Project description:Background: Despite of extensive research the genetic component of extremely low birth weight in newborns has remained obscure. Results: The aim of the case study was to identify candidate gene(s) causing extremely low birth weight (ELBW) in newborns and hypotrophy in infants. A four-member family was studied: mother, father and two ELBW-phenotype children. The studies were carried out due to the medical conditions of the second child at birth and post-partum: peculiar phenotype, micro-anomalies, recurrent infections, suspicion of autoimmune hepatitis, multifactorial encephalopathy, and suspicion of metabolic and chromosomal abnormalities. Whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping array was used to investigate genomic rearrangements in both affected children using peripheral blood DNA samples. Whole blood transcriptome was assessed by using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in all four family members. RNA-seq identified a single gene – C14orf132 differentially expressed, with the level of the transcript significantly lower in blood samples of children. Copy number variant (CNV) analysis did not reveal any pathogenic CNVs in the region of C14orf132 gene of both affected children. Conclusion: We showed the importance of combining whole genome CNV and transcriptome analysis in identification of the candidate gene(s) in case studies. We propose the C14orf132 (chromosome 14 open reading frame 132) gene expression to be associated with the ELBW-phenotype. C14orf132 gene is a novel long non-coding RNA (lincRNA) with unknown function, which might be associated with the developmental delay through the altered gene expression Background: Despite of extensive research the genetic component of extremely low birth weight in newborns has remained obscure. Results: The aim of the case study was to identify candidate gene(s) causing extremely low birth weight (ELBW) in newborns and hypotrophy in infants. A four-member family was studied: mother, father and two ELBW-phenotype children. The studies were carried out due to the medical conditions of the second child at birth and post-partum: peculiar phenotype, micro-anomalies, recurrent infections, suspicion of autoimmune hepatitis, multifactorial encephalopathy, and suspicion of metabolic and chromosomal abnormalities. Whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping array was used to investigate genomic rearrangements in both affected children using peripheral blood DNA samples. Whole blood transcriptome was assessed by using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in all four family members. RNA-seq identified a single gene – C14orf132 differentially expressed, with the level of the transcript significantly lower in blood samples of children. Copy number variant (CNV) analysis did not reveal any pathogenic CNVs in the region of C14orf132 gene of both affected children. Conclusion: We showed the importance of combining whole genome CNV and transcriptome analysis in identification of the candidate gene(s) in case studies. We propose the C14orf132 (chromosome 14 open reading frame 132) gene expression to be associated with the ELBW-phenotype. C14orf132 gene is a novel long non-coding RNA (lincRNA) with unknown function, which might be associated with the developmental delay through the altered gene expression Background: Despite of extensive research the genetic component of extremely low birth weight in newborns has remained obscure. Results: The aim of the case study was to identify candidate gene(s) causing extremely low birth weight (ELBW) in newborns and hypotrophy in infants. A four-member family was studied: mother, father and two ELBW-phenotype children. The studies were carried out due to the medical conditions of the second child at birth and post-partum: peculiar phenotype, micro-anomalies, recurrent infections, suspicion of autoimmune hepatitis, multifactorial encephalopathy, and suspicion of metabolic and chromosomal abnormalities. Whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping array was used to investigate genomic rearrangements in both affected children using peripheral blood DNA samples. Whole blood transcriptome was assessed by using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in all four family members. RNA-seq identified a single gene – C14orf132 differentially expressed, with the level of the transcript significantly lower in blood samples of children. Copy number variant (CNV) analysis did not reveal any pathogenic CNVs in the region of C14orf132 gene of both affected children. Conclusion: We showed the importance of combining whole genome CNV and transcriptome analysis in identification of the candidate gene(s) in case studies. We propose the C14orf132 (chromosome 14 open reading frame 132) gene expression to be associated with the ELBW-phenotype. C14orf132 gene is a novel long non-coding RNA (lincRNA) with unknown function, which might be associated with the developmental delay through the altered gene expression. Background: Despite of extensive research the genetic component of extremely low birth weight in newborns has remained obscure. Results: The aim of the case study was to identify candidate gene(s) causing extremely low birth weight (ELBW) in newborns and hypotrophy in infants. A four-member family was studied: mother, father and two ELBW-phenotype children. The studies were carried out due to the medical conditions of the second child at birth and post-partum: peculiar phenotype, micro-anomalies, recurrent infections, suspicion of autoimmune hepatitis, multifactorial encephalopathy, and suspicion of metabolic and chromosomal abnormalities. Whole genome single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping array was used to investigate genomic rearrangements in both affected children using peripheral blood DNA samples. Whole blood transcriptome was assessed by using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in all four family members. RNA-seq identified a single gene – C14orf132 differentially expressed, with the level of the transcript significantly lower in blood samples of children. Copy number variant (CNV) analysis did not reveal any pathogenic CNVs in the region of C14orf132 gene of both affected children. Conclusion: We showed the importance of combining whole genome CNV and transcriptome analysis in identification of the candidate gene(s) in case studies. We propose the C14orf132 (chromosome 14 open reading frame 132) gene expression to be associated with the ELBW-phenotype. C14orf132 gene is a novel long non-coding RNA (lincRNA) with unknown function, which might be associated with the developmental delay through the altered gene expression.
Project description:Sub-optimal fetal development is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes (T2D) and adiposity later in life. However, definitions of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small for gestational age (SGA) are based on simple statistical approaches that may misclassify infants with a normal developmental profile and vice versa. We used an unbiased global profiling approach to identify gene expression patterns in umbilical cord tissue from 38 infants and identified a set of 466 genes which separated the subjects into 2 distinct groups – one biased towards lower birth weight and one biased towards normal birth weight. The data suggest that approximately 30% of children of normal size have a molecular profile more typical of impaired fetal development and who may be on a programmed trajectory. Differences in expression between the two groups encompassed 384 upregulated and 82 downregulated genes. Molecular profiling at birth may have utility in identifying markers that potentially reflect antenatal developmental and may be predictive of future phenotypic development after birth. Importantly, it may provide an alternative to the current classification of infants using birth weights. RNA from umbilical cord tissue from full term neonates was extracted and hybridized. Separation into 2 distinct groups, independent of birth weight, but based solely on gene expression levels was analysed by Genespring. After appropriate statistical analysis, one group was keenly associated with a higher birth weight (22 samples) while the other was associated with a lower birth-weight (18 samples). Technical replicates were included for all 40 samples.
Project description:Very low birth weight infant fecal samples. Samples were extracted with ethanol and processed on a Thermo Q-exactive mass spectrometer coupled to C18 RP-UPLC for untargeted metabolomic analysis. Positive polarity acquisition of LC-MS/MS.
Project description:Sub-optimal fetal development is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes (T2D) and adiposity later in life. However, definitions of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small for gestational age (SGA) are based on simple statistical approaches that may misclassify infants with a normal developmental profile and vice versa. We used an unbiased global profiling approach to identify gene expression patterns in umbilical cord tissue from 38 infants and identified a set of 466 genes which separated the subjects into 2 distinct groups – one biased towards lower birth weight and one biased towards normal birth weight. The data suggest that approximately 30% of children of normal size have a molecular profile more typical of impaired fetal development and who may be on a programmed trajectory. Differences in expression between the two groups encompassed 384 upregulated and 82 downregulated genes. Molecular profiling at birth may have utility in identifying markers that potentially reflect antenatal developmental and may be predictive of future phenotypic development after birth. Importantly, it may provide an alternative to the current classification of infants using birth weights.
Project description:We investigated the molecular pathogenesis of LBW rats obtained by intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone into pregnant animals. Normal-birth-weight (NBW) rats were used as controls with seven animals per group. When the rats were four weeks old, the left kidneys were removed and used for comprehensive label-free proteomic studies
Project description:Epigenetic profiling of birth-weight discordant twins using Illumina's 450K Human DNA methylation BeadChip Comparing DNA methylation difference in birth-weight discordant twin pairs
Project description:These analyses set out to evaluate placental genomic and epigenomic signatures in newborns from the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns (ELGAN) cohort. Genome-wide mRNA, microRNA, and DNA methylation profiles were obtained from placenta samples collected at birth. Analyses were conducted to better understand placental molecular signatures and relate these to placental, maternal, infant, and later-in-life health indices.
Project description:Bacterial sepsis is associated with high morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. However, diagnosis of sepsis and identification of the causative agent remains challenging. Our aim was to determine genome-wide expression profiles of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with and without bacterial sepsis and assess differences.