De novo TRIM8 variants impair its protein localization to nuclear bodies and cause developmental delay, epilepsy, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the main pathology underlying steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and a leading cause of chronic kidney disease. Monogenic forms of pediatric SRNS are predominantly caused by recessive mutations, while the contribution of de novo variants (DNVs) to this trait is poorly understood. Using exome sequencing (ES) in a proband with FSGS/SRNS, developmental delay, and epilepsy, we discovered a nonsense DNV in TRIM8, which encodes the E3 ubiquitin ligase tripartite motif containing 8. To establish whether TRIM8 variants represent a cause of FSGS, we aggregated exome/genome-sequencing data for 2,501 pediatric FSGS/SRNS-affected individuals and 48,556 control subjects, detecting eight heterozygous TRIM8 truncating variants in affected subjects but none in control subjects (p = 3.28 × 10-11). In all six cases with available parental DNA, we demonstrated de novo inheritance (p = 2.21 × 10-15). Reverse phenotyping revealed neurodevelopmental disease in all eight families. We next analyzed ES from 9,067 individuals with epilepsy, yielding three additional families with truncating TRIM8 variants. Clinical review revealed FSGS in all. All TRIM8 variants cause protein truncation clustering within the last exon between residues 390 and 487 of the 551 amino acid protein, indicating a correlation between this syndrome and loss of the TRIM8 C-terminal region. Wild-type TRIM8 overexpressed in immortalized human podocytes and neuronal cells localized to nuclear bodies, while constructs harboring patient-specific variants mislocalized diffusely to the nucleoplasm. Co-localization studies demonstrated that Gemini and Cajal bodies frequently abut a TRIM8 nuclear body. Truncating TRIM8 DNVs cause a neuro-renal syndrome via aberrant TRIM8 localization, implicating nuclear bodies in FSGS and developmental brain disease.

Characterisation of infantile cardiomyopathy in Alström syndrome using ALMS1 knockout induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocyte model.

Alström syndrome (AS) is an inherited rare ciliopathy characterised by multi-organ dysfunction and premature cardiovascular disease. This may manifest as an infantile-onset dilated cardiomyopathy with significant associated mortality. An adult-onset restrictive cardiomyopathy may also feature later in life. Loss of function pathogenic variants in ALMS1 have been identified in AS patients, leading to a lack of ALMS1 protein. The biological role of ALMS1 is unknown, particularly in a cardiovascular context. To understand the role of ALMS1 in infantile cardiomyopathy, the reduction of ALMS1 protein seen in AS patients was modelled using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs), in which ALMS1 was knocked out. MuscleMotion analysis and calcium optical mapping experiments suggest that ALMS1 knockout (KO) cells have increased contractility, with altered calcium extrusion and impaired calcium handling dynamics compared to wildtype (WT) counterparts. Seahorse metabolic assays showed ALMS1 knockout iPSC-CMs had increased glycolytic and mitochondrial respiration rates, with ALMS1 knockout cells portraying increased energetic demand and respiratory capacity than WT counterparts. Using senescence associated ß-galactosidase (SA-ß gal) staining assay, we identified increased senescence of ALMS1 knockout iPSC-CMs. Overall, this study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms in AS, particularly the role of ALMS1 in infantile cardiomyopathy in AS, using iPSC-CMs as a 'disease in a dish' model to provide insights into multiple aspects of this complex disease.

Genetic Variants in ARHGEF6 Cause Congenital Anomalies of the Kidneys and Urinary Tract in Humans, Mice, and Frogs.

BACKGROUND: About 40 disease genes have been described to date for isolated CAKUT, the most common cause of childhood CKD. However, these genes account for only 20% of cases. ARHGEF6, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that is implicated in biologic processes such as cell migration and focal adhesion, acts downstream of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and parvin proteins. A genetic variant of ILK that causes murine renal agenesis abrogates the interaction of ILK with a murine focal adhesion protein encoded by Parva , leading to CAKUT in mice with this variant. METHODS: To identify novel genes that, when mutated, result in CAKUT, we performed exome sequencing in an international cohort of 1265 families with CAKUT. We also assessed the effects in vitro of wild-type and mutant ARHGEF6 proteins, and the effects of Arhgef6 deficiency in mouse and frog models. RESULTS: We detected six different hemizygous variants in the gene ARHGEF6 (which is located on the X chromosome in humans) in eight individuals from six families with CAKUT. In kidney cells, overexpression of wild-type ARHGEF6 -but not proband-derived mutant ARHGEF6 -increased active levels of CDC42/RAC1, induced lamellipodia formation, and stimulated PARVA-dependent cell spreading. ARHGEF6-mutant proteins showed loss of interaction with PARVA. Three-dimensional Madin-Darby canine kidney cell cultures expressing ARHGEF6-mutant proteins exhibited reduced lumen formation and polarity defects. Arhgef6 deficiency in mouse and frog models recapitulated features of human CAKUT. CONCLUSIONS: Deleterious variants in ARHGEF6 may cause dysregulation of integrin-parvin-RAC1/CDC42 signaling, thereby leading to X-linked CAKUT.

DAAM2 Variants Cause Nephrotic Syndrome via Actin Dysregulation.

The discovery of >60 monogenic causes of nephrotic syndrome (NS) has revealed a central role for the actin regulators RhoA/Rac1/Cdc42 and their effectors, including the formin INF2. By whole-exome sequencing (WES), we here discovered bi-allelic variants in the formin DAAM2 in four unrelated families with steroid-resistant NS. We show that DAAM2 localizes to the cytoplasm in podocytes and in kidney sections. Further, the variants impair DAAM2-dependent actin remodeling processes: wild-type DAAM2 cDNA, but not cDNA representing missense variants found in individuals with NS, rescued reduced podocyte migration rate (PMR) and restored reduced filopodia formation in shRNA-induced DAAM2-knockdown podocytes. Filopodia restoration was also induced by the formin-activating molecule IMM-01. DAAM2 also co-localizes and co-immunoprecipitates with INF2, which is intriguing since variants in both formins cause NS. Using in vitro bulk and TIRF microscopy assays, we find that DAAM2 variants alter actin assembly activities of the formin. In a Xenopus daam2-CRISPR knockout model, we demonstrate actin dysregulation in vivo and glomerular maldevelopment that is rescued by WT-DAAM2 mRNA. We conclude that DAAM2 variants are a likely cause of monogenic human SRNS due to actin dysregulation in podocytes. Further, we provide evidence that DAAM2-associated SRNS may be amenable to treatment using actin regulating compounds.

Mutations of the Transcriptional Corepressor ZMYM2 Cause Syndromic Urinary Tract Malformations.

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) constitute one of the most frequent birth defects and represent the most common cause of chronic kidney disease in the first three decades of life. Despite the discovery of dozens of monogenic causes of CAKUT, most pathogenic pathways remain elusive. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) in 551 individuals with CAKUT and identified a heterozygous de novo stop-gain variant in ZMYM2 in two different families with CAKUT. Through collaboration, we identified in total 14 different heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in ZMYM2 in 15 unrelated families. Most mutations occurred de novo, indicating possible interference with reproductive function. Human disease features are replicated in X. tropicalis larvae with morpholino knockdowns, in which expression of truncated ZMYM2 proteins, based on individual mutations, failed to rescue renal and craniofacial defects. Moreover, heterozygous Zmym2-deficient mice recapitulated features of CAKUT with high penetrance. The ZMYM2 protein is a component of a transcriptional corepressor complex recently linked to the silencing of developmentally regulated endogenous retrovirus elements. Using protein-protein interaction assays, we show that ZMYM2 interacts with additional epigenetic silencing complexes, as well as confirming that it binds to FOXP1, a transcription factor that has also been linked to CAKUT. In summary, our findings establish that loss-of-function mutations of ZMYM2, and potentially that of other proteins in its interactome, as causes of human CAKUT, offering new routes for studying the pathogenesis of the disorder.

OXGR1 is a candidate disease gene for human calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis.

PURPOSE: Nephrolithiasis (NL) affects 1 in 11 individuals worldwide, leading to significant patient morbidity. NL is associated with nephrocalcinosis (NC), a risk factor for chronic kidney disease. Causative genetic variants are detected in 11% to 28% of NL and/or NC, suggesting that additional NL/NC-associated genetic loci await discovery. Therefore, we employed genomic approaches to discover novel genetic forms of NL/NC. METHODS: Exome sequencing and directed sequencing of the OXGR1 locus were performed in a worldwide NL/NC cohort. Putatively deleterious, rare OXGR1 variants were functionally characterized. RESULTS: Exome sequencing revealed a heterozygous OXGR1 missense variant (c.371T>G, p.L124R) cosegregating with calcium oxalate NL and/or NC disease in an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern within a multigenerational family with 5 affected individuals. OXGR1 encodes 2-oxoglutarate (α-ketoglutarate [AKG]) receptor 1 in the distal nephron. In response to its ligand AKG, OXGR1 stimulates the chloride-bicarbonate exchanger, pendrin, which also regulates transepithelial calcium transport in cortical connecting tubules. Strong amino acid conservation in orthologs and paralogs, severe in silico prediction scores, and extreme rarity in exome population databases suggested that the variant was deleterious. Interrogation of the OXGR1 locus in 1107 additional NL/NC families identified 5 additional deleterious dominant variants in 5 families with calcium oxalate NL/NC. Rare, potentially deleterious OXGR1 variants were enriched in patients with NL/NC compared with Exome Aggregation Consortium controls (χ2 = 7.117, P = .0076). Wild-type OXGR1-expressing Xenopus oocytes exhibited AKG-responsive Ca2+ uptake. Of 5 NL/NC-associated missense variants, 5 revealed impaired AKG-dependent Ca2+ uptake, demonstrating loss of function. CONCLUSION: Rare, dominant loss-of-function OXGR1 variants are associated with recurrent calcium oxalate NL/NC disease.

Topotecan clearance based on a single sample and a population pharmacokinetic model: Application to a pediatric high-risk neuroblastoma clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Topotecan, an antitumor drug with systemic exposure (SE)-dependent activity against many pediatric tumors has wide interpatient pharmacokinetic variability, making it challenging to attain the desired topotecan SE. The study objectives were to update our topotecan population pharmacokinetic model, to evaluate the feasibility of determining individual topotecan clearance using a single blood sample, and to apply this approach to topotecan data from a neuroblastoma trial to explore exposure-response relationships. PROCEDURE: Our previous population pharmacokinetic and covariate model was updated using data from 13 clinical pediatric studies. A simulation-based Bayesian analysis was performed to determine if a single blood sample could be sufficient to estimate individual topotecan clearance. Following the Bayesian approach, single pharmacokinetic samples collected from a Children's Oncology Group Phase III clinical trial (ANBL0532; NCT0056767) were analyzed to estimate individual topotecan SE. Associations between topotecan SE and toxicity or early response were then evaluated. RESULTS: The updated population model included the impact of patient body surface area (BSA), age, and renal function on topotecan clearance. The Bayesian analysis with the updated model and single plasma samples showed that individual topotecan clearance values were estimated with good precision (mean absolute prediction error ≤16.2%) and low bias (mean prediction error ≤7.2%). Using the same approach, topotecan SE was derived in patients from ANBL0532. The exposure-response analysis showed an increased early response after concomitant cyclophosphamide and topotecan up to a topotecan SE of 45 h ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: A simple single-sample approach during topotecan therapy could guide dosing for patients, resulting in more patients reaching target attainment.

Long-term Air Pollution Exposure and Pneumonia-related Mortality in a Large Pooled European Cohort.

Rationale: Ambient air pollution exposure has been linked to mortality from chronic cardiorespiratory diseases, while evidence on respiratory infections remains more limited. Objectives: We examined the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and pneumonia-related mortality in adults in a pool of eight European cohorts. Methods: Within the multicenter project ELAPSE (Effects of Low-Level Air Pollution: A Study in Europe), we pooled data from eight cohorts among six European countries. Annual mean residential concentrations in 2010 for fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), black carbon (BC), and ozone were estimated using Europe-wide hybrid land-use regression models. We applied stratified Cox proportional hazard models to investigate the associations between air pollution and pneumonia, influenza, and acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) mortality. Measurements and Main Results: Of 325,367 participants, 712 died from pneumonia and influenza combined, 682 from pneumonia, and 695 from ALRI during a mean follow-up of 19.5 years. NO2 and BC were associated with 10-12% increases in pneumonia and influenza combined mortality, but 95% confidence intervals included unity (hazard ratios, 1.12 [0.99-1.26] per 10 µg/m3 for NO2; 1.10 [0.97-1.24] per 0.5 10-5m-1 for BC). Associations with pneumonia and ALRI mortality were almost identical. We detected effect modification suggesting stronger associations with NO2 or BC in overweight, employed, or currently smoking participants compared with normal weight, unemployed, or nonsmoking participants. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to combustion-related air pollutants NO2 and BC may be associated with mortality from lower respiratory infections, but larger studies are needed to estimate these associations more precisely.

Risk of suicide among individuals with a history of childhood cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have described suicidal ideation among survivors of childhood cancer, but small numbers of events limit the understanding of suicide risk. The objectives of this study were to assess whether childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk of suicide in comparison with the general population and to determine risk factors associated with risk in a population-based cohort. METHODS: First primary malignancies among individuals aged 0 to 19 years from 1975 to 2016 were identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) databases. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) of suicide were obtained via SEER*Stat software from SEER 9. Fine and Gray proportional hazards models were used to identify suicide-associated factors among childhood cancer patients included in SEER 18. RESULTS: In all, 96,948 childhood cancer cases and 89 suicides were identified. Across all attained ages, the suicide risk for individuals with a childhood cancer history (11.64 per 100,000 person-years) was similar to the risk for those without a cancer history (SMR, 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91-1.43). However, for survivors alive beyond the age of 28 years (the median age of death by suicide), the suicide risk was significantly elevated (suicides per 100,000 person-years, 22.43; SMR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.02-1.87). Females (hazard ratio, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.18-0.59; P < .01) had lower risks than males. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that long-term childhood cancer survivors may be at increased suicide risk. Male sex is an independent risk factor for suicide. However, the absolute risk of suicide in older survivors is still low at ~1 per 5000 person-years. Future efforts should identify survivorship strategies to mitigate suicide risk.

CAKUT and Autonomic Dysfunction Caused by Acetylcholine Receptor Mutations.

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the most common cause of chronic kidney disease in the first three decades of life, and in utero obstruction to urine flow is a frequent cause of secondary upper urinary tract malformations. Here, using whole-exome sequencing, we identified three different biallelic mutations in CHRNA3, which encodes the α3 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, in five affected individuals from three unrelated families with functional lower urinary tract obstruction and secondary CAKUT. Four individuals from two families have additional dysautonomic features, including impaired pupillary light reflexes. Functional studies in vitro demonstrated that the mutant nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were unable to generate current following stimulation with acetylcholine. Moreover, the truncating mutations p.Thr337Asnfs∗81 and p.Ser340∗ led to impaired plasma membrane localization of CHRNA3. Although the importance of acetylcholine signaling in normal bladder function has been recognized, we demonstrate for the first time that mutations in CHRNA3 can cause bladder dysfunction, urinary tract malformations, and dysautonomia. These data point to a pathophysiologic sequence by which monogenic mutations in genes that regulate bladder innervation may secondarily cause CAKUT.

Reverse phenotyping facilitates disease allele calling in exome sequencing of patients with CAKUT.

PURPOSE: Congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) constitute the leading cause of chronic kidney disease in children. In total, 174 monogenic causes of isolated or syndromic CAKUT are known. However, syndromic features may be overlooked when the initial clinical diagnosis of CAKUT is made. We hypothesized that the yield of a molecular genetic diagnosis by exome sequencing (ES) can be increased by applying reverse phenotyping, by re-examining the case for signs/symptoms of the suspected clinical syndrome that results from the genetic variant detected by ES. METHODS: We conducted ES in an international cohort of 731 unrelated families with CAKUT. We evaluated ES data for variants in 174 genes, in which variants are known to cause isolated or syndromic CAKUT. In cases in which ES suggested a previously unreported syndromic phenotype, we conducted reverse phenotyping. RESULTS: In 83 of 731 (11.4%) families, we detected a likely CAKUT-causing genetic variant consistent with an isolated or syndromic CAKUT phenotype. In 19 of these 83 families (22.9%), reverse phenotyping yielded syndromic clinical findings, thereby strengthening the genotype-phenotype correlation. CONCLUSION: We conclude that employing reverse phenotyping in the evaluation of syndromic CAKUT genes by ES provides an important tool to facilitate molecular genetic diagnostics in CAKUT.

Factors Affecting Domiciliary Non-Invasive Ventilation Compliance.

Few international studies have investigated factors affecting domiciliary non-invasive ventilation (D-NIV) compliance, and data from the UK are limited. We assessed compliance (defined as ≥ 4 h/night for at least 70% of the time) in a retrospective UK population study, at three time points (0-1 month, 3-4 months and 11-12 months), for all patients commenced on D-NIV over a 5-year period. A total of 359 patients were included. Non-compliant vs. compliant patients were significantly younger (median age 64 (IQR 52-72) vs. 67 (58-75) years, p = 0.032) and more likely to have schizophrenia, consistent at both 3-4 months (5% vs. 1%, p = 0.033) and 11-12 months (5% vs. 2%, p = 0.049). Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated that the minutes [median (IQR)] of D-NIV used significantly increased at the three time points (0-1 month, 3-4 months and 11-12 months) for patients with hypertension [310 (147.5-431) vs. 341 (89-450) vs. 378 (224.5-477.5), p = 0.003]; diabetes [296.5 (132.5-417.5) vs. 342.5 (94.5-438.5) vs. 382 (247.5-476.25), p = 0.002] and heart failure [293 (177-403) vs. 326 (123-398) vs. 365 (212-493), p = 0.04]. In conclusion, younger and comorbid schizophrenic patients have lower D-NIV compliance rates, and our data suggest that persistence with D-NIV over a year may improve overall use.

Impact of hypothetical improvements in the psychosocial work environment on sickness absence rates: a simulation study.

BACKGROUND: The association between psychosocial working environments and sickness absence is well-known. However, the potential for reducing sickness absences of different lengths through improvements in psychosocial work factors is not fully understood. We aim to quantify the potential for reducing short-, intermediate- and long-term sickness absence rates, respectively, through hypothetical improvements in several psychosocial work factors. METHODS: This longitudinal study includes 24 990 public hospital employees from the 2014 wave of the Well-being in Hospital Employees study. The 1-year sickness absence rate was divided into short- (1-3 days), intermediate- (4-28 days) and long-term (29 days or more) periods. We simulated hypothetical scenarios with improvements in 17 psychosocial work factors using the parametric g-formula and estimated resulting changes in sickness absence rate ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). RESULTS: Setting all 17 psychosocial work factors to their most desirable levels (vs. least desirable levels) was associated with an overall 54% lower rate of sickness absence (95% CI: 48-60%). Reducing bullying (no vs. yes RR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.83-0.90) and perceived stress (low vs. high RR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.87-0.92), and increasing skill discretion (high vs. low RR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.89-0.94) held the largest potential for reducing the total sickness absence rate. Overall, associations were similar for short-, intermediate- and long-term sickness absence. CONCLUSIONS: The psychosocial working environment was strongly associated with sickness absence. Improving the working environment may have a great impact on short-, intermediate- and long-term sickness absence rates.

Mutations in PRDM15 Are a Novel Cause of Galloway-Mowat Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Galloway-Mowat syndrome (GAMOS) is characterized by neurodevelopmental defects and a progressive nephropathy, which typically manifests as steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. The prognosis of GAMOS is poor, and the majority of children progress to renal failure. The discovery of monogenic causes of GAMOS has uncovered molecular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of disease. METHODS: Homozygosity mapping, whole-exome sequencing, and linkage analysis were used to identify mutations in four families with a GAMOS-like phenotype, and high-throughput PCR technology was applied to 91 individuals with GAMOS and 816 individuals with isolated nephrotic syndrome. In vitro and in vivo studies determined the functional significance of the mutations identified. RESULTS: Three biallelic variants of the transcriptional regulator PRDM15 were detected in six families with proteinuric kidney disease. Four families with a variant in the protein's zinc-finger (ZNF) domain have additional GAMOS-like features, including brain anomalies, cardiac defects, and skeletal defects. All variants destabilize the PRDM15 protein, and the ZNF variant additionally interferes with transcriptional activation. Morpholino oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown of Prdm15 in Xenopus embryos disrupted pronephric development. Human wild-type PRDM15 RNA rescued the disruption, but the three PRDM15 variants did not. Finally, CRISPR-mediated knockout of PRDM15 in human podocytes led to dysregulation of several renal developmental genes. CONCLUSIONS: Variants in PRDM15 can cause either isolated nephrotic syndrome or a GAMOS-type syndrome on an allelic basis. PRDM15 regulates multiple developmental kidney genes, and is likely to play an essential role in renal development in humans.

The plasticity of late-onset dementia: A nationwide cohort study in Denmark.

INTRODUCTION: The determinants of the secular decline in the incidence of dementia are not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the influences of four factors-education, wealth, cerebrovascular health, and general health-on the secular decline. METHODS: A cohort study was conducted of all individuals aged ≥65 years in Denmark from 2005 through 2018 (N = 1,757,168). Annual incidence rates of dementia and population attributable risks of the four factors were calculated and birth cohort trends were examined. RESULTS: The incidence of dementia declined by 22.5% in men and 34.2% in women from 2005 through 2018. Population attributable risks of lower education, lower wealth, and stroke likewise declined. Independent of these improvements, the incidence of dementia fell across successive birth cohorts. DISCUSSION: Most of the observed plasticity in late-onset dementia is associated with a risk decline across successive birth cohorts that is independent of improvements in traditional risk factors.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and liver cancer incidence in six European cohorts.

Particulate matter air pollution and diesel engine exhaust have been classified as carcinogenic for lung cancer, yet few studies have explored associations with liver cancer. We used six European adult cohorts which were recruited between 1985 and 2005, pooled within the "Effects of low-level air pollution: A study in Europe" (ELAPSE) project, and followed for the incidence of liver cancer until 2011 to 2015. The annual average exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), particulate matter with diameter <2.5 µm (PM2.5 ), black carbon (BC), warm-season ozone (O3 ), and eight elemental components of PM2.5 (copper, iron, zinc, sulfur, nickel, vanadium, silicon, and potassium) were estimated by European-wide hybrid land-use regression models at participants' residential addresses. We analyzed the association between air pollution and liver cancer incidence by Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for potential confounders. Of 330 064 cancer-free adults at baseline, 512 developed liver cancer during a mean follow-up of 18.1 years. We observed positive linear associations between NO2 (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval: 1.17, 1.02-1.35 per 10 µg/m3 ), PM2.5 (1.12, 0.92-1.36 per 5 µg/m3 ), and BC (1.15, 1.00-1.33 per 0.5 10-5 /m) and liver cancer incidence. Associations with NO2 and BC persisted in two-pollutant models with PM2.5 . Most components of PM2.5 were associated with the risk of liver cancer, with the strongest associations for sulfur and vanadium, which were robust to adjustment for PM2.5 or NO2 . Our study suggests that ambient air pollution may increase the risk of liver cancer, even at concentrations below current EU standards.

Long-term air pollution and road traffic noise exposure and COPD: the Danish Nurse Cohort.

BACKGROUND: While air pollution has been linked to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), evidence on the role of environmental noise is just emerging. We examined the associations of long-term exposure to air pollution and road traffic noise with COPD incidence. METHODS: We defined COPD incidence for 24 538 female nurses from the Danish Nurse Cohort (age >44 years) as the first hospital contact between baseline (1993 or 1999) and 2015. We estimated residential annual mean concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 µm (PM2.5) since 1990 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) since 1970 using the Danish Eulerian Hemispheric Model/Urban Background Model/Air Geographic Information System modelling system, and road traffic noise (Lden) since 1970 using the Nord2000 model. Time-varying Cox regression models were applied to assess the associations of air pollution and road traffic noise with COPD incidence. RESULTS: 977 nurses developed COPD during a mean of 18.6 years' follow-up. We observed associations with COPD for all three exposures with HRs and 95% CIs of 1.19 (1.01-1.41) per 6.26 µg·m-3 for PM2.5, 1.13 (1.05-1.20) per 8.19 µg·m-3 for NO2 and 1.15 (1.06-1.25) per 10 dB for Lden. Associations with NO2 and Lden attenuated slightly after mutual adjustment, but were robust to adjustment for PM2.5. Associations with PM2.5 were attenuated to null after adjustment for either NO2 or Lden. No potential interaction effect was observed between air pollutants and noise. CONCLUSION: Long-term exposure to air pollution, especially traffic-related NO2, and to road traffic noise were independently associated with COPD.

Functional analysis of a gene-edited mouse model to gain insights into the disease mechanisms of a titin missense variant.

Titin truncating variants are a well-established cause of cardiomyopathy; however, the role of titin missense variants is less well understood. Here we describe the generation of a mouse model to investigate the underlying disease mechanism of a previously reported titin A178D missense variant identified in a family with non-compaction and dilated cardiomyopathy. Heterozygous and homozygous mice carrying the titin A178D missense variant were characterised in vivo by echocardiography. Heterozygous mice had no detectable phenotype at any time point investigated (up to 1 year). By contrast, homozygous mice developed dilated cardiomyopathy from 3 months. Chronic adrenergic stimulation aggravated the phenotype. Targeted transcript profiling revealed induction of the foetal gene programme and hypertrophic signalling pathways in homozygous mice, and these were confirmed at the protein level. Unsupervised proteomics identified downregulation of telethonin and four-and-a-half LIM domain 2, as well as the upregulation of heat shock proteins and myeloid leukaemia factor 1. Loss of telethonin from the cardiac Z-disc was accompanied by proteasomal degradation; however, unfolded telethonin accumulated in the cytoplasm, leading to a proteo-toxic response in the mice.We show that the titin A178D missense variant is pathogenic in homozygous mice, resulting in cardiomyopathy. We also provide evidence of the disease mechanism: because the titin A178D variant abolishes binding of telethonin, this leads to its abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation. Subsequent degradation of telethonin by the proteasome results in proteasomal overload, and activation of a proteo-toxic response. The latter appears to be a driving factor for the cardiomyopathy observed in the mouse model.

A recurrent, homozygous EMC10 frameshift variant is associated with a syndrome of developmental delay with variable seizures and dysmorphic features.

PURPOSE: The endoplasmic reticulum membrane complex (EMC) is a highly conserved, multifunctional 10-protein complex related to membrane protein biology. In seven families, we identified 13 individuals with highly overlapping phenotypes who harbor a single identical homozygous frameshift variant in EMC10. METHODS: Using exome, genome, and Sanger sequencing, a recurrent frameshift EMC10 variant was identified in affected individuals in an international cohort of consanguineous families. Multiple families were independently identified and connected via Matchmaker Exchange and internal databases. We assessed the effect of the frameshift variant on EMC10 RNA and protein expression and evaluated EMC10 expression in normal human brain tissue using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: A homozygous variant EMC10 c.287delG (Refseq NM_206538.3, p.Gly96Alafs*9) segregated with affected individuals in each family, who exhibited a phenotypic spectrum of intellectual disability (ID) and global developmental delay (GDD), variable seizures and variable dysmorphic features (elongated face, curly hair, cubitus valgus, and arachnodactyly). The variant arose on two founder haplotypes and results in significantly reduced EMC10 RNA expression and an unstable truncated EMC10 protein. CONCLUSION: We propose that a homozygous loss-of-function variant in EMC10 causes a novel syndromic neurodevelopmental phenotype. Remarkably, the recurrent variant is likely the result of a hypermutable site and arose on distinct founder haplotypes.

Mutations in transcription factor CP2-like 1 may cause a novel syndrome with distal renal tubulopathy in humans.

BACKGROUND: An underlying monogenic cause of early-onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be detected in ∼20% of individuals. For many etiologies of CKD manifesting before 25 years of age, >200 monogenic causative genes have been identified to date, leading to the elucidation of mechanisms of renal pathogenesis. METHODS: In 51 families with echogenic kidneys and CKD, we performed whole-exome sequencing to identify novel monogenic causes of CKD. RESULTS: We discovered a homozygous truncating mutation in the transcription factor gene transcription factor CP2-like 1 (TFCP2L1) in an Arabic patient of consanguineous descent. The patient developed CKD by the age of 2 months and had episodes of severe hypochloremic, hyponatremic and hypokalemic alkalosis, seizures, developmental delay and hypotonia together with cataracts. We found that TFCP2L1 was localized throughout kidney development particularly in the distal nephron. Interestingly, TFCP2L1 induced the growth and development of renal tubules from rat mesenchymal cells. Conversely, the deletion of TFCP2L1 in mice was previously shown to lead to reduced expression of renal cell markers including ion transporters and cell identity proteins expressed in different segments of the distal nephron. TFCP2L1 localized to the nucleus in HEK293T cells only upon coexpression with its paralog upstream-binding protein 1 (UBP1). A TFCP2L1 mutant complementary DNA (cDNA) clone that represented the patient's mutation failed to form homo- and heterodimers with UBP1, an essential step for its transcriptional activity. CONCLUSION: Here, we identified a loss-of-function TFCP2L1 mutation as a potential novel cause of CKD in childhood accompanied by a salt-losing tubulopathy.