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Current Issues in Molecular Biology Mar 2024Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS), one of the most common forms of syndromic inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), is characterized by the combination of retinal degeneration...
Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS), one of the most common forms of syndromic inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), is characterized by the combination of retinal degeneration with additional extra-ocular manifestations, including obesity, intellectual disability, kidney disease, polydactyly and other skeletal abnormalities. We observed an Israeli patient with autosomal recessive apparently non-syndromic rod-cone dystrophy (RCD). Extra-ocular findings were limited to epilepsy and dental problems. Genetic analysis with a single molecule molecular inversion probes-based panel that targets the exons and splice sites of 113 genes associated with retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis revealed a homozygous rare missense variant in the gene (c.263C>T;p.(Ser88Leu)). This variant, which affects a highly conserved amino acid, is also located in the last base of Exon 3, and predicted to be splice-altering. An in vitro minigene splice assay demonstrated that this variant leads to the partial aberrant splicing of Exon 3. Therefore, we suggest that this variant is likely hypomorphic. This is in agreement with the relatively mild phenotype observed in the patient. Hence, the findings in our study expand the phenotypic spectrum associated with variants and indicate that variants in this gene should be considered not only in BBS patients but also in individuals with non-syndromic IRD or IRD with very mild extra-ocular manifestations.
PubMed: 38534779
DOI: 10.3390/cimb46030163 -
Journal of Medical Genetics Jun 2024Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (EvC) is a recessive disorder characterised by acromesomelic limb shortening, postaxial polydactyly, nail-teeth dysplasia and congenital...
BACKGROUND
Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (EvC) is a recessive disorder characterised by acromesomelic limb shortening, postaxial polydactyly, nail-teeth dysplasia and congenital cardiac defects, primarily caused by pathogenic variants in or . Weyers acrofacial dysostosis (WAD) is an ultra-rare dominant condition allelic to EvC. The present work aimed to enhance current knowledge on the clinical manifestations of EvC and WAD and broaden their mutational spectrum.
METHODS
We conducted molecular studies in 46 individuals from 43 unrelated families with a preliminary clinical diagnosis of EvC and 3 affected individuals from a family with WAD and retrospectively analysed clinical data. The deleterious effect of selected variants of uncertain significance was evaluated by cellular assays.
MAIN RESULTS
We identified pathogenic variants in in affected individuals from 41 of the 43 families with EvC. Patients from each of the two remaining families were found with a homozygous splicing variant in and a de novo heterozygous frameshift variant in , respectively. The phenotype of these patients showed a remarkable overlap with EvC. A novel C-terminal truncating variant was identified in the family with WAD. Deep phenotyping of the cohort recapitulated 'classical EvC findings' in the literature and highlighted findings previously undescribed or rarely described as part of EvC.
CONCLUSIONS
This study presents the largest cohort of living patients with EvC to date, contributing to better understanding of the full clinical spectrum of EvC. We also provide comprehensive information on the / mutational landscape and add to the list of genes associated with EvC-like phenotypes.
Topics: Humans; Ellis-Van Creveld Syndrome; Male; Female; Phenotype; Child; Pedigree; Membrane Proteins; Mutation; Child, Preschool; Zinc Finger Protein Gli3; Adolescent; Adult; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Cohort Studies; Infant; Proteins; Retrospective Studies; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
PubMed: 38531627
DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2023-109546 -
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Mar 2024To describe the prevalence and epidemiology of congenital polydactyly and syndactyly in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence and epidemiology of congenital polydactyly and syndactyly in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020.
METHODS
Data were obtained from the Birth Defects Surveillance System in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Prevalence of birth defects (polydactyly or syndactyly) is the number of cases per 1000 births (unit: ‰). Prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by the log-binomial method. Chi-square trend tests (χ) were used to determine trends in prevalence by year. Crude odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to examine the association of each demographic characteristic with polydactyly and syndactyly.
RESULTS
Our study included 847,755 births, and 14,459 birth defects were identified, including 1,888 polydactyly and 626 syndactyly cases, accounting for 13.06% and 4.33% of birth defects, respectively. The prevalences of total birth defects, polydactyly, and syndactyly were 17.06‰ (95%CI: 16.78-17.33), 2.23‰ (95%CI: 2.13-2.33), and 0.74‰ (95%CI: 0.68-0.80), respectively. Most polydactyly (96.77%) and syndactyly (95.69%) were diagnosed postnatally (within 7 days). From 2016 to 2020, the prevalences of polydactyly were 1.94‰, 2.07‰, 2.20‰, 2.54‰, and 2.48‰, respectively, showing an upward trend (χ = 19.48, P < 0.01); The prevalences of syndactyly were 0.62‰, 0.66‰, 0.77‰, 0.81‰, and 0.89‰, respectively, showing an upward trend (χ = 10.81, P = 0.03). Hand polydactyly (2.26‰ vs. 1.33‰, OR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.52-1.87) and hand syndactyly (0.43‰ vs. 0.28‰, OR = 1.42, 95%CI: 1.14-1.76) were more common in males than females. Polydactyly (2.67‰ vs. 1.93‰, OR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.26-1.51) and syndactyly (0.91‰ vs. 0.62‰, OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.26-1.72) were more common in urban areas than in rural areas. Compared to maternal age 25-29, hand polydactyly was more common in maternal age < 20 (2.48‰ vs. 1.74‰, OR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.01-2.02) or ≥ 35 (2.25‰ vs. 1.74‰, OR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.12-1.50).
CONCLUSION
In summary, we have described the prevalence and epidemiology of polydactyly and syndactyly from hospital-based surveillance in Hunan Province, China, 2016-2020. Our findings make some original contributions to the field, which may be valuable for future research.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Adult; Polydactyly; Syndactyly; Maternal Age; China; Prevalence; Congenital Abnormalities
PubMed: 38521899
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06417-y -
American Journal of Medical Genetics.... Jul 2024The 17th century was a time of scientific discovery in Europe. Leading academic centers provided the general population with an opportunity to view anatomic dissections...
The 17th century was a time of scientific discovery in Europe. Leading academic centers provided the general population with an opportunity to view anatomic dissections of human bodies. Rather than portray idealized versions of individuals, Dutch painters were committed to accurately representing their models. This was true for Johannes Vermeer. The 2023 exhibition of Vermeer's paintings at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam provided an unprecedented opportunity to observe 28 of his 37 existing paintings simultaneously in person. Here the authors suggest that in at least eight paintings a visibly pregnant woman is present. Vermeer's wife was pregnant or lactating most of the time during their 22-year marriage. Further, evidence of specific medical findings and congenital anomalies such as polydactyly, ectrodactyly, alopecia, kyphosis, and hyperthyroidism were observed in the paintings. These have not been previously reported in the medical or art history literature.
Topics: Paintings; Humans; Congenital Abnormalities; Female; History, 17th Century; Netherlands; Medicine in the Arts; Pregnancy; Male; History, 21st Century
PubMed: 38517162
DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63583 -
Congenital Anomalies May 2024
Topics: Humans; China; History, Medieval; Medicine in the Arts; Paintings; Polydactyly
PubMed: 38504642
DOI: 10.1111/cga.12559 -
Fa Yi Xue Za Zhi Feb 2024
Topics: Humans; Thumb; Polydactyly; Fractures, Bone
PubMed: 38500474
DOI: 10.12116/j.issn.1004-5619.2022.221202 -
Cureus Feb 2024This case report emphasizes the varied clinical features of Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome (LMBBS) in a 10-year-old girl, presenting a rare combination of atypical...
This case report emphasizes the varied clinical features of Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome (LMBBS) in a 10-year-old girl, presenting a rare combination of atypical retinitis punctata albescens, polydactyly, central obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Despite extensive management efforts, the patient's visual impairment remained unchanged, highlighting the challenging and progressive nature of LMBBS, particularly its ocular manifestations. Genetic counseling played a crucial role, stressing the significance of early genetic analysis in consanguineous marriages for anomaly detection and informed family planning. This case enhances our comprehension of LMBBS and emphasizes the necessity for ongoing research and multidisciplinary care to tackle its complexities.
PubMed: 38481887
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54064 -
Arthritis Research & Therapy Mar 2024CRISPR-Cas9-based genome engineering represents a powerful therapeutic tool for cartilage tissue engineering and for understanding molecular pathways driving cartilage...
BACKGROUND
CRISPR-Cas9-based genome engineering represents a powerful therapeutic tool for cartilage tissue engineering and for understanding molecular pathways driving cartilage diseases. However, primary chondrocytes are difficult to transfect and rapidly dedifferentiate during monolayer (2D) cell culture, making the lengthy expansion of a single-cell-derived edited clonal population not feasible. For this reason, functional genetics studies focused on cartilage and rheumatic diseases have long been carried out in cellular models that poorly recapitulate the native molecular properties of human cartilaginous tissue (e.g., cell lines, induced pluripotent stem cells). Here, we set out to develop a non-viral CRISPR-Cas9, bulk-gene editing method suitable for chondrocyte populations from different cartilaginous sources.
METHODS
We screened electroporation and lipid nanoparticles for ribonucleoprotein (RNP) delivery in primary polydactyly chondrocytes, and optimized RNP reagents assembly. We knocked out RELA (also known as p65), a subunit of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), in polydactyly chondrocytes and further characterized knockout (KO) cells with RT-qPCR and Western Blot. We tested RELA KO in chondrocytes from diverse cartilaginous sources and characterized their phenotype with RT-qPCR. We examined the chondrogenic potential of wild-type (WT) and KO cell pellets in presence and absence of interleukin-1β (IL-1β).
RESULTS
We established electroporation as the optimal transfection technique for chondrocytes enhancing transfection and editing efficiency, while preserving high cell viability. We knocked out RELA with an unprecedented efficiency of ~90%, confirming lower inflammatory pathways activation upon IL-1β stimulation compared to unedited cells. Our protocol could be easily transferred to primary human chondrocytes harvested from osteoarthritis (OA) patients, human FE002 chondroprogenitor cells, bovine chondrocytes, and a human chondrocyte cell line, achieving comparable mean RELA KO editing levels using the same protocol. All KO pellets from primary human chondrocytes retained chondrogenic ability equivalent to WT cells, and additionally displayed enhanced matrix retention under inflamed conditions.
CONCLUSIONS
We showcased the applicability of our bulk gene editing method to develop effective autologous and allogeneic off-the-shelf gene therapies strategies and to enable functional genetics studies in human chondrocytes to unravel molecular mechanisms of cartilage diseases.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Cattle; Chondrocytes; Gene Editing; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Interleukin-1beta; Cartilage Diseases; Polydactyly
PubMed: 38468277
DOI: 10.1186/s13075-024-03294-w -
Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine Mar 2024Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common intraocular malignancy in childhood, originating from primitive retinal stem cells or cone precursor cells. It can be triggered by... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common intraocular malignancy in childhood, originating from primitive retinal stem cells or cone precursor cells. It can be triggered by mutations of the RB1 gene or amplification of the MYCN gene. Rb may rarely present with polydactyly.
METHODS
We conducted karyotype analysis, copy number variation sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing on the infant proband and his family. The clinical course and laboratory results of the proband's infant were documented and collected. We also reviewed the relevant literature.
RESULTS
A 68-day-old boy presented with preaxial polydactyly and corneal edema. His intraocular pressure (IOP) was 40/19 mmHg, and color Doppler imaging revealed vitreous solid mass-occupying lesions with calcification in the right eye. Ocular CT showed flaky high-density and calcification in the right eye. This was classified as an International Retinoblastoma Staging System group E retinoblastoma with an indication for enucleation. Enucleation and orbital implantation were performed on the child's right eye. Karyotype analysis revealed an abnormal 46, XY, 15pstk+ karyotype, and the mother exhibited diploidy of the short arm of chromosome 15. The Alx-4 development factor, 13q deletion syndrome, and the PAPA2 gene have been reported as potential mechanisms for Rb combined with polydactyly.
CONCLUSION
We report the case of a baby boy with Rb and polydactyly exhibiting a 46, XY, 15pstk+ Karyotype. We discuss potential genetic factors related to both Rb and polydactyly. Furthermore, there is a need for further exploration into the impact of chromosomal polymorphisms in Rb with polydactyly.
Topics: Humans; Infant; Male; Calcinosis; DNA Copy Number Variations; Karyotype; Polydactyly; Retinal Neoplasms; Retinoblastoma
PubMed: 38465842
DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.2414 -
Child's Nervous System : ChNS :... Jul 2024Meckel-Gruber Syndrome (MKS) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, notable for its triad of occipital encephalocele, polycystic renal dysplasia, and postaxial... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Meckel-Gruber Syndrome (MKS) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, notable for its triad of occipital encephalocele, polycystic renal dysplasia, and postaxial polydactyly. Identified by Johann Friederich Meckel in 1822, MKS is categorized as a ciliopathy due to gene mutations. Diagnosis is confirmed by the presence of at least two key features. The condition is incompatible with life, leading to death in the womb or shortly after birth. Recent studies have largely focused on the genetic aspects of MKS, with limited information regarding the impact of neurosurgical approaches, particularly in treating encephaloceles.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA statement. The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were consulted for data screening and extraction, which was conducted by two independent reviewers. The search strategy aimed to encompass studies documenting cases of MKS with published reports of encephalocele excisions, and the search strings for all databases were: Meckel-Gruber syndrome OR Meckel Gruber syndrome OR Meckel-gruber OR Meckel Gruber.
RESULTS
The study included 10 newborns with MKS associated with occipital encephalocele or meningocele, all of whom underwent surgical repair of the occipital sac. The mean gestational age at birth was 36 (± 2) weeks. The mean of birth weight was 3.14 (± 0.85) kilograms. The average head circumference at birth was 33.82 cm (± 2.17). The mean diameter of the encephalocele/meningocele was 5.91 (± 1.02) cm. Other common central nervous system abnormalities included hydrocephalus, Dandy-Walker malformation, and agenesis of the corpus callosum. 40% required shunting for hydrocephalus. Surgery to remove the occipital sac occurred at a median age of 2.5 days (1.5-6.5). The most common post-surgical complication was the need for mechanical ventilation. The most common cause of death was pneumonia and the median age at death was 6.66 (0.03-18) months.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that neurosurgical intervention, especially for managing encephaloceles, may offer some improvement in survival, albeit within a context of generally poor prognosis. However, these results should be interpreted with caution.
Topics: Humans; Encephalocele; Retinitis Pigmentosa; Neurosurgical Procedures; Ciliary Motility Disorders; Polycystic Kidney Diseases; Eye Abnormalities; Infant, Newborn
PubMed: 38459147
DOI: 10.1007/s00381-024-06346-3