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Zhao E, Bomback M, Khan A, Murthy SK, Solowiejczyk D, Vora NL, Gilmore KL, Giordano JL, Wapner RJ, Sanna-Cherchi S, Lyford A, Jelin AC, Gharavi AG, Hays T. The expanded spectrum of human disease associated with GREB1L likely includes complex congenital heart disease. Prenat Diagn 2024; 44:343-351. [PMID: 38285371 PMCID: PMC11040453 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE GREB1L has been linked prenatally to Potter's sequence, as well as less severe anomalies of the kidney, uterus, inner ear, and heart. The full phenotypic spectrum is unknown. The purpose of this study was to characterize known and novel pre- and postnatal phenotypes associated with GREB1L. METHODS We solicited cases from the Fetal Sequencing Consortium, screened a population-based genomic database, and conducted a comprehensive literature search to identify disease cases associated with GREB1L. We present a detailed phenotypic spectrum and molecular changes. RESULTS One hundred twenty-seven individuals with 51 unique pathogenic or likely pathogenic GREB1L variants were identified. 24 (47%) variants were associated with isolated kidney anomalies, 19 (37%) with anomalies of multiple systems, including one case of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, five (10%) with isolated sensorineural hearing loss, two (4%) with isolated uterine agenesis; and one (2%) with isolated tetralogy of Fallot. CONCLUSION GREB1L may cause complex congenital heart disease (CHD) in humans. Clinicians should consider GREB1L testing in the setting of CHD, and cardiac screening in the setting of GREB1L variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Zhao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Miles Bomback
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Atlas Khan
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sarath Krishna Murthy
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - David Solowiejczyk
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Neeta L. Vora
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kelly L. Gilmore
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jessica L. Giordano
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ronald J. Wapner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Simone Sanna-Cherchi
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alex Lyford
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont, USA
| | - Angie C. Jelin
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ali G. Gharavi
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Thomas Hays
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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2
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Drexler KA, Talati AN, Gilmore KL, Veazey RV, Powell BC, Weck KE, Davis EE, Vora NL. Association of deep phenotyping with diagnostic yield of prenatal exome sequencing for fetal brain abnormalities. Genet Med 2023; 25:100915. [PMID: 37326029 PMCID: PMC10580430 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2023.100915] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate whether deep prenatal phenotyping of fetal brain abnormalities (FBAs) increases diagnostic yield of trio-exome sequencing (ES) compared with standard phenotyping. METHODS Retrospective exploratory analysis of a multicenter prenatal ES study. Participants were eligible if an FBA was diagnosed and subsequently found to have a normal microarray. Deep phenotyping was defined as phenotype based on targeted ultrasound plus prenatal/postnatal magnetic resonance imaging, autopsy, and/or known phenotypes of other affected family members. Standard phenotyping was based on targeted ultrasound alone. FBAs were categorized by major brain findings on prenatal ultrasound. Cases with positive ES results were compared with those that have negative results by available phenotyping, as well as diagnosed FBAs. RESULTS A total of 76 trios with FBAs were identified, of which 25 (33%) cases had positive ES results and 51 (67%) had negative results. Individual modalities of deep phenotyping were not associated with diagnostic ES results. The most common FBAs identified were posterior fossa anomalies and midline defects. Neural tube defects were significantly associated with receipt of a negative ES result (0% vs 22%, P = .01). CONCLUSION Deep phenotyping was not associated with increased diagnostic yield of ES for FBA in this small cohort. Neural tube defects were associated with negative ES results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen A Drexler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
| | - Asha N Talati
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Kelly L Gilmore
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Rachel V Veazey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Bradford C Powell
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Metabolism, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Karen E Weck
- Department of Genetics, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Erica E Davis
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Neeta L Vora
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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Harris S, Putra M, Gilmore KL, Vora NL. Two unrelated fetuses with ITPR1 missense variants and fetal hydrops. Prenat Diagn 2023; 43:1463-1466. [PMID: 37705153 PMCID: PMC10686210 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6439] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
We describe two fetuses from unrelated families with likely pathogenic variants in ITPR1 that presented with nonimmune fetal hydrops. Trio exome sequencing revealed a de novo heterozygous likely pathogenic missense variant c.7636G > A (p.Val2531Met) in ITPR1 (NM_001378452.1) in proband 1 and a de novo heterozygous likely pathogenic missense variant c.34G > A [p.Gly12Arg] in proband 2. Variants in ITPR1 have been associated with several genetic conditions, including spinocerebellar ataxia 15, spinocerebellar ataxia 29, and Gillespie syndrome. Our report on two patients details a previously undescribed severe fetal presentation of nonimmune hydrops fetalis associated with missense variants in the ITPR1 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Harris
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Manesha Putra
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Kelly L Gilmore
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Neeta L Vora
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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4
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Harris SC, Chong K, Chitayat D, Gilmore KL, Jorge AAL, Freire BL, Lerario A, Shannon P, Cope H, Gallentine WB, Le Guyader G, Bilan F, Létard P, Davis EE, Vora NL. Diagnosis of TBC1D32-associated conditions: Expanding the phenotypic spectrum of a complex ciliopathy. Am J Med Genet A 2023; 191:1282-1292. [PMID: 36826837 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63150] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Exome sequencing is a powerful tool in prenatal and postnatal genetics and can help identify novel candidate genes critical to human development. We describe seven unpublished probands with rare likely pathogenic variants or variants of uncertain significance that segregate with recessive disease in TBC1D32, including four fetal probands in three unrelated pedigrees and three pediatric probands in unrelated pedigrees. We also report clinical comparisons with seven previously published patients. Index probands were identified through an ongoing prenatal exome sequencing study and through an online data sharing platform (Gene Matcher™). A literature review was also completed. TBC1D32 is involved in the development and function of cilia and is expressed in the developing hypothalamus and pituitary gland. We provide additional data to expand the phenotype correlated with TBC1D32 variants, including a severe prenatal phenotype associated with life-limiting congenital anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Harris
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Prisma Health, University of South Carolina Greenville, Greenville, South Carolina, USA
| | - Karen Chong
- The Prenatal Diagnosis and Medical Genetics Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Chitayat
- The Prenatal Diagnosis and Medical Genetics Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kelly L Gilmore
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexander A L Jorge
- Unidade de Endocrinologia Genética (LIM25) e Laboratório de Endocrinologia Celular e Molecular, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruna L Freire
- Unidade de Endocrinologia do Desenvolvimento, Laboratorio de Hormonios e Genetica Molecular (LIM42), Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonio Lerario
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Patrick Shannon
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Heidi Cope
- Center for Human Disease Modeling, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - William B Gallentine
- Department of Neurology and Pediatrics, Stanford University, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | | | - Frederic Bilan
- Service de génétique clinique, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, INSERM U1084, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Pascaline Létard
- Service de génétique clinique, CHU de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Erica E Davis
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Neeta L Vora
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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5
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Talati AN, Gilmore KL, Hardisty EE, Lyerly AD, Rini C, Vora NL. Diagnostic yield and psychological outcomes among women pursuing trio-exome sequencing: Do women with recurrent anomalous fetal phenotypes experience more negative psychological outcomes? Prenat Diagn 2023; 43:569-578. [PMID: 36690925 PMCID: PMC10176200 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To describe psychological outcomes among people with recurrent anomalous pregnancies pursuing trio-exome sequencing (exome sequencing (ES)) compared to those with one affected. METHODS We analyzed data from a prospective ES cohort, enrolling patients with major fetal anomaly and normal microarray. Participants completed validated scales before and after ES. We (1) compared responses of those with multiple anomalous pregnancies to those with one affected and (2) conducted linear regression to examine associations between multiple affected pregnancies and post-ES constructs. RESULTS Of 166 trios, 61 (37%) received results from ES. Forty (24%) had more than one affected pregnancy and 45% of those received a result explaining the fetal phenotype. All participants had clinically significant presequencing generalized psychological distress. For the 93 who completed the post-ES surveys, those with multiple affected pregnancies had higher psychological adaptation scores but worse test related distress scores (9.3 (6.2) versus 7.1(5.6), p = 0.12) and (14.3 (1.5) versus 15.4 (1.4), p = 0.01). In linear regression models, there were no significant differences in post-ES constructs after adjusting for clinically relevant covariates. CONCLUSIONS All individuals experienced significant generalized psychological distress in the pre-ES period, extending our knowledge of how pregnancy history contributes to parental sequencing outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asha N Talati
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kelly L Gilmore
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Emily E Hardisty
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anne D Lyerly
- Department of Social Medicine and Center for Bioethics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christine Rini
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Neeta L Vora
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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Talati AN, Gilmore KL, Hardisty E, Vora NL. How can prenatal exome sequencing inform future pregnancies? Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 227:98-99. [PMID: 35167813 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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7
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Talati AN, Gilmore KL, Hardisty EE, Lyerly AD, Rini C, Vora NL. Parental Motivations for and Adaptation to Trio‐Exome Sequencing in a Prospective Prenatal Testing Cohort: Beyond the Diagnosis. Prenat Diagn 2022; 42:775-782. [DOI: 10.1002/pd.6112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Asha N. Talati
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Division of Maternal‐Fetal Medicine University of North Carolina School of Medicine Chapel Hill NC
| | - Kelly L. Gilmore
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Division of Maternal‐Fetal Medicine University of North Carolina School of Medicine Chapel Hill NC
| | - Emily E. Hardisty
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Division of Maternal‐Fetal Medicine University of North Carolina School of Medicine Chapel Hill NC
| | - Anne D. Lyerly
- Department of Social Medicine and Center for Bioethics University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Christine Rini
- Department of Medical Social Sciences Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University Chicago IL
| | - Neeta L. Vora
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Division of Maternal‐Fetal Medicine University of North Carolina School of Medicine Chapel Hill NC
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Filer DL, Mieczkowski PA, Brandt A, Gilmore KL, Powell BC, Berg JS, Wilhelmsen KC, Vora NL. Noninvasive prenatal exome sequencing diagnostic utility limited by sequencing depth and fetal fraction. Prenat Diagn 2021; 42:567-573. [PMID: 34265090 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Sequencing cell-free DNA now allows detection of large chromosomal abnormalities and dominant Mendelian disorders in the prenatal period. Improving upon these methods would allow newborn screening programs to begin with prenatal genetics, ultimately improving the management of rare genetic disorders. METHODS As a pilot study, we performed exome sequencing on the cell-free DNA from three mothers with singleton pregnancies to assess the viability of broad sequencing modalities in a noninvasive prenatal setting. RESULTS We found poor resolution of maternal and fetal genotypes due to both sampling and technical issues. CONCLUSION We find broad sequencing modalities inefficient for noninvasive prenatal applications. Alternatively, we suggest a more targeted path forward for noninvasive prenatal genotyping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayne L Filer
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Renaissance Computing Institute, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Piotr A Mieczkowski
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alicia Brandt
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kelly L Gilmore
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Bradford C Powell
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Renaissance Computing Institute, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan S Berg
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kirk C Wilhelmsen
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Renaissance Computing Institute, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Neeta L Vora
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Harris SC, Gilmore KL, Davis EE, Jorge A, Freire B, Lerario A, Vora NL. 1088 Prenatal diagnosis of TBC1D32-associated disease by exome sequencing: Further evidence of a new syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.12.1112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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10
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Talati AN, Gilmore KL, Drexler K, Hardisty E, Veazey R, Lyerly A, Rini C, Vora NL. 791 Psychological outcomes among women pursuing Trio-Exome-Sequencing (ES) in the setting of recurrent anomalous fetal phenotypes. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.12.814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Filer DL, Wilhelmsen KC, Gilmore KL, Powell BC, Powell CM, Vora NL. 784: Novel sequencing-based framework for non-invasive fetal genotyping. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.11.800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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12
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Pillai-Nair N, Panicker AK, Rodriguiz RM, Gilmore KL, Demyanenko GP, Huang JZ, Wetsel WC, Maness PF. Neural cell adhesion molecule-secreting transgenic mice display abnormalities in GABAergic interneurons and alterations in behavior. J Neurosci 2006; 25:4659-71. [PMID: 15872114 PMCID: PMC6725026 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0565-05.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular region of the transmembrane neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM-EC) is shed as a soluble fragment at elevated levels in the schizophrenic brain. A novel transgenic mouse line was generated to identify consequences on cortical development and function of expressing soluble NCAM-EC from the neuron-specific enolase promoter in the developing and mature neocortex and hippocampus. NCAM-EC transgenic mice exhibited a striking reduction in synaptic puncta of GABAergic interneurons in the cingulate, frontal association cortex, and amygdala but not hippocampus, as shown by decreased immunolabeling of glutamic acid decarboxylase-65 (GAD65), GAD67, and GABA transporter 1. Interneuron cell density was unaltered in the transgenic mice. Affected subpopulations of interneurons included basket interneurons evident in NCAM-EC transgenic mice intercrossed with a reporter line expressing green fluorescent protein and by parvalbumin staining. In addition, there appeared to be a reduction in excitatory synapses, as revealed by synaptophysin staining and apical dendritic spine density of cortical pyramidal cells. Behavioral analyses demonstrated higher basal locomotor activity of NCAM-EC mice and enhanced responses to amphetamine and (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate compared with wild-type controls. Transgenic mice were deficient in prepulse inhibition, which was restored by clozapine but not by haloperidol. Additionally, NCAM-EC mice were impaired in contextual and cued fear conditioning. These results suggested that elevated shedding of NCAM perturbs synaptic connectivity of GABAergic interneurons and produces abnormal behaviors that may be relevant to schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeta Pillai-Nair
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7260, USA
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