OBJECTIVE: To detect the genetic variant of a child with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) and to find out the causation of the illness. METHODS: Gene variant was identified by the second generation targeted sequencing and Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The gene sequencing revealed that the RUNX2 gene had c.196C>T(p.Glu66*) nonsense variant, which was predicted to be a pathogenic variant according to the ACMG guidelines(PVS1+PS2). CONCLUSION The variant of c.196C > T in the RUNX2 gene may be the cause of the child with CCD, and the novel variant enriches the RUNX2 gene variant spectrum.
Asians/genetics* ; Child ; China ; Cleidocranial Dysplasia/genetics* ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit/genetics* ; Humans ; Mutation

OBJECTIVECleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is a rare skeletal disease with autosomal dominant inheritance associated with mutation in RUNX 2. The authors report a Chinese girl with CCD in whom the mutation in RUNX 2 was identified.

METHODSClinical diagnosis was based on physical examination, radiological findings, and biochemical tests. For mutation detection, genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood using standard method. All 7 coding exons of RUNX 2 and their flanking intronic sequences were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the PCR products were then subjected to automatic DNA sequencing.

RESULTSThe affected girl showed typical clinical manifestations of CCD, including patent fontanelles, absent clavicles, short stature and dental anomalies. Direct sequencing of PCR-amplified fragments revealed a recurrent missense mutation, R190W (568 C > T), in RUNX 2. The mutation was further confirmed by Hae III restriction analysis.

CONCLUSIONA Chinese case of CCD was confirmed and the disease-causing mutation was linked to a recurrent point mutation in RUNX 2.

Cleidocranial Dysplasia ; genetics ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Mutation

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a Chinese patient featuring cleidocranial dysplasia(CCD). METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the patient and his parents. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out for the patient, and suspected variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: WES has identified a missense c.460G>T (p.Val154Phe) (GRCh37/hg19) variant of the RUNX2 gene. The variant was located in the Runt domain, a highly conserved region (PM1); it was not present in either the Genome Aggregation Database or the 1000 Genomes Project (PM2), and was predicted to have a deleterious effect on the gene product by multiple in silico prediction tools (PP3); the clinical phenotype of the patient was highly consistent with that of cleidocranial dysplasia (PP4). Furthermore, the variant was unreported in medical literature and was absent in both parents (PS2). Based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines, the c.460 G>T variant of RUNX2 gene was predicted to be pathogenic (PS2+PM1+PM2+PP3+PP4). CONCLUSION The c.460G>T (p.Val154Phe) variant of the RUNX2 gene probably underlay the clinical phenotype in the patient. Above finding has enabled accurate diagnosis and expanded the spectrum of RUNX2 variants.
China ; Cleidocranial Dysplasia/genetics* ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit/genetics* ; Humans ; Mutation ; Whole Exome Sequencing

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features and pathogenic variant in a Chinese pedigree affected with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD). METHODS: Clinical data of 8 patients from the pedigree was collected, including physical examination and X-ray images of head, face, spine, limbs, and mouth. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 6 affected members for the extraction of genomic DNA. The proband and other 3 patients were subjected to trio-whole exome sequencing. Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing of the other 2 affected members from the pedigree. RESULTS: This pedigree has included 22 members (8 affected) from four generations. Genetic testing revealed that the proband has harbored a novel pathogenic variant of the RUNX2 gene [NM_001024630: c.1268_1277del (p.P425Afs*56)], which was inherited from her mother and carried by all affected members in the pedigree. The same variant was not detected among the unaffected members, suggesting co-segregation with the phenotype. CONCLUSION The c.1268_1277del (p.P425Afs*56) variant of the RUNX2 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of CCD in this pedigree. Genetic testing has facilitated the definite diagnosis and enabled prenatal diagnosis.
Humans ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Cleidocranial Dysplasia/genetics* ; Pedigree ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit/genetics* ; Phenotype ; China ; Mutation

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical phenotypes and genetic diagnosis of 2 sporadic cases for cleidocranial dysplasia. METHODS: The clinical data of two cases of CCD admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University on December 16, 2021 and December 9, 2021 were analyzed retrospectively, and the whole exome sequencing (WES), chromosome microarray analysis and copy number variation sequencing were performed. RESULTS: The main ultrasonographic findings of the fetus had included poorly calcified skull bones, budging of parieto-occipital area, compression and deformation of skull, and loss of nasal bone. The infant's clinical phenotypes included delayed closure of anterior fontanelle, recurrent respiratory tract infection, growth retardation, and clavicular hypoplasia. By WES analysis, the fetus was found to harbor a heterozygous c.911_914delinsTTT variant of the RUNX2 gene, whilst the infant was found to harbor a heterozygous c.1008delT variant of the RUNX2 gene. Both variants were verified by Sanger sequencing to have occurred de novo. CONCLUSION For sporadic cases featuring cleidocranial dysplasia, prenatal ultrasonography is particularly important. Hypoplastic clavicle, skull calcification and nasal bone absence are the main features. Diagnosis should also be suspected for infants featuring growth retardation, recurrent respiratory tract infections and clavicular dysplasia. The identification of the c.911_914delinsTTT and c.1008delT variants of the RUNX2 gene has facilitated genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis, and also expanded the mutational spectrum of the RUNX2 gene.
Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Cleidocranial Dysplasia/genetics* ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Growth Disorders ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of melatonin (MT) on bone mass and serum inflammatory factors in rats received ovariectomy (OVX) and to investigate the effects of MT on the levels of inflammatory factors in culture medium and osteogenic ability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide. METHODS: Fifteen 12-week-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. The rats in Sham group only received bilateral lateral abdominal incision and suture, the rats in OVX group received bilateral OVX, and the rats in OVX+MT group received 100 mg/(kg·d) MT oral intervention after bilateral OVX. After 8 weeks, the levels of serum inflammatory factors [interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)] were detected using ELISA assay. Besides, the distal femurs were detected by Micro-CT to observe changes in bone mass and microstructure, and quantitatively measured bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and trabecular number. The BMSCs were extracted from the femurs of three 3-week-old SD rats using whole bone marrow culture method and passaged. The 3rd-5th passage BMSCs were cultured with different concentrations of MT (0, 1, 10, 100, 1 000 µmol/L), and the cell viability was then detected using cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) to select the optimal concentration of MT for subsequent experiments. Cells were devided into osteogenic induction group (group A) and osteogenic induction+1/5/10 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide group (group B-D). The levels of inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) in cell culture medium were detected using ELISA assay after corresponding intervention. According to the results of CCK-8 method and ELISA detection, the cells were intervened with the most significant concentration of lipopolysaccharide for stimulating inflammation and the optimal concentration of MT with osteogenic induction, defining as group E, and the cell culture medium was collected to detect the levels of inflammatory factors by ELISA assay. After that, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and alizarin red staining were performed respectively in groups A, D, and E, and the expression levels of osteogenic related genes [collagen type Ⅰ alpha 1 chain (Col1a1) and RUNX family transcription factor 2 (Runx2)] were also detected by real time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: ELISA and Micro-CT assays showed that compared with Sham group, the bone mass of the rats in the OVX group significantly decreased, and the expression levels of serum inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) in OVX group significantly increased (P<0.05). Significantly, the above indicators in OVX+MT group were all improved (P<0.05). Rat BMSCs were successfully extracted, and CCK-8 assay showed that 100 µmol/L was the maximum concentration of MT that did not cause a decrease in cell viability, and it was used in subsequent experiments. ELISA assays showed that compared with group A, the expression levels of inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) in the cell culture medium of groups B-D were significantly increased after lipopolysaccharide stimulation (P<0.05), and in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, the expression levels of inflammatory factors in group D were significantly higher than those in groups B and C (P<0.05). After MT intervention, the expression levels of inflammatory factors in group E were significantly lower than those in group D (P<0.05). ALP staining, alizarin red staining, and RT-qPCR assays showed that compared with group A, the percentage of positive area of ALP and alizarin red and the relative mRNA expressions of Col1a1 and Runx2 in group D significantly decreased, while the above indicators in group E significantly improved after MT intervention (P<0.05). CONCLUSION MT may affect the bone mass of postmenopausal osteoporosis by reducing inflammation in rats; MT can reduce the inflammation of BMSCs stimulated by lipopolysaccharide and weaken its inhibition of osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs.
Female ; Rats ; Animals ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Osteogenesis ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; Melatonin/pharmacology* ; Interleukin-6/genetics* ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Coloring Agents ; Inflammation

Objective: To investigate the effect of the AML1-ETO (AE) fusion gene on the biological function of U937 leukemia cells by establishing a leukemia cell model that induces AE fusion gene expression. Methods: The doxycycline (Dox) -dependent expression of the AE fusion gene in the U937 cell line (U937-AE) were established using a lentivirus vector system. The Cell Counting Kit 8 methods, including the PI and sidanilide induction, were used to detect cell proliferation, cell cycle-induced differentiation assays, respectively. The effect of the AE fusion gene on the biological function of U937-AE cells was preliminarily explored using transcriptome sequencing and metabonomic sequencing. Results: ①The Dox-dependent Tet-on regulatory system was successfully constructed to regulate the stable AE fusion gene expression in U937-AE cells. ②Cell proliferation slowed down and the cell proliferation rate with AE expression (3.47±0.07) was lower than AE non-expression (3.86 ± 0.05) after inducing the AE fusion gene expression for 24 h (P<0.05). The proportion of cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase in the cell cycle increased, with AE expression [ (63.45±3.10) %) ] was higher than AE non-expression [ (41.36± 9.56) %] (P<0.05). The proportion of cells expressing CD13 and CD14 decreased with the expression of AE. The AE negative group is significantly higher than the AE positive group (P<0.05). ③The enrichment analysis of the transcriptome sequencing gene set revealed significantly enriched quiescence, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, interferon-α/γ, and other inflammatory response and immune regulation signals after AE expression. ④Disorder of fatty acid metabolism of U937-AE cells occurred under the influence of AE. The concentration of the medium and short-chain fatty acid acylcarnitine metabolites decreased in cells with AE expressing, propionyl L-carnitine, wherein those with AE expression (0.46±0.13) were lower than those with AE non-expression (1.00±0.27) (P<0.05). The metabolite concentration of some long-chain fatty acid acylcarnitine increased in cells with AE expressing tetradecanoyl carnitine, wherein those with AE expression (1.26±0.01) were higher than those with AE non-expression (1.00±0.05) (P<0.05) . Conclusion: This study successfully established a leukemia cell model that can induce AE expression. The AE expression blocked the cell cycle and inhibited cell differentiation. The gene sets related to the inflammatory reactions was significantly enriched in U937-AE cells that express AE, and fatty acid metabolism was disordered.
Humans ; U937 Cells ; RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein ; Leukemia/genetics* ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit/genetics* ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics*

BACKGROUNDCleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is an autosomal dominant disease that affects the skeletal system. Common symptoms of CCD include hypoplasia or aplasia of the clavicles, delayed or even absent closure of the fontanels, midface hypoplasia, short stature, and delayed eruption of permanent and supernumerary teeth. Previous studies reported a connection between CCD and the haploinsufficiency of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). Here, we report a sporadic Chinese case presenting typical symptoms of CCD.

METHODSWe made genetic testing on this sporadic Chinese case and identified a novel RUNX2 frameshift mutation: c.1111dupT. In situ immunofluorescence microscopy and osteocalcin promoter luciferase assay were performed to compare the functions of the RUNX2 mutation with those of wild-type RUNX2.

RESULTSRUNX2 mutation was observed in the perinuclear region, cytoplasm, and nuclei. In contrast, wild-type RUNX2 was confined in the nuclei, which indicated that the subcellular compartmentalization of RUNX2 mutation was partially perturbed. The transactivation function on osteocalcin promoter of the RUNX2 mutation was obviously abrogated.

CONCLUSIONSWe identified a sporadic CCD patient carrying a novel insertion/frameshift mutation of RUNX2. This finding expanded our understanding of CCD-related phenotypes.

Adolescent ; Cell Nucleus ; metabolism ; Cleidocranial Dysplasia ; genetics ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; genetics ; Female ; Frameshift Mutation ; genetics ; Humans ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Mutation

OBJECTIVE: To construct a luciferase reporter gene vector carrying human nuclear factor of activated T cells 2 (NFATc2) gene promoter and examine the effects of metformin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the transcriptional activity of NFATc2 gene. METHODS: The promoter sequence of human NFATc2 gene was acquired from UCSC website for PCR amplification. NFATc2 promoter fragment was inserted into pGL3-basic plasmid double cleaved with Kpn Ⅰ and Hind Ⅲ. The resultant recombinant plasmid pGL3-NFATC2-promoter was co-transfected with the internal reference plasmid pRL-TK in 293F cells, and luciferase activity in the cells was detected. Reporter gene vectors of human NFATc2 gene promoter with different fragment lengths were also constructed and assayed for luciferase activity. The changes in transcription activity of NFATc2 gene were assessed after treatment with different concentrations of metformin and LPS for 24 h. We also examined the effect of mutation in RUNX2-binding site in NFATC2 gene promoter on the regulatory effects of metformin and LPS on NFATc2 transcription. RESULTS: We successfully constructed pGL3-NFATc2-promoter plasmids carrying different lengths (2170 bp, 2077 bp, 1802 bp, 1651 bp, 1083 bp, 323 bp) of NFATc2 promoter sequences as verified by enzymatic digestion and sequencing. Transfection of 293F cells with the plasmid carrying a 1651 bp NFATc2 promoter (pGL3-1651 bp) resulted in the highest transcriptional activity of NFATc2 gene, and the luciferase activity was approximately 3.3 times that of pGL3-2170 bp (1.843 ± 0.146 vs 0.547 ± 0.085). Moderate (5 mmol/L) and high (10 mmol/L) concentrations of metformin significantly upregulated the transcriptional activity of pGL3-1651 bp by up to 2.5 and 3 folds, respectively. LPS at different doses also upregulated the transcriptional activity of pGL3-1651 bp by at least 1.6 folds. The mutation in the RUNX2 binding site on pGL3-1651 bp obviously reduced metformin- and LPS-induced enhancement of pGL3-1651bp transcription by 1.7 and 2 folds, respectively. CONCLUSION pGL3-NFATc2-promoter can be transcribed and activated in 293F cells, and LPS and metformin can activate the transcription of pGL3- NFATc2-promoter in a RUNX2-dependent manner.
Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit/genetics* ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Luciferases/genetics* ; Metformin/pharmacology* ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; T-Lymphocytes ; Transcription, Genetic/drug effects* ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo verify the interaction between secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) and osteoblast-specific factor 2 (OSF-2).

METHODSHA-tagged OSF-2 fusion protein recombinant vector pCMV-HA-OSF-2, which could express in mammal cells was constructed, then identified by enzyme-cutting and transfected into human kidney 293 (HK293) cells with or without Myc-SFRP2 recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pCMV-HA-SFRP2. The interaction between SFRP2 and OSF-2 was detected through coimmunoprecipitation and Western blotting.

RESULTSIn electrophoresis bath, target fragment of SFRP2 coding gene with 800 bp and target gene OSF-2 with 2500 bp could be seen respectively after enzyme-cutting, which showed that pCMV-Myc-SFRP2 and pCMV-HA-OSF-2 were constructed successfully. No HA-OSF-2 expression was detected after pCMV-Myc-SFRP2 or pCMV-HA-OSF-2 transfection. Whereas, HA-OSF-2 expressed by Myc antibody immunoprecipitation after pCMV-Myc-SFRP2 and pCMV-HA-OSF-2 co-transfection.

CONCLUSIONSHA-OSF-2 recombinant vector can express in mammal cells. Interaction exists between HA-OSF-2 and SFRP2.

Cell Line ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Keloid ; metabolism ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; metabolism ; Transfection