Clinical relevance of genetic polymorphisms in WNT signaling pathway (SFRP1, WNT3A, CTNNB1, WIF-1, DKK-1, LRP5, LRP6) on pulmonary tuberculosis in a Chinese population

Retrospective Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Analysis of Host Resistance and Susceptibility to Ovine Johne's Disease Using Restored FFPE DNA

Johne's disease (JD), also known as paratuberculosis, is a chronic, untreatable gastroenteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection. Evidence for host genetic resistance to disease progression exists, although it is limited due to the extended incubation period (years) and diagnostic challenges. To overcome this, previously restored formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue (FFPE) DNA from archived FFPE tissue cassettes was utilized for a novel retrospective case-control genome-wide association study (GWAS) on ovine JD. Samples from known MAP-infected flocks with ante- and postmortem diagnostic data were used. Cases (N = 9) had evidence of tissue infection, compared to controls (N = 25) without evidence of tissue infection despite positive antemortem diagnostics. A genome-wide efficient mixed model analysis (GEMMA) to conduct a GWAS using restored FFPE DNA SNP results from the Illumina Ovine SNP50 Bead Chip, identified 10 SNPs reaching genome-wide significance of p < 1 × 10-6 on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 24, and 26. Pathway analysis using PANTHER and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) was completed on 45 genes found within 1 Mb of significant SNPs. Our work provides a framework for the novel use of archived FFPE tissues for animal genetic studies in complex diseases and further evidence for a genetic association in JD.

WAY-262611 ameliorates the inflammatory bowel disease by activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a non-specific and relapsing intestinal inflammation. The injury and repair of intestinal epithelial together determine the occurrence and development of IBD. Wnt/β-catenin pathway is considered as the key role in the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal stem cells which is negative regulated by Dickkiop (DKKs). WAY-262611 is a novel inhibitor of DKK-1, and has demonstrated therapeutic effect on some disease including osteoporosis. Thus, we investigated the effect of WAY-262611 on IBD. Firstly, a mice model of IBD was established by DSS induction, by which the expression of Wnt3a and DKK-1 were detected by immumohistochemical staining to display their correlation. Next, using WAY-262611 the ameliorative effect on IBD was validated by histopathological staining. Using Mode-k cells the experiments in vitro were also conducted, in which the viability and apoptosis were determined. By detecting expression of Wnt3a and DKK-1 and observing nuclear translocation of β-catenin, the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway was validated. Finally, the incidence of the orthotopic colorectal cancer was calculated under continuous administration by DSS. Results demonstrated that the expression of Wnt3a is negative correlated with DKK-1. WAY-262611 ameliorated the IBD and reduced apoptosis of Mode-k cells induced by DSS. The protective effect of WAY-262611 on Mode-k cells is mediated by Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation. In addition, WAY-262611 lowered the incidence rate of orthotopic colorectal cancer. All these results concluded that WAY-262611 could mitigate the IBD by activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway in mice.