifiers and environmental factors contribute to the age at onset in the offspring. Considering the unpredictability of age at onset and of clinical prognosis in HD, the accurate interpretation, a proper psychological support and a scientifically sound and compassionate communication of the genetic test result are crucial in the context of Good Clinical Practice and when considering further potential disease-modifying therapies. We discuss various genetic test scenarios that require a particularly careful attention in psychological and genetic counseling and expect that the counseling procedures will require a constant update.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Migliore
- Huntington and Rare Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza Research Hospital, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Joseph Jankovic
- Department of Neurology, Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Ferdinando Squitieri
- Huntington and Rare Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza Research Hospital, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
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41
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Testa CM, Jankovic J. Huntington disease: A quarter century of progress since the gene discovery. J Neurol Sci 2019; 396:52-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2018.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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42
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Chheda P, Chanekar M, Salunkhe Y, Dama T, Pais A, Pande S, Bendre R, Shah N. A Study of Triplet-Primed PCR for Identification of CAG Repeat Expansion in the HTT Gene in a Cohort of 503 Indian Cases with Huntington's Disease Symptoms. Mol Diagn Ther 2018; 22:353-359. [PMID: 29619771 DOI: 10.1007/s40291-018-0327-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disorder with an average age at onset of 40 years. It is a polyglutamine (polyQ) disorder that is caused by an increase in the number of CAG repeats in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Genetic tests that accurately determine the number of CAG repeats are performed for confirmation of diagnosis, predictive testing of persons at genetic risk for inheriting HD, and prenatal testing. The aim of our study was to evaluate efficacy of triplet-primed polymerase chain reaction (TP-PCR) for routine diagnosis of HD in suspected cases from India. METHODS We evaluated a combination of CAG flanking PCR and triplet-primed PCR for estimation of CAG repeats in 503 cases with clinical suspicion of HD. RESULTS There were 250 cases (49.7%) that showed the presence of expanded alleles, with 241 (47.9%) being fully penetrant alleles and nine (1.8%) in the reduced penetrance category. There were seven juvenile cases with an age of onset of < 20 years, with the longest allele comprising 106 CAG repeats found in an 8-year-old male patient. The results demonstrated an inverse (R = - 0.67) relationship between CAG length and age at clinical onset. CONCLUSION Our study on pan-Indian cases is one of the largest studies reported so far in India and focuses on the most accurate and comprehensive molecular diagnostic evaluation of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratiksha Chheda
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Commercial Building A, Unit No. 409 to 416, 4th Floor, Kohinoor City, Near Kohinoor Mall, Kirol Road, Kurla-W, Mumbai, 400 070, India.
| | - Milind Chanekar
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Commercial Building A, Unit No. 409 to 416, 4th Floor, Kohinoor City, Near Kohinoor Mall, Kirol Road, Kurla-W, Mumbai, 400 070, India
| | - Yogita Salunkhe
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Commercial Building A, Unit No. 409 to 416, 4th Floor, Kohinoor City, Near Kohinoor Mall, Kirol Road, Kurla-W, Mumbai, 400 070, India
| | - Tavisha Dama
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Commercial Building A, Unit No. 409 to 416, 4th Floor, Kohinoor City, Near Kohinoor Mall, Kirol Road, Kurla-W, Mumbai, 400 070, India
| | - Anurita Pais
- Genetics Department, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Mumbai, 400 070, India
| | - Shailesh Pande
- Genetics Department, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Mumbai, 400 070, India
| | - Rajesh Bendre
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Commercial Building A, Unit No. 409 to 416, 4th Floor, Kohinoor City, Near Kohinoor Mall, Kirol Road, Kurla-W, Mumbai, 400 070, India
| | - Nilesh Shah
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Commercial Building A, Unit No. 409 to 416, 4th Floor, Kohinoor City, Near Kohinoor Mall, Kirol Road, Kurla-W, Mumbai, 400 070, India
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43
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Murphy OC, O’Toole O, Hand CK, Ryan AM. Chorea-Acanthocytosis and the Huntington Disease Allele in an Irish Family. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y) 2018; 8:604. [PMID: 30622839 PMCID: PMC6315059 DOI: 10.7916/d8r22j6m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Olwen C. Murphy
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Centre, Cork University Hospital, Cork, IE
- Department of Neurology, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, IE
| | - Orna O’Toole
- Department of Neurology, Mercy University Hospital, Cork, IE
| | | | - Aisling M. Ryan
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Centre, Cork University Hospital, Cork, IE
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44
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Long JD, Lee JM, Aylward EH, Gillis T, Mysore JS, Abu Elneel K, Chao MJ, Paulsen JS, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF. Genetic Modification of Huntington Disease Acts Early in the Prediagnosis Phase. Am J Hum Genet 2018; 103:349-357. [PMID: 30122542 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Age at onset of Huntington disease, an inherited neurodegenerative disorder, is influenced by the size of the disease-causing CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in HTT and by genetic modifier loci on chromosomes 8 and 15. Stratifying by modifier genotype, we have examined putamen volume, total motor score (TMS), and symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) scores, both at study entry and longitudinally, in normal controls and CAG-expansion carriers who were enrolled prior to the emergence of manifest HD in the PREDICT-HD study. The modifiers, which included onset-hastening and onset-delaying alleles on chromosome 15 and an onset-hastening allele on chromosome 8, revealed no major effect in controls but distinct patterns of modification in prediagnosis HD subjects. Putamen volume at study entry showed evidence of reciprocal modification by the chromosome 15 alleles, but the rate of loss of putamen volume was modified only by the deleterious chromosome 15 allele. By contrast, both alleles modified the rate of change of the SDMT score, but neither had an effect on the TMS. The influence of the chromosome 8 modifier was evident only in the rate of TMS increase. The data indicate that (1) modification of pathogenesis can occur early in the prediagnosis phase, (2) the modifier loci act in genetic interaction with the HD mutation rather than through independent additive effects, and (3) HD subclinical phenotypes are differentially influenced by each modifier, implying distinct effects in different cells or tissues. Together, these findings indicate the potential benefit of using genetic modifier strategies for dissecting the prediagnosis pathogenic process in HD.
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45
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Zabnenkova V, Schagina OA, Galeeva NM, Kopishinskaya SV, Polyakov AV. HTT Gene Premutation Allele Frequencies in the Russian Federation. RUSS J GENET+ 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795418060169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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46
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Critchley BJ, Isalan M, Mielcarek M. Neuro-Cardio Mechanisms in Huntington's Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders. Front Physiol 2018; 9:559. [PMID: 29875678 PMCID: PMC5974550 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Huntington's disease is generally considered to be a neurological disorder, there is mounting evidence that heart malfunction plays an important role in disease progression. This is perhaps not unexpected since both cardiovascular and nervous systems are strongly connected - both developmentally and subsequently in health and disease. This connection occurs through a system of central and peripheral neurons that control cardiovascular performance, while in return the cardiovascular system works as a sensor for the nervous system to react to physiological events. Hence, given their permanent interconnectivity, any pathological events occurring in one system might affect the second. In addition, some pathological signals from Huntington's disease might occur simultaneously in both the cardiovascular and nervous systems, since mutant huntingtin protein is expressed in both. Here we aim to review the source of HD-related cardiomyopathy in the light of recently published studies, and to identify similarities between HD-related cardiomyopathy and other neuro-cardio disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethan J. Critchley
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Isalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michal Mielcarek
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Epidemiology of Rare Diseases and Neuroepidemiology, University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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47
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Kay C, Collins JA, Wright GEB, Baine F, Miedzybrodzka Z, Aminkeng F, Semaka AJ, McDonald C, Davidson M, Madore SJ, Gordon ES, Gerry NP, Cornejo-Olivas M, Squitieri F, Tishkoff S, Greenberg JL, Krause A, Hayden MR. The molecular epidemiology of Huntington disease is related to intermediate allele frequency and haplotype in the general population. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2018; 177:346-357. [PMID: 29460498 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is the most common monogenic neurodegenerative disorder in populations of European ancestry, but occurs at lower prevalence in populations of East Asian or black African descent. New mutations for HD result from CAG repeat expansions of intermediate alleles (IAs), usually of paternal origin. The differing prevalence of HD may be related to the rate of new mutations in a population, but no comparative estimates of IA frequency or the HD new mutation rate are available. In this study, we characterize IA frequency and the CAG repeat distribution in fifteen populations of diverse ethnic origin. We estimate the HD new mutation rate in a series of populations using molecular IA expansion rates. The frequency of IAs was highest in Hispanic Americans and Northern Europeans, and lowest in black Africans and East Asians. The prevalence of HD correlated with the frequency of IAs by population and with the proportion of IAs found on the HD-associated A1 haplotype. The HD new mutation rate was estimated to be highest in populations with the highest frequency of IAs. In European ancestry populations, one in 5,372 individuals from the general population and 7.1% of individuals with an expanded CAG repeat in the HD range are estimated to have a molecular new mutation. Our data suggest that the new mutation rate for HD varies substantially between populations, and that IA frequency and haplotype are closely linked to observed epidemiological differences in the prevalence of HD across major ancestry groups in different countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Kay
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Collins
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Galen E B Wright
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Fiona Baine
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.,Division of Human Genetics, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Zosia Miedzybrodzka
- Medical Genetics Group, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Folefac Aminkeng
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Alicia J Semaka
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cassandra McDonald
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mark Davidson
- Medical Genetics Group, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Steven J Madore
- Molecular Biology Group, Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, New Jersey
| | - Erynn S Gordon
- Molecular Biology Group, Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, New Jersey
| | - Norman P Gerry
- Molecular Biology Group, Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, New Jersey
| | - Mario Cornejo-Olivas
- Neurogenetics Research Center, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurologicas, Lima, Peru
| | - Ferdinando Squitieri
- IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital, Huntington and Rare Diseases Unit (CSS-Mendel Rome), San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Sarah Tishkoff
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jacquie L Greenberg
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Amanda Krause
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Michael R Hayden
- Centre for Molecular Medicine Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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48
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Holmans PA, Massey TH, Jones L. Genetic modifiers of Mendelian disease: Huntington's disease and the trinucleotide repeat disorders. Hum Mol Genet 2018; 26:R83-R90. [PMID: 28977442 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the decades since the genes and mutations associated with the commoner Mendelian disorders were first discovered, technological advances in genetic analysis have made finding genomic variation a much less onerous task. Recently, the global efforts to collect subjects with Mendelian disorders, to better define the disorders and to empower appropriate clinical trials, along with improved genetic technologies, have allowed the identification of genetic variation that does not cause disease, but substantially modifies disease presentation. The advantage of this is it identifies biological pathways and molecules, that, if modified in people, might alter disease presentation. In Huntington's disease (HD), caused by an expanded CAG repeat tract in HTT, genetic variation has been uncovered that is associated with change in the onset or progression of disease. Some of this variation lies in genes that are part of the DNA damage response, previously suggested to be important in modulating expansion of the repeat tract in germline and somatic cells. The genetic evidence implicates a DNA damage response-related pathway in modulating the pathogenicity of the repeat tracts in HD, and possibly, in other trinucleotide repeat disorders. These findings offer new targets for drug development in these currently intractable disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Holmans
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Thomas H Massey
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
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49
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Hashimoto M, Ho G, Takamatsu Y, Wada R, Sugama S, Takenouchi T, Masliah E, Waragai M. Possible Role of the Polyglutamine Elongation in Evolution of Amyloid-Related Evolvability. J Huntingtons Dis 2018; 7:297-307. [PMID: 30372687 PMCID: PMC6294593 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-180309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, such as Huntington's disease and the spinocerebellar ataxias, are characterized by the accumulation of elongated polyQ sequences (epolyQ) and mostly occur during midlife. Considering that polyQ disorders have not been selected out in evolution, there might be important physiological functions of epolyQ during development and/or reproduction. In a similar context, the physiological functions of neurodegeneration-associated amyloidogenic proteins (APs), such as β-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease and α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease, remain elusive. In this regard, we recently proposed that evolvability for coping with diverse stressors in the brain, which is beneficial for offspring, might be relevant to the physiological functions of APs. Given analogous properties of APs and epolyQ in terms of neurotoxic amyloid-fibril formation, the objective of this paper is to determine whether evolvability could also be applied to the physiological functions of epolyQ. Indeed, APs and epolyQ are similar in many ways, including functional redundancy of non-amyloidogenic homologues, hormesis conferred by the heterogeneity of the stress-induced protein aggregates, the transgenerational prion-like transmission of the protein aggregates via germ cells, and the antagonistic pleiotropy relationship between evolvability and neurodegenerative disease. Given that epolyQ is widely expressed from microorganisms to human brain, whereas APs are only identified in vertebrates, evolvability of epolyQ is considered to be much more primitive compared to those of APs during evolution. Collectively, epolyQ may be not only be important in the pathophysiology of polyQ diseases, but also in the evolution of amyloid-related evolvability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Hashimoto
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gilbert Ho
- PCND Neuroscience Research Institute, Poway, CA, USA
| | - Yoshiki Takamatsu
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryoko Wada
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuei Sugama
- Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takato Takenouchi
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Eliezer Masliah
- Division of Neurosciences, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Masaaki Waragai
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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50
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Williams GM, Surtees JA. Measuring Dynamic Behavior of Trinucleotide Repeat Tracts In Vivo in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1672:439-470. [PMID: 29043641 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7306-4_30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Trinucleotide repeat (TNR) tracts are inherently unstable during DNA replication, leading to repeat expansions and/or contractions. Expanded tracts are the cause of over 40 neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases. In this chapter, we focus on the (CNG)n repeat sequences that, when expanded, lead to Huntington's disease (HD), myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), and a number of other neurodegenerative diseases. We describe a series of in vivo assays, using the model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to determine and characterize the dynamic behavior of TNR tracts that are in the early stages of expansion, i.e., the so-called threshold range. Through a series of time courses and PCR-based assays, dynamic changes in tract length can be observed as a function of time. These assays can ultimately be used to determine how genetic factors influence the process of tract expansion in these early stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M Williams
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Jennifer A Surtees
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA. .,Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics Program, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA.
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