A genomic association study revealing subphenotypes of childhood steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome in a larger genomic sequencing cohort

Dissecting the genetic components that contribute to the two main subphenotypes of steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome(SSNS)using genome-wide association studies(GWAS)strategy is important for understanding the disease.We conducted a multicenter cohort study(360 patients and 1835 controls)combined with a GWAS strategy to identify susceptibility var-iants associated with the following two subphenotypes of ssNS:steroid-sensitive nephrotic syn-drome without relapse(SSNswR,181 patients)and steroid-dependent/frequent relapse nephrotic syndrome(SDNS/FRNS,179 patients).The distribution of two single-nucleotide poly-morphisms(SNPs)in ANKRD36 and ALPG was significant between SSNSWR and healthy controls,and that of two SNPs in GAD1 and HLA-DQA1 was significant between SDNS/FRNS and healthy controls.Interestingly,rs1047989 in HLA-DQA1 was a candidate locus for SDNS/FRNS but not for SSNSWR.No significant SNPs were observed between SSNSWR and SDNS/FRNS.Meanwhile,chromosome 2:171713702 in GAD1 was associated with a greater steroid dose(>0.75 mg/kg/d)upon relapse to first remission in patients with SDNS/FRNS(odds ratio=3.14;95%confidence interval,0.97-9.87;P=0.034).rs117014418 in APOL4 was significantly associated with a decrease in eGFR of greater than 20%compared with the baseline in SDNS/FRNS patients(P=0.0001).Protein-protein intersection network construction suggested that HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 function together through GSDMA.Thus,SSNSWR belongs to non-HLA region-dependent nephropathy,and the HLA-DQA/DQB region is likely strongly associated with dis-ease relapse,especially in SDNS/FRNS.The study provides a novel approach for the GWAS strategy of SsNS and contributes to our understanding of the pathological mechanisms of SSNSWRandSDNS/FRNS.

Targeting ASIC1a Promotes Neural Progenitor Cell Migration and Neurogenesis in Ischemic Stroke

Cell replacement therapy using neural progenitor cells(NPCs)has been shown to be an effective treatment for ischemic stroke.However,the therapeutic effect is unsatisfactory due to the imbalanced homeostasis of the local microenvironment after ischemia.Microenvironmental acidosis is a common imbalanced homeostasis in the penumbra and could activate acid-sensing ion channels 1a(ASIC1a),a subunit of proton-gated cation channels following ischemic stroke.However,the role of ASIC1a in NPCs post-ischemia remains elusive.Here,our results indicated that ASIC1a was expressed in NPCs with channel functionality,which could be activated by extracellular acidification.Further evidence revealed that ASIC1a activation inhibited NPC migration and neurogenesis through RhoA signaling-mediated reorganization of filopodia formation,which could be primarily reversed by pharmacological or genetic disruption of ASIC1a.In vivo data showed that the knockout of the ASIC1a gene facilitated NPC migration and neurogenesis in the penumbra to improve behavioral recovery after stroke.

Multi-omics analysis reveals the evolutionary origin of diterpenoid alkaloid biosynthesis pathways in Aconitum

Diterpenoid alkaloids(DAs) have been often utilized in clinical practice due to their analgesic and anti-infammatory properties. Natural DAs are prevalent in the family Ranunculaceae, notably in the Aconitum genus. Nevertheless, the evolutionary origin of the biosynthesis pathway responsible for DA production remains unknown.In this study, we successfully assembled a highquality, pseudochromosome-level genome of the DA-rich species Aconitum vilmorinianum(A.vilmorinianum)(5.76 Gb). An A. vilmorinianumspecific whole-genome duplication event was discovered using comparative genomic analysis,which may aid in the evolution of the DA biosynthesis pathway. We identified several genes involved in DA biosynthesis via integrated genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. These genes included enzymes encoding target ent-kaurene oxidases and aminotransferases, which facilitated the activation of diterpenes and insertion of nitrogen atoms into diterpene skeletons, thereby mediating the transformation of diterpenes into DAs. The divergence periods of these genes in A. vilmorinianum were further assessed, and it was shown that two major types of genes were involved in the establishment of the DA biosynthesis pathway. Our integrated analysis offers fresh insights into the evolutionary origin of DAs in A.vilmorinianum as well as suggestions for engineering the biosynthetic pathways to obtain desired DAs.