CHANGES IN mRNA EXPRESSION OF MEMBERS OF TGFB1-ASSOCIATED PATHWAYS IN HUMAN LEUKOCYTES DURING EBV INFECTION
ACTA MICROBIOLOGICA ET IMMUNOLOGICA HUNGARICA
Authors: Filatova, Elena Nikolaevna; Sakharnov, Nikolay Aleksandrovich; Knyazev, Dmitry Igorevich; Utkin, Oleg Vladimirovich
Abstract
Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) likely contributes to the pathogenesis of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-mediated cancer. A microarray containing 59 probes for detecting mRNA of members of TGFB1-associated pathways was developed. mRNA expression of TGFB1 receptors and members of connected pathways were examined in peripheral blood leukocytes of patients during acute EBV infection and after recovery. TGFB1 and TGFBR2 mRNA expression was increased in patients with EBV infection. Similarly, mRNA expression of protein kinase C (PRKCB), MAP3K7, PDLIM7, and other members of TGFB1 and NF-kappa B signaling pathways increased. A shift of mRNA transcript variant expression of some key members (TGFBR2, PRKCB, and NFKBIB) of involved signaling pathways was detected. After the patients' recovery, most of the altered mRNA expression has been normalized. We speculate that in patients with EBV infection, members of TGFB1-associated pathways contribute to the suppression of proapoptotic and induction of pro-survival factors in leukocytes. The modulation of TGFB1-associated pathways may be considered as a potential risk factor in the development of EBV-associated tumors in patients with acute EBV infection.
High diagnostic yield of syndromic intellectual disability by targeted next-generation sequencing
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS
Authors: Martinez, Francisco; Caro-Llopis, Alfonso; Rosello, Monica; Oltra, Silvestre; Mayo, Sonia; Monfort, Sandra; Orellana, Carmen
Abstract
Background Intellectual disability is a very complex condition where more than 600 genes have been reported. Due to this extraordinary heterogeneity, a large proportion of patients remain without a specific diagnosis and genetic counselling. The need for new methodological strategies in order to detect a greater number of mutations in multiple genes is therefore crucial. Methods In this work, we screened a large panel of 1256 genes (646 pathogenic, 610 candidate) by next-generation sequencing to determine the molecular aetiology of syndromic intellectual disability. A total of 92 patients, negative for previous genetic analyses, were studied together with their parents. Clinically relevant variants were validated by conventional sequencing. Results A definitive diagnosis was achieved in 29 families by testing the 646 known pathogenic genes. Mutations were found in 25 different genes, where only the genes KMT2D, KMT2A and MED13L were found mutated in more than one patient. A preponderance of de novo mutations was noted even among the X linked conditions. Additionally, seven de novo probably pathogenic mutations were found in the candidate genes AGO1, JARID2, SIN3B, FBXO11, MAP3K7, HDAC2 and SMARCC2. Altogether, this means a diagnostic yield of 39% of the cases (95% CI 30% to 49%). Conclusions The developed panel proved to be efficient and suitable for the genetic diagnosis of syndromic intellectual disability in a clinical setting. Next-generation sequencing has the potential for high-throughput identification of genetic variations, although the challenges of an adequate clinical interpretation of these variants and the knowledge on further unknown genes causing intellectual disability remain to be solved.