Hanna T. Gazda

Ribosomal Protein L5 and L11 Mutations Are Associated with Cleft Palate and Abnormal Thumbs in Diamond-Blackfan Anemia Patients

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), a congenital bone-marrow-failure syndrome, is characterized by red blood cell aplasia, macrocytic anemia, clinical heterogeneity, and increased risk of malignancy. Although anemia is the most prominent feature of DBA, the disease is also characterized by growth retardation and congenital anomalies that are present in approximately 30%-50% of patients. The disease has been associated with mutations in four ribosomal protein (RP) genes, RPS19, RPS24, RPS17, and RPL35A, in about 30% of patients. However, the genetic basis of the remaining 70% of cases is still unknown. Here, we report the second known mutation in RPS17 and probable pathogenic mutations in three more RP genes, RPL5, RPL11, and RPS7. In addition, we identified rare variants of unknown significance in three other genes, RPL36, RPS15, and RPS27A. Remarkably, careful review of the clinical data showed that mutations in RPL5 are associated with multiple physical abnormalities, including craniofacial, thumb, and heart anomalies, whereas isolated thumb malformations are predominantly present in patients carrying mutations in RPL11. We also demonstrate that mutations of RPL5, RPL11, or RPS7 in DBA cells is associated with diverse defects in the maturation of ribosomal RNAs in the large or the small ribosomal subunit production pathway, expanding the repertoire of ribosomal RNA processing defects associated with DBA.

Ribosomal Protein S24 Gene Is Mutated in Diamond-Blackfan Anemia

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a rare congenital red-cell aplasia characterized by anemia, bone-marrow erythroblastopenia, and congenital anomalies and is associated with heterozygous mutations in the ribosomal protein (RP) S19 gene (RPS19) in approximately 25% of probands. We report identification of de novo nonsense and splice-site mutations in another RP, RPS24 (encoded by RPS24 [10q22-q23]) in approximately 2% of RPS19 mutation-negative probands. This finding strongly suggests that DBA is a disorder of ribosome synthesis and that mutations in other RP or associated genes that lead to disrupted ribosomal biogenesis and/or function may also cause DBA.

Abnormalities of the large ribosomal subunit protein, Rpl35A, in diamond-blackfan anemia

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by anemia, congenital abnormalities, and cancer predisposition. Small ribosomal subunit genes RPS19, RPS24, and RPS17 are mutated in approximately one-third of patients. We used a candidate gene strategy combining high-resolution genomic mapping and gene expression microarray in the analysis of 2 DBA patients with chromosome 3q deletions to identify RPL35A as a potential DBA gene. Sequence analysis of a cohort of DBA probands confirmed involvement RPL35A in DBA. shRNA inhibition shows that Rpl35a is essential for maturation of 28S and 5.8S rRNAs, 60S subunit biogenesis, normal proliferation, and cell survival. Analysis of pre-rRNA processing in primary DBA lymphoblastoid cell lines demonstrated similar alterations of large ribosomal subunit rRNA in both RPL35A-mutated and some RPL35A wild-type patients, suggesting additional large ribosomal subunit gene defects are likely present in some cases of DBA. These data demonstrate that alterations of large ribosomal subunit proteins cause DBA and support the hypothesis that DBA is primarily the result of altered ribosomal function. The results also establish that haploinsufficiency of large ribosomal subunit proteins contributes to bone marrow failure and potentially cancer predisposition.

Exome sequencing identifies GATA1 mutations resulting in Diamond-Blackfan anemia

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a hypoplastic anemia characterized by impaired production of red blood cells, with approximately half of all cases attributed to ribosomal protein gene mutations. We performed exome sequencing on two siblings who had no known pathogenic mutations for DBA and identified a mutation in the gene encoding the hematopoietic transcription factor GATA1. This mutation, which occurred at a splice site of the GATA1 gene, impaired production of the full-length form of the protein. We further identified an additional patient carrying a distinct mutation at the same splice site of the GATA1 gene. These findings provide insight into the pathogenesis of DBA, showing that the reduction in erythropoiesis associated with the disease can arise from causes other than defects in ribosomal protein genes. These results also illustrate the multifactorial role of GATA1 in human hematopoiesis.

Ribosomal Protein Genes RPS10 and RPS26 Are Commonly Mutated in Diamond-Blackfan Anemia

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by anemia that usually presents before the first birthday or in early childhood, is associated with birth defects and an increased risk of cancer. Although anemia is the most prominent feature of DBA, the disease is also characterized by growth retardation and congenital malformations, in particular craniofacial, upper limb, heart, and urinary system defects that are present in approximately 30%-50% of patients. DBA has been associated with mutations in seven ribosomal protein (RP) genes, RPS19, RPS24, RPS17, RPL35A, RPL5, RPL11, and RPS7, in about 43% of patients. To continue our large-scale screen of RP genes in a DBA population, we sequenced 35 ribosomal protein genes, RPL15, RPL24, RPL29, RPL32, RPL34, RPL9, RPL37, RPS14, RPS23, RPL10A, RPS10, RPS12, RPS18, RPL30, RPS20, RPL12, RPL7A, RPS6, RPL27A, RPLP2, RPS25, RPS3, RPL41, RPL6, RPLP0, RPS26, RPL21, RPL36AL, RPS29, RPL4, RPLP1, RPL13, RPS15A, RPS2, and RPL38, in our DBA patient cohort of 117 probands. We identified three distinct mutations of RPS10 in five probands and nine distinct mutations of RPS26 in 12 probands. Pre-rRNA analysis in lymphoblastoid cells from patients bearing mutations in RPS10 and RPS26 showed elevated levels of 18S-E pre-rRNA. This accumulation is consistent with the phenotype observed in HeLa cells after knockdown of RPS10 or RPS26 expression with siRNAs, which indicates that mutations in the RPS10 and RPS26 genes in DBA patients affect the function of the proteins in rRNA processing.

The ribosomal basis of diamond‐blackfan anemia: mutation and database update

Diamond‐Blackfan Anemia (DBA) is characterized by a defect of erythroid progenitors and, clinically, by anemia and malformations. DBA exhibits an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance with incomplete penetrance. Currently nine genes, all encoding ribosomal proteins (RP), have been found mutated in approximately 50% of patients. Experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that DBA is primarily the result of defective ribosome synthesis. By means of a large collaboration among six centers, we report here a mutation update that includes nine genes and 220 distinct mutations, 56 of which are new. The DBA Mutation Database now includes data from 355 patients. Of those where inheritance has been examined, 125 patients carry a de novo mutation and 72 an inherited mutation. Mutagenesis may be ascribed to slippage in 65.5% of indels, whereas CpG dinucleotides are involved in 23% of transitions. Using bioinformatic tools we show that gene conversion mechanism is not common in RP genes mutagenesis, notwithstanding the abundance of RP pseudogenes. Genotype–phenotype analysis reveals that malformations are more frequently associated with mutations in RPL5 and RPL11 than in the other genes. All currently reported DBA mutations together with their functional and clinical data are included in the DBA Mutation Database. Hum Mutat 31:1269–1279, 2010.

Altered translation of GATA1 in Diamond-Blackfan anemia

Ribosomal protein haploinsufficiency occurs in diverse human diseases including Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), congenital asplenia and T cell leukemia. Yet, how mutations in genes encoding ubiquitously expressed proteins such as these result in cell-type– and tissue-specific defects remains unknown. Here, we identify mutations in GATA1, encoding the critical hematopoietic transcription factor GATA-binding protein-1, that reduce levels of full-length GATA1 protein and cause DBA in rare instances. We show that ribosomal protein haploinsufficiency, the more common cause of DBA, can lead to decreased GATA1 mRNA translation, possibly resulting from a higher threshold for initiation of translation of this mRNA in comparison with other mRNAs. In primary hematopoietic cells from patients with mutations in RPS19, encoding ribosomal protein S19, the amplitude of a transcriptional signature of GATA1 target genes was globally and specifically reduced, indicating that the activity, but not the mRNA level, of GATA1 is decreased in patients with DBA associated with mutations affecting ribosomal proteins. Moreover, the defective hematopoiesis observed in patients with DBA associated with ribosomal protein haploinsufficiency could be partially overcome by increasing GATA1 protein levels. Our results provide a paradigm by which selective defects in translation due to mutations affecting ubiquitous ribosomal proteins can result in human disease.

RNA and protein evidence for haplo-insufficiency in Diamond–Blackfan anaemia patients with RPS19 mutations

The genetic basis of Diamond–Blackfan anaemia (DBA), a congenital erythroid hypoplasia that shows marked clinical heterogeneity, remains obscure. However, the fact that nearly one‐quarter of patients harbour a variety of mutations in RPS19, a ribosomal protein gene, provides an opportunity to examine whether haplo‐insufficiency of RPS19 protein can be demonstrated in certain cases. To that end, we identified 19 of 81 DBA index cases, both familial and sporadic, with RPS19 mutations. We found 14 distinct insertions, deletions, missense, nonsense and splice site mutations in the 19 probands, and studied mutations in 10 patients at the RNA level and in three patients at the protein level. Characterization of the mutations in 10 probands, including six with novel insertions, nonsense and splice site mutations, showed that the abnormal transcript was detectable in nine cases. The RPS19 mRNA and protein in CD34+ bone marrow cells identified haplo‐insufficiency in three cases predicted to have one functional allele. Our data support the notion that, in addition to rare DBA patients with the deletion of one allele, the disease in certain other RPS19 mutant patients is because of RPS19 protein haplo‐insufficiency.

Frameshift mutation in p53 regulator RPL26 is associated with multiple physical abnormalities and a specific pre-ribosomal RNA processing defect in diamond–blackfan anemia†

Diamond–Blackfan anemia (DBA) is an inherited form of pure red cell aplasia that usually presents in infancy or early childhood and is associated with congenital malformations in ∼30–50% of patients. DBA has been associated with mutations in nine ribosomal protein (RP) genes in about 53% of patients. We completed a large‐scale screen of 79 RP genes by sequencing 16 RP genes (RPL3, RPL7, RPL8, RPL10, RPL14, RPL17, RPL19, RPL23A, RPL26, RPL27, RPL35, RPL36A, RPL39, RPS4X, RPS4Y1, and RPS21) in 96 DBA probands. We identified a de novo two‐nucleotide deletion in RPL26 in one proband associated with multiple severe physical abnormalities. This mutation gives rise to a remarkable ribosome biogenesis defect that affects maturation of both the small and the large subunits. We also found a deletion in RPL19 and missense mutations in RPL3 and RPL23A, which may be variants of unknown significance. Together with RPL5, RPL11, and RPS7, RPL26 is the fourth RP regulating p53 activity that is linked to DBA. Hum Mutat 33:1037–1044, 2012.

Expression profiling reveals altered satellite cell numbers and glycolytic enzyme transcription in nemaline myopathy muscle.

The nemaline myopathies (NMs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by nemaline rods and skeletal muscle weakness. Mutations in five sarcomeric thin filament genes have been identified. However, the molecular consequences of these mutations are unknown. Using Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays, we have analyzed the expression patterns of >21,000 genes and expressed sequence tags in skeletal muscles of 12 NM patients and 21 controls. Multiple complementary approaches were used for data analysis, including geometric fold analysis, two-tailed unequal variance t test, hierarchical clustering, relevance network, and nearest-neighbor analysis. We report the identification of high satellite cell populations in NM and the significant down-regulation of transcripts for key enzymes of glucose and glycogen metabolism as well as a possible regulator of fatty acid metabolism, UCP3. Interestingly, transcript level changes of multiple genes suggest possible changes in Ca2+ homeostasis. The increased expression of multiple structural proteins was consistent with increased fibrosis. This comprehensive study of downstream molecular consequences of NM gene mutations provides insights in the cellular events leading to the NM phenotype.