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Integrin heterodimers containing an Integrin alpha V subunit are essential for development and play critical roles in cell adhesion and signaling. We identified biallelic variants in the gene coding for Integrin alpha V (ITGAV) in three independent families (two patients and four fetuses) that either caused abnormal mRNA and the loss of functional protein or caused mistargeting of the integrin. This led to eye and brain abnormalities, inflammatory bowel disease, immune dysregulation, and other developmental issues. Mechanistically, the reduction of functional Integrin αV resulted in the dysregulation of several pathways including TGF-β–dependent signaling and αVβ3-regulated immune signaling. These effects were confirmed using immunostaining, RNA sequencing, and functional studies in patient-derived cells. The genetic deletion of itgav in zebrafish recapitulated patient phenotypes including retinal and brain defects and the loss of microglia in early development as well as colitis in juvenile zebrafish with reduced SMAD3 expression and transcriptional regulation. Taken together, the ITGAV variants identified in this report caused a previously unknown human disease characterized by brain and developmental defects in the case of complete loss-of-function and atopy, neurodevelopmental defects, and colitis in cases of incomplete loss-of-function.

We measure the effect of video discharge instructions on postconcussion symptoms in patients with mild traumatic brain injury in the emergency department.

We aimed to assess the biological and clinical significance of the human cysteine protease inhibitor cystatin M/E, encoded by the CTS6gene, in diseases of human hair and skin.

BackgroundThis study evaluates 6 years of prenatal rasopathy testing in the Netherlands, updates on previous data and gives recommendations for prenatal rasopathy testing.Methods424 fetal samples, sent in for prenatal rasopathy testing in 2011–2016, were collected. Cohort 1 included 231 samples that were sequenced for 1–5 rasopathy genes. Cohort 2 included 193 samples that were analysed with a 14-gene next generation sequencing (NGS) panel. For all mutation-positive samples in both cohorts, the referring physician provided detailed ultrasound findings and postnatal follow-up. For 168 mutation-negative samples in cohort 2, solely clinical information on the requisition form was collected.ResultsIn total, 40 (likely) pathogenic variants were detected (9.4%). All fetuses showed a variable degree of involvement of prenatal findings: increased nuchal translucency (NT)/cystic hygroma, distended jugular lymph sacs (JLS), hydrops fetalis, polyhydramnios, pleural effusion, ascites, cardiac defects and renal anomalies. An increased NT was the most common finding. Eight fetuses showed solely an increased NT/cystic hygroma, which were all larger than 5.5 mm. Ascites and renal anomalies appeared to be poor predictors of pathogenic outcome.ConclusionFetuses with a rasopathy show in general multiple ultrasound findings. The larger the NT and the longer it persists, the more likely it is to find a pathogenic variant. Rasopathy testing is recommended when the fetus shows an isolated increased NT ≥5.0 mm or when NT of ≥3.5 mm and at least one of the following ultrasound anomalies is present: distended JLS, hydrops fetalis, polyhydramnios, pleural effusion, ascites, cardiac defects and renal anomalies.

To evaluate the diagnostic value of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array testing in 1033 fetuses with ultrasound anomalies we investigated the prevalence and genetic nature of pathogenic findings. We reclassified all pathogenic findings into three categories: causative findings; unexpected diagnoses (UD); and susceptibility loci (SL) for neurodevelopmental disorders. After exclusion of trisomy 13, 18, 21, sex-chromosomal aneuploidy and triploidies, in 76/1033 (7.4%) fetuses a pathogenic chromosome abnormality was detected by genomic SNP array: in 19/1033 cases (1.8%) a microscopically detectable abnormality was found and in 57/1033 (5.5%) fetuses a pathogenic submicroscopic chromosome abnormality was detected. 58% (n=44) of all these pathogenic chromosome abnormalities involved a causative finding, 35% (n=27) a SL for neurodevelopmental disorder, and 6% (n=5) a UD of an early-onset untreatable disease. In 0.3% of parental samples an incidental pathogenic finding was encountered. Our results confirm that a genomic array should be the preferred first-tier technique in fetuses with ultrasound anomalies. All UDs involved early-onset diseases, which is beneficial for the patients to know. It also seems that UDs occur at a comparable frequency among microscopic and submicroscopic pathogenic findings. SL were more often detected than in pregnancies without ultrasound anomalies.

Genome-wide sequencing is increasingly being performed during pregnancy to identify the genetic cause of congenital anomalies. The interpretation of prenatally identified variants can be challenging and is hampered by our often limited knowledge of prenatal phenotypes. To better delineate the prenatal phenotype of Coffin-Siris syndrome (CSS), we collected clinical data from patients with a prenatal phenotype and a pathogenic variant in one of the CSS-associated genes.

Cas-Br-M murine leukemia virus (MuLV) is a slow-transforming retrovirus that potently induces leukemias in mice and therefore is well suited for retroviral insertional mutagenesis. We used Cas-Br-M MuLV in NIH/Swiss mice to establish a new panel of mainly myeloid leukemias. All tumors found in leukemic animals were classified by gross pathology, morphology, and immunophenotype, as well as the incidence of known common virus integration sites (VISs) in MuLV-induced myeloid malignancies (i.e., Evi1, Evi11/Cb2, Evi12, Fli1, and c-Myb). Interestingly, male mice were more susceptible than females to the induction of leukemia by Cas-Br-M MuLV. Seventy-four of the Cas-Br-M MuLV-inoculated mice developed a severe splenomegaly, sometimes in association with a thymoma. Although most of the immunophenotyped Cas-Br-M MuLV tumors were of myeloid origin (58%), numerous T-cell leukemias (21%) and mixed myeloid/T-cell leukemias (21%) were found. The myeloid leukemias and myeloid compartment of the mixed leukemias were further characterized by immunophenotyping with stem cell-, myeloid-, and erythroid-specific antibodies. The known Cas-Br-M MuLV common VISs (Evi1, Evi11/Cb2, and Evi12) were demonstrated in 19%, 12%, and 20% of the cases, respectively, whereas no Fli1and c-Mybrearrangements were found. Integrations into Evi1were restricted to myeloid leukemias, whereas those in Evi11/Cb2and Evi12were identified in myeloid as well as T-lymphoid leukemias. This panel of well characterized Cas-Br-M MuLV-induced hematopoietic tumors may be useful for the isolation and characterization of new proto-oncogenes involved in myeloid or T-cell leukemias.

ABSTRACTThe common virus integration site (VIS) Evi11was recently identified within the gene encoding the hematopoietic G-protein-coupled peripheral cannabinoid receptor Cnr2(also referred to as Cb2). Here we show thatCnr2is a frequent target (12%) for insertion of Cas-Br-M murine leukemia virus (MuLV) in primary tumors in NIH/Swiss mice. Multiple provirus insertions in Evi11were cloned and shown to be located within the 3' untranslated region of the candidate proto-oncogene Cnr2. These results suggest that proviral insertion in the Cnr2gene is an important step in Cas-Br-M MuLV-induced leukemogenesis in NIH/Swiss mice. To isolateEvi11/Cnr2collaborating proto-oncogenes, we searched for novel common VISs in the Cas-Br-M MuLV-induced primary tumors and identified a novel frequent common VIS, Evi12(14%). Interestingly, 54% of the Evi11/Cnr2-rearranged primary tumors contained insertions in Evi12as well, which suggests cooperative action of the target genes in these two common VISs in leukemogenesis. By interspecific backcross analysis it was shown that Evi12resides on mouse chromosome 10 in a region that shares homology with human chromosomes 12q and 19p. Sequence analysis demonstrated that Evi12is located upstream of the gene encoding the molecular chaperone Tra1/Grp94, which was previously mapped to mouse chromosome 10 and human chromosome 12q22–24. Thus, Tra1/Grp94is a candidate target gene for retroviral activation or inactivation in Evi12. However, Northern and Western blot analyses did not provide evidence that proviral insertion had altered the expression ofTra1/Grp94. Additional studies are required to determine whether Tra1/Grp94or another candidate proto-oncogene inEvi12is involved in leukemogenesis.

Cnossen: Pfizer: Other: travel funding, Research Funding; Baxter: Other: Travel Funding, Research Funding; Bayer: Other: travel funding, Research Funding; CSL Behring: Other: travel funding, Research Funding; Novo Nordisk: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding.

Background: Value-based health care (VBHC) according to Porter et al. is a novel approach that aims to improve health care by identifying and systematically measuring both medical and patient-centered health care outcome. Thus, including the well-being of the patient as related to physical and mental status, social functioning, and occupational consequences. By applying generic and disease specific outcome measures, health care providers are able to benchmark their center with others in order to compare care strategies and outcome, and to make informed choices with regard to optimization of care, necessary investments and possible cost reductions. Erasmus University Medical Center aims to apply this system in 80% of the disease expert centers in the upcoming three years.

Proto-oncogenes in retrovirally induced myeloid mouse leukemias are frequently activated following retroviral insertion. The identification of common virus integration sites (VISs) and isolation of the transforming oncogene is laborious and time consuming. We established a rapid and simple PCR based procedure which facilitates the identification of VISs and novel proto-oncogenes. Complementary DNA fragments adjacent to retrovirus integration sites were selectively isolated by applying a reverse transcriptase (RT) reaction using an oligo(dT)-adaptor primer, followed by PCR using the adaptor sequence and a retrovirus long terminal repeat (LTR) specific primer. Multiple chimeric cDNA fragments suitable for Southern and northern blot analysis were isolated.