A conserved role of the Hippo signalling pathway in initiation of the first lineage specification event across mammals.

Our understanding of the molecular events driving cell specification in early mammalian development relies mainly on mouse studies, and it remains unclear whether these mechanisms are conserved across mammals, including humans. We have shown that the establishment of cell polarity via aPKC is a conserved event in the initiation of the trophectoderm (TE) placental programme in mouse, cow and human embryos. However, the mechanisms transducing cell polarity into cell fate in cow and human embryos are unknown. Here, we have examined the evolutionary conservation of Hippo signalling, which is thought to function downstream of aPKC activity, in four different mammalian species: mouse, rat, cow and human. In all four species, inhibition of the Hippo pathway by targeting LATS kinases is sufficient to drive ectopic TE initiation and downregulation of SOX2. However, the timing and localisation of molecular markers differ across species, with rat embryos more closely recapitulating human and cow developmental dynamics, compared with the mouse. Our comparative embryology approach uncovered intriguing differences as well as similarities in a fundamental developmental process among mammals, reinforcing the importance of cross-species investigations.

Initiation of a conserved trophectoderm program in human, cow and mouse embryos.

Current understandings of cell specification in early mammalian pre-implantation development are based mainly on mouse studies. The first lineage differentiation event occurs at the morula stage, with outer cells initiating a trophectoderm (TE) placental progenitor program. The inner cell mass arises from inner cells during subsequent developmental stages and comprises precursor cells of the embryo proper and yolk sac1. Recent gene-expression analyses suggest that the mechanisms that regulate early lineage specification in the mouse may differ in other mammals, including human2-5 and cow6. Here we show the evolutionary conservation of a molecular cascade that initiates TE segregation in human, cow and mouse embryos. At the morula stage, outer cells acquire an apical-basal cell polarity, with expression of atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) at the contact-free domain, nuclear expression of Hippo signalling pathway effectors and restricted expression of TE-associated factors such as GATA3, which suggests initiation of a TE program. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inhibition of aPKC by small-molecule pharmacological modulation or Trim-Away protein depletion impairs TE initiation at the morula stage. Our comparative embryology analysis provides insights into early lineage specification and suggests that a similar mechanism initiates a TE program in human, cow and mouse embryos.

Factor VII deficiency: A cause of (or risk factor for) bleeding?

Among the rare bleeding disorders factor VII deficiency is the most common, but correlating deficiency with bleeding phenotype is challenging. In their study Lou and colleagues investigate a large cohort of unrelated factor VII deficient patients providing a further perspective on the link between genotype and phenotype in this disorder. Commentary on: Lou et al. Structural and functional characterization of novel F7 mutations identified in Chinese factor VII deficient patients. Br J Haematol. 2023;202:623-635.

The EAHAD blood coagulation factor VII variant database.

Hereditary blood coagulation factor VII (FVII) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive bleeding disorder resulting from variants in the gene encoding FVII (F7). Integration of genetic variation with functional consequences on protein function is essential for the interpretation of the pathogenicity of novel variants. Here, we describe the integration of previous locus-specific databases for F7 into a single curated database with enhanced features. The database provides access to in silico analyses that may be useful in the prediction of variant pathogenicity as well as cross-species sequence alignments, structural information, and functional and clinical severity described for each variant, where appropriate. The variant data is shared with the F7 Leiden Open Variation Database. The updated database now includes 221 unique variants, representing gene variants identified in 728 individuals. Single nucleotide variants are the most common type (88%) with missense representing 74% of these variants. A number of variants are found with relatively high minor allele frequencies that are not pathogenic but contribute significantly to the likely pathogenicity of coinherited variants due to their effect on FVII plasma levels. This comprehensive collection of curated information significantly aids the assessment of pathogenicity.

The European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD) Coagulation Factor Variant Databases: Important resources for haemostasis clinicians and researchers.

INTRODUCTION: Advances in genomic sequencing have facilitated the sequencing of genes associated with disorders of haemostasis. The identification of variants within genes and access to curated data incorporating structural, functional, evolutionary as well as phenotypic data has become increasingly important in order to ascribe pathogenicity. AIM: The European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD) Coagulation Factor Variant Database Project aims to provide a single port of entry to a web-accessible resource for variants in genes involved in clinical bleeding disorders. RESULTS: New databases have evolved from previously developed single gene variant coagulation database projects, incorporating new data, new analysis tools and a new common database architecture with new interfaces and filters. These new databases currently present information about the genotype, phenotype (laboratory and clinical) and structural and functional effects of variants described in the genes of factor (F) VII (F7), FVIII (F8), FIX (F9) and von Willebrand factor (VWF). CONCLUSION: The project has improved the quality and quantity of information available to the haemostasis research and clinical communities, thereby enabling accurate classification of disease severity in order to make assessments of likely pathogenicity.

A Bioinformatics Toolkit: In Silico Tools and Online Resources for Investigating Genetic Variation.

With the advent of large-scale next-generation sequencing initiatives, there is an increasing importance to interpret and understand the potential phenotypic influence of identified genetic variation and its significance in the human genome. Bioinformatics analyses can provide useful information to assist with variant interpretation. This review provides an overview of tools/resources currently available, and how they can help predict the impact of genetic variation at the deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein level.

A high-throughput sequencing test for diagnosing inherited bleeding, thrombotic, and platelet disorders.

Inherited bleeding, thrombotic, and platelet disorders (BPDs) are diseases that affect ∼300 individuals per million births. With the exception of hemophilia and von Willebrand disease patients, a molecular analysis for patients with a BPD is often unavailable. Many specialized tests are usually required to reach a putative diagnosis and they are typically performed in a step-wise manner to control costs. This approach causes delays and a conclusive molecular diagnosis is often never reached, which can compromise treatment and impede rapid identification of affected relatives. To address this unmet diagnostic need, we designed a high-throughput sequencing platform targeting 63 genes relevant for BPDs. The platform can call single nucleotide variants, short insertions/deletions, and large copy number variants (though not inversions) which are subjected to automated filtering for diagnostic prioritization, resulting in an average of 5.34 candidate variants per individual. We sequenced 159 and 137 samples, respectively, from cases with and without previously known causal variants. Among the latter group, 61 cases had clinical and laboratory phenotypes indicative of a particular molecular etiology, whereas the remainder had an a priori highly uncertain etiology. All previously detected variants were recapitulated and, when the etiology was suspected but unknown or uncertain, a molecular diagnosis was reached in 56 of 61 and only 8 of 76 cases, respectively. The latter category highlights the need for further research into novel causes of BPDs. The ThromboGenomics platform thus provides an affordable DNA-based test to diagnose patients suspected of having a known inherited BPD.

A centrosomal mechanism involving CDK5RAP2 and CENPJ controls brain size.

Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly is a potential model in which to research genes involved in human brain growth. We show that two forms of the disorder result from homozygous mutations in the genes CDK5RAP2 and CENPJ. We found neuroepithelial expression of the genes during prenatal neurogenesis and protein localization to the spindle poles of mitotic cells, suggesting that a centrosomal mechanism controls neuron number in the developing mammalian brain.

Mutations of the catalytic subunit of RAB3GAP cause Warburg Micro syndrome.

Warburg Micro syndrome (WARBM1) is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by developmental abnormalities of the eye and central nervous system and by microgenitalia. We identified homozygous inactivating mutations in RAB3GAP, encoding RAB3 GTPase activating protein, a key regulator of the Rab3 pathway implicated in exocytic release of neurotransmitters and hormones, in 12 families with Micro syndrome. We hypothesize that the underlying pathogenesis of Micro syndrome is a failure of exocytic release of ocular and neurodevelopmental trophic factors.

ASPM is a major determinant of cerebral cortical size.

One of the most notable trends in mammalian evolution is the massive increase in size of the cerebral cortex, especially in primates. Humans with autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) show a small but otherwise grossly normal cerebral cortex associated with mild to moderate mental retardation. Genes linked to this condition offer potential insights into the development and evolution of the cerebral cortex. Here we show that the most common cause of MCPH is homozygous mutation of ASPM, the human ortholog of the Drosophila melanogaster abnormal spindle gene (asp), which is essential for normal mitotic spindle function in embryonic neuroblasts. The mouse gene Aspm is expressed specifically in the primary sites of prenatal cerebral cortical neurogenesis. Notably, the predicted ASPM proteins encode systematically larger numbers of repeated 'IQ' domains between flies, mice and humans, with the predominant difference between Aspm and ASPM being a single large insertion coding for IQ domains. Our results and evolutionary considerations suggest that brain size is controlled in part through modulation of mitotic spindle activity in neuronal progenitor cells.

Functional characterization of a 13-bp deletion (c.-1522_-1510del13) in the promoter of the von Willebrand factor gene in type 1 von Willebrand disease.

We have studied the effect of a 13-bp deletion in the promoter of the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene in a patient with type 1 von Willebrand disease. The index case has a VWF:Ag of 0.49 IU/mL and is heterozygous for the deletion. The deletion is located 48 bp 5' of the transcription start site, and in silico analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies all predict aberrant binding of Ets transcription factors to the site of the deletion. Transduction of reporter gene constructs into blood outgrowth endothelial cells showed a 50.5% reduction in expression with the mutant promoter (n = 16, P < .001). A similar 40% loss of transactivation was documented in transduced HepG2 cells. A similar marked reduction of transgene expression was shown in the livers of mice injected with the mutant promoter construct (n = 8, P = .003). Finally, in studies of BOEC mRNA, the index case showed a 4.6-fold reduction of expression of the VWF transcript associated with the deletion mutation. These studies show that the 13-bp deletion mutation alters the binding of Ets (and possibly GATA) proteins to the VWF promoter and significantly reduces VWF expression, thus playing a central pathogenic role in the type 1 von Willebrand disease phenotype in the index case.

The international society on thrombosis and haematosis von Willebrand disease database: an update.

The online locus-specific database for von Willebrand disease (VWFdb) acts as a repository for sequence variant data and associated resources for those with an interest in the disorder. It currently holds details of 561 mutations and 217 polymorphisms in the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene. Lists can be queried and displayed by VWF region or disease type. A total of 42% of the mutations are located in the large exon 28, the most heavily studied VWF region, and mutations have been reported in all but 4 of the 51 protein-coding exons. Polymorphisms are reported in the 5' and 3' untranslated regions and in 33 exons and 35 introns. Additional resources include references linked to sequence variation entries, descriptors of each VWD type, genomic and cDNA sequences, nomenclature for VWF and its attributes, Human Genome Variation Society sequence variant nomenclature recommendations, multimer images, and related densitometry traces for type 2 VWD. Analysis of recessively inherited VWD indicates that whereas the majority (69%) of type 3 VWD patients are homozygous for their mutations, the majority (62%) of 2N patients are compound heterozygous. Comparison of missense substitutions reported as mutations with those reported as polymorphisms suggests that loss or gain of cysteine, tryptophan, methionine, or glutamate residues are more likely to result in a pathogenic effect than loss/gain of other VWF residues.

Characterization of large in-frame von Willebrand factor deletions highlights differing pathogenic mechanisms.

Copy number variation (CNV) is known to cause all von Willebrand disease (VWD) types, although the associated pathogenic mechanisms involved have not been extensively studied. Notably, in-frame CNV provides a unique opportunity to investigate how specific von Willebrand factor (VWF) domains influence the processing and packaging of the protein. Using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, this study determined the extent to which CNV contributed to VWD in the Molecular and Clinical Markers for the Diagnosis and Management of Type 1 von Willebrand Disease cohort, highlighting in-frame deletions of exons 3, 4-5, 32-34, and 33-34. Heterozygous in vitro recombinant VWF expression demonstrated that, although deletion of exons 3, 32-34, and 33-34 all resulted in significant reductions in total VWF (P < .0001, P < .001, and P < .01, respectively), only deletion of exons 3 and 32-34 had a significant impact on VWF secretion (P < .0001). High-resolution microscopy of heterozygous and homozygous deletions confirmed these observations, indicating that deletion of exons 3 and 32-34 severely impaired pseudo-Weibel-Palade body (WPB) formation, whereas deletion of exons 33-34 did not, with this variant still exhibiting pseudo-WPB formation similar to wild-type VWF. In-frame deletions in VWD, therefore, contribute to pathogenesis via moderate or severe defects in VWF biosynthesis and secretion.

The common VWF single nucleotide variants c.2365A>G and c.2385T>C modify VWF biosynthesis and clearance.

Plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF) vary considerably in the general population and this variation has been linked to several genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors include 2 common single nucleotide variants (SNVs) located in VWF, rs1063856 (c.2365A>G) and rs1063857 (c.2385T>C), although to date the mechanistic basis for their association with VWF level is unknown. Using genotypic/phenotypic information from a European healthy control population, in vitro analyses of recombinant VWF expressing both SNVs, and in vivo murine models, this study determined the precise nature of their association with VWF level and investigated the mechanism(s) involved. Possession of either SNV corresponded with a significant increase in plasma VWF in healthy controls (P < .0001). In vitro expression confirmed this observation and highlighted an independent effect for each SNV (P < .0001 and P < .01, respectively), despite close proximity and strong linkage disequilibrium between them both. The influence of c.2365A>G on VWF levels was also confirmed in vivo. This increase in VWF protein corresponded to an increase in VWF messenger RNA (mRNA) resulting, in part, from prolonged mRNA half-life. In addition, coinheritance of both SNVs was associated with a lower VWF propeptide-to-VWF antigen ratio in healthy controls (P < .05) and a longer VWF half-life in VWF knockout mice (P < .0001). Both SNVs therefore directly increase VWF plasma levels through a combined influence on VWF biosynthesis and clearance, and may have an impact on disease phenotype in both hemostatic and thrombotic disorders.

The effects of intrauterine infusion of peanut oil on endometrial health, salivary cortisol and interovulatory period in mares.

Intrauterine infusion of peanut oil at Day 10 post-ovulation has been reported to prolong dioestrus in mares. However, the effects of peanut oil treatment on the endometrium and whether the technique is painful have not been assessed. The objectives of this study were, (i) to determine the effect of intrauterine infusion of peanut oil on endometrial health, (ii) to determine whether use of intrauterine peanut oil is painful and (iii) to confirm that peanut oil causes prolonged dioestrus. Six mares aged 3-12 years old were used in a cross-over design with each mare administered both 1 ml of intrauterine peanut oil and a sham treatment on different oestrous cycles. The effect of intrauterine infusion of 1 ml peanut oil or sham treatment were measured using interovulatory period, uterine fluid accumulation as determined by transrectal ultrasonography, serum progesterone levels, endometrial Kenney biopsy scores and histological features, endometrial eosinophil numbers and salivary cortisol measurements. The individual mare response to intrauterine infusion of peanut oil was variable. Peanut oil infusion did not statistically prolong the luteal phase, nor elevate salivary cortisol levels but did cause superficial erosion of the endometrial surface epithelium in all mares and significantly increased eosinophil numbers in the endometrium (P = 0.0068). The Kenney grade for biopsies from 2/6 mares worsened transiently following infusion. In conclusion, intra-uterine peanut oil does not statistically increase the duration of the luteal phase but results in an inflammatory response and increase in endometrial eosinophil numbers suggesting treatment may be associated with a hypersensitivity-type reaction. Those contemplating using peanut oil to suppress oestrus should also be aware of the legislative and regulatory implications.

MORM syndrome (mental retardation, truncal obesity, retinal dystrophy and micropenis), a new autosomal recessive disorder, links to 9q34.

A consanguineous pedigree is described where 14 individuals are affected with a novel autosomal recessive disorder, which causes static moderate mental retardation, truncal obesity, a congenital nonprogressive retinal dystrophy and micropenis in males. We have tentatively named this condition MORM syndrome. It shows similarities to Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Cohen syndrome, but can be distinguished by clinical features; the age of onset and nonprogressive nature of the visual impairment, the lack of characteristic facies, skin or gingival infection, microcephaly, 'mottled retina', polydactyly and small penis without testicular anomalies. Furthermore, linkage to the known Bardet-Biedl (BBS1-8) and Cohen syndrome loci was excluded. Autozygosity mapping identified a single homozygous subtelomeric region shared by all affecteds on chromosome 9q34.3, with a maximum LOD score of 5.64. We believe this to be the first example of the identification of a subtelomeric recessive locus by autozygosity mapping.

Transcriptional diversity during lineage commitment of human blood progenitors.

Blood cells derive from hematopoietic stem cells through stepwise fating events. To characterize gene expression programs driving lineage choice, we sequenced RNA from eight primary human hematopoietic progenitor populations representing the major myeloid commitment stages and the main lymphoid stage. We identified extensive cell type-specific expression changes: 6711 genes and 10,724 transcripts, enriched in non-protein-coding elements at early stages of differentiation. In addition, we found 7881 novel splice junctions and 2301 differentially used alternative splicing events, enriched in genes involved in regulatory processes. We demonstrated experimentally cell-specific isoform usage, identifying nuclear factor I/B (NFIB) as a regulator of megakaryocyte maturation-the platelet precursor. Our data highlight the complexity of fating events in closely related progenitor populations, the understanding of which is essential for the advancement of transplantation and regenerative medicine.