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International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Pathogenic variants in have been associated with a wide spectrum of muscular conditions: the laminopathies. -related congenital muscular dystrophy is a laminopathy...
Pathogenic variants in have been associated with a wide spectrum of muscular conditions: the laminopathies. -related congenital muscular dystrophy is a laminopathy characterised by the early onset of symptoms and often leads to a fatal outcome at young ages. Children face a heightened risk of malignant arrhythmias. No established paediatric protocols for managing this condition are available. We review published cases and provide insights into disease progression in two twin sisters with -related muscular dystrophy. Our objective is to propose a cardiac surveillance and management plan tailored specifically for paediatric patients. We present a family of five members, including two twin sisters with -related muscular dystrophy. A comprehensive neuromuscular and cardiac work-up was performed in all family members. Genetic analysis using massive sequencing technology was performed in both twins. Clinical assessment showed that only the twins showed diagnoses of -related muscular dystrophy. Follow-up showed an early onset of symptoms and life-threatening arrhythmias, with differing disease progressions despite both twins passing away. Genetic analysis identified a de novo rare missense deleterious variant in the gene. Other additional rare variants were identified in genes associated with myasthenic syndrome. Early-onset neuromuscular symptoms could be related to a prognosis of worse life-threatening arrhythmias in related muscular dystrophy. Being a carrier of other rare variants may be a modifying factor in the progression of the phenotype, although further studies are needed. There is a pressing need for specific cardiac recommendations tailored to the paediatric population to mitigate the risk of malignant arrhythmias.
Topics: Humans; Lamin Type A; Twins, Monozygotic; Female; Muscular Dystrophies; Male; Child; Pedigree; Child, Preschool; Arrhythmias, Cardiac
PubMed: 38892025
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115836 -
ENeuro Jun 2024Language is an evolutionarily salient faculty for humans that relies on a distributed brain network spanning across frontal, temporal, parietal, and subcortical regions....
Language is an evolutionarily salient faculty for humans that relies on a distributed brain network spanning across frontal, temporal, parietal, and subcortical regions. To understand whether the complex language network shares common or distinct genetic mechanisms, we examined the relationships between the genetic effects underlying the brain responses to language and a set of object domains that have been suggested to coevolve with language: tools, faces (indicating social), and body parts (indicating social and gesturing). Analyzing the twin datasets released by the Human Connectome Project (HCP) that had fMRI data from human twin subjects (monozygotic and dizygotic) undergoing language and working memory tasks contrasting multiple object domains (198 females and 144 males for the language task; 192 females and 142 males for the working memory task), we identified a set of cortical regions in the frontal and temporal cortices and subcortical regions whose activity to language was significantly genetically influenced. The heterogeneity of the genetic effects among these language clusters were corroborated by significant differences of the human gene expression profiles (AHBA dataset). Among them, the bilateral basal ganglia (mainly dorsal caudate) exhibited a common genetic basis for language, tool, and body part processing, and the right superior temporal gyrus exhibited a common genetic basis for language and tool processing across multiple types of analyses. These results uncovered the heterogeneous genetic patterns of language neural processes, shedding light on the evolution of language and its shared origins with tools and bodily functions. Human language entails a distributed brain network spanning across frontal, temporal, parietal, and subcortical regions. To elucidate the genetic basis underlying this complex language network, we adopted the HCP fMRI twin data to examine the relationship between the genetic effects for the brain responses to language and to object domains that have been hypothesized to coevolve with language (tools, social, and body actions). The bilateral basal ganglia exhibited a common genetic basis for language, tool, and body part processing, and the right superior temporal gyrus for language and tool processing. These results provide evidence for the heterogeneous genetic patterns of language neural processes and shed light on its potential origin with tools and bodily actions.
PubMed: 38886065
DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0138-24.2024 -
Frontiers in Pediatrics 2024This article reports a case of neonatal incontinentia pigmenti onset in only one male monozygotic twin with characteristic skin lesions after birth followed by severe...
BACKGROUND
This article reports a case of neonatal incontinentia pigmenti onset in only one male monozygotic twin with characteristic skin lesions after birth followed by severe cerebrovascular lesions.
CASE PRESENTATION
A male infant, the first of monozygotic twins, was born with multiple yellow pustules all over his body, repeated new herpes at different sites during the course of the disease, aggravated by fusion, warty crusts, and hyperpigmentation; biopsy pathology suggested eosinophilic spongiform edema of the skin. Peripheral blood eosinophils were significantly elevated, and brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffuse multiple cystic and lamellar abnormal signal areas in the left frontal and parietal lobes. On day 30, the infant showed neurological symptoms, such as poor response and apnea, and an emergency cranial computed tomography scan revealed abnormal changes in the left cerebral hemisphere and bilateral cerebellum. After admission, he was given a potassium permanganate bath and topical mupirocin for 1 month, and the skin abnormalities improved. He was treated with mechanical ventilation and vasoactive drugs for 2 days after the cerebrovascular accident, and died the same day after the parents chose hospice care. No deletion variants or point mutations were detected in subsequent genetic tests, and chromosomal copy number variation tests revealed different degrees of chimeric duplications and deletions in different regions of chromosomes Y and 3. The parents were healthy, and his twin brother had normal growth and development with no abnormalities at multiple follow-up visits.
CONCLUSION
Neonatal incontinentia pigmenti in only one male monozygotic twin is extremely rare and the genetic diagnosis is challenging. Awareness of the combined cerebrovascular lesions needs to be enhanced, and potential prevention and treatment methods need to be explored to improve the prognosis.
PubMed: 38832002
DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1338054 -
Life Science Alliance Aug 2024The human umbilical cord (hUC) is the lifeline that connects the fetus to the mother. Hypercoiling of the hUC is associated with pre- and perinatal morbidity and...
The human umbilical cord (hUC) is the lifeline that connects the fetus to the mother. Hypercoiling of the hUC is associated with pre- and perinatal morbidity and mortality. We investigated the origin of hUC hypercoiling using state-of-the-art imaging and omics approaches. Macroscopic inspection of the hUC revealed the helices to originate from the arteries rather than other components of the hUC. Digital reconstruction of the hUC arteries showed the dynamic alignment of two layers of muscle fibers in the tunica media aligning in opposing directions. We observed that genetically identical twins can be discordant for hUC coiling, excluding genetic, many environmental, and parental origins of hUC coiling. Comparing the transcriptomic and DNA methylation profile of the hUC arteries of four twin pairs with discordant cord coiling, we detected 28 differentially expressed genes, but no differentially methylated CpGs. These genes play a role in vascular development, cell-cell interaction, and axis formation and may account for the increased number of hUC helices. When combined, our results provide a novel framework to understand the origin of hUC helices in fetal development.
Topics: Humans; Umbilical Cord; Twins, Monozygotic; DNA Methylation; Female; Pregnancy; Transcriptome; Fetal Development; Male
PubMed: 38830769
DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302543 -
Asian Journal of Surgery May 2024
PubMed: 38824017
DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2024.05.130 -
Psychoneuroendocrinology May 2024Low birthweight may have adverse sequelae in later life. Therefore, we analyzed behavioral difficulties and salivary glucocorticoid profiles in monozygotic twins with...
Behavior and circadian glucocorticoids in prepubertal monozygotic twins with birthweight differences: A prospective longitudinal cohort study on twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome patients.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE
Low birthweight may have adverse sequelae in later life. Therefore, we analyzed behavioral difficulties and salivary glucocorticoid profiles in monozygotic twins with intra-twin birthweight differences due to twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).
METHODS
46 monozygotic TTTS twin pairs with birthweight differences of <1SDS (concordant; n=29) and ≥1SDS (discordant; n=17) were recruited at a mean age of 6.9 years for a prospective longitudinal cohort study. For glucocorticoid analysis, saliva samples were collected (at 7 h, 13 h, 18 h and 21 h) and analyzed with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
RESULTS
From the parents' perspective, the formerly smaller twins had statistically higher scores regarding hyperactivity (mean 4.63 vs 3.48, p=0.003) and emotional problems (mean 2.67 vs 2.02, p=0.042). Less catch-up growth (Δintra-twin height SDS 4 years of age - Δintra-twin birth length SDS) of the smaller twins was associated with higher scores for hyperactivity (Adj. R²=0.261, p<0.001, β=-1.88, F(1.44)=16.86, n=46, f²=0.35), while smaller birthweight (Adj. R²=0.135, p=0.007, β=-0,87, F(1.44)=8.03, n=46, f²=0.16) and birth length (Adj. R²=0.085, p=0.028, β=-0,78, F(1.44)=5.19, n=46, f²=0.09) were associated with higher scores for peer problems. Greater Δintra-twin for cortisol (7 h: rho=0.337, p=0.029; cumulative: rho=0.458; p=0.024) and cortisone (7 h: rho=0.329, p=0.029; 13 h: rho=0.436, p=0.005) correlated with a greater Δintra-twin for conduct problems. In the discordant group, circa 1 SDS in head circumference persisted from birth (mean SDS: smaller twin -1.18, larger twin -0.08, p<0.001) to present (mean SDS: smaller twin -1.16, larger twin -0.14, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Higher cortisol and cortisone concentrations in smaller twins were associated with higher scores for conduct problems. Lower birthweight and absent catch-up growth affected the parents' perspective on the smaller twins' behavior. They saw those children as more hyperactive, with more peer problems and emotional problems. Thus, it seems important to introduce regular check-ups where behavioral difficulties can be assessed, and assistance and advice can be given to the families. Due to the persisting smaller head circumference in the smaller discordant twins, this should be measured regularly.
PubMed: 38810374
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107082 -
Human Brain Mapping Jun 2024Twin studies have found gross cerebellar volume to be highly heritable. However, whether fine-grained regional volumes within the cerebellum are similarly heritable is...
Twin studies have found gross cerebellar volume to be highly heritable. However, whether fine-grained regional volumes within the cerebellum are similarly heritable is still being determined. Anatomical MRI scans from two independent datasets (QTIM: Queensland Twin IMaging, N = 798, mean age 22.1 years; QTAB: Queensland Twin Adolescent Brain, N = 396, mean age 11.3 years) were combined with an optimised and automated cerebellum parcellation algorithm to segment and measure 28 cerebellar regions. We show that the heritability of regional volumetric measures varies widely across the cerebellum ( 47%-91%). Additionally, the good to excellent test-retest reliability for a subsample of QTIM participants suggests that non-genetic variance in cerebellar volumes is due primarily to unique environmental influences rather than measurement error. We also show a consistent pattern of strong associations between the volumes of homologous left and right hemisphere regions. Associations were predominantly driven by genetic effects shared between lobules, with only sparse contributions from environmental effects. These findings are consistent with similar studies of the cerebrum and provide a first approximation of the upper bound of heritability detectable by genome-wide association studies.
Topics: Humans; Cerebellum; Male; Adolescent; Female; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Young Adult; Child; Adult; Organ Size; Twins, Monozygotic
PubMed: 38798116
DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26717 -
Journal of Clinical Immunology May 2024
Correction to: Monozygotic Twins with MAGT1 Deficiency and Epstein-Barr virus-positive Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma Receiving anti-CD30 CAR T-cell Immunotherapy: A case Report.
PubMed: 38795171
DOI: 10.1007/s10875-024-01723-8 -
Genes May 2024Schizophrenia symptomatology includes negative symptoms and cognitive impairment. Several studies have linked schizophrenia with the PDE4 family of enzymes due to their... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Schizophrenia symptomatology includes negative symptoms and cognitive impairment. Several studies have linked schizophrenia with the PDE4 family of enzymes due to their genetic association and function in cognitive processes such as long-term potentiation. We conducted a systematic gene expression meta-analysis of four PDE4 genes (PDE4A-D) in 10 brain sample datasets (437 samples) and three blood sample datasets (300 samples). Subsequently, we measured mRNA levels in iPSC-derived hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons generated from fibroblasts of three groups: healthy controls, healthy monozygotic twins (MZ), and their MZ siblings with schizophrenia. We found downregulation of PDE4B in brain tissues, further validated by independent data of the CommonMind consortium (515 samples). Interestingly, the downregulation signal was present in a subgroup of the patients, while the others showed no differential expression or even upregulation. Notably, PDE4A, PDE4B, and PDE4D exhibited upregulation in iPSC-derived neurons compared to healthy controls, whereas in blood samples, PDE4B was found to be upregulated while PDE4A was downregulated. While the precise mechanism and direction of altered PDE4 expression necessitate further investigation, the observed multilevel differential expression across the brain, blood, and iPSC-derived neurons compellingly suggests the involvement of PDE4 genes in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Topics: Schizophrenia; Humans; Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; Neurons; Brain; Male; Female; Adult
PubMed: 38790238
DOI: 10.3390/genes15050609 -
Early Human Development Jul 2024Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in preterm neonates, yet its pathophysiology remains unclear. The aim of this study...
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in preterm neonates, yet its pathophysiology remains unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate risk factors for NEC using an identical twin model. In this case-control study, all monochorionic twin pairs born in our center in 2002-2020 were retrospectively reviewed for NEC. Potential risk factors for NEC were studied. For within-pair comparison, outcomes were compared between affected and unaffected twins. Within-pair analyses showed that the twin with NEC had a lower birth weight compared to its unaffected co-twin (1100 (913-1364) vs. 1339 (1093-1755) grams). Median gestational age at birth and birth weight were lower in twin pairs in the NEC-group compared to the no-NEC group, 29.1 weeks (27.8-30.8) versus 33.6 (30.7-36.0) and 1221 g (1010-1488) versus 1865 (1356-2355) respectively. Twin pregnancies in the NEC-group were more often complicated by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome compared to the no-NEC-group (70 % (14/20) vs. 49 % (472/962)), particularly when treated with amnioreduction. This unique population of identical twins confirms that preterm neonates with a relatively lower birth weight are more prone to develop NEC compared to their co-twin, regardless of other genetic, maternal and obstetrical factors.
Topics: Humans; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing; Infant, Newborn; Female; Twins, Monozygotic; Male; Infant, Premature; Pregnancy; Case-Control Studies; Diseases in Twins; Risk Factors; Retrospective Studies; Birth Weight; Gestational Age
PubMed: 38781714
DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2024.106052