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Domínguez-Ruiz M, Murillo-Cuesta S, Contreras J, Cantero M, Garrido G, Martín-Bernardo B, Gómez-Rosas E, Fernández A, Del Castillo FJ, Montoliu L, Varela-Nieto I, Del Castillo I. A murine model for the del(GJB6-D13S1830) deletion recapitulating the phenotype of human DFNB1 hearing impairment: generation and functional and histopathological study. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:359. [PMID: 38605287 PMCID: PMC11007912 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10289-z] [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: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Inherited hearing impairment is a remarkably heterogeneous monogenic condition, involving hundreds of genes, most of them with very small (< 1%) epidemiological contributions. The exception is GJB2, the gene encoding connexin-26 and underlying DFNB1, which is the most frequent type of autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing impairment (ARNSHI) in most populations (up to 40% of ARNSHI cases). DFNB1 is caused by different types of pathogenic variants in GJB2, but also by large deletions that keep the gene intact but remove an upstream regulatory element that is essential for its expression. Such large deletions, found in most populations, behave as complete loss-of-function variants, usually associated with a profound hearing impairment. By using CRISPR-Cas9 genetic edition, we have generated a murine model (Dfnb1em274) that reproduces the most frequent of those deletions, del(GJB6-D13S1830). Dfnb1em274 homozygous mice are viable, bypassing the embryonic lethality of the Gjb2 knockout, and present a phenotype of profound hearing loss (> 90 dB SPL) that correlates with specific structural abnormalities in the cochlea. We show that Gjb2 expression is nearly abolished and its protein product, Cx26, is nearly absent all throughout the cochlea, unlike previous conditional knockouts in which Gjb2 ablation was not obtained in all cell types. The Dfnb1em274 model recapitulates the clinical presentation of patients harbouring the del(GJB6-D13S1830) variant and thus it is a valuable tool to study the pathological mechanisms of DFNB1 and to assay therapies for this most frequent type of human ARNSHI.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Domínguez-Ruiz
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Murillo-Cuesta
- Institute for Biomedical Research "Sols-Morreale", Spanish National Research Council-Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio Contreras
- Institute for Biomedical Research "Sols-Morreale", Spanish National Research Council-Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Cantero
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Garrido
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Belén Martín-Bernardo
- Institute for Biomedical Research "Sols-Morreale", Spanish National Research Council-Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Gómez-Rosas
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
| | - Almudena Fernández
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco J Del Castillo
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lluís Montoliu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Varela-Nieto
- Institute for Biomedical Research "Sols-Morreale", Spanish National Research Council-Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Hospital La Paz Institute for Health Research (IdiPAZ), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Del Castillo
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER-ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.
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Huang H, Chen M, Liu X, Xiong X, Zhou L, Su Z, Lu Y, Liang B. A novel variant in the GJB6 gene in a large Chinese family with a unique phenotype of Clouston syndrome. Front Med 2023; 17:330-338. [PMID: 36645631 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-022-0933-2] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Clouston syndrome (OMIM #129500), also known as hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia type 2, is a rare autosomal dominant skin disorder. To date, four mutations in the GJB6 gene, G11R, V37E, A88V, and D50N, have been confirmed to cause this condition. In previous studies, the focus has been mainly on gene sequencing, and there has been a lack of research on clinical manifestations and pathogenesis. To confirm the diagnosis of this pedigree at the molecular level and summarize and analyse the clinical phenotype of patients and to provide a basis for further study of the pathogenesis of the disease, we performed whole-exome and Sanger sequencing on a large Chinese Clouston syndrome pedigree. Detailed clinical examination included histopathology, hair microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. We found a novel heterozygous missense variant (c.134G>C:p.G45A) for Clouston syndrome. We identified a new clinical phenotype involving all nail needling pain in all patients and found a special honeycomb hole structure in the patients' hair under scanning electron microscopy. Our data reveal that a novel variant (c.134G>C:p.G45A) plays a likely pathogenic role in this pedigree and highlight that genetic testing is necessary for the diagnosis of Clouston syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hequn Huang
- Institute of Dermatology and Department of Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China
- Key Laboratory of Dermatology (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education, Hefei, 230000, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Mengyun Chen
- Institute of Dermatology and Department of Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China
- Key Laboratory of Dermatology (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education, Hefei, 230000, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, 230000, China
| | - Xia Liu
- Huai'an District Skin Disease Prevention and Treatment Hospital, Huai'an, 223000, China
| | - Xixi Xiong
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Lanbo Zhou
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Zhonglan Su
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Yan Lu
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210000, China.
| | - Bo Liang
- Institute of Dermatology and Department of Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China.
- Key Laboratory of Dermatology (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education, Hefei, 230000, China.
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei, 230000, China.
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230000, China.
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Levic S, Lukashkina VA, Simões P, Lukashkin AN, Russell IJ. A Gap-Junction Mutation Reveals That Outer Hair Cell Extracellular Receptor Potentials Drive High-Frequency Cochlear Amplification. J Neurosci 2022; 42:7875-7884. [PMID: 36261265 PMCID: PMC9617611 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2241-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cochlear amplification enables the enormous dynamic range of hearing through amplifying cochlear responses to low- to moderate-level sounds and compressing them to loud sounds. Amplification is attributed to voltage-dependent electromotility of mechanosensory outer hair cells (OHCs) driven by changing voltages developed across their cell membranes. At low frequencies, these voltage changes are dominated by intracellular receptor potentials (RPs). However, OHC membranes have electrical low-pass filter properties that attenuate high-frequency RPs, which should potentially attenuate amplification of high-frequency cochlear responses and impede high-frequency hearing. We made in vivo intracellular and extracellular electrophysiological measurements from the organ of Corti of male and female mice of the CBA/J strain, with excellent high-frequency hearing, and from the CD-1 mouse strain, which has sensitive hearing below 12 kHz but loses high-frequency hearing within a few weeks postpartum. The CD-1 mouse strain was transfected with an A88V mutation of the connexin 30 gap-junction protein. By blocking the action of the GJ protein to reduce input resistance, the mutation increased the OHC extracellular RP (ERP) magnitude and rescued high-frequency hearing. However, by increasing the organ of Corti resistance, the mutation rescued high-frequency hearing through preserving the OHC extracellular RP (ERP) magnitude. We measured the voltage developed across the basolateral membranes of OHCs, which controls their electromotility, for low- to high-frequency sounds in male and female mice of the CD-1 strain that expressed the A88V mutation. We demonstrate that ERPs, not RPs, drive OHC motility and cochlear amplification at high frequencies because at high frequencies, ERPs are not frequency attenuated, exceed RPs in magnitude, and are appropriately timed to provide cochlear amplification.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cochlear amplification, which enables the enormous dynamic range of hearing, is attributed to voltage-dependent electromotility of the mechanosensory outer hair cells (OHCs) driven by sound-induced voltage changes across their membranes. OHC intracellular receptor potentials are electrically low-pass filtered, which should hinder high-frequency hearing. We measured the intracellular and extracellular voltages that control OHC electromotility in vivo in a mouse strain with impaired high-frequency hearing. A gap-junction mutation of the strain rescued high-frequency hearing, increased organ of Corti resistance, and preserved large OHC extracellular receptor potentials but reduced OHC intracellular receptor potentials and impaired low-frequency hearing. We concluded intracellular potentials drive OHC motility at low frequencies and extracellular receptor potentials drive OHC motility and cochlear amplification at high frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snezana Levic
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, United Kingdom
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9PX, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria A Lukashkina
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, United Kingdom
| | - Patricio Simões
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, United Kingdom
| | - Andrei N Lukashkin
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, United Kingdom
| | - Ian J Russell
- Sensory Neuroscience Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, United Kingdom
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Hosoya M, Fujioka M, Murayama AY, Ogawa K, Okano H, Ozawa H. Dynamic Spatiotemporal Expression Changes in Connexins of the Developing Primate's Cochlea. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12071082. [PMID: 34356098 PMCID: PMC8307058 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Connexins are gap junction components that are essential for acquiring normal hearing ability. Up to 50% of congenital, autosomal-recessive, non-syndromic deafness can be attributed to variants in GJB2, the gene that encodes connexin 26. Gene therapies modifying the expression of connexins are a feasible treatment option for some patients with genetic hearing losses. However, the expression patterns of these proteins in the human fetus are not fully understood due to ethical concerns. Recently, the common marmoset was used as a primate animal model for the human fetus. In this study, we examined the expression patterns of connexin 26 and connexin 30 in the developing cochlea of this primate. Primate-specific spatiotemporal expression changes were revealed, which suggest the existence of primate-specific control of connexin expression patterns and specific functions of these gap junction proteins. Moreover, our results indicate that treatments for connexin-related hearing loss established in rodent models may not be appropriate for human patients, underscoring the importance of testing these treatments in primate models before applying them in human clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Hosoya
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; (M.H.); (K.O.); (H.O.)
| | - Masato Fujioka
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; (M.H.); (K.O.); (H.O.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-3-5363-3827
| | - Ayako Y. Murayama
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; (A.Y.M.); (H.O.)
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako 351-0198, Japan
| | - Kaoru Ogawa
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; (M.H.); (K.O.); (H.O.)
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; (A.Y.M.); (H.O.)
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Ozawa
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; (M.H.); (K.O.); (H.O.)
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Naulin PA, Lozano B, Fuentes C, Liu Y, Schmidt C, Contreras JE, Barrera NP. Polydisperse molecular architecture of connexin 26/30 heteromeric hemichannels revealed by atomic force microscopy imaging. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:16499-16509. [PMID: 32887797 PMCID: PMC7864052 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.012128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Connexin (Cx) protein forms hemichannels and gap junctional channels, which play diverse and profound roles in human physiology and diseases. Gap junctions are arrays of intercellular channels formed by the docking of two hemichannels from adjacent cells. Each hexameric hemichannel contains the same or different Cx isoform. Although homomeric Cxs forms have been largely described functionally and structurally, the stoichiometry and arrangement of heteromeric Cx channels remain unknown. The latter, however, are widely expressed in human tissues and variation might have important implications on channel function. Investigating properties of heteromeric Cx channels is challenging considering the high number of potential subunit arrangements and stoichiometries, even when only combining two Cx isoforms. To tackle this problem, we engineered an HA tag onto Cx26 or Cx30 subunits and imaged hemichannels that were liganded by Fab-epitope antibody fragments via atomic force microscopy. For Cx26-HA/Cx30 or Cx30-HA/Cx26 heteromeric channels, the Fab-HA binding distribution was binomial with a maximum of three Fab-HA bound. Furthermore, imaged Cx26/Cx30-HA triple liganded by Fab-HA showed multiple arrangements that can be derived from the law of total probabilities. Atomic force microscopy imaging of ringlike structures of Cx26/Cx30-HA hemichannels confirmed these findings and also detected a polydisperse distribution of stoichiometries. Our results indicate a dominant subunit stoichiometry of 3Cx26:3Cx30 with the most abundant subunit arrangement of Cx26-Cx26-Cx30-Cx26-Cx30-Cx30. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the molecular architecture of heteromeric Cx channels has been revealed, thus providing the basis to explore the functional effect of these channels in biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela A Naulin
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Benjamin Lozano
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Fuentes
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Carla Schmidt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge E Contreras
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Nelson P Barrera
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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Morgan A, Lenarduzzi S, Spedicati B, Cattaruzzi E, Murru FM, Pelliccione G, Mazzà D, Zollino M, Graziano C, Ambrosetti U, Seri M, Faletra F, Girotto G. Lights and Shadows in the Genetics of Syndromic and Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss in the Italian Population. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11111237. [PMID: 33105617 PMCID: PMC7690429 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [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: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss (HL), both syndromic (SHL) and non-syndromic (NSHL), is the most common sensory disorder, affecting ~460 million people worldwide. More than 50% of the congenital/childhood cases are attributable to genetic causes, highlighting the importance of genetic testing in this class of disorders. Here we applied a multi-step strategy for the molecular diagnosis of HL in 125 patients, which included: (1) an accurate clinical evaluation, (2) the analysis of GJB2, GJB6, and MT-RNR1 genes, (3) the evaluation STRC-CATSPER2 and OTOA deletions via Multiplex Ligation Probe Amplification (MLPA), (4) Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) in patients negative to steps 2 and 3. Our approach led to the characterization of 50% of the NSHL cases, confirming both the relevant role of the GJB2 (20% of cases) and STRC deletions (6% of cases), and the high genetic heterogeneity of NSHL. Moreover, due to the genetic findings, 4% of apparent NSHL patients have been re-diagnosed as SHL. Finally, WES characterized 86% of SHL patients, supporting the role of already know disease-genes. Overall, our approach proved to be efficient in identifying the molecular cause of HL, providing essential information for the patients’ future management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Morgan
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Stefania Lenarduzzi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
| | - Beatrice Spedicati
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34125 Trieste, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Cattaruzzi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
| | - Flora Maria Murru
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
| | - Giulia Pelliccione
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
| | - Daniela Mazzà
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
| | - Marcella Zollino
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, UOC Genetica, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Graziano
- Unit of Medical Genetics, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (C.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Umberto Ambrosetti
- Audiology and audiophonology, University of Milano/Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milano, Italy;
| | - Marco Seri
- Unit of Medical Genetics, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy; (C.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Flavio Faletra
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
| | - Giorgia Girotto
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health–IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo”, 34137 Trieste, Italy; (S.L.); (B.S.); (E.C.); (F.M.M.); (G.P.); (D.M.); (F.F.); (G.G.)
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34125 Trieste, Italy
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7
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Buonfiglio P, Bruque CD, Luce L, Giliberto F, Lotersztein V, Menazzi S, Paoli B, Elgoyhen AB, Dalamón V. GJB2 and GJB6 Genetic Variant Curation in an Argentinean Non-Syndromic Hearing-Impaired Cohort. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1233. [PMID: 33096615 PMCID: PMC7589744 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variants in GJB2 and GJB6 genes are the most frequent causes of hereditary hearing loss among several deaf populations worldwide. Molecular diagnosis enables proper genetic counseling and medical prognosis to patients. In this study, we present an update of testing results in a cohort of Argentinean non-syndromic hearing-impaired individuals. A total of 48 different sequence variants were detected in genomic DNA from patients referred to our laboratory. They were manually curated and classified based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics/Association for Molecular Pathology ACMG/AMP standards and hearing-loss-gene-specific criteria of the ClinGen Hearing Loss Expert Panel. More than 50% of sequence variants were reclassified from their previous categorization in ClinVar. These results provide an accurately interpreted set of variants to be taken into account by clinicians and the scientific community, and hence, aid the precise genetic counseling to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Buonfiglio
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética de la Audición, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas—INGEBI/CONICET, C1428ADN Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; (P.B.); (A.B.E.)
| | - Carlos D. Bruque
- Centro Nacional de Genética Médica, ANLIS-Malbrán, C1425 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina;
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas—IBYME/CONICET, C1428ADN Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Leonela Luce
- Laboratorio de Distrofinopatías, Cátedra de Genética, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; (L.L.); (F.G.)
- Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo—INIGEM/CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia Giliberto
- Laboratorio de Distrofinopatías, Cátedra de Genética, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; (L.L.); (F.G.)
- Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo—INIGEM/CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1113AAD Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vanesa Lotersztein
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Militar Central “Dr. Cosme Argerich”, C1426 Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina;
| | - Sebastián Menazzi
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín”, C1120AAR Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina;
| | - Bibiana Paoli
- Servicio de Otorrinolaringología Infantil, Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín”, C1120AAR Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina;
| | - Ana Belén Elgoyhen
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética de la Audición, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas—INGEBI/CONICET, C1428ADN Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; (P.B.); (A.B.E.)
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1121ABG Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Viviana Dalamón
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética de la Audición, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular “Dr. Héctor N. Torres”, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas—INGEBI/CONICET, C1428ADN Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; (P.B.); (A.B.E.)
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Kuang Y, Zorzi V, Buratto D, Ziraldo G, Mazzarda F, Peres C, Nardin C, Salvatore AM, Chiani F, Scavizzi F, Raspa M, Qiang M, Chu Y, Shi X, Li Y, Liu L, Shi Y, Zonta F, Yang G, Lerner RA, Mammano F. A potent antagonist antibody targeting connexin hemichannels alleviates Clouston syndrome symptoms in mutant mice. EBioMedicine 2020; 57:102825. [PMID: 32553574 PMCID: PMC7378960 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous currently incurable human diseases have been causally linked to mutations in connexin (Cx) genes. In several instances, pathological mutations generate abnormally active Cx hemichannels, referred to also as "leaky" hemichannels. The goal of this study was to assay the in vivo efficacy of a potent antagonist antibody targeting Cx hemichannels. METHODS We employed the antibody to treat Cx30A88V/A88V adult mutant mice, the only available animal model of Clouston syndrome, a rare orphan disease caused by Cx30 p.A88V leaky hemichannels. To gain mechanistic insight into antibody action, we also performed patch clamp recordings, Ca2+ imaging and ATP release assay in vitro. FINDINGS Two weeks of antibody treatment sufficed to repress cell hyperproliferation in skin and reduce hypertrophic sebaceous glands (SGs) to wild type (wt) levels. These effects were obtained whether mutant mice were treated topically, by application of an antibody cream formulation, or systemically, by intraperitoneal antibody injection. Experiments with mouse primary keratinocytes and HaCaT cells revealed the antibody blocked Ca2+ influx and diminished ATP release through leaky Cx30 p.A88V hemichannels. INTERPRETATION Our results show anti-Cx antibody treatment was effective in vivo and sufficient to counteract the effects of pathological connexin expression in Cx30A88V/A88V mice. In vitro experiments suggest antibodies gained control over leaky hemichannels and contributed to restoring epidermal homeostasis. Therefore, regulating cell physiology by antibodies targeting the extracellular domain of Cxs may enforce an entirely new therapeutic strategy. These findings support the further development of antibodies as drugs to address unmet medical needs for Cx-related diseases. FUND: Fondazione Telethon, GGP19148; University of Padova, SID/BIRD187130; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, DSB.AD008.370.003\TERABIO-IBCN; National Science Foundation of China, 31770776; Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, 16DZ1910200.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Kuang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210 Shanghai, China; Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031 Shanghai, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Veronica Zorzi
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Damiano Buratto
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Gaia Ziraldo
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Mazzarda
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; Department of Science, Roma3 University, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Peres
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Nardin
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Chiani
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
| | | | - Marcello Raspa
- CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy
| | - Min Qiang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Youjun Chu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xiaojie Shi
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yu Li
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 201210 Shanghai, China; Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031 Shanghai, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Lili Liu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Yaru Shi
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Francesco Zonta
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Richard A Lerner
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, U.S.A..
| | - Fabio Mammano
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; CNR Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy.
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9
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Debarba LK, Vechiato FMV, Veida-Silva H, Borges BC, Jamur MC, Antunes-Rodrigues J, Elias LLK. The role of TCPTP on leptin effects on astrocyte morphology. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019; 482:62-69. [PMID: 30572001 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2018.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Leptin and LPS has been implicated in the development of hypothalamic astrogliosis in rodents. Astrocytes, which are interconnected by gap junction proteins, have emerged as important players in the control of energy homeostasis exerted by the hypothalamus. To investigate the hypothesis of action of T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP) on the astrocyte morphology, astrocytes from the hypothalamus of one-day-old rats were stimulated with leptin and LPS (used as a positive control). Leptin and LPS induced a marked increase in astrocyte size, an increase in Ptpn2 (TCPTP gene) and gap junction alpha-1 protein, - Gja1 (connexin 43 - CX43 gene) mRNA expression and a decrease in gap junction protein, alpha 6 - Gja6 (CX30 gene) mRNA expression. Remarkably, these effects on astrocytes morphology and connexins were prevented by Ptpn2 siRNA. Astrocytes are known to produce cytokines; here we show that TCPTP acts as an important regulator of the cytokines and it possesses a reciprocal interplay with protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B). Our findings demonstrate that leptin and LPS alter astrocyte morphology by increasing TCPTP, which in turn modulates connexin 30 (CX30) and connexin 43 (CX43) expression. TCPTP and PTP1B seem to act in the regulation of cytokine production in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Kniess Debarba
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | - Hellen Veida-Silva
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Beatriz C Borges
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Célia Jamur
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and Pathogenic Bioagents, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - José Antunes-Rodrigues
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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Yizhar-Barnea O, Valensisi C, Jayavelu ND, Kishore K, Andrus C, Koffler-Brill T, Ushakov K, Perl K, Noy Y, Bhonker Y, Pelizzola M, Hawkins RD, Avraham KB. DNA methylation dynamics during embryonic development and postnatal maturation of the mouse auditory sensory epithelium. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17348. [PMID: 30478432 PMCID: PMC6255903 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35587-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [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: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The inner ear is a complex structure responsible for hearing and balance, and organ pathology is associated with deafness and balance disorders. To evaluate the role of epigenomic dynamics, we performed whole genome bisulfite sequencing at key time points during the development and maturation of the mouse inner ear sensory epithelium (SE). Our single-nucleotide resolution maps revealed variations in both general characteristics and dynamics of DNA methylation over time. This allowed us to predict the location of non-coding regulatory regions and to identify several novel candidate regulatory factors, such as Bach2, that connect stage-specific regulatory elements to molecular features that drive the development and maturation of the SE. Constructing in silico regulatory networks around sites of differential methylation enabled us to link key inner ear regulators, such as Atoh1 and Stat3, to pathways responsible for cell lineage determination and maturation, such as the Notch pathway. We also discovered that a putative enhancer, defined as a low methylated region (LMR), can upregulate the GJB6 gene and a neighboring non-coding RNA. The study of inner ear SE methylomes revealed novel regulatory regions in the hearing organ, which may improve diagnostic capabilities, and has the potential to guide the development of therapeutics for hearing loss by providing multiple intervention points for manipulation of the auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ofer Yizhar-Barnea
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Cristina Valensisi
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, Department of Genome Sciences, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Naresh Doni Jayavelu
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, Department of Genome Sciences, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Kamal Kishore
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Milano, 20139, Italy
| | - Colin Andrus
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, Department of Genome Sciences, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Tal Koffler-Brill
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Kathy Ushakov
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Kobi Perl
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Yael Noy
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Yoni Bhonker
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Mattia Pelizzola
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Milano, 20139, Italy
| | - R David Hawkins
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, Department of Genome Sciences, Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Karen B Avraham
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
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