Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis, Pathway Analysis, and Consomic Mapping Show Genetic Variants of Tnni3k, Fpgt, or H28 Control Susceptibility to Viral Myocarditis
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
Authors: Wiltshire, Sean A.; Leiva-Torres, Gabriel Andre; Vidal, Silvia M.
Abstract
Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection is the most common cause of viral myocarditis. The pathogenesis of viral myocarditis is strongly controlled by host genetic factors. Although certain indispensable components of immunity have been identified, the genes and pathways underlying natural variation between individuals remain unclear. Previously, we isolated the viral myocarditis susceptibility 1 (Vms1) locus on chromosome 3, which influences pathogenesis. We hypothesized that confirmation and further study of Vms1 controlling CVB3-mediated pathology, combined with pathway analysis and consomic mapping approaches, would elucidate both pathological and protective mechanisms accounting for natural variation in response to CVB3 infection. Vms1 was originally mapped to chromosome 3 using a segregating cross between susceptible A/J and resistant B10. A mice. To validate Vms1, C57BL/6J-Chr 3(A)/NaJ (a chromosome substitution strain that carries a diploid A/J chromosome 3) were used to replicate susceptibility compared with resistant C57BL/6J (B6). A second segregating F2 cross was generated between these, confirming both the localization and effects of Vms1. Microarray analysis of the four strains (A/J, B10. A, C57BL/6J, and C57BL/6J-Chr 3(A)/NaJ) illuminated a core program of response to CVB3 in all strains that is comprised mainly of IFN-stimulated genes. Microarray analysis also revealed strain-specific differential expression programs and genes that may be prognostic or diagnostic of susceptibility to CVB3 infection. A combination of analyses revealed very strong evidence for the existence and location of Vms1. Differentially expressed pathways were identified by microarray, and candidate gene analysis revealed Fpgt, H28, and Tnni3k as likely candidates for Vms1. The Journal of Immunology, 2011, 186: 6398-6405.
FPGT: An Online System for Customized Fetal and Pediatric Growth Tracking
2014 IEEE-EMBS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH INFORMATICS (BHI)
Authors: Bochicchio, Mario A.; Vaira, Lucia; Longo, Antonella; Malvasi, Antonio; Tinelli, Andrea
Abstract
Growth tracking is an important diagnostic tool in perinatal medicine, because of its simplicity, low cost and sensitivity to several pathologies. It assumes a critical relevance for assessing the fetal intrauterine wellbeing thanks to the possibilities of ultrasound imaging. While the tracking method is very well known, the population reshuffling pushes for more updated and customized reference growth curves able to meet the challenge of correct diagnoses posed by about 160 millions of newborns per year. In this perspective we developed a cloud-based online service for fetal and pediatric growth tracking and we populated it with all ethnic-specific curves known in literature. Moreover we integrated it with a system, based on optical character recognition, able to support health professionals to produce their own customized growth curves from collections of ultrasound images and to share them, while preserving anonymity. The paper discusses the motivations underlying the system, its structure and the first results of a test on the field.