神经嵴发育异常导致综合征型耳聋的机制

综合征型耳聋(Syndromic hearing loss, SHL)现已报道400多种,大多数发病率低,临床常见的有Waardenburg综合征(WS)、先天性小耳畸形综合征、前庭导水管扩大综合征等。因SHL具有极强的临床和遗传异质性,所以对其遗传基础及发病机制的研究变得十分困难。以SOX10和PAX3为中心的基因作用网络引起的神经嵴细胞功能异常与WS、小耳畸形及前庭导水管扩大等表型相关。本课题组前期研究也证实该基因网络参与WS的发病机制。文章针对神经嵴发育异常导致相关综合征型耳聋的发病机制的研究进展进行了系统的阐述,分析并归纳了与综合征型耳聋发病相关的神经嵴发育异常基因互作网络,以期为系统地研究常见综合征型耳聋致病基因的定位克隆以及发病机制提供研究思路和理论基础。     

核基因参与人类线粒体12S rRNA突变相关非综合征耳聋的临床表型

人类线粒体DNA 12S rRNA A1555G突变可引起母系遗传性非综合征耳聋,并提高氨基糖甙类药物对该类耳聋的诱导作用。我们在江苏淮阴发现了一个非综合征耳聋大家系,家系个体发病呈典型的母系遗传特征,临床可表现为先天性耳聋、中年进行性耳聋乃至完全正常的表型。对家系个体进行研究后发现A1555G突变是引起该家系耳聋的主要原因。我们用EB病毒转化的方法对该家系部分个体行建系工作后,对家系中17个个体的类淋巴母细胞进行分析,其中包括具有耳聋症状的个体7人(患者组),具有同质性A1555G突变但表型正常的个体6人(携带组),正常婚配对照 5人,与正常婚配对照相比,患者组与携带组在线粒体蛋白合成速率及在葡萄糖或半乳糖培养基中的生长速度出现了不同程度的下降,且突变细胞系中线粒体功能缺陷的严重程度与个体的临床表型相关．这些发现强有力地支持了核基因参与了该疾病临床表型的形成。     

一个常染色体显性遗传非综合征型耳聋家系致病基因及可能性分子遗传学机制研究

对一个中国常染色体显性遗传非综合征型耳聋家系(HBXG-712家系)进行了考察,主要采用了微阵列芯片法、全外显子组测序(whole exome sequencing,WES)技术以及Sanger测序法等方法检测该家系致病基因,另通过对蛋白产物进行三维重建进行生物信息学分析。经WES测序,本次研究共获得51个候选基因,通过将Sanger测序结果与标准序列进行比对及验证基因型与表型的一致性,确定EYA4为该家系致病基因,同时位于该基因上的错义突变c.T1301A(p.I434K)为其分子病因基础,且生物信息学分析认为该突变具有致病性。本研究结果提示:EYA4(c.T1301A;p.I434K)为HBXG-712家系耳聋的致病基因,提示发生于eya同源区域的错义突变可导致非综合征型耳聋的发生。     

心脏肌球蛋白重链基因c.1273G〉A突变与肥厚型心肌病的关联分析

为研究中国人家族性肥厚型心肌病(HCM)的致病基因突变位点,分析基因型与临床表型的相互关系,文章在1个中国汉族HCM家系中进行心脏肌钙蛋白T(TNNT2)基因、心脏肌球蛋白结合蛋白C(MYBPC3)基因和心脏β-肌球蛋白重链(MYH7)基因的突变筛查,聚合酶链式反应(PCR)扩增基因功能区外显子片段并对PCR产物进行测序分析.结果表明:在该家系接受调查的7名成员中有4名成员携带MYH7基因c.1273G>A杂合突变,该突变位点位于MYH7基因的14号外显子并使425位的甘氨酸(Gly)转换为精氨酸(Arg).该突变首次在国内HCM家系中发现,突变携带者的临床表型在家系内部呈现明显的异质性.该家系成员TNNT2及MYBPC3基因未发现突变且正常对照组相同位置未发现异常.MYH7基因是我国家族性HCM的致病基因之一,携带c.1273G>A突变的肥厚型心肌病患者临床表型差异明显,提示可能有其它因素参与了肥厚型心肌病的发展过程.     

心脏肌球蛋白重链基因c.1273G>A突变与肥厚型心肌病的关联分析

为研究中国人家族性肥厚型心肌病(HCM)的致病基因突变位点, 分析基因型与临床表型的相互关系, 文章在1个中国汉族HCM家系中进行心脏肌钙蛋白T (TNNT2) 基因、心脏肌球蛋白结合蛋白C (MYBPC3) 基因和心脏β-肌球蛋白重链 (MYH7) 基因的突变筛查, 聚合酶链式反应(PCR)扩增基因功能区外显子片段并对PCR产物进行测序分析。结果表明: 在该家系接受调查的7名成员中有4名成员携带MYH7基因c.1273G>A杂合突变, 该突变位点位于MYH7基因的14号外显子并使425位的甘氨酸(Gly)转换为精氨酸(Arg)。该突变首次在国内HCM家系中发现, 突变携带者的临床表型在家系内部呈现明显的异质性。该家系成员TNNT2及MYBPC3基因未发现突变且正常对照组相同位置未发现异常。MYH7基因是我国家族性 HCM的致病基因之一, 携带c.1273G>A突变的肥厚型心肌病患者临床表型差异明显, 提示可能有其它因素参与了肥厚型心肌病的发展过程。     

25个携带线粒体12S rRNA A1555G 突变的中国汉族非综合征型耳聋家系

线粒体12S rRNA A1555G突变是引起氨基糖甙类药物诱导的非综合征型耳聋的重要原因之一。文章对收集的25个携带A1555G突变的中国汉族非综合征型耳聋家系进行了临床和分子遗传学评估。结果表明,这25个家系的母系成员在耳聋外显率、听力损失严重程度和发病年龄上存在较大差异。当包括和不包括氨基糖甙类药物使用史时,耳聋的平均外显率分别为28.1%和21.5%,排除氨基糖甙类药物时,耳聋的平均发病年龄从1~15岁不等。线粒体全序列分析发现了16个新变异,不同的线粒体DNA多态性位点显示这25个家系分别属于东亚人群A、B、D、F、G、M、N和R单倍型,其中线粒体单倍型B的家系耳聋外显率和表现度较其他单倍型高。此外,7个继发突变位点和21个高保守性位点突变可能增加了这些家系的耳聋外显率。GJB2基因上未检测到与耳聋相关的突变,表明在本研究的耳聋家系中,GJB2基因可能没有参与A1555G突变的表型表达。以上各方面提示,线粒体单倍型和其他因素可能参与了这25个家系耳聋患者的表型修饰。     

一个中国Gilbert综合征家系的遗传学分析

对一个中国汉族Gilbert综合征遗传家系致病基因突变位点进行鉴定,以期了解该病的分子遗传学基础。首先提取先证者基因组DNA,PCR扩增尿苷二磷酸葡萄糖醛酸转移酶UGT1A1基因的5个外显子,以琼脂糖电泳鉴定PCR产物,纯化后直接测序鉴定。基因扫描显示,与血清胆红素水平密切相关的UGT1A1基因在第1和第5外显子存在纯合突变,而 UGT1A1基因启动子区域和内含子/外显子剪接边界位点序列未检测到突变。进一步对其他家系成员该基因的相应位点进行突变检测,结果显示他们在第1和第5外显子也存在杂合突变,其中还有两个成员在启动子区域检测到(TA)插入突变。对家系成员未抗凝新鲜血液进行生化检测证实了基因突变分析的结果。综合以上结果发现该家系三种突变并存,致病因素为第1和/或第5外显子突变,为显性遗传,两种突变位点纯合导致先证者出现严重胆红素代谢功能障碍。该家系因此成为Gilbert综合征突变位点及其致病机理研究的一个典型临床病例。     

近亲结婚所致一遗传性非综合征型耳聋家系的调查

耳聋是一种最常见的人类感觉系统缺陷, 在已发现的遗传性耳聋中,有70％的属于非综合征型听力缺损。据估计非综合征型遗传性耳聋基因总数在100个以上,目前已经确定了近80个非综合征型遗传性耳聋的遗传位点,其中23个基因已经被成功克隆。文章报道一遗传性非综合征型耳聋家系。该家系中存在2代近亲结婚,共2代13人出现聋哑症状。经遗传分析,该家系的遗传方式与常染色体显性或隐性遗传均不符合,提示此家系中的非综合征型遗传性耳聋可能为线粒体突变所致。     

利用外显子测序在高度近视家系中鉴定一个新的NYX基因错义突变

高度近视是一种常见的眼科遗传性疾病,是导致患者视力丧失甚至失明的主要原因,其高患病率和高致盲率给广大患者的生活、工作、学习造成了极大的痛苦。在本研究中,我们收集到一个来自广西地区的三代高度近视家系,收集家系中17个成员的临床资料,抽取外周血,提取基因组DNA,应用外显子测序的方法分析所有外显子序列,运用Sanger测序在该家系中验证外显子测序的结果,发现NYX基因一个新的错义突变c.790A>T(p.N264Y)在该家系中与疾病表型共分离,在1000Genomes、ESP6500和ExAc等数据库及100例对照中,均排除该罕见突变。已有研究显示,NYX基因c.792C>G(p.N264K)突变与先天性静止性夜盲有关,表明NYX基因第264位氨基酸的不同变异可能导致不同的表型。我们的发现扩大了NYX基因的突变谱,为阐明其基因型-表型关系提供了有价值的信息。     

27例雄激素不敏感综合征患儿AR基因突变

雄激素受体(AR)基因突变是雄激素不敏感综合征(AIS)的主要直接原因,本研究是为了了解中国病人AR基因突变谱.本研究根据病史、查体、激素检测、染色体核型分析及影像学检查结果,确诊AIS患儿27例.收集患儿及其部分家属静脉抗凝血,提取DNA,合成外显子1~8及外显子和内含子剪切处引物, PCR扩增,扩增产物送公司测序,分析AR基因突变情况.结果提示, 27例AIS患儿共发现突变23个, 10例携带5个相同突变(p.R841H, p.P914S,p.S176R, p.Y572S和p.Y782N),未报道突变11个. 8/27例家族史阳性. 12个已知突变中,仅1个为内含子4的剪切突变:c.2173+1GT;余均为点突变,含1个已报道的第6外显子的新生突变:p.R775C. 2例病人具有相同第8外显子突变:p.P914S,患者均表现为CAIS,与报道的PAIS不符;其余临床分型与已经报道的分型一致.未报道突变中,点突变为8/11个,另有2个碱基缺失导致的移码突变:p.345fs和p.828_829del, 1个碱基插入导致的移码突变:p.885fs, 1例病人携带两个点突变:p.Y365C和p.E898D.突变由多至少在外显子的分布:外显子7有6例患儿5个不同突变;外显子8有5例患儿4个突变,外显子1和5各有3个突变;外显子2, 3, 4和6各有2个不同突变. 23个突变在功能区的分布情况:16个突变位于LBD, 4个位于DBD, 3个位于NTD.本研究报道了不同AIS表型AR的突变谱, 50%为未报道突变,进一步丰富了AR数据库.错义突变是主要形式,且大部分位于LBD区.携带相同突变的病人可呈现不同表型.     

Novel mutations of PAX3, MITF, and SOX10 genes in Chinese patients with type I or type II Waardenburg syndrome

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a rare disorder characterized by distinctive facial features, pigment disturbances, and sensorineural deafness. There are four WS subtypes. WS1 is mostly caused by PAX3 mutations, while MITF, SNAI2, and SOX10 mutations are associated with WS2. More than 100 different disease-causing mutations have been reported in many ethnic groups, but the data from Chinese patients with WS remains poor. Herein we report 18 patients from 15 Chinese WS families, in which five cases were diagnosed as WS1 and the remaining as WS2. Clinical evaluation revealed intense phenotypic variability in Chinese WS patients. Heterochromia iridis and sensorineural hearing loss were the most frequent features (100% and 88.9%, respectively) of the two subtypes. Many brown freckles on normal skin could be a special subtype of cutaneous pigment disturbances in Chinese WS patients. PAX3, MITF, SNAI2, and SOX10 genes mutations were screened for in all the patients. A total of nine mutations in 11 families were identified and seven of them were novel. The SOX10 mutations in WS2 were first discovered in the Chinese population, with an estimated frequency similar to that of MITF mutations, implying SOX10 is an important pathogenic gene in Chinese WS2 cases and should be considered for first-step analysis in WS2, as well as MITF.     

The value of MLPA in Waardenburg syndrome

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is an autosomal-dominant neurocristopathy characterized by sensorineural hearing loss, pigmentary abnormalities of the iris, hair, and skin, and is responsible for about 3% of congenital hearing loss. Point mutations in PAX3 have been identified in more than 90% of affected individuals with WS Type 1/WS Type 3. MITF point mutations have been identified in 10-15% of individuals affected with WS Type 2 (lacking dystopia canthorum). Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) is now a standard technology in the molecular genetics laboratory to detect copy number changes in targeted genes. We employed MLPA for PAX3 and MITF in a cohort of patients submitted with a diagnosis of WS1, 2 or 3 who were sequence negative for PAX3 and/or MITF. All coding exons of PAX3 and exons 1, 2, 3, and 10 of MITF were included in the MLPA assay. MLPA on 48 patients with WS 1 or 3 revealed 3 PAX3 whole gene deletions (2 WS1; 1 WS3), 2 PAX3 partial gene deletions [WS1, exon 1 and promoter (1st report); WS1, exons 5-9], and 1 partial MITF deletion ("WS1", exons 3-10) (6/48 approximately 12.5%). MLPA on 41 patients with WS2 and 20 patients submitted with a diagnosis of either WS1 or WS2 revealed no copy number changes. The detection of both partial and whole gene deletions of PAX3/MITF in this clinical cohort increases the mutation detection yield by at least 6% and supports integrating MLPA into clinical molecular testing primarily for patients with WS1 and 3.     

Screening of MITF and SOX10 Regulatory Regions in Waardenburg Syndrome Type 2

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a rare auditory-pigmentary disorder that exhibits varying combinations of sensorineural hearing loss and pigmentation defects. Four subtypes are clinically defined based on the presence or absence of additional symptoms. WS type 2 (WS2) can result from mutations within the MITF or SOX10 genes; however, 70% of WS2 cases remain unexplained at the molecular level, suggesting that other genes might be involved and/or that mutations within the known genes escaped previous screenings. The recent identification of a deletion encompassing three of the SOX10 regulatory elements in a patient presenting with another WS subtype, WS4, defined by its association with Hirschsprung disease, led us to search for deletions and point mutations within the MITF and SOX10 regulatory elements in 28 yet unexplained WS2 cases. Two nucleotide variations were identified: one in close proximity to the MITF distal enhancer (MDE) and one within the U1 SOX10 enhancer. Functional analyses argued against a pathogenic effect of these variations, suggesting that mutations within regulatory elements of WS genes are not a major cause of this neurocristopathy.     

A p.C343S missense mutation in PJVK causes progressive hearing loss

Mutations in PJVK, encoding Pejvakin, cause autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing loss in humans at the DFNB59 locus on chromosome 2q31.2. Pejvakin is involved in generating auditory and neural signals in the inner ear. We have identified a consanguineous Pakistani family segregating sensorineural progressive hearing loss as a recessive trait, consistent with linkage to DFNB59. We sequenced PJVK and identified a novel missense mutation, c.1028G>C in exon 7 (p.C343S) co-segregating with the phenotype in the family. The p.C343 residue is fully conserved among orthologs from different vertebrate species. We have also determined that mutations in PJVK are not a common cause of hearing loss in families with moderate to severe hearing loss in Pakistan. This is the first report of PJVK mutation in a Pakistani family and pinpoints an important residue for PJVK function.     

Small frameshift deletions within the COL4A5 gene in juvenile-onset Alport syndrome

Small frameshift deletions within the COL4A5 gene were identified in three Alport syndrome Italian families by non-isotopic single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) screening: in family RMA, a 7-bp deletion (GGGTGAA) in exon 39; in family DGR, a 4-bp deletion (TGGA) in exon 41; in family MIB, deletion of a G in exon 50. The phenotype was characterized by juvenile-onset renal failure with sensorineural hearing loss in males, and a milder clinical pattern in heterozygous females.