256 results match your criteria: "Group of Genetics and Epigenetics; de Duve Institute; Université Catholique de Louvain; Brussels[Affiliation]"

The physiological role and the molecular architecture of the circadian clock in fully developed organisms are well established. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the function of the clock during ontogenesis. We have used a null mutant () of the clock gene () in to ask whether PER may play a role during normal brain development.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on the role of mitochondrial sirtuin gene mutations and IDH gene polymorphisms in brain tumors, as previous research mainly concentrated on the nuclear genome.
  • The researchers collected blood samples from 500 brain tumor patients and 500 controls to analyze specific SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) related to these genes.
  • Results indicated that certain mutant genotypes are linked to a higher incidence of brain tumors and lower survival rates, suggesting that these genetic factors could be significant in understanding brain tumor risks.
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About 20% of human cancers harbor mutations of genes encoding switch/sucrose nonfermentable (SWI/SNF) complex subunits. Deficiency of subunits of the complex is present in 10% of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC; SMARCA4/SMARCA2 deficient), 100% thoracic SMARCA4/A2-deficient undifferentiated tumors (TSADUDT; SMARCA4/A2 deficient), malignant rhabdoid tumor, and atypical/teratoid tumor (SMARCB1-deficient), >90% of small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SMARCA4/SMARCA2 deficient), frequently in undifferentiated/dedifferentiated endometrial carcinoma (SMARCA4, SMARCA2, SMARCB1, and ARID1A/B deficient), 100% SMARCA4 deficient undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (SMARCA4 deficient); and in various other tumors from multifarious anatomical sites. Silencing of SWI/SNF gene expression may be genomically or epigenetically driven, causing loss of tumor suppression function or facilitating other oncogenic events.

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NRN1 genetic variability and methylation changes as biomarkers for cognitive remediation therapy response in schizophrenia.

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry

October 2024

FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) demonstrates potential in enhancing cognitive function in schizophrenia (SZ), though the identification of molecular biomarkers remains challenging. The Neuritin-1 gene (NRN1) emerges as a promising candidate gene due to its association with SZ, cognitive performance and response to neurotherapeutic treatments. We aimed to investigate whether NRN1 genetic variability and methylation changes following CRT are related to cognitive improvements.

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The role of autophagy goes far beyond the elimination of damaged cellular components and the quality control of proteins. It also cleanses cells from inclusions, including pathogenic viruses, and provides energy-forming components. The liver, which is an organ with increased metabolism, is made up of cells that are particularly vulnerable to damage.

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Trophoblastic disease and choriocarcinoma.

Eur J Surg Oncol

October 2024

Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery University of Malta, Malta; Department of Pathology, Mater Dei Hospital, Malta.

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a group of diseases associated with pregnancies that demonstrate abnormal development of trophoblastic cells. GTD includes hydatidiform moles (HM) that may continue to further develop into gestational trophoblastic neoplasms (GTN), such as choriocarcinoma (CC). Gestational CC is a malignant mass development that may arise from HM, from other (normal) pregnancies or from other gestational events (such as ectopic pregnancies).

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3,N4-Etheno-5-methylcytosine blocks TET1-3 oxidation but is repaired by ALKBH2, 3 and FTO.

Nucleic Acids Res

November 2024

Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston RI 02881, USA.

5-Methyldeoxycytidine (5mC) is a major epigenetic marker that regulates cellular functions in mammals. Endogenous lipid peroxidation can convert 5mC into 3,N4-etheno-5-methylcytosine (ϵ5mC). ϵ5mC is structurally similar to the mutagenic analog 3,N4-ethenocytosine (ϵC), which is repaired by AlkB family enzymes in the direct reversal repair (DRR) pathway and excised by DNA glycosylases in the base excision repair (BER) pathway.

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Background: Understanding the genetic causes for variability in chromatin accessibility can shed light on the molecular mechanisms through which genetic variants may affect complex traits. Thousands of ATAC-seq samples have been collected that hold information about chromatin accessibility across diverse cell types and contexts, but most of these are not paired with genetic information and come from diverse distinct projects and laboratories.

Results: We report here joint genotyping, chromatin accessibility peak calling, and discovery of quantitative trait loci which influence chromatin accessibility (caQTLs), demonstrating the capability of performing caQTL analysis on a large scale in a diverse sample set without pre-existing genotype information.

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AP-1 Mediates Cellular Adaptation and Memory Formation During Therapy Resistance.

bioRxiv

July 2024

Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Cellular responses to environmental stimuli are typically thought to be governed by genetically encoded programs. We demonstrate that melanoma cells can form and maintain cellular memories during the acquisition of therapy resistance that exhibit characteristics of cellular learning and are dependent on the transcription factor AP-1. We show that cells exposed to a low dose of therapy adapt to become resistant to a high dose, demonstrating that resistance was not purely selective.

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The factors influencing the development and maintenance of nicotine dependence are numerous and complex. Recent studies indicate that smokers exhibit distinct genetic predispositions to nicotine dependence. We aimed to analyse (1) the association between rs2551038 and cigarette smoking, (2) the association of between the rs3864236-rs2526303-rs2551038 haplotype and cigarette smoking, and (3) the personality traits measured by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory in cigarette users and never-smokers.

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Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a highly prevalent and aggressive malignancy, with mortality rates reaching 60%, mainly due to its excessive diagnostic delay. MiRNAs, a class of crucial epigenetic gene-expression regulators, have emerged as potential diagnostic biomarkers, with >200 molecules exhibiting expressional dysregulation in OSCC. We had previously established an in silico methodology for the identification of the most disease-specific molecules by bridging genetics and epigenetics.

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Human tumors progress in part by accumulating epigenetic alterations, which include gains and losses of DNA methylation in different parts of the cancer cell genome. Recent work has revealed a link between these two opposite alterations by showing that DNA hypomethylation in tumors can induce the expression of transcripts that overlap downstream gene promoters and thereby induce their hypermethylation. Preliminary in silico evidence prompted us to investigate if this mechanism applies to the locus harboring , a gene that plays a central role in miRNA biogenesis and RNA interference.

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The burden of growing concern about the dysregulation of metabolic processes arises due to complex interplay between environment and nutrition that has great impact on genetics and epigenetics of an individual. Thereby, any abnormality at the level of food intake regulating hormones may contribute to the development of metabolic diseases in any age group due to malnutrition, overweight, changing lifestyle, and exposure to extreme environments such as heat stress (HS), cold stress, or high altitude (HA). Hormones such as leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, and cholecystokinin regulate appetite and satiety to maintain energy homeostasis.

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Resistance to cancer therapy is driven by both cell-intrinsic and microenvironmental factors. Previous work has revealed that multiple resistant cell fates emerge in melanoma following treatment with targeted therapy and that, , these resistant fates are determined by the transcriptional state of individual cells prior to exposure to treatment. What remains unclear is whether these resistant fates are shared across different genetic backgrounds and how, if at all, these resistant fates interact with the tumor microenvironment.

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Deregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in laryngeal cancer: A retrospective observational study.

Medicine (Baltimore)

July 2024

Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Research Group, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan.

Laryngeal carcinoma (LC) is reported to have a higher incidence rate among all types of head and neck cancers around the globe. Mechanisms resulting in the pathogenesis of LC are complicated due to involvement of invasion and metastasis and there is a need to understand this complicated multistep process. Numerous molecules including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are involved in regulating metastatic mechanisms.

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Article Synopsis
  • Alcohol use disorder is a chronic condition affecting the brain, likely linked to the serotonergic system's impact on the reward pathways associated with alcohol dependence.
  • The study examined the role of the rs6295 gene polymorphism and personality traits in women with alcohol use disorder, comparing 101 affected women to 112 controls using psychometric tests and genotyping.
  • Results showed that women with alcohol use disorder exhibited higher anxiety and neuroticism but lower extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, indicating potential implications for personalized prevention and intervention strategies.
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Article Synopsis
  • * The study explored the link between the rs6265 gene polymorphism and alcohol use disorder (AUD) in women, focusing on how anxiety and personality traits affected this relationship.
  • * Results showed that women with the G/A genotype of the rs6265 gene had higher levels of anxiety and neuroticism compared to controls, suggesting these traits are significant factors in substance dependency for genetically susceptible women.
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Introduction: Little is known about the interplay between genetics and epigenetics on antidepressant treatment (1) response and remission, (2) side effects, and (3) serum levels. This study explored the relationship among single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), DNA methylation (DNAm), and mRNA levels of four pharmacokinetic genes, , , , and , and its effect on these outcomes.

Methods: The Canadian Biomarker Integration Network for Depression-1 dataset consisted of 177 individuals with major depressive disorder treated for 8 weeks with escitalopram (ESC) followed by 8 weeks with ESC monotherapy or augmentation with aripiprazole.

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Widespread genomic DNA methylation occurs following CD8 T cell activation and proliferation.

Epigenetics

December 2024

Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Genetics and Epigenetics Research Group, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.

This research investigates the intricate dynamics of DNA methylation in the hours following CD8+ T cell activation, during a critical yet understudied temporal window. DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification central to regulation of gene expression and directing immune responses. Our investigation spanned 96-h post-activation and unveils a nuanced tapestry of global and site-specific methylation changes.

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Introduction: Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is a genetically determined, non-syndromic enamel dysplasia that may manifest as hypoplasia, hypomaturation, or hypocalcification and can commonly be classified into four primary groups. In this retrospective analysis, specific orofacial characteristics are described and associated with each of the AI types based on a patient cohort from Witten/Herdecke University, Germany.

Methods: Data from 19 patients (ten male and nine female, mean age 12.

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Background And Aims: Stroke is the leading cause of adult-onset disability. Although clinical factors influence stroke outcome, there is a significant variability among individuals that may be attributed to genetics and epigenetics, including DNA methylation (DNAm). We aimed to study the association between DNAm and stroke prognosis.

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CRACD loss induces neuroendocrine cell plasticity of lung adenocarcinoma.

Cell Rep

June 2024

Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Genetics and Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address:

Tumor cell plasticity contributes to intratumoral heterogeneity and therapy resistance. Through cell plasticity, some lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells transform into neuroendocrine (NE) tumor cells. However, the mechanisms of NE cell plasticity remain unclear.

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Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant issue affecting women, with severe consequences for society, the economy, and most importantly, health. Both personality and alcohol use disorders are phenotypically very complex, and elucidating their shared heritability is a challenge for medical genetics. Therefore, our study investigated the correlations between the microsatellite polymorphism (AAT)n of the Cannabinoid Receptor 1 () gene and personality traits in women with AUD.

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Integrative analysis of genetics, epigenetics and RNA expression data reveal three susceptibility loci for smoking behavior in Chinese Han population.

Mol Psychiatry

November 2024

State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Despite numerous studies demonstrate that genetics and epigenetics factors play important roles on smoking behavior, our understanding of their functional relevance and coordinated regulation remains largely unknown. Here we present a multiomics study on smoking behavior for Chinese smoker population with the goal of not only identifying smoking-associated functional variants but also deciphering the pathogenesis and mechanism underlying smoking behavior in this under-studied ethnic population. After whole-genome sequencing analysis of 1329 Chinese Han male samples in discovery phase and OpenArray analysis of 3744 samples in replication phase, we discovered that three novel variants located near FOXP1 (rs7635815), and between DGCR6 and PRODH (rs796774020), and in ARVCF (rs148582811) were significantly associated with smoking behavior.

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