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Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) frequently have a genetic basis, and the range of genes implicated in NET development continues to expand. Application of targeted gene panels (TGPs) in next-generation sequencing is a central strategy for elucidating novel variants associated with NET development., Methods: In this study, we conducted comprehensive molecular genetic analyses using TGP on a cohort of 93 patients diagnosed with various NETs subtypes, mainly accompanied by various endocrine syndromes: insulinoma (n = 26), pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) (n = 38), parathyroid adenoma (n = 18, including three with insulinoma), and NETs of other locations (n = 14). The TGP encompassed genes linked to diverse NETs and other hereditary endocrine disorders, with subsequent variant classification according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines., Results: Among the identified variants, 20 were found in genes previously linked to specific tumor types, and 10 were found in genes with a limited likelihood and unclear molecular mecanisms of association with observed NETs. Remarkably, 13 variants were discovered in genes not previously associated with the NETs observed in our patients. These genes, such as ABCC8, KCNJ11, KLF11, HABP2, and APC, were implicated in insulinoma; ZNRF3, GNAS, and KCNJ5 were linked with PPGL; parathyroid adenomas were related to variants in SDHB and TP53; while NETs of other locations displayed variants in APC and ABCC8., Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that utilizing broad TGP in examining patients with various functioning NETs facilitates the identification of new germinal variants in genes that may contribute to the diseases. The verification of revealed findings requires research in vaster sample., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Genetic variants in SCN5A gene were identified in patients with various arrhythmogenic conditions including Brugada syndrome. Despite significant progress of last decades in studying the molecular mechanism of arrhythmia-associated SCN5A mutations, the understanding of relationship between genetics, electrophysiological consequences and clinical phenotype is lacking. We have found a novel genetic variant Y739D in the SCN5A- encoded sodium channel Na v 1.5 of a male patient with Brugada syndrome (BrS). The objective of the study was to characterize the biophysical properties of Na v 1.5-Y739D and provide possible explanation of the phenotype observed in the patient. The WT and Y739D channels were heterologously expressed in the HEK-293T cells and the whole-cell sodium currents were recorded. Substitution Y739D reduced the sodium current density by 47 ± 2% at -20 mV, positively shifted voltage-dependent activation, accelerated both fast and slow inactivation, and decelerated recovery from the slow inactivation. The Y739D loss-of-function phenotype likely causes the BrS manifestation. In the hNa v 1.5 homology models, which are based on the cryo-EM structure of rat Na v 1.5 channel, Y739 in the extracellular loop IIS1-S2 forms H-bonds with K1381 and E1435 and pi-cation contacts with K1397 (all in loop IIIS5-P1). In contrast, Y739D accepts H-bonds from K1397 and Y1434. Substantially different contacts of Y739 and Y739D with loop IIIS5-P1 would differently transmit allosteric signals from VSD-II to the fast-inactivation gate at the N-end of helix IIIS5 and slow-inactivation gate at the C-end of helix IIIP1. This may underlie the atomic mechanism of the Y739D channel dysfunction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction: Pericardial fluid is enriched with biologically active molecules of cardiovascular origin including microRNAs. Investigation of the disease-specific extracellular microRNAs could shed light on the molecular processes underlying disease development. Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited heart disease characterized by life-threatening arrhythmias and progressive heart failure development. The current data about the association between microRNAs and ARVC development are limited. Methods and Results: We performed small RNA sequence analysis of microRNAs of pericardial fluid samples obtained during transcutaneous epicardial access for ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation of six patients with definite ARVC and three post-infarction VT patients. Disease-associated microRNAs of pericardial fluid were identified. Five microRNAs (hsa-miR-1-3p, hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-122-5p, hsa-miR-206, and hsa-miR-3679-5p) were found to be differentially expressed between patients with ARVC and patients with post-infarction VT. Enrichment analysis of differentially expressed microRNAs revealed their close linkage to cardiac diseases. Conclusion: Our data extend the knowledge of pericardial fluid microRNA composition and highlight five pericardial fluid microRNAs potentially linked to ARVC pathogenesis. Further studies are required to confirm the use of pericardial fluid RNA sequencing in differential diagnosis of ARVC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Khudiakov, Panshin, Fomicheva, Knyazeva, Simonova, Lebedev, Mikhaylov and Kostareva.)