Project description:To understand the biological pathways involved in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) by performing global gene expression analysis of amniotic fluid (AF) cell-free RNA Analysis of paired data from TTTS cases and controls revealed differential expression of 801 genes, which were significantly enriched for neurological disease and cardiovascular system pathways. We also identified cardiovascular genes and pathways associated with the presence of critically abnormal Doppler measurements in Stage III TTTS recipients. Prospective whole transcriptome microarray study analyzing cell-free RNA in AF from TTTS recipient twins and singleton controls. Significantly differentially-regulated genes in TTTS cases (N= 8) vs. matched controls (N = 8) were identified and pathways analyses performed. Significant gene expression differences between Stage II TTTS recipients (N = 5) and Stage III TTTS recipients with abnormal Doppler measurements (N = 5) were also analysed.
Project description:To understand the biological pathways involved in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) by performing global gene expression analysis of amniotic fluid (AF) cell-free RNA Analysis of paired data from TTTS cases and controls revealed differential expression of 801 genes, which were significantly enriched for neurological disease and cardiovascular system pathways. We also identified cardiovascular genes and pathways associated with the presence of critically abnormal Doppler measurements in Stage III TTTS recipients. Prospective whole transcriptome microarray study analyzing cell-free RNA in AF from TTTS recipient twins and singleton controls. Significantly differentially-regulated genes in TTTS cases (N= 8) vs. matched controls (N = 8) were identified and pathways analyses performed. Significant gene expression differences between Stage II TTTS recipients (N = 5) and Stage III TTTS recipients with abnormal Doppler measurements (N = 5) were also analysed.
Project description:To understand the biological pathways involved in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) by performing global gene expression analysis of amniotic fluid (AF) cell-free RNA Analysis of paired data from TTTS cases and controls revealed differential expression of 801 genes, which were significantly enriched for neurological disease and cardiovascular system pathways. We also identified cardiovascular genes and pathways associated with the presence of critically abnormal Doppler measurements in Stage III TTTS recipients.
Project description:To understand the biological pathways involved in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) by performing global gene expression analysis of amniotic fluid (AF) cell-free RNA Analysis of paired data from TTTS cases and controls revealed differential expression of 801 genes, which were significantly enriched for neurological disease and cardiovascular system pathways. We also identified cardiovascular genes and pathways associated with the presence of critically abnormal Doppler measurements in Stage III TTTS recipients.
Project description:Background: Turner syndrome, a common sex chromosome aneuploidy, has characteristics and malformations associated with the phenotype. Fetal amniotic fluid is a complex biological material that could contribute to the understanding Turner syndrome pathogenesis. Global gene expression analysis of Turner syndrome fetal amniotic fluid supernatant was utilized to identify organ systems and specific genes that may play a role in the pathophysiologic changes that are seen in individuals with Turner syndrome. Methods: Global gene expression analysis was performed utilizing cell-free RNA from five midtrimester fetuses with Turner syndrome matched with five euploid female fetuses. Total RNA was extracted, amplified, hybridized onto GeneChipM-BM-. Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 arrays. Network and pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes were completed. Chromosomal distribution of gene expression differences, differential expression by pathway and organ system (a M-bM-^@M-^\Turner syndrome core transcriptomeM-bM-^@M-^]), and candidate genes that could play a pathological role were identified. Results: There were 470 differentially expressed genes identified in the Turner syndrome transcriptome. The differentially expressed genes were distributed randomly across different chromosomes. Among genes on the X chromosome, XIST was down-regulated, and SHOX not differentially expressed. The most highly represented organ systems were hematologic/immune and neurologic. Increased representation of differentially expressed genes in the hematologic/immune system distinguishes the Turner syndrome transcriptome from the euploid, trisomy 18 and trisomy 21 transcriptomes previously studied in our laboratory. Manual curation of the differentially expressed gene list identified genes including NFATC3, IGFBP5, and LDLR that warrant further study. 2nd trimester amniotic fluid mRNA expression was compared between 5 Turners and 5 euploid fetuses.
Project description:Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is characterized by a wide range of morbidity. Although imaging studies are used for CDH risk stratification, these modalities remain limited in their predictive and informational capacity. Distinct miRNA profiles have been found in other prenatally diagnosed conditions including Twin–Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Furthermore, it is differentially expressed in amniotic fluid from pregnancies with severe CDH suggesting utility in risk stratification. We hypothesized that patients carrying fetuses with CDH would display a unique miRNA profile detectable within maternal plasma that will be associated with both disease and severity. There were 17 differentially expressed miRNAs including several previously implicated in CDH and pulmonary hypertension. Subgroup analysis revealed further differential expression in high-risk CDH patients with distinct clustering of patients with severe and mild disease. 10 miRNAs were associated with clinical severity including let-7c, miR-30 d, and miR-98, miRNAs associated with pulmonary hypertension in the literature. Gene target prediction identified interactions with VEGF and other genes relevant to CDH pathogenesis.These results support the hypothesis that maternal plasma miRNA can differentiate pregnancies with CDH from those carrying healthy fetuses. Furthermore, our findings indicate that maternal plasma miRNA can potentially predict severity of disease prenatally. A larger sample size and validation cohort is now prudent.
Project description:Background: Turner syndrome, a common sex chromosome aneuploidy, has characteristics and malformations associated with the phenotype. Fetal amniotic fluid is a complex biological material that could contribute to the understanding Turner syndrome pathogenesis. Global gene expression analysis of Turner syndrome fetal amniotic fluid supernatant was utilized to identify organ systems and specific genes that may play a role in the pathophysiologic changes that are seen in individuals with Turner syndrome. Methods: Global gene expression analysis was performed utilizing cell-free RNA from five midtrimester fetuses with Turner syndrome matched with five euploid female fetuses. Total RNA was extracted, amplified, hybridized onto GeneChip® Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 arrays. Network and pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes were completed. Chromosomal distribution of gene expression differences, differential expression by pathway and organ system (a “Turner syndrome core transcriptome”), and candidate genes that could play a pathological role were identified. Results: There were 470 differentially expressed genes identified in the Turner syndrome transcriptome. The differentially expressed genes were distributed randomly across different chromosomes. Among genes on the X chromosome, XIST was down-regulated, and SHOX not differentially expressed. The most highly represented organ systems were hematologic/immune and neurologic. Increased representation of differentially expressed genes in the hematologic/immune system distinguishes the Turner syndrome transcriptome from the euploid, trisomy 18 and trisomy 21 transcriptomes previously studied in our laboratory. Manual curation of the differentially expressed gene list identified genes including NFATC3, IGFBP5, and LDLR that warrant further study.
Project description:The objective of this study was to identify the tissue expression patterns and biological pathways enriched in term amniotic fluid cell-free fetal RNA by comparing functional genomic analyses of term and second-trimester amniotic fluid supernatants. There were 2,871 significantly differentially regulated genes. In term amniotic fluid, tissue expression analysis showed enrichment of salivary gland, tracheal, and renal transcripts as compared with brain and embryonic neural cells in the second trimester. Functional analysis of genes upregulated at term revealed pathways that were highly specific for postnatal adaptation such as immune function, digestion, respiration, carbohydrate metabolism, and adipogenesis. Inflammation and prostaglandin synthesis, two key processes involved in normal labor, were also activated in term amniotic fluid. This was a prospective whole genome microarray study comparing eight amniotic fluid samples collected from eight women at term who underwent prelabor cesarean delivery and eight second-trimester amniotic fluid samples from routine amniocenteses. A functional annotation tool was used to compare tissue expression patterns in term and second-trimester samples. Pathways analysis software identified physiologic systems, molecular and cellular functions, and upstream regulators that were significantly overrepresented in term amniotic fluid.