1. |
- Awano, Tomoyuki, et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide association analysis reveals a SOD1 mutation in canine degenerative myelopathy that resembles amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- 2009
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 106:8, s. 2794-2799
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease prevalent in several dog breeds. Typically, the initial progressive upper motor neuron spastic and general proprioceptive ataxia in the pelvic limbs occurs at 8 years of age or older. If euthanasia is delayed, the clinical signs will ascend, causing flaccid tetraparesis and other lower motor neuron signs. DNA samples from 38 DM-affected Pembroke Welsh corgi cases and 17 related clinically normal controls were used for genome-wide association mapping, which produced the strongest associations with markers on CFA31 in a region containing the canine SOD1 gene. SOD1 was considered a regional candidate gene because mutations in human SOD1 can cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an adult-onset fatal paralytic neurodegenerative disease with both upper and lower motor neuron involvement. The resequencing of SOD1 in normal and affected dogs revealed a G to A transition, resulting in an E40K missense mutation. Homozygosity for the A allele was associated with DM in 5 dog breeds: Pembroke Welsh corgi, Boxer, Rhodesian ridgeback, German Shepherd dog, and Chesapeake Bay retriever. Microscopic examination of spinal cords from affected dogs revealed myelin and axon loss affecting the lateral white matter and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions that bind anti-superoxide dismutase 1 antibodies. These inclusions are similar to those seen in spinal cord sections from ALS patients with SOD1 mutations. Our findings identify canine DM to be the first recognized spontaneously occurring animal model for ALS.
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2. |
- Baranowska, Izabella, et al.
(author)
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Sensory ataxic neuropathy in golden retriever dogs is caused by a deletion in the mitochondrial tRNATyr gene
- 2009
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In: PLoS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 5:5, s. e1000499-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sensory ataxic neuropathy (SAN) is a recently identified neurological disorder in golden retrievers. Pedigree analysis revealed that all affected dogs belong to one maternal lineage, and a statistical analysis showed that the disorder has a mitochondrial origin. A one base pair deletion in the mitochondrial tRNA(Tyr) gene was identified at position 5304 in affected dogs after re-sequencing the complete mitochondrial genome of seven individuals. The deletion was not found among dogs representing 18 different breeds or in six wolves, ruling out this as a common polymorphism. The mutation could be traced back to a common ancestor of all affected dogs that lived in the 1970s. We used a quantitative oligonucleotide ligation assay to establish the degree of heteroplasmy in blood and tissue samples from affected dogs and controls. Affected dogs and their first to fourth degree relatives had 0-11% wild-type (wt) sequence, while more distant relatives ranged between 5% and 60% wt sequence and all unrelated golden retrievers had 100% wt sequence. Northern blot analysis showed that tRNA(Tyr) had a 10-fold lower steady-state level in affected dogs compared with controls. Four out of five affected dogs showed decreases in mitochondrial ATP production rates and respiratory chain enzyme activities together with morphological alterations in muscle tissue, resembling the changes reported in human mitochondrial pathology. Altogether, these results provide conclusive evidence that the deletion in the mitochondrial tRNA(Tyr) gene is the causative mutation for SAN.
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3. |
- Baranowska Körberg, Izabella, et al.
(author)
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A progressive and complex clinical course in two family members with ERF-related craniosynostosis: a case report
- 2020
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In: BMC Medical Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2350. ; 21:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background ERF-related craniosynostosis are a rare, complex, premature trisutural fusion associated with a broad spectrum of clinical features and heterogeneous aetiology. Here we describe two cases with the same pathogenic variant and a detailed description of their clinical course. Case presentation Two subjects; a boy with a BLSS requiring repeated skull expansions and his mother who had been operated once for sagittal synostosis. Both developed intracranial hypertension at some point during the course, which was for both verified by formal invasive intracranial pressure monitoring. Exome sequencing revealed a pathogenic truncating frame shift variant in the ERF gene. Conclusions Here we describe a boy and his mother with different craniosynostosis patterns, but both with verified intracranial hypertension and heterozygosity for a truncating variant of ERF c.1201_1202delAA (p.Lys401Glufs*10). Our work provides supplementary evidence in support of previous phenotypic descriptions of ERF-related craniosynostosis, particularly late presentation, an evolving synostotic pattern and variable expressivity even among affected family members.
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4. |
- Baranowska Körberg, Izabella, et al.
(author)
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A Simple Repeat Polymorphism in the MITF-M Promoter Is a Key Regulator of White Spotting in Dogs
- 2014
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:8, s. e104363-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The white spotting locus (S) in dogs is colocalized with the MITF (microphtalmia-associated transcription factor) gene. The phenotypic effects of the four S alleles range from solid colour (S) to extreme white spotting (s(w)). We have investigated four candidate mutations associated with the s(w) allele, a SINE insertion, a SNP at a conserved site and a simple repeat polymorphism all associated with the MITF-M promoter as well as a 12 base pair deletion in exon 1B. The variants associated with white spotting at all four loci were also found among wolves and we conclude that none of these could be a sole causal mutation, at least not for extreme white spotting. We propose that the three canine white spotting alleles are not caused by three independent mutations but represent haplotype effects due to different combinations of causal polymorphisms. The simple repeat polymorphism showed extensive diversity both in dogs and wolves, and allele-sharing was common between wolves and white spotted dogs but was non-existent between solid and spotted dogs as well as between wolves and solid dogs. This finding was unexpected as Solid is assumed to be the wild-type allele. The data indicate that the simple repeat polymorphism has been a target for selection during dog domestication and breed formation. We also evaluated the significance of the three MITF-M associated polymorphisms with a Luciferase assay, and found conclusive evidence that the simple repeat polymorphism affects promoter activity. Three alleles associated with white spotting gave consistently lower promoter activity compared with the allele associated with solid colour. We propose that the simple repeat polymorphism affects cooperativity between transcription factors binding on either flanking sides of the repeat. Thus, both genetic and functional evidence show that the simple repeat polymorphism is a key regulator of white spotting in dogs.
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5. |
- Baranowska Körberg, Izabella, et al.
(author)
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Clinical characteristics of epilepsy of unknown origin in the Rottweiler breed
- 2015
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In: Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0044-605X .- 1751-0147. ; 57
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions in dogs. Despite that epilepsy appears to be common in the Rottweiler breed, published literature about the phenotype of epilepsy in this breed is lacking. The aim of this questionnaire-based study was to describe the clinical characteristics of epilepsy in the Rottweiler breed including; signalment, pedigree, housing conditions and information about the seizures such as age at onset, seizure type, duration, and progression, as well as number of seizure days (24 h), effect and side effects of anti-epileptic drugs, and potential comorbidities. The diagnosis for epilepsy of unknown origin was based on the following inclusion criteria: >= 2 seizure days, starting between 6 months and 7 years of age, no known history of poisoning or serious head trauma, and (when available), pre-study routine serum biochemical parameters were within the reference intervals.Results: A total of 37 cases (23 females and 14 males) were included in the study. The median age at onset of seizures was 36 months (range 8-84 months). The dogs suffered from generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and more than 50 % of the dogs had experienced cluster seizures (>1 seizure in 24 h). The dogs commonly started to seizure while resting (23/36) and/or sleeping (20/36). Only 3 of the 36 dogs experienced seizures during activities such as walking or training. All of the 24/37 (64.9 %) dogs on antiepileptic drugs received phenobarbital. Five dogs needed addon treatment (n = 5), and of these: one dog was on 3 drugs (phenobarbital, potassium bromid and levetiracetam) (n = 1), three dogs were on phenobarbital and potassium bromide (n = 3), and one dog received phenobarbital and imepitoin (n = 1). Seizure frequency did not necessarily improve following antiepileptic treatment, and for six of 21 (28.6 %) of the dogs, seizure frequency increased. All of the Rottweilers in this study had relatives with epilepsy reported.Conclusions: The Rottweilers suffering from epilepsy in this study presented with generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and their response to antiepileptic treatment was variable. More than 50 % of the dogs had experienced cluster seizures (>1 seizure in 24 h).
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6. |
- Baranowska Körberg, Izabella
(author)
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Identification of a Novel Idiopathic Epilepsy Locus in Belgian Shepherd Dogs
- 2012
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder in dogs, with an incidence ranging from 0.5% to up to 20% in particular breeds. Canine epilepsy can be etiologically defined as idiopathic or symptomatic. Epileptic seizures may be classified as focal with or without secondary generalization, or as primary generalized. Nine genes have been identified for symptomatic (storage diseases) and one for idiopathic epilepsy in different breeds. However, the genetic background of common canine epilepsies remains unknown. We have studied the clinical and genetic background of epilepsy in Belgian Shepherds. We collected 159 cases and 148 controls and confirmed the presence of epilepsy through epilepsy questionnaires and clinical examinations. The MRI was normal while interictal EEG revealed abnormalities and variable foci in the clinically examined affected dogs. A genome-wide association study using Affymetrix 50K SNP arrays in 40 cases and 44 controls mapped the epilepsy locus on CFA37, which was replicated in an independent cohort (81 cases and 88 controls; combined p = 9.70x10(-10), OR = 3.3). Fine mapping study defined a similar to 1 Mb region including 12 genes of which none are known epilepsy genes or encode ion channels. Exonic sequencing was performed for two candidate genes, KLF7 and ADAM23. No variation was found in KLF7 but a highly-associated non-synonymous variant, G1203A (R387H) was present in the ADAM23 gene (p = 3.7x10(-8), OR = 3.9 for homozygosity). Homozygosity for a two-SNP haplotype within the ADAM23 gene conferred the highest risk for epilepsy (p = 6.28x10(-11), OR = 7.4). ADAM23 interacts with known epilepsy proteins LGI1 and LGI2. However, our data suggests that the ADAM23 variant is a polymorphism and we have initiated a targeted re-sequencing study across the locus to identify the causative mutation. It would establish the affected breed as a novel therapeutic model, help to develop a DNA test for breeding purposes and introduce a novel candidate gene for human idiopathic epilepsies.
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7. |
- Baranowska Körberg, Izabella
(author)
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Inherited Polyneuropathy in Leonberger Dogs
- 2011
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In: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0891-6640 .- 1939-1676. ; 25, s. 997-1002
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The ILPN is considered most likely to be one disease, and the inheritance of ILPN is best explained by an underlying X-linked mode of transmission for the phenotype. However, age at onset and severity of signs might be determined by contributing loci. This has consequences in molecular genetic studies and for breeding strategies aimed at eliminating this disease.
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8. |
- Baranowska Körberg, Izabella
(author)
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Mapping trait genes in dogs : using the dog as a model organism
- 2011
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Understanding the genetic background of a given phenotypic trait or disease has long intrigued scientists. Model organisms can be employed when it is not feasible or possible to find trait causality in human cohorts. This thesis reports the mapping of both a phenotypic trait (white spotting) and a disease (sensory ataxic neuropathy) in dogs, and in doing so highlights the potential of the dog as a model organism for mapping traits of relevance to human health and biology. For white spotting, a two-stage mapping approach was used to identify an associated genomic region, which contained only the microphtalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) gene. Stage 1: a genome-wide association analysis in a single breed, taking advantage of the extensive within breed linkage disequilibrium (LD) and long haplotypes, identified a discrete region of approximately 1 Mb. Stage 2: finemapping in an additional breed presenting the same phenotype, exploiting the short LD and haplotypes shared across dog breeds, was used to narrow the region to about 100 kb. We functionally evaluated two candidate polymorphisms associated with MITF, a SINE insertion and a length polymorphism upstream of the melanocyte-specific transcription start site of MITF. The data indicated that both polymorphisms affect transcription from the MITF-M promoter. Sensory ataxic neuropathy (SAN) is a neurological disorder affecting a specific maternal lineage of Golden Retrievers. We identified a one base pair deletion in mitochondrial tRNATyr and through biochemical analyses of mitochondria and functional studies of the deletion, confirmed causality and the mitochondrial origin of SAN. This is one of the first mitochondrial disorders identified in dogs and we additionally developed a genetic test for the public to allow for the elimination of the disease from this breed. The genetic and functional analyses of both white spotting coat colour and SAN in dogs, which are controlled by mutations of the two different genomes, clearly demonstrate the utility of the canine model and establish a new role for man's best friend.
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9. |
- Ivansson, Emma L., et al.
(author)
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Variants within the SP110 nuclear body protein modify risk of canine degenerative myelopathy
- 2016
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 113:22, s. E3091-E3100
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a naturally occurring neurodegenerative disease with similarities to some forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Most dogs that develop DM are homozygous for a common superoxide dismutase 1 gene (SOD1) mutation. However, not all dogs homozygous for this mutation develop disease. We performed a genome-wide association analysis in the Pembroke Welsh Corgi (PWC) breed comparing DM-affected and -unaffected dogs homozygous for the SOD1 mutation. The analysis revealed a modifier locus on canine chromosome 25. A haplotype within the SP110 nuclear body protein (SP110) was present in 40% of affected compared with 4% of unaffected dogs (P = 1.5 x 10(-5)), and was associated with increased probability of developing DM (P = 4.8 x 10(-6)) and earlier onset of disease (P = 1.7 x 10(-5)). SP110 is a nuclear body protein involved in the regulation of gene transcription. Our findings suggest that variations in SP110-mediated gene transcription may underlie, at least in part, the variability in risk for developing DM among PWCs that are homozygous for the disease-related SOD1 mutation. Further studies are warranted to clarify the effect of this modifier across dog breeds.
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10. |
- Karlsson, Elinor K., et al.
(author)
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Efficient mapping of mendelian traits in dogs through genome-wide association
- 2007
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 39:11, s. 1321-1328
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With several hundred genetic diseases and an advantageous genome structure, dogs are ideal for mapping genes that cause disease. Here we report the development of a genotyping array with |[sim]|27,000 SNPs and show that genome-wide association mapping of mendelian traits in dog breeds can be achieved with only |[sim]|20 dogs. Specifically, we map two traits with mendelian inheritance: the major white spotting (S) locus and the hair ridge in Rhodesian ridgebacks. For both traits, we map the loci to discrete regions of <1 Mb. Fine-mapping of the S locus in two breeds refines the localization to a region of |[sim]|100 kb contained within the pigmentation-related gene MITF. Complete sequencing of the white and solid haplotypes identifies candidate regulatory mutations in the melanocyte-specific promoter of MITF. Our results show that genome-wide association mapping within dog breeds, followed by fine-mapping across multiple breeds, will be highly efficient and generally applicable to trait mapping, providing insights into canine and human health.
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