Familial combined hyperlipidaemia: how can genetic disorders be common, complex and comprehensible?

2007 ◽  
Vol 113 (9) ◽  
pp. 365-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan Sniderman ◽  
Swneke D. Bailey ◽  
C. Jamie Engert

FCHL (familial combined hyperlipidaemia) is characterized by multiple phenotypes that are shaped by genes, the environment and time. A longitudinal study by Brouwers and co-workers, which appears in this issue of Clinical Science, points to the central role of the liver in defining the FCHL phenotypes and demonstrates how they vary over time in relation to energy excess. On the basis of their work and that of others, we propose that FCHL is a multiple gene/multiple pathway/multiple phenotype disease. The key feature of this model of common complex disease is that it posits testable faults in definable metabolic pathways, which supply the genetic underpinning of the disorder.

Rheumatology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa K Tordoff ◽  
Tracy A Briggs ◽  
Samantha L Smith ◽  
Annie Yarwood ◽  
Wendy Thomson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a rheumatic disease, onset before the age of sixteen. JIA is a common complex disease, with contributions from both genetic and environmental risk factors. However, given the young age of onset for JIA, it is possible that genetic risk factors influence susceptibility to a greater extent than environmental risk factors. While several susceptibility loci have been identified for JIA, they are mainly genetic variants that are common in the population. The role of rare genetic variants has not yet been fully explored in JIA. Therefore, the aims of this research were to use rare (<5%MAF) variant based analysis to further define the genetic architecture of JIA. Methods A total of 2,162 UK JIA cases were genotyped using the Illumina HumanCoreExome array and the Understanding Society’s UK household longitudinal study provided the genotype data for 9196 controls. Single variant analysis was used to calculate the association of variants to JIA susceptibility. Gene-based aggregation analysis, specifically the SKAT-O method, were used to calculate the association of whole gene regions to JIA cases. This gene-based aggregation method increases the statistical power of associations, which is valuable when attempting to identify rare variants. Study-wide significance for this research was calculated using a Bonferroni corrected threshold (P = 3.34x10-6). Results Several strongly associated candidate gene regions were identified using SKAT-O analysis. Firstly, the region mevalonate kinase (MVK) (P = 3.95x10-10) was found to be strongly associated. MVK has been reported in mevalonate kinase deficiency, a rare juvenile disease with a phenotype akin to systemic JIA. PYCR1 (P = 1.97x10-9) was an additional region of interest. Variants in this region have been reported in geroderma osteodysplasticum; a disease that results in dysplasia of the hips, hyperextensible joints and skeletal changes. The region WISP3 (P = 8.52x10-9) was also strongly associated. Variants from this region have previously been reported in progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia; a disease that can be clinically misdiagnosed with JIA due to similarities in phenotypes. Furthermore, LILRA2 (P = 2.89x10-7) presented as a strong candidate region, with the gene being upregulated in synovial tissue of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Conclusion This analysis has identified promising candidate genes that influence susceptibility to JIA and highlights two key points. Firstly, gene-burden tests of rare variants have the potential to identify novel susceptibility genes for juvenile-onset disease. While MVK and WISP3 have previously been reported to be associated with JIA, these associations were modest, and the current study provides compelling evidence to support their importance. Secondly, the results highlight the importance of investigating the contribution of monogenic genes in juvenile-onset common complex disease. Disclosures M.K. Tordoff None. T.A. Briggs None. S.L. Smith None. A. Yarwood None. W. Thomson None. J. Bowes None.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 807-819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madalena Sousa ◽  
Jácome Bruges-Armas

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex disease with significant impression in today's world. Aside from the most common types recognized over the years, such as type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), recent studies have emphasized the crucial role of genetics in DM, allowing the distinction of monogenic diabetes. Methods: Authors did a literature search with the purpose of highlighting and clarifying the subtypes of monogenic diabetes, as well as the accredited genetic entities responsible for such phenotypes. Results: The following subtypes were included in this literature review: maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) and maternally inherited diabetes and deafness (MIDD). So far, 14 subtypes of MODY have been identified, while three subtypes have been identified in NDM - transient, permanent, and syndromic. Discussion: Despite being estimated to affect approximately 2% of all the T2DM patients in Europe, the exact prevalence of MODY is still unknown, accentuating the need for research focused on biomarkers. Consequently, due to its impact in the course of treatment, follow-up of associated complications, and genetic implications for siblings and offspring of affected individuals, it is imperative to diagnose the monogenic forms of DM accurately. Conclusion: Currently, advances in the genetics field allowed the recognition of new DM subtypes, which until now, were considered slight variations of the typical forms. Thus, it is imperative to act in the close interaction between genetics and clinical manifestations, to facilitate diagnosis and individualize treatment.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 3314
Author(s):  
Tomasz Kowalczyk ◽  
Joanna Kisluk ◽  
Karolina Pietrowska ◽  
Joanna Godzien ◽  
Miroslaw Kozlowski ◽  
...  

Identification of the NSCLC subtype at an early stage is still quite sophisticated. Metabolomics analysis of tissue and plasma of NSCLC patients may indicate new, and yet unknown, metabolic pathways active in the NSCLC. Our research characterized the metabolomics profile of tissue and plasma of patients with early and advanced NSCLC stage. Samples were subjected to thorough metabolomics analyses using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique. Tissue and/or plasma samples from 137 NSCLC patients were analyzed. Based on the early stage tissue analysis, more than 200 metabolites differentiating adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell lung carcinoma (SCC) subtypes as well as normal tissue, were identified. Most of the identified metabolites were amino acids, fatty acids, carnitines, lysoglycerophospholipids, sphingomyelins, plasmalogens and glycerophospholipids. Moreover, metabolites related to N-acyl ethanolamine (NAE) biosynthesis, namely glycerophospho (N-acyl) ethanolamines (GP-NAE), which discriminated early-stage SCC from ADC, have also been identified. On the other hand, the analysis of plasma of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and NSCLC patients allowed exclusion of the metabolites related to the inflammatory state in lungs and the identification of compounds (lysoglycerophospholipids, glycerophospholipids and sphingomyelins) truly characteristic to cancer. Our results, among already known, showed novel, thus far not described, metabolites discriminating NSCLC subtypes, especially in the early stage of cancer. Moreover, the presented results also indicated the activity of new metabolic pathways in NSCLC. Further investigations on the role of NAE biosynthesis pathways in the early stage of NSCLC may reveal new prognostic and diagnostic targets.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Anaisa Valido Ferreira ◽  
Jorge Domiguéz-Andrés ◽  
Mihai Gheorghe Netea

Immunological memory is classically attributed to adaptive immune responses, but recent studies have shown that challenged innate immune cells can display long-term functional changes that increase nonspecific responsiveness to subsequent infections. This phenomenon, coined <i>trained immunity</i> or <i>innate immune memory</i>, is based on the epigenetic reprogramming and the rewiring of intracellular metabolic pathways. Here, we review the different metabolic pathways that are modulated in trained immunity. Glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, amino acid, and lipid metabolism are interplaying pathways that are crucial for the establishment of innate immune memory. Unraveling this metabolic wiring allows for a better understanding of innate immune contribution to health and disease. These insights may open avenues for the development of future therapies that aim to harness or dampen the power of the innate immune response.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1047
Author(s):  
Giovanna Di Emidio ◽  
Stefano Falone ◽  
Paolo Giovanni Artini ◽  
Fernanda Amicarelli ◽  
Anna Maria D’Alessandro ◽  
...  

Mitochondria act as hubs of numerous metabolic pathways. Mitochondrial dysfunctions contribute to altering the redox balance and predispose to aging and metabolic alterations. The sirtuin family is composed of seven members and three of them, SIRT3-5, are housed in mitochondria. They catalyze NAD+-dependent deacylation and the ADP-ribosylation of mitochondrial proteins, thereby modulating gene expression and activities of enzymes involved in oxidative metabolism and stress responses. In this context, mitochondrial sirtuins (mtSIRTs) act in synergistic or antagonistic manners to protect from aging and aging-related metabolic abnormalities. In this review, we focus on the role of mtSIRTs in the biological competence of reproductive cells, organs, and embryos. Most studies are focused on SIRT3 in female reproduction, providing evidence that SIRT3 improves the competence of oocytes in humans and animal models. Moreover, SIRT3 protects oocytes, early embryos, and ovaries against stress conditions. The relationship between derangement of SIRT3 signaling and the imbalance of ROS and antioxidant defenses in testes has also been demonstrated. Very little is known about SIRT4 and SIRT5 functions in the reproductive system. The final goal of this work is to understand whether sirtuin-based signaling may be taken into account as potential targets for therapeutic applications in female and male infertility.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 460
Author(s):  
Mohammed Hamed Alqarni ◽  
Ahmed Ibrahim Foudah ◽  
Magdy Mohamed Muharram ◽  
Nikolaos E. Labrou

Sirtuins (SIRTs) are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent histone deacetylases that incorporate complex functions in the mechanisms of cell physiology. Mammals have seven distinct members of the SIRT family (SIRT1-7), which play an important role in a well-maintained network of metabolic pathways that control and adapt the cell to the environment, energy availability and cellular stress. Until recently, very few studies investigated the role of SIRTs in modulating viral infection and progeny. Recent studies have demonstrated that SIRT1 and SIRT2 are promising antiviral targets because of their specific connection to numerous metabolic and regulatory processes affected during infection. In the present review, we summarize some of the recent progress in SIRTs biochemistry and their emerging function as antiviral targets. We also discuss the potential of natural polyphenol-based SIRT modulators to control their functional roles in several diseases including viral infections.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver C. Watkins ◽  
Preben Selvam ◽  
Reshma Appukuttan Pillai ◽  
Victoria K. B. Cracknell-Hazra ◽  
Hannah E. J. Yong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Fetal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supply relies on preferential transplacental transfer, which is regulated by placental DHA lipid metabolism. Maternal hyperglycemia and obesity associate with higher birthweight and fetal DHA insufficiency but the role of placental DHA metabolism is unclear. Methods Explants from 17 term placenta were incubated with 13C-labeled DHA for 48 h, at 5 or 10 mmol/L glucose treatment, and the production of 17 individual newly synthesized 13C-DHA labeled lipids quantified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Results Maternal BMI positively associated with 13C-DHA-labeled diacylglycerols, triacylglycerols, lysophospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogens, while maternal fasting glycemia positively associated with five 13C-DHA triacylglycerols. In turn, 13C-DHA-labeled phospholipids and triacylglycerols positively associated with birthweight centile. In-vitro glucose treatment increased most 13C-DHA-lipids, but decreased 13C-DHA phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogens. However, with increasing maternal BMI, the magnitude of the glucose treatment induced increase in 13C-DHA phosphatidylcholine and 13C-DHA lysophospholipids was curtailed, with further decline in 13C-DHA phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogens. Conversely, with increasing birthweight centile glucose treatment induced increases in 13C-DHA triacylglycerols were exaggerated, while glucose treatment induced decreases in 13C-DHA phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogens were diminished. Conclusions Maternal BMI and glycemia increased the production of different placental DHA lipids implying impact on different metabolic pathways. Glucose-induced elevation in placental DHA metabolism is moderated with higher maternal BMI. In turn, findings of associations between many DHA lipids with birthweight suggest that BMI and glycemia promote fetal growth partly through changes in placental DHA metabolism.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 164
Author(s):  
Federica Costa ◽  
Valentina Marchica ◽  
Paola Storti ◽  
Fabio Malavasi ◽  
Nicola Giuliani

The emerging role of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in MM immune-microenvironment has been highlighted by several studies. However, discordant data have been reported on PD-1/PD-L1 distribution within the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment of patients with monoclonal gammopathies. In addition, the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade as a therapeutic strategy to reverse myeloma immune suppression and inhibit myeloma cell survival still remains unknown. Recent data suggest that, among the potential mechanisms behind the lack of responsiveness or resistance to anti-PD-L1/PD-1 antibodies, the CD38 metabolic pathways involving the immune-suppressive factor, adenosine, could play an important role. This review summarizes the available data on PD-1/PD-L1 expression in patients with MM, reporting the main mechanisms of regulation of PD-1/PD-L1 axis. The possible link between the CD38 and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways is also reported, highlighting the rationale for the potential use of a combined therapeutic approach with CD38 blocking agents and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies in order to improve their anti-tumoral effect in MM patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian L. Harris

AbstractCancer metabolism has undergone a resurgence in the last decade, 70 years after Warburg described aerobic glycolysis as a feature of cancer cells. A wide range of techniques have elucidated the complexity and heterogeneity in preclinical models and clinical studies. What emerges are the large differences between tissues, tumour types and intratumour heterogeneity. However, synergies with inhibition of metabolic pathways have been found for many drugs and therapeutic approaches, and a critical role of window studies and translational trial design is key to success.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document