Study 1 2R01-NS050375 (PI: DOBYNS, William B.) The genetic basis of mid-hindbrain malformations Our general goal for this project is to advance our understanding of human developmental disorders that involve the brainstem and cerebellum - brain structures derived from the embryonic midbrain and hindbrain - that affect a minimum of 2.4 per 1000 resident births based on data from the CDC. Importantly, this large class of disorders co-occurs with more common developmental disorders such as autism, mental retardation and some forms of infantile epilepsy, and shares some of the same causes. With this renewal, we propose to expand the scope of our work beyond single phenotypes and genes to focus on delineating the critical phenotype spectra to which the most common MHM belong, and defining the underlying biological networks that are disrupted. To pursue these goals, we will use our large and growing cohort of human subjects to map additional MHM loci using SNP microarrays that provide both high-resolution autozygosity and linkage data in informative families as well as detect critical copy number variants in sporadic subjects. The causative genes will be identified using traditional Sanger or new high-throughput sequencing methods as appropriate abased on size of the critical region. We will use these and other known MHM causative genes to construct and revise model biological networks of genes and proteins, and test these genes and networks in additional patients as a candidate gene or more accurately a candidate network approach. These approaches need to be supported by ongoing active subject recruitment, as studies of comparable disorders such as mental retardation and autism have benefited from even larger numbers of subjects that we have so far collected. We need to use new high-throughput sequencing methods to more efficiently test larger critical regions, and to test entire gene networks rather than individual genes in matched cohorts of subjects. At every step; phenotype analysis, CNV analysis, model network construction and high-throughput sequencing, we will need expanded bioinformatics capabilities. Finally, we need to test the biological function of new genes and networks to support our gene identification studies. We expect that these studies will contribute immediately to more accurate diagnosis and counseling, and over time will lead to development of specific treatments for a subset of these disorders. We further expect that studies of mid-hindbrain development will have broad significance for human developmental disorders generally, providing compelling evidence for a connection between cerebellar development and other classes of developmental disorders such as autism, mental retardation and epilepsy. Study 2 R01-NS058721 (PI: DOBYNS, William B.) De novo copy number variation and gene discovery in human brain malformations Project Summary/Abstract The number of recognized brain malformations and syndromes has grown rapidly during the past several decades, yet relatively few causative genes have been identified, especially for three common malformations that have been associated with numerous cytogenetically visible chromosome deletions and duplications, and that often occur together: agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC), cerebellar vermis hypoplasia (CVH) including Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM), and polymicrogyria (PMG). We propose to perform high-resolution array comparative genome hybridization (aCGH), emerging technology able to detect small copy number variants (CNV), in 700 probands with one or more of these three malformations. Our central hypothesis states that more than 10% of patients with ACC, CVH or PMG will have de novo CNV below the resolution of routine cytogenetic analysis, but detectable by current array platforms. We therefore expect to identify 70-100 patients with small CNV. We will distinguish CNV found in normal individuals from potentially disease-associated changes, and will confirm CNV using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and microsatellite (STRP) analysis. We will give highest priority to CNV that are de novo and involve 2 or more BACs, and secondary priority to familial and smaller CNV excluding known polymorphisms. After that, we will evaluate and rank candidate genes in the critical regions using information from public databases and our own expression studies, and perform mutation analysis of the best candidate genes from well-defined critical regions by sequencing in a large panel of subjects with phenotypes that match the phenotypes of the patients whose CNV define the critical regions. Here, we will use more refined criteria to supplement our clinical classification, such as the developmental level and presence of epilepsy or other birth defects. Any abnormalities found will be analyzed using existing data regarding polymorphisms (i.e. dbSNP), cross-species comparisons, and functional assays appropriate for the specific sequence change. Study 2A In 1995, we described a novel multiple congenital anomaly syndrome associated with facial dysmorphism (congenital ptosis, high arched eyebrows, shallow orbits, trigonocephaly), colobomas of the eyes, neuronal migration malformation (frontal predominant lissencephaly) and variable hearing loss. We hypothesized from de novo mutations and used trio-based exome sequencing to identify de novo mutations in the ACTB and ACTG1 genes. Study 2B In 1997 and 2004, we and others defined two novel developmental syndromes associated with markedly enlarged brain size, or megalencephaly, and other highly recognizable features. The megalencephaly-capillary malformation syndrome (MCAP) consists of megalencephaly and associated growth dysregulation with variable asymmetry, developmental vascular anomalies, distal limb malformations, variable cortical malformation, and a mild connective tissue dysplasia. The megalencephaly-polymicrogyria-polydactyly-hydrocephalus syndrome (MPPH) resembles MCAP but lacks vascular malformations and syndactyly. We hypothesized that MCAP and MPPH result from mutations - including postzygotic events - in the same pathway, and studied them together. Using a combination of exome sequencing, Sanger sequencing, restriction-enzyme assays, and targeted ultra-deep sequencing in 50 families with MCAP or MPPH, we identified de novo germline or postzygotic mutations in three core components of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT pathway. These include two mutations in AKT3, a recurrent mutation in PIK3R2, and multiple mostly postzygotic mutations in PIK3CA (Rivière JB, Mirzaa GM, O'Roak BJ, Beddaoui M, Alcantara D, Conway RL, St-Onge J, Schwartzentruber JA, Gripp KW, Nikkel SM, Worthylake T, Sullivan CT, Ward TR, Butler HE, Kramer NA, Albrecht B, Armour CM, Armstrong L, Caluseriu O, Cytrynbaum C, Drolet BA, Innes AM, Lauzon JL, Lin AE, Mancini GMS, Meschino WS, Reggin JD, Saggar AK, Lerman-Sagie T, Uyanik G, Weksberg R, Zirn B, Beaulieu CL, FORGE Canada Consortium, Majewski J, Bulman DE, O'Driscoll M, Shendure J, Graham Jr. JM, Boycott KM, Dobyns WB. De novo germline and postzygotic mutations in AKT3, PIK3R2 and PIK3CA cause a spectrum of related megalencephaly syndromes. Nat. Genet. In press). Study 3 2R01-NS046616 (PI: GOLDEN, Jeffrey A) The role of ARX in normal and abnormal brain development This subcontract from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to the University of Chicago (UC) is intended to support research studies of the ARX and functionally related genes in human subjects with any one of several specific developmental disorders. The Co-investigator at UC (W.B. Dobyns) will identify a series of patients with mental retardation and severe infantile epilepsy, some of whom will have specific brain malformations and others who will have normal brain structure by brain imaging studies, and collect research samples from these subjects with informed consent. The studies to be performed will include mutation analysis of ARX, mutation analysis of specific downstream target genes, X inactivation studies in humans and X inactivation studies in mutant mice. The results will be analyzed to determine the significance of any changes found in the gene.
The CS-MATCH-0007 protocol is part of a collaboration between the Center for Cancer Genomics (CCG) and the Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD) to perform whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing and if possible, whole-genome, methylation and miRNA sequencing using pre-and post-treatment tumor biopsy specimens from patients enrolled on a treatment arm of the NCI-MATCH clinical trial (EAY131). The goal of this study is to identify the molecular basis for response and resistance to targeted therapies that are matched to specific genomic alterations found in their cancers. Arm N is one of the treatment sub-protocols within the NCI-MATCH Clinical Trial (EAY131) where patients with PTEN mutation, or deletion with PTEN expression on IHC, are treated with the drug GSK2636771. This subprotocol is one of the treatment arms included in the CS-MATCH-0007 protocol and will provide specimens for the program including DNA from tumor tissue and whole blood.
This is a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of osteosarcoma, the most common primary bone malignancy. Osteosarcoma typically occurs in adolescents and young adults. It occurs at increased frequency in several inherited cancer predisposition syndromes but the genetic contribution to sporadic osteosarcoma is largely unexplored. The objective of this study was to identify genetic risk factors for osteosarcoma by conducting a genome-wide association study. We developed collaborations with multiple institutions in order to attain the necessary sample size required to discover novel loci in the genome associated with osteosarcoma using the GWAS approach. Genomic DNA (either blood or buccal in source) derived from osteosarcoma cases was obtained from each participating institution or research group. De-identified blood or buccal cell DNA samples from osteosarcoma cases were derived from existing biobanks at the collaborative institutions. Control subjects were derived from existing NCI cohorts and matched by gender and ethnicity.
Common genetic risk for neuropsychiatric disorders is enriched in regulatory elements active during cortical neurogenesis. However, the mechanisms mediating the effects of genetic variants on gene regulation are poorly understood. To determine the functional impact of common genetic variation on the non-coding genome longitudinally during human cortical development, we performed a chromatin accessibility quantitative trait loci (caQTL) analysis in neural progenitor cells and their differentiated neuronal progeny from 92 donors. We identified significant genetic effects on 988/1,839 neuron/progenitor regulatory elements, with highly cell-type and temporally specific effects. A subset (~30%) of caQTLs were also associated with changes in gene expression. Motif-disrupting alleles of transcriptional activators generally led to decreases in chromatin accessibility, whereas motif-disrupting alleles of repressors led to increases in chromatin accessibility. By integrating cell-type specific caQTLs and brain-relevant genome-wide association data, we were able to fine-map and identify regulatory mechanisms underlying non-coding neuropsychiatric disorder risk loci.
The purpose of this study is to learn about reproductive health, including fertility and pregnancies, in people with vasculitis. All patients enrolled in the Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium's Contact Registry will be invited via email to participate in this study. The Contact Registry includes people who self-identify as having one of 11 vasculities: Behçet's disease, central nervous system vasculitis, drug-induced vasculitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss), giant cell arteritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's), Henoch-Schoenlein purpura, Kawasaki disease, microscopic polyangiitis, polyarteritis nodosa, or Takayasu arteritis. People voluntarily enroll in this Registry with the understanding that they will receive information about clinical studies for which they might be eligible. The introductory email included basic information about the study and all of the required elements for informed consent in a brief format. Once participants agreed to participate in the study, they were directed to an online questionnaire.
The study funded by R01 DC015004 aims to: (1) Identify rare OM susceptibility variants within families and in probands; and (2) Identify differences in the middle ear microbiome due to OM susceptibility variants. This study will also elucidate mechanisms responsible for the formation and growth of cholesteatoma, and bony erosion and complications due to cholesteatoma e.g. intracranial, hearing/vestibular loss, facial nerve palsy. A better understanding of cholesteatoma pathogenesis will potentially reveal novel drug targets, which can lead to new non-surgical therapies for cholesteatomatous OM. Our specific aims for this administrative supplement are: Aim 1 -- Perform RNA-sequencing using cholesteatoma samples collected from Filipino and Colorado patients who will be screened for FUT2, SPINK5 and A2ML1 variants; and Aim 2 -- Using network analysis, identify bone-expressed proteins potentially interacting with FUT2, SPINK5 or A2ML1, then test protein expression in archival human temporal bone in direct contact with cholesteatoma.
Intervention with Micronutrients and Long-Term Impact in Brazil, a partnership between the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil and the University of Virginia, USA, enrolled infants in the age group of 2-36 months to investigate trends in gastrointestinal infections and their effects on growth and development and to identify genetic factors contributing to these diseases.A total of 1044 children from six urban communities in Brazil's semiarid region, were enrolled during active surveillance; those with diarrhea (three or more liquid stools in the last 24 hours at enrollment) were defined as a cases and matched with controls having no diarrhea during the past two weeks (at enrollment) to evaluate their growth and development. A subset of 664 children with their genetic and associated phenotypic data is included in this submission. More information on this project and its related projects can be found here: Studies of diarrheal susceptibility, growth, and development, in pediatric populations in Northeastern Brazil
Multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder driven by excessive production of inflammatory cytokines. Patients can exhibit a wide range of clinical features from mild flu-like symptoms to multiple organ failure and death. Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) is a well-established cause of MCD in individuals who are immunosuppressed due to human immunodeficiency virus infection or other causes. On the other hand, it is not known what causes MCD in otherwise healthy individuals with no evidence of exposure to HHV-8 (idiopathic MCD or iMCD). Although iMCD is most common in 40-60 years old adults, it affects people of all ages and early-onset (childhood or young adulthood) cases have been reported. Germline mutations may underlie iMCD in such cases. Patients with early-onset iMCD and their family members were enrolled in the study. To identify germline mutations that may underlie iMCD, whole-genome sequencing was performed in patients and their biological parents from whom DNA samples were available.
The data in this study consists of RNA sequencing reads and read counts from single-cell and single-nuclei RNA sequencing experiments performed on two cell lines to investigate the transcriptional landscape of human adipogenesis in both the brown and white adipose tissue lineage. The two cell lines are human preadipocytes collected and isolated from a defined anatomical location in the neck of a single individual. This depot is known to harbor white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT). These white and brown preadipocytes were immortalized for the purposes of studying human adipogenesis in vitro. In this study we induced differentiation of these two preadipocyte lines and performed RNA sequencing on over 135,000 single cells spanning a 20-day time course from unperturbed preadipocytes to mature adipocytes from both brown and white lineages. Additionally, we performed both single-cell and single-nuclei RNA sequencing to comprehensively compare the advantages and disadvantages of either technique.
The study aimed to explore immune responses during a time course of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. To better characterize these responses, we utilize a suite of multi-modal single-cell sequencing technologies to identify and characterize antigen-specific CD8+ T cells. We leverage an integrative analysis strategy to characterize five molecular modalities in these cells. Our dataset enables the discovery of new subpopulations, molecular signatures, and developmental regulators of these cells. Moreover, we identify these cells in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and demonstrate their positive predictive value for subsequent clinical recovery. The sequence data of CITE-seq, ASAP-seq and ECCITE-seq experiments are deposited in dbGaP. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples for CITE-seq and ASAP-seq were collected from six healthy donors at four time points: immediately before (Day 0) vaccination, after primary vaccination (Day 2, Day 10), and seven days after boost vaccination (Day 28). PBMC samples for ECCITE-seq were collected from eight healthy donors on Day 28.
