ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4833-3747
Current Organisation
University of California, San Diego
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-08-2015
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-01-2018
DOI: 10.1111/EPI.13986
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-11-2022
DOI: 10.1038/S41380-022-01852-9
Abstract: Missense and truncating variants in the X-chromosome-linked CLCN4 gene, resulting in reduced or complete loss-of-function (LOF) of the encoded chloride roton exchanger ClC-4, were recently demonstrated to cause a neurocognitive phenotype in both males and females. Through international clinical matchmaking and interrogation of public variant databases we assembled a database of 90 rare CLCN4 missense variants in 90 families: 41 unique and 18 recurrent variants in 49 families. For 43 families, including 22 males and 33 females, we collated detailed clinical and segregation data. To confirm causality of variants and to obtain insight into disease mechanisms, we investigated the effect on electrophysiological properties of 59 of the variants in Xenopus oocytes using extended voltage and pH ranges. Detailed analyses revealed new pathophysiological mechanisms: 25% (15/59) of variants demonstrated LOF, characterized by a “shift” of the voltage-dependent activation to more positive voltages, and nine variants resulted in a toxic gain-of-function, associated with a disrupted gate allowing inward transport at negative voltages. Functional results were not always in line with in silico pathogenicity scores, highlighting the complexity of pathogenicity assessment for accurate genetic counselling. The complex neurocognitive and psychiatric manifestations of this condition, and hitherto under-recognized impacts on growth, gastrointestinal function, and motor control are discussed. Including published cases, we summarize features in 122 in iduals from 67 families with CLCN4 -related neurodevelopmental condition and suggest future research directions with the aim of improving the integrated care for in iduals with this diagnosis.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 04-07-2022
Abstract: Variants in RAC3, encoding a small GTPase RAC3 which is critical for the regulation of actin cytoskeleton and intracellular signal transduction, are associated with a rare neurodevelopmental disorder with structural brain anomalies and facial dysmorphism. We investigated a cohort of 10 unrelated participants presenting with global psychomotor delay, hypotonia, behavioural disturbances, stereotyped movements, dysmorphic features, seizures and musculoskeletal abnormalities. MRI of brain revealed a complex pattern of variable brain malformations, including callosal abnormalities, white matter thinning, grey matter heterotopia, polymicrogyria/dysgyria, brainstem anomalies and cerebellar dysplasia. These patients harboured eight distinct de novo RAC3 variants, including six novel variants (NM_005052.3): c.34G & C p.G12R, c.179G & A p.G60D, c.186_188delGGA p.E62del, c.187G & A p.D63N, c.191A & G p.Y64C and c.348G & C p.K116N. We then examined the pathophysiological significance of these novel and previously reported pathogenic variants p.P29L, p.P34R, p.A59G, p.Q61L and p.E62K. In vitro analyses revealed that all tested RAC3 variants were biochemically and biologically active to variable extent, and exhibited a spectrum of different affinities to downstream effectors including p21-activated kinase 1. We then focused on the four variants p.Q61L, p.E62del, p.D63N and p.Y64C in the Switch II region, which is essential for the biochemical activity of small GTPases and also a variation hot spot common to other Rho family genes, RAC1 and CDC42. Acute expression of the four variants in embryonic mouse brain using in utero electroporation caused defects in cortical neuron morphology and migration ending up with cluster formation during corticogenesis. Notably, defective migration by p.E62del, p.D63N and p.Y64C were rescued by a dominant negative version of p21-activated kinase 1. Our results indicate that RAC3 variants result in morphological and functional defects in cortical neurons during brain development through variant-specific mechanisms, eventually leading to heterogeneous neurodevelopmental phenotypes.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-04-2021
DOI: 10.1186/S13073-021-00870-6
Abstract: With the increasing number of genomic sequencing studies, hundreds of genes have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The rate of gene discovery far outpaces our understanding of genotype–phenotype correlations, with clinical characterization remaining a bottleneck for understanding NDDs. Most disease-associated Mendelian genes are members of gene families, and we hypothesize that those with related molecular function share clinical presentations. We tested our hypothesis by considering gene families that have multiple members with an enrichment of de novo variants among NDDs, as determined by previous meta-analyses. One of these gene families is the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs), which has 33 members, five of which have been recently identified as NDD genes ( HNRNPK , HNRNPU , HNRNPH1 , HNRNPH2 , and HNRNPR ) and two of which have significant enrichment in our previous meta-analysis of probands with NDDs ( HNRNPU and SYNCRIP ). Utilizing protein homology, mutation analyses, gene expression analyses, and phenotypic characterization, we provide evidence for variation in 12 HNRNP genes as candidates for NDDs. Seven are potentially novel while the remaining genes in the family likely do not significantly contribute to NDD risk. We report 119 new NDD cases (64 de novo variants) through sequencing and international collaborations and combined with published clinical case reports. We consider 235 cases with gene-disruptive single-nucleotide variants or indels and 15 cases with small copy number variants. Three hnRNP-encoding genes reach nominal or exome-wide significance for de novo variant enrichment, while nine are candidates for pathogenic mutations. Comparison of HNRNP gene expression shows a pattern consistent with a role in cerebral cortical development with enriched expression among radial glial progenitors. Clinical assessment of probands ( n = 188–221) expands the phenotypes associated with HNRNP rare variants, and phenotypes associated with variation in the HNRNP genes distinguishes them as a subgroup of NDDs. Overall, our novel approach of exploiting gene families in NDDs identifies new HNRNP -related disorders, expands the phenotypes of known HNRNP -related disorders, strongly implicates disruption of the hnRNPs as a whole in NDDs, and supports that NDD subtypes likely have shared molecular pathogenesis. To date, this is the first study to identify novel genetic disorders based on the presence of disorders in related genes. We also perform the first phenotypic analyses focusing on related genes. Finally, we show that radial glial expression of these genes is likely critical during neurodevelopment. This is important for diagnostics, as well as developing strategies to best study these genes for the development of therapeutics.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2020
Publisher: The Endocrine Society
Date: 12-01-2023
Abstract: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by endocrine and neuropsychiatric problems including hyperphagia, anxiousness, and distress. Intranasal carbetocin, an oxytocin analog, was investigated as a selective oxytocin replacement therapy. To evaluate safety and efficacy of intranasal carbetocin in PWS. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial with long-term follow-up. Twenty-four ambulatory clinics at academic medical centers. A total of 130 participants with PWS aged 7 to 18 years. Participants were randomized to 9.6 mg/dose carbetocin, 3.2 mg/dose carbetocin, or placebo 3 times daily during an 8-week placebo-controlled period (PCP). During a subsequent 56-week long-term follow-up period, placebo participants were randomly assigned to 9.6 mg or 3.2 mg carbetocin, with carbetocin participants continuing at their previous dose. Primary endpoints assessed change in hyperphagia (Hyperphagia Questionnaire for Clinical Trials [HQ-CT]) and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale [CY-BOCS]) during the PCP for 9.6 mg vs placebo, and the first secondary endpoints assessed these same outcomes for 3.2 mg vs placebo. Additional secondary endpoints included assessments of anxiousness and distress behaviors (PWS Anxiousness and Distress Behaviors Questionnaire [PADQ]) and clinical global impression of change (CGI-C). Because of onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment was stopped prematurely. The primary endpoints showed numeric improvements in both HQ-CT and CY-BOCS which were not statistically significant however, the 3.2-mg arm showed nominally significant improvements in HQ-CT, PADQ, and CGI-C scores vs placebo. Improvements were sustained in the long-term follow-up period. The most common adverse event during the PCP was mild to moderate flushing. Carbetocin was well tolerated, and the 3.2-mg dose was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in hyperphagia and anxiousness and distress behaviors in participants with PWS. NCT03649477
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2019
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press
Date: 26-10-2015
DOI: 10.1084/JEM.20150194
Abstract: ZEB2 is a multi-zinc-finger transcription factor known to play a significant role in early neurogenesis and in epithelial-mesenchymal transition–dependent tumor metastasis. Although the function of ZEB2 in T lymphocytes is unknown, activity of the closely related family member ZEB1 has been implicated in lymphocyte development. Here, we find that ZEB2 expression is up-regulated by activated T cells, specifically in the KLRG1hi effector CD8+ T cell subset. Loss of ZEB2 expression results in a significant loss of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells after primary and secondary infection with a severe impairment in the generation of the KLRG1hi effector memory cell population. We show that ZEB2, which can bind DNA at tandem, consensus E-box sites, regulates gene expression of several E-protein targets and may directly repress Il7r and Il2 in CD8+ T cells responding to infection. Furthermore, we find that T-bet binds to highly conserved T-box sites in the Zeb2 gene and that T-bet and ZEB2 regulate similar gene expression programs in effector T cells, suggesting that T-bet acts upstream and through regulation of ZEB2. Collectively, we place ZEB2 in a larger transcriptional network that is responsible for the balance between terminal differentiation and formation of memory CD8+ T cells.
Location: United States of America
Location: United States of America
Location: United States of America
No related grants have been discovered for Lynne Bird.