Tau PTM Profiles Identify Patient Heterogeneity and Stages of Alzheimer's Disease.

To elucidate the role of Tau isoforms and post-translational modification (PTM) stoichiometry in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we generated a high-resolution quantitative proteomics map of 95 PTMs on multiple isoforms of Tau isolated from postmortem human tissue from 49 AD and 42 control subjects. Although Tau PTM maps reveal heterogeneity across subjects, a subset of PTMs display high occupancy and frequency for AD, suggesting importance in disease. Unsupervised analyses indicate that PTMs occur in an ordered manner, leading to Tau aggregation. The processive addition and minimal set of PTMs associated with seeding activity was further defined by analysis of size-fractionated Tau. To summarize, features in the Tau protein critical for disease intervention at different stages of disease are identified, including enrichment of 0N and 4R isoforms, underrepresentation of the C terminus, an increase in negative charge in the proline-rich region (PRR), and a decrease in positive charge in the microtubule binding domain (MBD).

Discovery of novel predisposing coding and noncoding variants in familial Hodgkin lymphoma.

Familial aggregation of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) has been demonstrated in large population studies, pointing to genetic predisposition to this hematological malignancy. To understand the genetic variants associated with the development of HL, we performed whole genome sequencing on 234 individuals with and without HL from 36 pedigrees that had 2 or more first-degree relatives with HL. Our pedigree selection criteria also required at least 1 affected individual aged <21 years, with the median age at diagnosis of 21.98 years (3-55 years). Family-based segregation analysis was performed for the identification of coding and noncoding variants using linkage and filtering approaches. Using our tiered variant prioritization algorithm, we identified 44 HL-risk variants in 28 pedigrees, of which 33 are coding and 11 are noncoding. The top 4 recurrent risk variants are a coding variant in KDR (rs56302315), a 5' untranslated region variant in KLHDC8B (rs387906223), a noncoding variant in an intron of PAX5 (rs147081110), and another noncoding variant in an intron of GATA3 (rs3824666). A newly identified splice variant in KDR (c.3849-2A>C) was observed for 1 pedigree, and high-confidence stop-gain variants affecting IRF7 (p.W238∗) and EEF2KMT (p.K116∗) were also observed. Multiple truncating variants in POLR1E were found in 3 independent pedigrees as well. Whereas KDR and KLHDC8B have previously been reported, PAX5, GATA3, IRF7, EEF2KMT, and POLR1E represent novel observations. Although there may be environmental factors influencing lymphomagenesis, we observed segregation of candidate germline variants likely to predispose HL in most of the pedigrees studied.

On the application, reporting, and sharing of in silico simulations for genetic studies.

In silico simulations play an indispensable role in the development and application of statistical models and methods for genetic studies. Simulation tools allow for the evaluation of methods and investigation of models in a controlled manner. With the growing popularity of evolutionary models and simulation-based statistical methods, genetic simulations have been applied to a wide variety of research disciplines such as population genetics, evolutionary genetics, genetic epidemiology, ecology, and conservation biology. In this review, we surveyed 1409 articles from five journals that publish on major application areas of genetic simulations. We identified 432 papers in which genetic simulations were used and examined the targets and applications of simulation studies and how these simulation methods and simulated data sets are reported and shared. Whereas a large proportion (30%) of the surveyed articles reported the use of genetic simulations, only 28% of these genetic simulation studies used existing simulation software, 2% used existing simulated data sets, and 19% and 12% made source code and simulated data sets publicly available, respectively. Moreover, 15% of articles provided no information on how simulation studies were performed. These findings suggest a need to encourage sharing and reuse of existing simulation software and data sets, as well as providing more information regarding the performance of simulations.

Prevalence of Americans reporting a family history of cancer indicative of increased cancer risk: Estimates from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey.

The collection and evaluation of family health history in a clinical setting presents an opportunity to discuss cancer risk, tailor cancer screening recommendations, and identify people with an increased risk of carrying a pathogenic variant who may benefit from referral to genetic counseling and testing. National recommendations for breast and colorectal cancer screening indicate that men and women who have a first-degree relative affected with these types of cancers may benefit from talking to a healthcare provider about starting screening at an earlier age and other options for cancer prevention. The prevalence of reporting a first-degree relative who had cancer was assessed among adult respondents of the 2015 National Health Interview Survey who had never had cancer themselves (n = 27,999). We found 35.6% of adults reported having at least one first-degree relative with cancer at any site. Significant differences in reporting a family history of cancer were observed by sex, age, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and census region. Nearly 5% of women under age 50 and 2.5% of adults under age 50 had at least one first-degree relative with breast cancer or colorectal cancer, respectively. We estimated that 5.8% of women had a family history of breast or ovarian cancer that may indicate increased genetic risk. A third of U.S. adults who have never had cancer report a family history of cancer in a first-degree relative. This finding underscores the importance of using family history to inform discussions about cancer risk and screening options between healthcare providers and their patients.

Anti-SOD1 Nanobodies That Stabilize Misfolded SOD1 Proteins Also Promote Neurite Outgrowth in Mutant SOD1 Human Neurons.

ALS-linked mutations induce aberrant conformations within the SOD1 protein that are thought to underlie the pathogenic mechanism of SOD1-mediated ALS. Although clinical trials are underway for gene silencing of SOD1, these approaches reduce both wild-type and mutated forms of SOD1. Here, we sought to develop anti-SOD1 nanobodies with selectivity for mutant and misfolded forms of human SOD1 over wild-type SOD1. Characterization of two anti-SOD1 nanobodies revealed that these biologics stabilize mutant SOD1 in vitro. Further, SOD1 expression levels were enhanced and the physiological subcellular localization of mutant SOD1 was restored upon co-expression of anti-SOD1 nanobodies in immortalized cells. In human motor neurons harboring the SOD1 A4V mutation, anti-SOD1 nanobody expression promoted neurite outgrowth, demonstrating a protective effect of anti-SOD1 nanobodies in otherwise unhealthy cells. In vitro assays revealed that an anti-SOD1 nanobody exhibited selectivity for human mutant SOD1 over endogenous murine SOD1, thus supporting the preclinical utility of anti-SOD1 nanobodies for testing in animal models of ALS. In sum, the anti-SOD1 nanobodies developed and presented herein represent viable biologics for further preclinical testing in human and mouse models of ALS.

Rare germline variants in known melanoma susceptibility genes in familial melanoma.

Known high-risk cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) genes account for melanoma risk in <40% of melanoma-prone families, suggesting the existence of additional high-risk genes or perhaps a polygenic mechanism involving multiple genetic modifiers. The goal of this study was to systematically characterize rare germline variants in 42 established melanoma genes among 144 CMM patients in 76 American CMM families without known mutations using data from whole-exome sequencing. We identified 68 rare (<0.1% in public and in-house control datasets) nonsynonymous variants in 25 genes. We technically validated all loss-of-function, inframe insertion/deletion, and missense variants predicted as deleterious, and followed them up in 1, 559 population-based CMM cases and 1, 633 controls. Several of these variants showed disease co-segregation within families. Of particular interest, a stopgain variant in TYR was present in five of six CMM cases/obligate gene carriers in one family and a single population-based CMM case. A start gain variant in the 5'UTR region of PLA2G6 and a missense variant in ATM were each seen in all three affected people in a single family, respectively. Results from rare variant burden tests showed that familial and population-based CMM patients tended to have higher frequencies of rare germline variants in albinism genes such as TYR, TYRP1, and OCA2 (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that rare nonsynonymous variants in low- or intermediate-risk CMM genes may influence familial CMM predisposition, warranting further investigation of both common and rare variants in genes affecting functionally important pathways (such as melanogenesis) in melanoma risk assessment.

Germline mutations in Protection of Telomeres 1 in two families with Hodgkin lymphoma.

In a previous whole exome sequencing of patients from 41 families with Hodgkin lymphoma, we identified two families with distinct heterozygous rare coding variants in POT1 (D224N and Y36H), both in a highly conserved region of the gene. POT1 D224N mutant did not bind to a single-stranded telomere oligonucleotide in vitro suggesting the mutation perturbs POT1's ability to bind to the telomeric G-rich overhang. Human HT1080 cells expressing POT1 D224N and lymphoblastoid cells carrying Y36H both showed increased telomere length and fragility in comparison to wild type cells. This strongly suggests that mutant POT1 causes chromosome instability and may play a role in lymphomagenesis in these families.

Multiple rare variants in high-risk pancreatic cancer-related genes may increase risk for pancreatic cancer in a subset of patients with and without germline CDKN2A mutations.

The risk of pancreatic cancer (PC) is increased in melanoma-prone families but the causal relationship between germline CDKN2A mutations and PC risk is uncertain, suggesting the existence of non-CDKN2A factors. One genetic possibility involves patients having mutations in multiple high-risk PC-related genes; however, no systematic examination has yet been conducted. We used next-generation sequencing data to examine 24 putative PC-related genes in 43 PC patients with and 23 PC patients without germline CDKN2A mutations and 1001 controls. For each gene and the four pathways in which they occurred, we tested whether PC patients (overall or CDKN2A+ and CDKN2A- cases separately) had an increased number of rare nonsynonymous variants. Overall, we identified 35 missense variants in PC patients, 14 in CDKN2A+ and 21 in CDKN2A- PC cases. We found nominally significant associations for mismatch repair genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2) in all PC patients and for ATM, CPA1, and PMS2 in CDKN2A- PC patients. Further, nine CDKN2A+ and four CDKN2A- PC patients had rare potentially deleterious variants in multiple PC-related genes. Loss-of-function variants were only observed in CDKN2A- PC patients, with ATM having the most pathogenic variants. Also, ATM variants (n = 5) were only observed in CDKN2A- PC patients with a family history that included digestive system tumors. Our results suggest that a subset of PC patients may have increased risk because of germline mutations in multiple PC-related genes.

Whole exome sequencing in families at high risk for Hodgkin lymphoma: identification of a predisposing mutation in the KDR gene.

Hodgkin lymphoma shows strong familial aggregation but no major susceptibility genes have been identified to date. The goal of this study was to identify high-penetrance variants using whole exome sequencing in 17 Hodgkin lymphoma prone families with three or more affected cases or obligate carriers (69 individuals), followed by targeted sequencing in an additional 48 smaller HL families (80 individuals). Alignment and variant calling were performed using standard methods. Dominantly segregating, rare, coding or potentially functional variants were further prioritized based on predicted deleteriousness, conservation, and potential importance in lymphoid malignancy pathways. We selected 23 genes for targeted sequencing. Only the p.A1065T variant in KDR (kinase insert domain receptor) also known as VEGFR2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2) was replicated in two independent Hodgkin lymphoma families. KDR is a type III receptor tyrosine kinase, the main mediator of vascular endothelial growth factor induced proliferation, survival, and migration. Its activity is associated with several diseases including lymphoma. Functional experiments have shown that p.A1065T, located in the activation loop, can promote constitutive autophosphorylation on tyrosine in the absence of vascular endothelial growth factor and that the kinase activity was abrogated after exposure to kinase inhibitors. A few other promising mutations were identified but appear to be "private". In conclusion, in the largest sequenced cohort of Hodgkin lymphoma families to date, we identified a causal mutation in the KDR gene. While independent validation is needed, this mutation may increase downstream tumor cell proliferation activity and might be a candidate for targeted therapy.

Identification of a misfolded region in superoxide dismutase 1 that is exposed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Mutations and aberrant post-translational modifications within Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause this otherwise protective enzyme to misfold, leading to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The C4F6 antibody selectively binds misfolded SOD1 in spinal cord tissues from postmortem human ALS cases, as well as from an ALS-SOD1 mouse model, suggesting that the C4F6 epitope reports on a pathogenic conformation that is common to misfolded SOD1 variants. To date, the residues and structural elements that comprise this epitope have not been elucidated. Using a chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry approach, we identified the C4F6 epitope within several ALS-linked SOD1 variants, as well as an oxidized form of WT SOD1, supporting the notion that a similar misfolded conformation is shared among pathological SOD1 proteins. Exposure of the C4F6 epitope was modulated by the SOD1 electrostatic (loop VII) and zinc binding (loop IV) loops and correlated with SOD1-induced toxicity in a primary microglia activation assay. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed Asp(92) and Asp(96) as key residues within the C4F6 epitope required for the SOD1-C4F6 binding interaction. We propose that stabilizing the functional loops within SOD1 and/or obscuring the C4F6 epitope are viable therapeutic strategies for treating SOD1-mediated ALS.

Parity-related molecular signatures and breast cancer subtypes by estrogen receptor status.

INTRODUCTION: Relationships of parity with breast cancer risk are complex. Parity is associated with decreased risk of postmenopausal hormone receptor-positive breast tumors, but may increase risk for basal-like breast cancers and early-onset tumors. Characterizing parity-related gene expression patterns in normal breast and breast tumor tissues may improve understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying this complex pattern of risk. METHODS: We developed a parity signature by analyzing microRNA microarray data from 130 reduction mammoplasty (RM) patients (54 nulliparous and 76 parous). This parity signature, together with published parity signatures, was evaluated in gene expression data from 150 paired tumors and adjacent benign breast tissues from the Polish Breast Cancer Study, both overall and by tumor estrogen receptor (ER) status. RESULTS: We identified 251 genes significantly upregulated by parity status in RM patients (parous versus nulliparous; false discovery rate = 0.008), including genes in immune, inflammation and wound response pathways. This parity signature was significantly enriched in normal and tumor tissues of parous breast cancer patients, specifically in ER-positive tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Our data corroborate epidemiologic data, suggesting that the etiology and pathogenesis of breast cancers vary by ER status, which may have implications for developing prevention strategies for these tumors.

Characterization of T gene sequence variants and germline duplications in familial and sporadic chordoma.

Chordoma is a rare bone cancer that is believed to originate from notochordal remnants. We previously identified germline T duplication as a major susceptibility mechanism in several chordoma families. Recently, a common genetic variant in T (rs2305089) was significantly associated with the risk of sporadic chordoma. We sequenced all T exons in 24 familial cases and 54 unaffected family members from eight chordoma families (three with T duplications), 103 sporadic cases, and 160 unrelated controls. We also measured T copy number variation in all sporadic cases. We confirmed the association between the previously reported variant rs2305089 and risk of familial [odds ratio (OR) = 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.93, 7.25, P = 0.067] and sporadic chordoma (OR = 2.85, 95% CI = 1.89, 4.29, P < 0.0001). We also identified a second common variant, rs1056048, that was strongly associated with chordoma in families (OR = 4.14, 95% CI = 1.43, 11.92, P = 0.0086). Among sporadic cases, another common variant (rs3816300) was significantly associated with risk when jointly analyzed with rs2305089. The association with rs3816300 was significantly stronger in cases with early age onset. In addition, we identified three rare variants that were only observed among sporadic chordoma cases, all of which have potential functional relevance based on in silico predictions. Finally, we did not observe T duplication in any sporadic chordoma case. Our findings further highlight the importance of the T gene in the pathogenesis of both familial and sporadic chordoma and suggest a complex susceptibility related to T.

Heme-related gene expression signatures of meat intakes in lung cancer tissues.

Lung cancer causes more deaths worldwide than any other cancer. In addition to cigarette smoking, dietary factors may contribute to lung carcinogenesis. Epidemiologic studies, including the environment and genetics in lung cancer etiology (EAGLE), have reported increased consumption of red/processed meats to be associated with higher risk of lung cancer. Heme-iron toxicity may link meat intake with cancer. We investigated this hypothesis in meat-related lung carcinogenesis using whole genome expression. We measured genome-wide expression (HG-U133A) in 49 tumor and 42 non-involved fresh frozen lung tissues of 64 adenocarcinoma EAGLE patients. We studied gene expression profiles by high-versus-low meat consumption, with and without adjustment by sex, age, and smoking. Threshold for significance was a false discovery rate (FDR) ≤ 0.15. We studied whether the identified genes played a role in heme-iron related processes by means of manually curated literature search and gene ontology-based pathway analysis. We found that gene expression of 232 annotated genes in tumor tissue significantly distinguished lung adenocarcinoma cases who consumed above/below the median intake of fresh red meats (FDR = 0.12). Sixty-three (∼ 28%) of the 232 identified genes (12 expected by chance, P-value < 0.001) were involved in heme binding, absorption, transport, and Wnt signaling pathway (e.g., CYPs, TPO, HPX, HFE, SLCs, and WNTs). We also identified several genes involved in lipid metabolism (e.g., NCR1, TNF, and UCP3) and oxidative stress (e.g., TPO, SGK2, and MTHFR) that may be indirectly related to heme-toxicity. The study's results provide preliminary evidence that heme-iron toxicity might be one underlying mechanism linking fresh red meat intake and lung cancer.

Raising awareness and education of genetic testing and counseling through fotonovelas among Latina women at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

Latinas are less likely to receive genetic counseling and genetic testing (GCT) compared to non-Latina Whites because of systemic and patient-level barriers. We developed and tested fotonovelas to increase awareness of GCT among Latinas at-risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). Content for the fotonovelas was drawn from an existing culturally targeted narrative video focused on improving GCT use among Latinas at-risk of HBOC. Using mixed methods, we interviewed cancer patients (n = 10) and their relatives (n = 10) to assess the preliminary efficacy of the fotonovelas through pre-and post-fotonovela items assessing self-rated knowledge of GCT and willingness to discuss cancer with family. Health workers (n = 10) provided feedback on the fotonovela content. McNemar's test was used to examine differences in the proportions of the outcomes pre- and post-fotonovelas. Interviews were transcribed and coded in Dedoose using a consensual qualitative research approach. Reading the fotonovelas increased self-rated knowledge of GCT by 22% (p = 0.16), from 50 to 60% in patients and from 63 to 100% among relatives. Analogously, reading the fotonovela increased willingness to talk about cancer with family by 33% (p = 0.02), from 70 to 100% in patients and from 38 to 75% in relatives. We identified six themes, some centered around the fotonovela's message, feedback, and perceived barriers to GCT. Overall, participants liked the use of fotonovelas to increase GCT awareness and cancer conversations with family. Fotonovelas could potentially be used as educational tools to increase GCT awareness and cancer conversations among Latino families at-risk of HBOC.

Expression of ALS-PFN1 impairs vesicular degradation in iPSC-derived microglia.

Microglia play a pivotal role in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis, but the mechanisms underlying microglia dysfunction and toxicity remain to be elucidated. To investigate the effect of neurodegenerative disease-linked genes on the intrinsic properties of microglia, we studied microglia-like cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), termed iMGs, harboring mutations in profilin-1 (PFN1) that are causative for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS-PFN1 iMGs exhibited evidence of lipid dysmetabolism, autophagy dysregulation and deficient phagocytosis, a canonical microglia function. Mutant PFN1 also displayed enhanced binding affinity for PI3P, a critical signaling molecule involved in autophagic and endocytic processing. Our cumulative data implicate a gain-of-toxic function for mutant PFN1 within the autophagic and endo-lysosomal pathways, as administration of rapamycin rescued phagocytic dysfunction in ALS-PFN1 iMGs. These outcomes demonstrate the utility of iMGs for neurodegenerative disease research and implicate microglial vesicular degradation pathways in the pathogenesis of these disorders.

Post-translational modification by cysteine protects Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase from oxidative damage.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are cytotoxic. To remove ROS, cells have developed ROS-specific defense mechanisms, including the enzyme Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), which catalyzes the disproportionation of superoxide anions into molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Although hydrogen peroxide is less reactive than superoxide, it is still capable of oxidizing, unfolding, and inactivating SOD1, at least in vitro. To explore the relevance of post-translational modification (PTM) of SOD1, including peroxide-related modifications, SOD1 was purified from postmortem human nervous tissue. As much as half of all purified SOD1 protein contained non-native post-translational modifications (PTMs), the most prevalent modifications being cysteinylation and peroxide-related oxidations. Many PTMs targeted a single reactive SOD1 cysteine, Cys111. An intriguing observation was that unlike native SOD1, cysteinylated SOD1 was not oxidized. To further characterize how cysteinylation may protect SOD1 from oxidation, cysteine-modified SOD1 was prepared in vitro and exposed to peroxide. Cysteinylation conferred nearly complete protection from peroxide-induced oxidation of SOD1. Moreover, SOD1 that has been cysteinylated and peroxide oxidized in vitro comprised a set of PTMs that bear a striking resemblance to the myriad of PTMs observed in SOD1 purified from human tissue.

A genome-wide association study of lung cancer identifies a region of chromosome 5p15 associated with risk for adenocarcinoma.

Three genetic loci for lung cancer risk have been identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), but inherited susceptibility to specific histologic types of lung cancer is not well established. We conducted a GWAS of lung cancer and its major histologic types, genotyping 515,922 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 5739 lung cancer cases and 5848 controls from one population-based case-control study and three cohort studies. Results were combined with summary data from ten additional studies, for a total of 13,300 cases and 19,666 controls of European descent. Four studies also provided histology data for replication, resulting in 3333 adenocarcinomas (AD), 2589 squamous cell carcinomas (SQ), and 1418 small cell carcinomas (SC). In analyses by histology, rs2736100 (TERT), on chromosome 5p15.33, was associated with risk of adenocarcinoma (odds ratio [OR]=1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.13-1.33, p=3.02x10(-7)), but not with other histologic types (OR=1.01, p=0.84 and OR=1.00, p=0.93 for SQ and SC, respectively). This finding was confirmed in each replication study and overall meta-analysis (OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.17-1.31, p=3.74x10(-14) for AD; OR=0.99, p=0.69 and OR=0.97, p=0.48 for SQ and SC, respectively). Other previously reported association signals on 15q25 and 6p21 were also refined, but no additional loci reached genome-wide significance. In conclusion, a lung cancer GWAS identified a distinct hereditary contribution to adenocarcinoma.

GSTM1 and GSTT1 copy numbers and mRNA expression in lung cancer.

Large fractions of the human population do not express GSTM1 and GSTT1 (GSTM1/T1) enzymes because of deletions in these genes. These variations affect xenobiotic metabolism and have been evaluated in relation to lung cancer risk, mostly based on null/present gene models. We measured GSTM1/T1 heterozygous deletions, not tested in genome-wide association studies, in 2,120 controls and 2,100 cases from the Environment And Genetics in Lung cancer Etiology (EAGLE) study. We evaluated their effect on mRNA expression on lung tissue and peripheral blood samples and their association with lung cancer risk overall and by histology types. We tested the null/present, dominant, and additive models using logistic regression. Cigarette smoking and gender were studied as possible modifiers. Gene expression from blood and lung tissue cells was strongly down regulated in subjects carrying GSTM1/T1 deletions by both trend and dominant models (P < 0.001). In contrast to the null/present model, analyses distinguishing subjects with 0, 1, or 2 GSTM1/T1 deletions revealed several associations. There was a decreased lung cancer risk in never-smokers (OR = 0.44; 95%CI = 0.23-0.82; P = 0.01) and women (OR = 0.50; 95%CI = 0.28-0.90; P = 0.02) carrying 1 or 2 GSTM1 deletions. Analogously, male smokers had an increased risk (OR = 1.13; 95%CI = 1.0-1.28; P = 0.05) and women a decreased risk (OR = 0.78; 95%CI = 0.63-0.97; P = 0.02) for increasing GSTT1 deletions. The corresponding gene smoking and gene-gender interactions were significant (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that decreased activity of GSTM1/T1 enzymes elevates lung cancer risk in male smokers, likely due to impaired carcinogens' detoxification. A protective effect of the same mutations may be operative in never-smokers and women, possibly because of reduced activity of other genotoxic chemicals.