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Rietmann SJ, Nowell S, Keating MK, Bauer C, Jagannathan V, Leeb T. Heterozygous COL5A1 deletion in a cat with classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Anim Genet 2024. [PMID: 38745376 DOI: 10.1111/age.13446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan J Rietmann
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- DermFocus, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Nowell
- Animal Dermatology Group, Inc, Greenville, South Carolina, USA
| | | | - Cynthia Bauer
- Animal Dermatology Group, Inc, Greenville, South Carolina, USA
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- DermFocus, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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McElroy A, Gray‐Edwards H, Coghill LM, Lyons LA. Precision medicine using whole genome sequencing in a cat identifies a novel COL5A1 variant for classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2023; 37:1716-1724. [PMID: 37594181 PMCID: PMC10473008 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a heterogeneous group of heritable connective tissue disorders occurring in both human and veterinary patients. The genetics of these disorders are poorly described in small animal patients. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES Define the clinical manifestations and genetic cause of a suspected form of EDS in a cat. ANIMALS A 14-week-old male domestic medium hair cat was presented with skin hyperextensibility and fragility. The classic tragic facial expression was observed as well as chronic pruritus and mild hyperesthesia. METHODS Blood samples and a skin biopsy sample were collected from the affected cat. Clinical examinations, histology, electron microscopy and whole genome sequencing were conducted to characterize the clinical presentation and identify possible pathogenic DNA variants to support a diagnosis. Criteria defining variant pathogenicity were examined including human disease variant databases. RESULTS Histology showed sparse, disorganized collagen and an increase in cutaneous mast cells. Electron microscopy identified ultrastructural defects commonly seen in collagen type V alpha 1 chain (COL5A1) variants including flower-like collagen fibrils in cross-section. Whole genome sequencing and comparison with 413 cats in the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Consortium database identified a novel splice acceptor site variant at exon 4 in COL5A1 (c.501-2A>C). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Our report broadens the current understanding of EDS in veterinary patients and supports the use of precision medicine techniques in clinical veterinary practice. The classification of variants for pathogenicity should be considered in companion animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail McElroy
- Horae Gene Therapy CenterUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Heather Gray‐Edwards
- Horae Gene Therapy CenterUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Lyndon M. Coghill
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Leslie A. Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
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Simon R, Kiener S, Thom N, Schäfer L, Müller J, Schlohsarczyk EK, Gärtner U, Herden C, Leeb T, Lühken G. Identification of an ADAMTS2 frameshift variant in a cat family with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. G3 (Bethesda) 2023; 13:jkad152. [PMID: 37462293 PMCID: PMC10468306 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
We investigated 4 European domestic shorthair kittens with skin lesions consistent with the dermatosparaxis type of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder. The kittens were sired by the same tomcat but were born by 3 different mothers. The kittens had easily torn skin resulting in nonhealing skin wounds. Both clinically and histologically, the skin showed thin epidermis in addition to inflammatory changes. Changes in collagen fibers were visible in electron micrographs. The complete genome of an affected kitten was sequenced. A one base pair duplication leading to a frameshift in the candidate gene ADAMTS2 was identified, p.(Ser235fs*3). All 4 affected cats carried the frameshift duplication in a homozygous state. Genotypes at this variant showed perfect cosegregation with the autosomal recessive Ehlers-Danlos syndrome phenotype in the available family. The mutant allele did not occur in 48 unrelated control cats. ADAMTS2 loss-of-function variants cause autosomal recessive forms of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in humans, mice, dogs, cattle, and sheep. The available evidence from our investigation together with the functional knowledge on ADAMTS2 in other species allows to classify the identified ADAMTS2 variant as pathogenic and most likely causative variant for the observed Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Simon
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35390, Germany
| | - Sarah Kiener
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3001, Switzerland
- Dermfocus, University of Bern, Bern 3001, Switzerland
| | - Nina Thom
- Small Animal Clinic, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Laura Schäfer
- Small Animal Clinic, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Janina Müller
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Elfi K Schlohsarczyk
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Ulrich Gärtner
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35385, Germany
| | - Christiane Herden
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35392, Germany
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3001, Switzerland
- Dermfocus, University of Bern, Bern 3001, Switzerland
| | - Gesine Lühken
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen 35390, Germany
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Kiener S, Apostolopoulos N, Schissler J, Hass PK, Leuthard F, Jagannathan V, Schuppisser C, Soto S, Welle M, Mayer U, Leeb T, Fischer NM, Kaessmeyer S. Independent COL5A1 Variants in Cats with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050797. [PMID: 35627182 PMCID: PMC9140822 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated four cats with similar clinical skin-related signs strongly suggestive of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). Cases no. 1 and 4 were unrelated and the remaining two cases, no. 2 and 3, were reportedly siblings. Histopathological changes were characterized by severely altered dermal collagen fibers. Transmission electron microscopy in one case demonstrated abnormalities in the collagen fibril organization and structure. The genomes of the two unrelated affected cats and one of the affected siblings were sequenced and individually compared to 54 feline control genomes. We searched for private protein changing variants in known human EDS candidate genes and identified three independent heterozygous COL5A1 variants. COL5A1 is a well-characterized candidate gene for classical EDS. It encodes the proα1 chain of type V collagen, which is needed for correct collagen fibril formation and the integrity of the skin. The identified variants in COL5A1 are c.112_118+15del or r.spl?, c.3514A>T or p.(Lys1172*), and c.3066del or p.(Gly1023Valfs*50) for cases no. 1, 2&3, and 4, respectively. They presumably all lead to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, which results in haploinsufficiency of COL5A1 and causes the alterations of the connective tissue. The whole genome sequencing approach used in this study enables a refinement of the diagnosis for the affected cats as classical EDS. It further illustrates the potential of such experiments as a precision medicine approach in animals with inherited diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kiener
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (F.L.); (V.J.)
- Dermfocus, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.S.); (M.W.); (S.K.)
| | - Neoklis Apostolopoulos
- Anicura Kleintierspezialisten Augsburg, 86157 Augsburg, Germany; (N.A.); (U.M.)
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Jennifer Schissler
- Department of Clinical Sciences, James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA;
| | - Pascal-Kolja Hass
- Division of Veterinary Anatomy, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Fabienne Leuthard
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (F.L.); (V.J.)
- Dermfocus, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.S.); (M.W.); (S.K.)
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (F.L.); (V.J.)
| | | | - Sara Soto
- Dermfocus, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.S.); (M.W.); (S.K.)
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Monika Welle
- Dermfocus, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.S.); (M.W.); (S.K.)
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Mayer
- Anicura Kleintierspezialisten Augsburg, 86157 Augsburg, Germany; (N.A.); (U.M.)
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.K.); (F.L.); (V.J.)
- Dermfocus, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.S.); (M.W.); (S.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-31-684-2326
| | - Nina M. Fischer
- Dermatology Unit, Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Sabine Kaessmeyer
- Dermfocus, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland; (S.S.); (M.W.); (S.K.)
- Division of Veterinary Anatomy, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3001 Bern, Switzerland;
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Vroman R, Malfait AM, Miller RE, Malfait F, Syx D. Animal Models of Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes: Phenotype, Pathogenesis, and Translational Potential. Front Genet 2021; 12:726474. [PMID: 34712265 PMCID: PMC8547655 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.726474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of heritable connective tissues disorders mainly characterized by skin hyperextensibility, joint hypermobility and generalized tissue fragility. Currently, 14 EDS subtypes each with particular phenotypic features are recognized and are caused by genetic defects in 20 different genes. All of these genes are involved in the biosynthesis and/or fibrillogenesis of collagens at some level. Although great progress has been made in elucidating the molecular basis of different EDS subtypes, the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the observed phenotypes remain poorly understood, and consequentially, adequate treatment and management options for these conditions remain scarce. To date, several animal models, mainly mice and zebrafish, have been described with defects in 14 of the 20 hitherto known EDS-associated genes. These models have been instrumental in discerning the functions and roles of the corresponding proteins during development, maturation and repair and in portraying their roles during collagen biosynthesis and/or fibrillogenesis, for some even before their contribution to an EDS phenotype was elucidated. Additionally, extensive phenotypical characterization of these models has shown that they largely phenocopy their human counterparts, with recapitulation of several clinical hallmarks of the corresponding EDS subtype, including dermatological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and ocular features, as well as biomechanical and ultrastructural similarities in tissues. In this narrative review, we provide a comprehensive overview of animal models manifesting phenotypes that mimic EDS with a focus on engineered mouse and zebrafish models, and their relevance in past and future EDS research. Additionally, we briefly discuss domestic animals with naturally occurring EDS phenotypes. Collectively, these animal models have only started to reveal glimpses into the pathophysiological aspects associated with EDS and will undoubtably continue to play critical roles in EDS research due to their tremendous potential for pinpointing (common) signaling pathways, unveiling possible therapeutic targets and providing opportunities for preclinical therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Vroman
- Center for Medical Genetics, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anne-Marie Malfait
- Division of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Rachel E Miller
- Division of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Fransiska Malfait
- Center for Medical Genetics, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Delfien Syx
- Center for Medical Genetics, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Jacinto JGP, Häfliger IM, Veiga IMB, Letko A, Benazzi C, Bolcato M, Drögemüller C. A Heterozygous Missense Variant in the COL5A2 in Holstein Cattle Resembling the Classical Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10112002. [PMID: 33143196 PMCID: PMC7692662 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Genodermatoses represent inherited disorders of the skin that mostly follow a monogenic mode of inheritance. Heritable connective tissue disorders such as classical Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (cEDS) belong to this group of human rare diseases that sporadically occur in other species. Herein, affected cattle are reported showing skin lesions including cutis laxa clinically and pathologically resembling cEDS in humans. Microscopic findings in the deeper dermis were consistent with collagen dysplasia. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) identified a most likely disease-causing mutation in the COL5A2 gene. The COL5A2 gene is known to be associated with dominant inherited cEDS forms in mice and humans, but so far, it was not shown to cause a similar phenotype in domestic animals. The disease phenotype examined herein showed co-segregation with the identified missense variant within the maternal line across two generations and is most likely due to a spontaneous mutation event. Rare non-lethal disorders such as cEDS in livestock are mostly not diagnosed, but might affect animal welfare and thus lower the value of affected animals. WGS-based precision diagnostics allows understanding rare disorders and supports the value of surveillance of cattle breeding populations for harmful genetic disorders. Abstract Classical Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (cEDS) is a heritable connective tissue disorder characterized by variable degrees of skin hyperextensibility and fragility, atrophic scarring, and generalized joint hypermobility. The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinicopathological phenotype of a cEDS-affected Holstein calf and to identify the causative genetic variant associated with the disorder by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). A 3-day-old female Holstein calf was referred because of easily induced skin detachment and hyperextensibility in the neck. A complete clinical investigation was performed in the calf, dam, and maternal-grandmother. The calf and dam showed hyperextensibility of the neck skin and atrophic scarring; additionally, the calf presented skin fragility. Moreover, the histopathology of biopsies from the calf and its dam showed that the collagen bundles in affected skin areas were wavy, short, thin, and surrounded by edema and moderate to severe acute hemorrhages. Genetic analysis revealed a private heterozygous missense variant in COL5A2 (c.2366G>T; p.Gly789Val) that was present only in the calf and dam. This confirmed the diagnosis of cEDS and represents the first report of a causal variant for cEDS in cattle and the first COL5A2-related large animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana G. P. Jacinto
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (Bologna), Italy; (J.G.P.J.); (C.B.); (M.B.)
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (I.M.H.); (A.L.)
| | - Irene M. Häfliger
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (I.M.H.); (A.L.)
| | - Inês M. B. Veiga
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Anna Letko
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (I.M.H.); (A.L.)
| | - Cinzia Benazzi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (Bologna), Italy; (J.G.P.J.); (C.B.); (M.B.)
| | - Marilena Bolcato
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano Emilia (Bologna), Italy; (J.G.P.J.); (C.B.); (M.B.)
| | - Cord Drögemüller
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (I.M.H.); (A.L.)
- Correspondence:
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Buckley RM, Davis BW, Brashear WA, Farias FHG, Kuroki K, Graves T, Hillier LW, Kremitzki M, Li G, Middleton RP, Minx P, Tomlinson C, Lyons LA, Murphy WJ, Warren WC. A new domestic cat genome assembly based on long sequence reads empowers feline genomic medicine and identifies a novel gene for dwarfism. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008926. [PMID: 33090996 PMCID: PMC7581003 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The domestic cat (Felis catus) numbers over 94 million in the USA alone, occupies households as a companion animal, and, like humans, suffers from cancer and common and rare diseases. However, genome-wide sequence variant information is limited for this species. To empower trait analyses, a new cat genome reference assembly was developed from PacBio long sequence reads that significantly improve sequence representation and assembly contiguity. The whole genome sequences of 54 domestic cats were aligned to the reference to identify single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and structural variants (SVs). Across all cats, 16 SNVs predicted to have deleterious impacts and in a singleton state were identified as high priority candidates for causative mutations. One candidate was a stop gain in the tumor suppressor FBXW7. The SNV is found in cats segregating for feline mediastinal lymphoma and is a candidate for inherited cancer susceptibility. SV analysis revealed a complex deletion coupled with a nearby potential duplication event that was shared privately across three unrelated cats with dwarfism and is found within a known dwarfism associated region on cat chromosome B1. This SV interrupted UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase (UGDH), a gene involved in the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans. Importantly, UGDH has not yet been associated with human dwarfism and should be screened in undiagnosed patients. The new high-quality cat genome reference and the compilation of sequence variation demonstrate the importance of these resources when searching for disease causative alleles in the domestic cat and for identification of feline biomedical models. The practice of genomic medicine is predicated on the availability of a high quality reference genome and an understanding of the impact of genome variation. Such resources have lead to countless discoveries in humans, however by working exclusively within the framework of human genetics, our potential for understanding diseases biology is limited, as similar analyses in other species have often lead to novel insights. The generation of Felis_catus_9.0, a new high quality reference genome for the domestic cat, helps facilitate the expansion of genomic medicine into the Felis lineage. Using Felis_catus_9.0 we analyze the landscape of genomic variation from a collection of 54 cats within the context of human gene constraint. The distribution of variant impacts in cats is correlated with patterns of gene constraint in humans, indicating the utility of this reference for identifying novel mutations that cause phenotypes relevant to human and cat health. Moreover, structural variant analysis revealed a novel variant for feline dwarfism in UGDH, a gene that has not been associated with dwarfism in any other species, suggesting a role for UGDH in cases of undiagnosed dwarfism in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reuben M. Buckley
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Brian W. Davis
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Wesley A. Brashear
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Fabiana H. G. Farias
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Kei Kuroki
- Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Tina Graves
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - LaDeana W. Hillier
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Milinn Kremitzki
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Patrick Minx
- Donald Danforth Plant Science, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Chad Tomlinson
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Leslie A. Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - William J. Murphy
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Wesley C. Warren
- Division of Animal Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Souza MR, Ibelli AMG, Savoldi IR, Cantão ME, Peixoto JDO, Mores MAZ, Lopes JS, Coutinho LL, Ledur MC. Transcriptome analysis identifies genes involved with the development of umbilical hernias in pigs. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232542. [PMID: 32379844 PMCID: PMC7205231 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Umbilical hernia (UH) is one of the most frequent defects affecting pig production, however, it also affects humans and other mammals. UH is characterized as an abnormal protrusion of the abdominal contents to the umbilical region, causing pain, discomfort and reduced performance in pigs. Some genomic regions associated to UH have already been identified, however, no study involving RNA sequencing was performed when umbilical tissue is considered. Therefore, here, we have sequenced the umbilical ring transcriptome of five normal and five UH-affected pigs to uncover genes and pathways involved with UH development. A total of 13,216 transcripts were expressed in the umbilical ring tissue. From those, 230 genes were differentially expressed (DE) between normal and UH-affected pigs (FDR <0.05), being 145 downregulated and 85 upregulated in the affected compared to the normal pigs. A total of 68 significant biological processes were identified and the most relevant were extracellular matrix, immune system, anatomical development, cell adhesion, membrane components, receptor activation, calcium binding and immune synapse. The results pointed out ACAN, MMPs, COLs, EPYC, VIT, CCBE1 and LGALS3 as strong candidates to trigger umbilical hernias in pigs since they act in the extracellular matrix remodeling and in the production, integrity and resistance of the collagen. We have generated the first transcriptome of the pig umbilical ring tissue, which allowed the identification of genes that had not yet been related to umbilical hernias in pigs. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to identify the causal mutations, SNPs and CNVs in these genes to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayla Regina Souza
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zootecnia, Centro de Educação Superior do Oeste, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, UDESC, Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | | | - Igor Ricardo Savoldi
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zootecnia, Centro de Educação Superior do Oeste, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, UDESC, Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Luiz Lehmann Coutinho
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia Animal, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mônica Corrêa Ledur
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zootecnia, Centro de Educação Superior do Oeste, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, UDESC, Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Brazil
- Embrapa Suínos e Aves, Concórdia, Santa Catarina, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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9
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Letko A, Leuthard F, Jagannathan V, Corlazzoli D, Matiasek K, Schweizer D, Hytönen MK, Lohi H, Leeb T, Drögemüller C. Whole Genome Sequencing Indicates Heterogeneity of Hyperostotic Disorders in Dogs. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11020163. [PMID: 32033218 PMCID: PMC7074049 DOI: 10.3390/genes11020163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Craniomandibular osteopathy (CMO) and calvarial hyperostotic syndrome (CHS) are proliferative, non-neoplastic disorders affecting the skull bones in young dogs. Different forms of these hyperostotic disorders have been described in many dog breeds. However, an incompletely dominant causative variant for CMO affecting splicing of SLC37A2 has been reported so far only in three Terrier breeds. The purpose of this study was to identify further possible causative genetic variants associated with CHS in an American Staffordshire Terrier, as well as CMO in seven affected dogs of different breeds. We investigated their whole-genome sequences (WGS) and filtered variants using 584 unrelated genomes, which revealed no variants shared across all affected dogs. However, filtering for private variants of each case separately yielded plausible dominantly inherited candidate variants in three of the eight cases. In an Australian Terrier, a heterozygous missense variant in the COL1A1 gene (c.1786G>A; p.(Val596Ile)) was discovered. A pathogenic missense variant in COL1A1 was previously reported in humans with infantile cortical hyperostosis, or Caffey disease, resembling canine CMO. Furthermore, in a Basset Hound, a heterozygous most likely pathogenic splice site variant was found in SLC37A2 (c.1446+1G>A), predicted to lead to exon skipping as shown before in SLC37A2-associated canine CMO of Terriers. Lastly, in a Weimaraner, a heterozygous frameshift variant in SLC35D1 (c.1021_1024delTCAG; p.(Ser341ArgfsTer22)) might cause CMO due to the critical role of SLC35D1 in chondrogenesis and skeletal development. Our study indicates allelic and locus heterogeneity for canine CMO and illustrates the current possibilities and limitations of WGS-based precision medicine in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Letko
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (A.L.); (F.L.); (V.J.); (T.L.)
| | - Fabienne Leuthard
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (A.L.); (F.L.); (V.J.); (T.L.)
| | - Vidhya Jagannathan
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (A.L.); (F.L.); (V.J.); (T.L.)
| | | | - Kaspar Matiasek
- Section of Clinical & Comparative Neuropathology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilians Universität Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany;
| | - Daniela Schweizer
- Division of Clinical Radiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Marjo K. Hytönen
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, and Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (M.K.H.); (H.L.)
- Folkhälsan Research Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hannes Lohi
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, and Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (M.K.H.); (H.L.)
- Folkhälsan Research Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tosso Leeb
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (A.L.); (F.L.); (V.J.); (T.L.)
| | - Cord Drögemüller
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (A.L.); (F.L.); (V.J.); (T.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-31-631-25-29
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10
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Bauer A, Bateman JF, Lamandé SR, Hanssen E, Kirejczyk SGM, Yee M, Ramiche A, Jagannathan V, Welle M, Leeb T, Bateman FL. Identification of Two Independent COL5A1 Variants in Dogs with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E731. [PMID: 31546637 DOI: 10.3390/genes10100731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a heterogeneous group of heritable disorders affecting connective tissues. The mutations causing the various forms of EDS in humans are well characterized, but the genetic mutations causing EDS-like clinical pathology in dogs are not known, thus hampering accurate clinical diagnosis. Clinical analysis of two independent cases of skin hyperextensibility and fragility, one with pronounced joint hypermobility was suggestive of EDS. Whole-genome sequencing revealed de novo mutations of COL5A1 in both cases, confirming the diagnosis of the classical form of EDS. The heterozygous COL5A1 p.Gly1013ValfsTer260 mutation characterized in case 1 introduced a premature termination codon and would be expected to result in α1(V) mRNA nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and collagen V haploinsufficiency. While mRNA was not available from this dog, ultrastructural analysis of the dermis demonstrated variability in collagen fibril diameter and the presence of collagen aggregates, termed ‘collagen cauliflowers’, consistent with COL5A1 mutations underlying classical EDS. In the second case, DNA sequencing demonstrated a p.Gly1571Arg missense variant in the COL5A1 gene. While samples were not available for further analysis, such a glycine substitution would be expected to destabilize the strict molecular structure of the collagen V triple helix and thus affect protein stability and/or integration of the mutant collagen into the collagen V/collagen I heterotypic dermal fibrils. This is the first report of genetic variants in the COL5A1 gene causing the clinical presentation of EDS in dogs. These data provided further evidence of the important role of collagen V in dermal collagen fibrillogenesis. Importantly, from the clinical perspective, we showed the utility of DNA sequencing, combined with the established clinical criteria, in the accurate diagnosis of EDS in dogs.
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11
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Bauer A, de Lucia M, Leuthard F, Jagannathan V, Leeb T. Compound heterozygosity for TNXB genetic variants in a mixed-breed dog with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Anim Genet 2019; 50:546-549. [PMID: 31365140 DOI: 10.1111/age.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDSs) are a heterogeneous group of inherited connective tissue disorders characterized by skin hyperextensibility, joint hypermobility and tissue fragility. Inherited disorders similar to human EDS have been reported in different mammalian species. In the present study, we investigated a female mixed-breed dog with clinical signs of EDS. Whole-genome sequencing of the affected dog revealed two missense variants in the TNXB gene, encoding the extracellular matrix protein tenascin XB. In humans, TNXB genetic variants cause classical-like EDS or the milder hypermobile EDS. The affected dog was heterozygous at both identified variants. Each variant allele was transmitted from one of the case's parents, consistent with compound heterozygosity. Although one of the variant alleles, XM_003431680.3:c.2012G>A, p.(Ser671Asn), was private to the family of the affected dog and absent from whole-genome sequencing data of 599 control dogs, the second variant allele, XM_003431680.3:c.2900G>A, p.(Gly967Asp), is present at a low frequency in the Chihuahua and Poodle population. Given that TNXB is a functional candidate gene for EDS, we suggest that compound heterozygosity for the identified TNXB variants may have caused the EDS-like phenotype in the affected dog. Chihuahuas and Poodles should be monitored for EDS cases, which might confirm the hypothesized pathogenic effect of the segregating TNXB variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bauer
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Genetics, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland.,DermFocus, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland
| | - M de Lucia
- San Marco Veterinary Clinic and Laboratory, Via Dell'Industria 3, 35030, Veggiano, Italy
| | - F Leuthard
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Genetics, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland.,DermFocus, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland
| | - V Jagannathan
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Genetics, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland.,DermFocus, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland
| | - T Leeb
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Genetics, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland.,DermFocus, University of Bern, 3001, Bern, Switzerland
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