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The implementation of clinical-decision support algorithms for medical imaging faces challenges with reliability and interpretability. Here, we establish a diagnostic tool based on a deep-learning framework for the screening of patients with common treatable blinding retinal diseases. Our framework utilizes transfer learning, which trains a neural network with a fraction of the data of conventional approaches. Applying this approach to a dataset of optical coherence tomography images, we demonstrate performance comparable to that of human experts in classifying age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. We also provide a more transparent and interpretable diagnosis by highlighting the regions recognized by the neural network. We further demonstrate the general applicability of our AI system for diagnosis of pediatric pneumonia using chest X-ray images. This tool may ultimately aid in expediting the diagnosis and referral of these treatable conditions, thereby facilitating earlier treatment, resulting in improved clinical outcomes. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Aprendizaje Profundo , Diagnóstico por Imagen , Neumonía/diagnóstico , Niño , Humanos , Redes Neurales de la Computación , Neumonía/diagnóstico por imagen , Curva ROC , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Tomografía de Coherencia ÓpticaRESUMEN
The function of some genetic variants associated with brain-relevant traits has been explained through colocalization with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) conducted in bulk postmortem adult brain tissue. However, many brain-trait associated loci have unknown cellular or molecular function. These genetic variants may exert context-specific function on different molecular phenotypes including post-transcriptional changes. Here, we identified genetic regulation of RNA editing and alternative polyadenylation (APA) within a cell-type-specific population of human neural progenitors and neurons. More RNA editing and isoforms utilizing longer polyadenylation sequences were observed in neurons, likely due to higher expression of genes encoding the proteins mediating these post-transcriptional events. We also detected hundreds of cell-type-specific editing quantitative trait loci (edQTLs) and alternative polyadenylation QTLs (apaQTLs). We found colocalizations of a neuron edQTL in CCDC88A with educational attainment and a progenitor apaQTL in EP300 with schizophrenia, suggesting that genetically mediated post-transcriptional regulation during brain development leads to differences in brain function.
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Glaucoma, a blinding neurodegenerative disease, whose risk factors include elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), age, and genetics, is characterized by accelerated and progressive retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death. Despite decades of research, the mechanism of RGC death in glaucoma is still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the genetic effect of the SIX6 risk variant (rs33912345, His141Asn) is enhanced by another major POAG risk gene, p16INK4a (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A, isoform INK4a). We further show that the upregulation of homozygous SIX6 risk alleles (CC) leads to an increase in p16INK4a expression, with subsequent cellular senescence, as evidenced in a mouse model of elevated IOP and in human POAG eyes. Our data indicate that SIX6 and/or IOP promotes POAG by directly increasing p16INK4a expression, leading to RGC senescence in adult human retinas. Our study provides important insights linking genetic susceptibility to the underlying mechanism of RGC death and provides a unified theory of glaucoma pathogenesis.
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Inhibidor p16 de la Quinasa Dependiente de Ciclina/genética , Glaucoma de Ángulo Abierto/metabolismo , Proteínas de Homeodominio/fisiología , Células Ganglionares de la Retina/fisiología , Transactivadores/fisiología , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Animales , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Muerte Celular , Línea Celular , Inhibidor p16 de la Quinasa Dependiente de Ciclina/metabolismo , Glaucoma de Ángulo Abierto/genética , Glaucoma de Ángulo Abierto/patología , Humanos , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Noqueados , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Mutación Missense , Regulación hacia ArribaRESUMEN
The repair and regeneration of tissues using endogenous stem cells represents an ultimate goal in regenerative medicine. To our knowledge, human lens regeneration has not yet been demonstrated. Currently, the only treatment for cataracts, the leading cause of blindness worldwide, is to extract the cataractous lens and implant an artificial intraocular lens. However, this procedure poses notable risks of complications. Here we isolate lens epithelial stem/progenitor cells (LECs) in mammals and show that Pax6 and Bmi1 are required for LEC renewal. We design a surgical method of cataract removal that preserves endogenous LECs and achieves functional lens regeneration in rabbits and macaques, as well as in human infants with cataracts. Our method differs conceptually from current practice, as it preserves endogenous LECs and their natural environment maximally, and regenerates lenses with visual function. Our approach demonstrates a novel treatment strategy for cataracts and provides a new paradigm for tissue regeneration using endogenous stem cells.
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Catarata/terapia , Cristalino/citología , Cristalino/fisiología , Recuperación de la Función , Regeneración/fisiología , Células Madre/citología , Visión Ocular/fisiología , Animales , Catarata/congénito , Catarata/patología , Catarata/fisiopatología , Extracción de Catarata , Células Epiteliales/citología , Células Epiteliales/metabolismo , Proteínas del Ojo/metabolismo , Proteínas de Homeodominio/metabolismo , Homeostasis , Humanos , Macaca , Factor de Transcripción PAX6 , Factores de Transcripción Paired Box/metabolismo , Complejo Represivo Polycomb 1/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas/metabolismo , Proteínas Represoras/metabolismo , Células Madre/metabolismoRESUMEN
Development of functional nanoparticles can be encumbered by unanticipated material properties and biological events, which can affect nanoparticle effectiveness in complex, physiologically relevant systems. Despite the advances in bottom-up nanoengineering and surface chemistry, reductionist functionalization approaches remain inadequate in replicating the complex interfaces present in nature and cannot avoid exposure of foreign materials. Here we report on the preparation of polymeric nanoparticles enclosed in the plasma membrane of human platelets, which are a unique population of cellular fragments that adhere to a variety of disease-relevant substrates. The resulting nanoparticles possess a right-side-out unilamellar membrane coating functionalized with immunomodulatory and adhesion antigens associated with platelets. Compared to uncoated particles, the platelet membrane-cloaked nanoparticles have reduced cellular uptake by macrophage-like cells and lack particle-induced complement activation in autologous human plasma. The cloaked nanoparticles also display platelet-mimicking properties such as selective adhesion to damaged human and rodent vasculatures as well as enhanced binding to platelet-adhering pathogens. In an experimental rat model of coronary restenosis and a mouse model of systemic bacterial infection, docetaxel and vancomycin, respectively, show enhanced therapeutic efficacy when delivered by the platelet-mimetic nanoparticles. The multifaceted biointerfacing enabled by the platelet membrane cloaking method provides a new approach in developing functional nanoparticles for disease-targeted delivery.
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Antibacterianos/administración & dosificación , Plaquetas/citología , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Sistemas de Liberación de Medicamentos/métodos , Nanopartículas/administración & dosificación , Nanopartículas/química , Adhesividad Plaquetaria , Animales , Antibacterianos/farmacocinética , Vasos Sanguíneos/citología , Vasos Sanguíneos/metabolismo , Vasos Sanguíneos/patología , Colágeno/química , Colágeno/inmunología , Activación de Complemento/inmunología , Reestenosis Coronaria/sangre , Reestenosis Coronaria/tratamiento farmacológico , Reestenosis Coronaria/metabolismo , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Docetaxel , Humanos , Macrófagos/inmunología , Masculino , Ratones , Polímeros/química , Ratas , Ratas Sprague-Dawley , Infecciones Estafilocócicas/sangre , Infecciones Estafilocócicas/tratamiento farmacológico , Infecciones Estafilocócicas/metabolismo , Infecciones Estafilocócicas/microbiología , Staphylococcus aureus/citología , Staphylococcus aureus/metabolismo , Taxoides/administración & dosificación , Taxoides/farmacocinética , Liposomas Unilamelares/química , Vancomicina/administración & dosificación , Vancomicina/farmacocinéticaRESUMEN
The human lens is comprised largely of crystallin proteins assembled into a highly ordered, interactive macro-structure essential for lens transparency and refractive index. Any disruption of intra- or inter-protein interactions will alter this delicate structure, exposing hydrophobic surfaces, with consequent protein aggregation and cataract formation. Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness worldwide, affecting tens of millions of people, and currently the only treatment is surgical removal of cataractous lenses. The precise mechanisms by which lens proteins both prevent aggregation and maintain lens transparency are largely unknown. Lanosterol is an amphipathic molecule enriched in the lens. It is synthesized by lanosterol synthase (LSS) in a key cyclization reaction of a cholesterol synthesis pathway. Here we identify two distinct homozygous LSS missense mutations (W581R and G588S) in two families with extensive congenital cataracts. Both of these mutations affect highly conserved amino acid residues and impair key catalytic functions of LSS. Engineered expression of wild-type, but not mutant, LSS prevents intracellular protein aggregation of various cataract-causing mutant crystallins. Treatment by lanosterol, but not cholesterol, significantly decreased preformed protein aggregates both in vitro and in cell-transfection experiments. We further show that lanosterol treatment could reduce cataract severity and increase transparency in dissected rabbit cataractous lenses in vitro and cataract severity in vivo in dogs. Our study identifies lanosterol as a key molecule in the prevention of lens protein aggregation and points to a novel strategy for cataract prevention and treatment.
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Catarata/tratamiento farmacológico , Catarata/metabolismo , Lanosterol/farmacología , Lanosterol/uso terapéutico , Agregado de Proteínas/efectos de los fármacos , Agregación Patológica de Proteínas/tratamiento farmacológico , Adulto , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Amiloide/química , Amiloide/efectos de los fármacos , Amiloide/metabolismo , Amiloide/ultraestructura , Animales , Secuencia de Bases , Catarata/congénito , Catarata/genética , Catarata/patología , Línea Celular , Niño , Cristalinas/química , Cristalinas/genética , Cristalinas/metabolismo , Cristalinas/ultraestructura , Perros , Femenino , Humanos , Lanosterol/administración & dosificación , Cristalino/efectos de los fármacos , Cristalino/metabolismo , Cristalino/patología , Masculino , Modelos Moleculares , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Proteínas Mutantes/química , Proteínas Mutantes/genética , Proteínas Mutantes/metabolismo , Proteínas Mutantes/ultraestructura , Linaje , Agregación Patológica de Proteínas/patologíaRESUMEN
PURPOSE: Retrospective studies have associated perioperative regional anesthesia/analgesia during mastectomy for breast cancer with a decreased incidence of cancer recurrence. However, to date, no prospective data from a randomized controlled trial have been reported. In a previous study we found that extending a single-injection paravertebral block with a multiple-day perineural local anesthetic infusion improves analgesia. This follow-up study investigates the rates of cancer recurrence for the single-injection and multiple-day infusion treatments. METHODS: Patients undergoing unilateral (n = 24) or bilateral mastectomy (n = 36) were included in the study. All patients had been diagnosed with breast cancer or tumor in situ, except for six patients who were receiving prophylactic bilateral mastectomy and were excluded from analyses. Patients received unilateral or bilateral single-injection thoracic paravertebral block(s) corresponding to their surgical site(s) with ropivacaine and perineural catheter(s). Subsequently, patients were randomized to receive either ropivacaine 0.4% (n = 30) or normal saline (n = 30) via their catheter(s) until catheter removal on postoperative day 3. Cancer recurrence from the date of surgery until at least 2 years post surgery was investigated via chart review. RESULTS: Five of the 54 (9.2%) patients experienced a cancer recurrence following mastectomy-3 of 26 (11.5%) of the patients with perineural ropivacaine and 2 of 28 (7.1%) of the patients with perineural saline. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study found no evidence that extending a single-injection paravertebral block with a multi-day perineural local anesthetic infusion decreases the risk of post-mastectomy cancer recurrence. However, due to the small sample size of this investigation, further research is needed to draw definitive conclusions.
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Neoplasias de la Mama/cirugía , Mastectomía/métodos , Bloqueo Nervioso/métodos , Dolor Postoperatorio/tratamiento farmacológico , Adulto , Amidas/administración & dosificación , Anestésicos Locales/administración & dosificación , Método Doble Ciego , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Proyectos Piloto , Periodo Posoperatorio , Estudios Prospectivos , RopivacaínaRESUMEN
The wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness among elderly Americans and is characterized by abnormal vessel growth, termed choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Integrin α5ß1 is a transmembrane receptor that binds matrix macromolecules and proteinases to stimulate angiogenesis. We recently demonstrated that integrin α5ß1 plays a critical role in the development of choroidal neovascularization. In this study, we determined the role and underlying mechanisms of integrin α5ß1 in angiogenesis in human choroidal endothelial cells and evaluated the antiangiogenic effects of delivering a combination therapy of ATN-161, an integrin α5ß1 inhibitor, and an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody to rats with laser-induced CNV. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a signaling protein that stimulates vasculogenesis and angiogenesis through a pathway that is distinct from the integrin α5ß1 signaling pathway. Our results indicate that fibronectin binds to integrin α5ß1 and synergizes VEGF-induced angiogenesis via two independent signaling pathways, FN/integrin α5ß1/FAK/ERK1/2 and FN/integrin α5ß1/FAK/AKT. Integrin α5 knockdown by shRNA inhibits endothelial cell migration, tube formation, and proliferation, while ATN-161 only partially decreases integrin α5 function. Treatment with ATN-161 combined with anti-VEGF antibody showed joint effects in attenuating angiogenesis. In summary, our results provide the first evidence for the mechanisms by which integrin α5ß1 is involved in ocular pathological neovascularization in vivo, suggesting that dual inhibition of integrin α5ß1 and VEGF may be a promising novel therapeutic strategy for CNV in wet AMD.
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Inhibidores de la Angiogénesis/uso terapéutico , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/uso terapéutico , Integrina alfa5beta1/metabolismo , Degeneración Macular/tratamiento farmacológico , Factor A de Crecimiento Endotelial Vascular/antagonistas & inhibidores , Animales , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/inmunología , Western Blotting , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Neovascularización Coroidal/tratamiento farmacológico , Ensayo de Inmunoadsorción Enzimática , Fibronectinas/metabolismo , Técnica del Anticuerpo Fluorescente , Masculino , Unión Proteica , Ratas , Factor A de Crecimiento Endotelial Vascular/metabolismoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: It remains unknown whether continuous or scheduled intermittent bolus local anesthetic administration is preferable for adductor canal perineural catheters. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that scheduled bolus administration is superior or noninferior to a continuous infusion on cutaneous knee sensation in volunteers. METHODS: Bilateral adductor canal catheters were inserted in 24 volunteers followed by ropivacaine 0.2% administration for 8 hours. One limb of each subject was assigned randomly to a continuous infusion (8 mL/h) or automated hourly boluses (8 mL/bolus), with the alternate treatment in the contralateral limb. The primary end point was the tolerance to electrical current applied through cutaneous electrodes in the distribution of the anterior branch of the medial femoral cutaneous nerve after 8 hours (noninferiority delta: -10 mA). Secondary end points included tolerance of electrical current and quadriceps femoris maximum voluntary isometric contraction strength at baseline, hourly for 14 hours, and again after 22 hours. RESULTS: The 2 administration techniques provided equivalent cutaneous analgesia at 8 hours because noninferiority was found in both directions, with estimated difference on tolerance to cutaneous current of -0.6 mA (95% confidence interval, -5.4 to 4.3). Equivalence also was found on all but 2 secondary time points. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that changing the local anesthetic administration technique (continuous basal versus hourly bolus) when using an adductor canal perineural catheter at 8 mL/h decreases cutaneous sensation in the distribution of the anterior branch of the medial femoral cutaneous nerve.
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Amidas/administración & dosificación , Anestésicos Locales/administración & dosificación , Nervio Femoral/efectos de los fármacos , Contracción Isométrica/efectos de los fármacos , Fuerza Muscular/efectos de los fármacos , Bloqueo Nervioso/métodos , Umbral del Dolor/efectos de los fármacos , Músculo Cuádriceps/inervación , Piel/inervación , Adulto , Automatización , California , Catéteres , Método Doble Ciego , Esquema de Medicación , Femenino , Voluntarios Sanos , Humanos , Bombas de Infusión , Infusiones Parenterales , Rodilla , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Bloqueo Nervioso/instrumentación , Dimensión del Dolor , Estudios Prospectivos , Ropivacaína , Factores de Tiempo , Estimulación Eléctrica Transcutánea del Nervio , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have demonstrated that, for single-injection popliteal sciatic nerve blocks, block characteristics are dependent upon local anesthetic injection relative to the sciatic nerve bifurcation. In contrast, this relation remains unexamined for continuous popliteal sciatic nerve blocks. We, therefore, tested the hypothesis that postoperative analgesia is improved with the perineural catheter tip at the level of the bifurcation compared with 5 cm proximal to the bifurcation. METHODS: Preoperatively, subjects having moderately painful foot or ankle surgery were randomly assigned to receive an ultrasound-guided subepimyseal perineural catheter inserted either at or 5 cm proximal to the sciatic nerve bifurcation. Subjects received a single injection of mepivacaine 1.5% either via the insertion needle preoperatively or the perineural catheter postoperatively, followed by an infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% (6 mL/h basal, 4 mL bolus, and 30-min lockout) for the study duration. The primary end point was the average pain measured on a numeric rating scale (0-10) in the 3 hours before a data collection telephone call the morning after surgery. RESULTS: The average numeric rating scale of subjects with a catheter inserted at the sciatic nerve bifurcation (n = 64) was a median (10th, 25th to 75th, and 90th quartiles) of 3.0 (0.0, 2.4-5.0, and 7.0) vs 2.0 (0.0, 1.0-4.0, and 5.0) for subjects with a catheter inserted proximal to the bifurcation (n = 64; P = 0.008). Similarly, maximum pain scores were greater in the group at the bifurcation: 6.0 (3.0, 4.4-8.0, and 9.0) vs 5.0 (0.0, 3.0-8.0, and 10.0) (P = 0.019). Differences between the groups for catheter insertion time, opioid rescue dose, degree of numbness in the foot/toes, catheter dislodgement, and fluid leakage did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: For continuous popliteal sciatic nerve blocks, a catheter inserted 5 cm proximal to the sciatic nerve bifurcation provides superior postoperative analgesia in subjects having moderately painful foot or ankle surgery compared with catheters located at the bifurcation. This is in marked contrast with single-injection popliteal sciatic nerve blocks for which benefits are afforded to local anesthetic injection distal, rather than proximal, to the bifurcation.
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Amidas/administración & dosificación , Anestésicos Locales/administración & dosificación , Catéteres , Pie/cirugía , Bloqueo Nervioso/instrumentación , Procedimientos Ortopédicos , Dolor Postoperatorio/prevención & control , Nervio Ciático/efectos de los fármacos , Adulto , Amidas/efectos adversos , Anestésicos Locales/efectos adversos , California , Femenino , Pie/inervación , Humanos , Masculino , Mepivacaína/administración & dosificación , Persona de Mediana Edad , Bloqueo Nervioso/efectos adversos , Bloqueo Nervioso/métodos , Procedimientos Ortopédicos/efectos adversos , Dimensión del Dolor , Umbral del Dolor/efectos de los fármacos , Dolor Postoperatorio/diagnóstico , Dolor Postoperatorio/etiología , Dolor Postoperatorio/fisiopatología , Estudios Prospectivos , Ropivacaína , Nervio Ciático/diagnóstico por imagen , Factores de Tiempo , Resultado del Tratamiento , Ultrasonografía IntervencionalRESUMEN
Cell transplantation is a potential therapeutic strategy for retinal degenerative diseases involving the loss of photoreceptors. However, it faces challenges to clinical translation due to safety concerns and a limited supply of cells. Human retinal progenitor cells (hRPCs) from fetal neural retina are expandable in vitro and maintain an undifferentiated state. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of hRPCs transplanted into a Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat model of retinal degeneration. At 12 weeks, optokinetic response showed that hRPC-grafted eyes had significantly superior visual acuity compared with vehicle-treated eyes. Histological evaluation of outer nuclear layer (ONL) characteristics such as ONL thickness, spread distance, and cell count demonstrated a significantly greater preservation of the ONL in hRPC-treated eyes compared with both vehicle-treated and control eyes. The transplanted hRPCs arrested visual decline over time in the RCS rat and rescued retinal morphology, demonstrating their potential as a therapy for retinal diseases. We suggest that the preservation of visual acuity was likely achieved through host photoreceptor rescue. We found that hRPC transplantation into the subretinal space of RCS rats was well tolerated, with no adverse effects such as tumor formation noted at 12 weeks after treatment.
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Células Madre Embrionarias/trasplante , Epitelio Pigmentado Ocular/trasplante , Retina , Degeneración Retiniana/cirugía , Trasplante de Células Madre , Animales , Separación Celular , Células Cultivadas , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Feto/citología , Humanos , Ratas , Retina/citología , Retina/embriología , Retina/fisiología , Degeneración Retiniana/fisiopatología , Agudeza VisualRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In a previous randomized, triple-masked, placebo-controlled study, the authors demonstrated that extending a single-injection paravertebral nerve block with a multiple-day perineural local anesthetic infusion improves analgesia and decreases pain-related dysfunction during the 3-day infusion but not subsequent to catheter removal within 1 month after mastectomy. This report describes a prospective follow-up study of the previously published trial to investigate the possibility that extending a single-injection paravertebral block with a multiple-day infusion may decrease persistent postsurgical pain as well as pain-induced emotional and functional dysfunction 1 year after mastectomy. METHODS: Subjects undergoing uni- or bilateral mastectomy received unilateral (n = 24) or bilateral (n = 36) single-injection thoracic paravertebral block(s) with ropivacaine and perineural catheter(s). The subjects were randomized to receive either ropivacaine 0.4 % (n = 30) or normal saline (n = 30) via their catheters until the catheters were removed on postoperative day 3. Chronic pain and pain-related physical and emotional dysfunction were measured using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). RESULTS: No statistically significant difference between treatments 3 months after surgery was observed with the BPI. In contrast, after 12 months, only 4 subjects (13 %) who had received a perineural ropivacaine infusion reported pain-induced dysfunction compared with 14 (47 %) who had received saline infusion (P = 0.011). At 12 months, the mean BPI was 1.6 ± 4.6 for the subjects who received ropivacaine versus 5.9 ± 11.3 for the subjects who received saline (P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Adding a multiple-day, continuous ropivacaine infusion to a single-injection ropivacaine paravertebral nerve block may result in a lower incidence of pain as well as pain-related physical and emotional dysfunction 1 year after mastectomy.
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Neoplasias de la Mama/psicología , Neoplasias de la Mama/cirugía , Mastectomía/efectos adversos , Bloqueo Nervioso , Dolor Postoperatorio/etiología , Estrés Psicológico/etiología , Adulto , Amidas/administración & dosificación , Anestésicos Locales/administración & dosificación , Neoplasias de la Mama/patología , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Infusiones Parenterales , Persona de Mediana Edad , Dimensión del Dolor , Dolor Postoperatorio/tratamiento farmacológico , Pronóstico , Estudios Prospectivos , RopivacaínaRESUMEN
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a devastating form of retinal degeneration, with significant social and professional consequences. Molecular genetic information is invaluable for an accurate clinical diagnosis of RP due to its high genetic and clinical heterogeneity. Using a gene capture panel that covers 163 of the currently known retinal disease genes, including 48 RP genes, we performed a comprehensive molecular screening in a collection of 123 RP unsettled probands from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, including 113 unrelated simplex and 10 autosomal recessive RP (arRP) cases. As a result, 61 mutations were identified in 45 probands, including 38 novel pathogenic alleles. Interestingly, we observed that phenotype and genotype were not in full agreement in 21 probands. Among them, eight probands were clinically reassessed, resulting in refinement of clinical diagnoses for six of these patients. Finally, recessive mutations in CLN3 were identified in five retinal degeneration patients, including four RP probands and one cone-rod dystrophy patient, suggesting that CLN3 is a novel non-syndromic retinal disease gene. Collectively, our results underscore that, due to the high molecular and clinical heterogeneity of RP, comprehensive screening of all retinal disease genes is effective in identifying novel pathogenic mutations and provides an opportunity to discover new genotype-phenotype correlations. Information gained from this genetic screening will directly aid in patient diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, as well as allowing appropriate family planning and counseling.
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Estudios de Asociación Genética , Secuenciación de Nucleótidos de Alto Rendimiento , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/genética , Chaperonas Moleculares/genética , Retinitis Pigmentosa/diagnóstico , Retinitis Pigmentosa/genética , Alelos , Biología Computacional , Exones , Genes Recesivos , Pruebas Genéticas , Genotipo , Humanos , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Chaperonas Moleculares/metabolismo , Mutación , Linaje , Fenotipo , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Análisis de Secuencia de ADNRESUMEN
Introduction: Both immigrant and racialized status may be associated with the pursuit of living donor kidney transplant (LDKT). Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of a convenience cross-sectional sample of patients with kidney failure in Toronto, obtained from our "Comprehensive Psychosocial Research Data System" research database. The exposures included racialized, immigrant, and combined immigrant and racialized status (White nonimmigrant, racialized nonimmigrant, White immigrant and racialized immigrant). Outcomes include the following: (i) having spoken about LDKT with others, (ii) having a potential living donor (LD) identified, (iii) having allowed others to share the need for LDKT, (iv) having directly asked a potential donor to be tested, and (v) accept a hypothetical LDKT offer. We assessed the association between exposure and outcomes using univariable, and multivariable binary or multinominal logistic regression (reference: White or White nonimmigrant participants). Results: Of the 498 participants, 281 (56%) were immigrants; 142 (28%) were African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB); 123 (25%) were Asian; and 233 (47%) were White. Compared to White nonimmigrants, racialized immigrants (relative risk ratio [RRR]: 2.98; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.76-5.03) and racialized nonimmigrants (RRR: 2.84; 95% CI: 1.22-6.65) were more likely not to have spoken about LDKT with others (vs. having spoken or planning to do so). Both racialized immigrant (odds ratio [OR]: 4.07; 95% CI: 2.50-6.34), racialized nonimmigrants (OR: 2.68; 95% CI: 1.31-5.51) and White immigrants (OR: 2.68; 95% CI: 1.43-5.05) were more likely not to have a potential LD identified. Conclusion: Both racialized and immigrant status are associated with less readiness to pursue LDKT. Supporting patients to communicate their need for LDKT may improve equitable access to LDKT.
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Most genetic variants associated with psychiatric disorders are located in noncoding regions of the genome. To investigate their functional implications, we integrate epigenetic data from the PsychENCODE Consortium and other published sources to construct a comprehensive atlas of candidate brain cis-regulatory elements. Using deep learning, we model these elements' sequence syntax and predict how binding sites for lineage-specific transcription factors contribute to cell type-specific gene regulation in various types of glia and neurons. The elements' evolutionary history suggests that new regulatory information in the brain emerges primarily via smaller sequence mutations within conserved mammalian elements rather than entirely new human- or primate-specific sequences. However, primate-specific candidate elements, particularly those active during fetal brain development and in excitatory neurons and astrocytes, are implicated in the heritability of brain-related human traits. Additionally, we introduce PsychSCREEN, a web-based platform offering interactive visualization of PsychENCODE-generated genetic and epigenetic data from diverse brain cell types in individuals with psychiatric disorders and healthy controls.
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Encéfalo , Epigénesis Genética , Secuencias Reguladoras de Ácidos Nucleicos , Humanos , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Secuencias Reguladoras de Ácidos Nucleicos/genética , Animales , Evolución Molecular , Trastornos Mentales/genética , Elementos Reguladores de la Transcripción/genética , Neuronas/metabolismo , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Factores de Transcripción/genética , Factores de Transcripción/metabolismoRESUMEN
Few neuropsychiatric disorders have replicable biomarkers, prompting high-resolution and large-scale molecular studies. However, we still lack consensus on a more foundational question: whether quantitative shifts in cell types-the functional unit of life-contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders. Leveraging advances in human brain single-cell methylomics, we deconvolve seven major cell types using bulk DNA methylation profiling across 1270 postmortem brains, including from individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and autism. We observe and replicate cell-type compositional shifts for Alzheimer's disease (endothelial cell loss), autism (increased microglia), and schizophrenia (decreased oligodendrocytes), and find age- and sex-related changes. Multiple layers of evidence indicate that endothelial cell loss contributes to Alzheimer's disease, with comparable effect size to APOE genotype among older people. Genome-wide association identified five genetic loci related to cell-type composition, involving plausible genes for the neurovascular unit (P2RX5 and TRPV3) and excitatory neurons (DPY30 and MEMO1). These results implicate specific cell-type shifts in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Trastorno Autístico , Encéfalo , Metilación de ADN , Esquizofrenia , Humanos , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/genética , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/patología , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/metabolismo , Esquizofrenia/genética , Esquizofrenia/patología , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Encéfalo/patología , Trastorno Autístico/genética , Trastorno Autístico/patología , Masculino , Femenino , Estudio de Asociación del Genoma Completo , Anciano , Células Endoteliales/metabolismo , Células Endoteliales/patología , Epigenómica/métodos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Anciano de 80 o más AñosRESUMEN
Neuropsychiatric genome-wide association studies (GWASs), including those for autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, show strong enrichment for regulatory elements in the developing brain. However, prioritizing risk genes and mechanisms is challenging without a unified regulatory atlas. Across 672 diverse developing human brains, we identified 15,752 genes harboring gene, isoform, and/or splicing quantitative trait loci, mapping 3739 to cellular contexts. Gene expression heritability drops during development, likely reflecting both increasing cellular heterogeneity and the intrinsic properties of neuronal maturation. Isoform-level regulation, particularly in the second trimester, mediated the largest proportion of GWAS heritability. Through colocalization, we prioritized mechanisms for about 60% of GWAS loci across five disorders, exceeding adult brain findings. Finally, we contextualized results within gene and isoform coexpression networks, revealing the comprehensive landscape of transcriptome regulation in development and disease.
Asunto(s)
Empalme Alternativo , Encéfalo , Regulación del Desarrollo de la Expresión Génica , Trastornos Mentales , Humanos , Atlas como Asunto , Trastorno del Espectro Autista/genética , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Encéfalo/crecimiento & desarrollo , Encéfalo/embriología , Redes Reguladoras de Genes , Estudio de Asociación del Genoma Completo , Isoformas de Proteínas/genética , Isoformas de Proteínas/metabolismo , Sitios de Carácter Cuantitativo , Esquizofrenia/genética , Transcriptoma , Trastornos Mentales/genéticaRESUMEN
Methods integrating genetics with transcriptomic reference panels prioritize risk genes and mechanisms at only a fraction of trait-associated genetic loci, due in part to an overreliance on total gene expression as a molecular outcome measure. This challenge is particularly relevant for the brain, in which extensive splicing generates multiple distinct transcript-isoforms per gene. Due to complex correlation structures, isoform-level modeling from cis-window variants requires methodological innovation. Here we introduce isoTWAS, a multivariate, stepwise framework integrating genetics, isoform-level expression and phenotypic associations. Compared to gene-level methods, isoTWAS improves both isoform and gene expression prediction, yielding more testable genes, and increased power for discovery of trait associations within genome-wide association study loci across 15 neuropsychiatric traits. We illustrate multiple isoTWAS associations undetectable at the gene-level, prioritizing isoforms of AKT3, CUL3 and HSPD1 in schizophrenia and PCLO with multiple disorders. Results highlight the importance of incorporating isoform-level resolution within integrative approaches to increase discovery of trait associations, especially for brain-relevant traits.