The forkhead-box family of transcription factors: Key molecular players in colorectal cancer pathogenesis 06 Biological Sciences 0604 Genetics 11 Medical and Health Sciences 1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis 06 Biological Sciences 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly occurring cancer worldwide and the fourth most frequent cause of death having an oncological origin. It has been found that transcription factors (TF) dysregulation, leading to the significant expression modifications of genes, is a widely distributed phenomenon regarding human malignant neoplasias. These changes are key determinants regarding tumour's behaviour as they contribute to cell differentiation/proliferation, migration and metastasis, as well as resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. The forkhead box (FOX) transcription factor family consists of an evolutionarily conserved group of transcriptional regulators engaged in numerous functions during development and adult life. Their dysfunction has been associated with human diseases. Several FOX gene subgroup transcriptional disturbances, affecting numerous complex molecular cascades, have been linked to a wide range of cancer types highlighting their potential usefulness as molecular biomarkers. At least 14 FOX subgroups have been related to CRC pathogenesis, thereby underlining their role for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment purposes. This manuscript aims to provide, for the first time, a comprehensive review of FOX genes' roles during CRC pathogenesis. The molecular and functional characteristics of most relevant FOX molecules (FOXO, FOXM1, FOXP3) have been described within the context of CRC biology, including their usefulness regarding diagnosis and prognosis. Potential CRC therapeutics (including genome-editing approaches) involving FOX regulation have also been included. Taken together, the information provided here should enable a better understanding of FOX genes' function in CRC pathogenesis for basic science researchers and clinicians. © 2019 The Author(s)

Genómica funcional y medicina molecular del siglo XXI

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A first description of the Colombian national registry for rare diseases

Objective: Orphan diseases must be considered a public health concern, underlying country-specific challenges for their accurate and opportune diagnosis, classification and management. Orphan disease registries have not yet been created in South America, a continent having a population of ~ 415 million inhabitants. In Colombia ~ 3 million of patients are affected by rare diseases. The aim of the present study was to establish the first Colombian national registry for rare diseases. The registry was created after the establishment of laws promoting the development of clinical guidelines for diagnosis, management, census and registry of patients suffering rare diseases. Results: In total, 13,215 patients were recorded in the Colombian registry. The survey reported 653 rare diseases. The most common diseases were congenital factor VIII deficiency (hemophilia A) (8.5%), myasthenia gravis (6.4%), von Willebrand disease (5.9%), short stature due to growth hormone qualitative anomaly (4.2%), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (3.9%) and cystic fibrosis (3.2%). Although, a marked under-reporting of cases was observed, some pathologies displayed similar behavior to that reported by other initiatives and databases. The data currently available in the registry provides a baseline for improvement regarding local and regional surveys and the start for better understanding rare diseases in Colombia. © 2017 The Author(s)

THBD sequence variants potentially related to recurrent pregnancy loss

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a frequently occurring disease, which is classified as idiopathic in more than 50% of cases. THBD, the endothelial cell receptor for thrombin, has been associated with distinct biological processes and considered a coherent RPL-related candidate gene. In the present study, we have sequenced the complete coding region of THBD in 262 patients affected by RPL. Bioinformatics analysis and screening of controls strongly suggested that the THBD-p.Trp153Gly mutation might be related to RPL aetiology. It could be used, after its validation by functional assays, as a molecular marker for diagnostic/prognostic purposes. © 2017 The Author(s)

Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci responsible for embryonic lethality in mice assessed by ultrasonography

Chantier qualité GAInternational audienceRecurrent Spontaneous Abortion (RSA) is a frequent pathology affecting 1 to 5% of couples. In ~50 % of cases, the aetiology is unknown suggesting a subtle interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Previous attempts to describe genetic factors using the candidate gene approach have been relatively unsuccessful due to the physiological, cellular and genetic complexity of mammalian reproduction. Indeed, fertility can be considered as a quantitative feature resulting from the interaction of genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. Herein, we identified Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) associated with diverse embryonic lethality phenotypes and the subsequent embryonic resorption in 39 inter-specific recombinant congenic mice strains, using in vivo ultrasound bio-microscopy. The short chromosomal intervals related to the phenotypes will facilitate the study of a restricted number of candidate genes which are potentially dysregulated in patients affected by RSA

Whole-Exome Sequencing Enables Rapid Determination of Xeroderma Pigmentosum Molecular Etiology

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder haracterized by extreme sensitivity to actinic pigmentation changes in the skin and increased incidence of skin cancer. In some cases, patients are affected by neurological alterations. XP is caused by mutations in 8 distinct genes (XPA through XPG and XPV). The XP-V (variant) subtype of the disease results from mutations in a gene (XPV, also named POLH) which encodes for Polg, a member of the Y-DNA polymerase family. Although the presence and severity of skin and neurological dysfunctions differ between XP subtypes, there are overlapping clinical features among subtypes such that the sub-type cannot be deduced from the clinical features. In this study, in order to overcome this drawback, we undertook whole-exome sequencing in two XP sibs and their father. We identified a novel homozygous nonsense mutation (c.897T.G, p.Y299X) in POLH which causes the disease. Our results demonstrate that next generation sequencing is a powerful approach to rapid determination of XP genetic etiology

Identification of a new candidate locus for ebstein anomaly in 1p36.2

Ebstein anomaly (EA) is a rare congenital heart defect (CHD) with a poorly characterized genetic etiology. However, some EA patients carry deletions in 1p36, all of which have been reported to carry distal deletions and share loss of the PRDM16 gene, which is currently considered the most likely candidate for EA development in this region. Here, we report a patient with an 11.96-Mb proximal 1p36 deletion, without loss of PRDM16, who presented with EA and a proximal deletion phenotype. This finding suggests that PRDM16 loss is not required for the development of EA in 1p36 deletions and that the loss of an additional proximal locus in 1p36 is also likely associated with EA. Our data suggest that a distal locus containing the SKI gene and a proximal locus containing the CHD-associated genes RERE and UBE4B are the most probable etiological factors for EA in patients with 1p36 deletion syndrome. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel. All rights reserved

Success stories in genomic medicine from resource-limited countries

In recent years, the translation of genomic discoveries into mainstream medical practice and public health has gained momentum, facilitated by the advent of new technologies. However, there are often major discrepancies in the pace of implementation of genomic medicine between developed and developing/resource-limited countries. The main reason does not only lie in the limitation of resources but also in the slow pace of adoption of the new findings and the poor understanding of the potential that this new discipline offers to rationalize medical diagnosis and treatment. Here, we present and critically discuss examples from the successful implementation of genomic medicine in resource-limited countries, focusing on pharmacogenomics, genome informatics, and public health genomics, emphasizing in the latter case genomic education, stakeholder analysis, and economics in pharmacogenomics. These examples can be considered as model cases and be readily replicated for the wide implementation of pharmacogenomics and genomic medicine in other resource-limited environments. © 2015 Mitropoulos et al

Possible Genetic Determinants of Response to Phenytoin in a Group of Colombian Patients With Epilepsy.

Background: Epilepsy is a serious health problem worldwide. Despite the introduction of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) almost 30% of these patients have drug-resistant forms of the disease (DRE), with a significant increase in morbi-mortality.Objective: Our objective was to assess the impact of some genetic factors and its possible association with treatment response and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to phenytoin in 67 adult Colombian patients with epilepsy.Methods: We conducted an analytical, observational, prospective cohort study to screen four polymorphisms in pharmacogenes: CYP2C9*2-c.430C>T (rs1799853), CYP2C9*3-c.1075A>C (rs1057910), ABCB1-c.3435T>C (rs1045642), and SCN1A-IVS5-91G>A (rs3812718), and their association with treatment response. Patients were followed for 1 year to confirm the existence of DRE (non-response) and ADRs using an active pharmacovigilance approach, followed by a consensus in order to classify ADRs according to causality, preventability, intensity and their relation with phenytoin dose, the duration of treatment, and susceptibility factors (DoTS methodology).Results: A little more than half of evaluated subjects (52.2%) were non-responding to phenytoin. Regarding the genotype-phenotype correlation there was no association between polymorphisms of SCN1A and ABCB1 and DRE (non-response) (p = 0.34), and neither with CYP2C9 polymorphisms and the occurrence of ADRs (p = 0.42). We only found an association between polymorphic alleles of CYP2C9 and vestibular-cerebellar ADRs (dizziness, ataxia, diplopia, and dysarthria) (p = 0.001). Alleles CYP2C9*2-c.430C>T and CYP2C9*3-c.1075A>C were identified as susceptibility factors to ADRs in 24% of patients.Conclusions: Decreased function alleles of CYP2C9 were highly predictive of vestibular-cerebellar ADRs to phenytoin in our study (p = 0.001). However, the genetic variants CYP2C9*2-c.430C>T, CYP2C9*3-c.1075A>C, ABCB1-c.3435T>C, and SCN1A-IVS5-91G>A, were not associated with treatment response in our study

FOXD1 mutations are related to repeated implantation failure, intra-uterine growth restriction and preeclampsia

Background: Human reproductive disorders consist of frequently occurring dysfunctions including a broad range of phenotypes affecting fertility and women's health during pregnancy. Several female-related diseases have been associated with hypofertility/infertility phenotypes, such as recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Other occurring diseases may be life-threatening for the mother and foetus, such as preeclampsia (PE) and intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). FOXD1 was defined as a major molecule involved in embryo implantation in mice and humans by regulating endometrial/placental genes. FOXD1 mutations in human species have been functionally linked to RPL's origin. Methods: FOXD1 gene mutation screening, in 158 patients affected by PE, IUGR, RPL and repeated implantation failure (RIF), by direct sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Plasmid constructs including FOXD1 mutations were used to perform in vitro gene reporter assays. Results: Nine non-synonymous sequence variants were identified. Functional experiments revealed that p.His267Tyr and p.Arg57del led to disturbances of promoter transcriptional activity (C3 and PlGF genes). The FOXD1 p.Ala356Gly and p.Ile364Met deleterious mutations (previously found in RPL patients) have been identified in the present work in women suffering PE and IUGR. Conclusions: Our results argue in favour of FOXD1 mutations' central role in RPL, RIF, IUGR and PE pathogenesis via C3 and PlGF regulation and they describe, for the first time, a functional link between FOXD1 and implantation/placental diseases. FOXD1 could therefore be used in clinical environments as a molecular biomarker for these diseases in the near future. Recurrent pregnancy loss, Preeclampsia, Intra-uterine growth restriction, FOXD1. © 2019 The Author(s)