Ask OpenScientist

Ask a research question about Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome. OpenScientist will conduct autonomous deep research using the Disorder Mechanisms Knowledge Base and PubMed literature (typically 10-30 minutes).

Submitting...

Do not include personal health information in your question. Questions and results are cached in your browser's local storage.

1
Inheritance
3
Pathophys.
5
Phenotypes
7
Pathograph
1
Genes
1
Differentials
1
Deep Research
👪

Inheritance

1
Autosomal dominant inheritance HP:0000006
Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is caused by heterozygous DNMT3A variants and is typically identified as a de novo autosomal dominant disorder.
Autosomal dominant inheritance
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Next generation sequencing revealed a novel heterozygous variant in DNMT3A (NM_175629.2: c.1012_1014 + 3del). The patient's parents did not carry the variant."
This case report supports heterozygous, apparently de novo DNMT3A causality, consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance.

Pathophysiology

3
DNMT3A dysfunction
Pathogenic heterozygous DNMT3A variation disrupts epigenetic regulation during development and establishes the primary molecular lesion in Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
DNMT3A link
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Here, we present a case of HESJAS caused by a novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A."
This directly supports DNMT3A as the disease-causing gene in HESJAS.
Impaired neurodevelopment
Disrupted developmental regulation downstream of DNMT3A dysfunction drives the severe developmental phenotype of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"A five-year-old girl presented with severe developmental delay."
This directly supports severe neurodevelopmental impairment in HESJAS.
Impaired cranial growth and morphogenesis
Altered developmental regulation contributes to reduced head growth and, in some patients, premature cranial suture fusion.
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features, and neurodevelopmental assessments revealed profound global developmental delay. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings were normal; however, brain 3D computed tomography revealed craniosynostosis."
This case report directly links the disorder to abnormal cranial growth, microcephaly, and craniosynostosis.

Pathograph

Use the checkboxes to hide or show graph categories. Hover nodes for evidence and cross-linked metadata.
Pathograph: causal mechanism network for Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome Interactive directed graph showing how pathophysiology mechanisms, phenotypes, genetic factors and variants, experimental models, environmental triggers, and treatments relate through causal and linked edges.

Phenotypes

5
Head and Neck 3
Microcephaly Microcephaly (HP:0000252)
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features"
This directly supports microcephaly as a disease phenotype.
Craniosynostosis Craniosynostosis (HP:0001363)
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"brain 3D computed tomography revealed craniosynostosis."
This directly supports craniosynostosis in at least a subset of affected patients.
Abnormal facial shape Abnormal facial shape (HP:0001999)
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features"
This supports craniofacial dysmorphism as part of the syndrome phenotype.
Nervous System 1
Global developmental delay Global developmental delay (HP:0001263)
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"A five-year-old girl presented with severe developmental delay."
This directly supports global developmental delay in HESJAS.
Growth 1
Growth delay Growth delay (HP:0001510)
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"there are recent reports of variants in the same gene giving rise to an opposing clinical phenotype presenting with microcephaly, growth failure, and impaired development—named Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome (HESJAS)."
This directly supports growth failure and delayed growth as core HESJAS features.
🧬

Genetic Associations

1
DNMT3A (Causal heterozygous variant)
Show evidence (2 references)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Here, we present a case of HESJAS caused by a novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A."
This directly supports DNMT3A causality in HESJAS.
"DNMT3A | HGNC:2978 | Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome | MONDO:0032882 | AD | Limited"
ClinGen classifies the DNMT3A-Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome gene-disease relationship as limited with autosomal dominant inheritance.
🔀

Differential Diagnoses

1

Conditions with similar clinical presentations that must be differentiated from Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome:

Overlapping Features Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome is the major differential diagnosis because it is also caused by DNMT3A variants but presents with an opposite overgrowth phenotype rather than microcephaly and growth failure.
Distinguishing Features
  • Microcephaly and growth failure favor Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
  • Overgrowth and macrocephaly favor Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome.
Show evidence (1 reference)
DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Pathogenic variants of DNMT3A have been implicated in Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome, an overgrowth disorder with macrocephaly and intellectual disability. However, there are recent reports of variants in the same gene giving rise to an opposing clinical phenotype presenting with microcephaly,..."
This directly supports Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome as the key contrasting differential diagnosis.
{ }

Source YAML

click to show
name: Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome
creation_date: "2026-04-13T22:47:36Z"
updated_date: "2026-04-14T14:35:00Z"
description: >-
  Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is a rare DNMT3A-related neurodevelopmental
  disorder characterized by microcephaly, growth failure, developmental
  impairment, dysmorphic facial features, and in some patients craniosynostosis.
  It represents an opposing growth phenotype to Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome
  despite involvement of the same gene.
category: Mendelian
parents:
- hereditary disease
- neurodevelopmental disorder
synonyms:
- HESJAS
disease_term:
  preferred_term: Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome
  term:
    id: MONDO:0032882
    label: Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal dominant inheritance
  description: >-
    Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is caused by heterozygous DNMT3A variants and
    is typically identified as a de novo autosomal dominant disorder.
  inheritance_term:
    preferred_term: Autosomal dominant inheritance
    term:
      id: HP:0000006
      label: Autosomal dominant inheritance
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Next generation sequencing revealed a novel heterozygous variant in DNMT3A (NM_175629.2: c.1012_1014 + 3del). The patient's parents did not carry the variant."
    explanation: >-
      This case report supports heterozygous, apparently de novo DNMT3A
      causality, consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance.
pathophysiology:
- name: DNMT3A dysfunction
  description: >-
    Pathogenic heterozygous DNMT3A variation disrupts epigenetic regulation
    during development and establishes the primary molecular lesion in
    Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
  gene:
    preferred_term: DNMT3A
    description: DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha developmental epigenetic regulator.
    term:
      id: hgnc:2978
      label: DNMT3A
  genes:
  - preferred_term: DNMT3A
    term:
      id: hgnc:2978
      label: DNMT3A
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Here, we present a case of HESJAS caused by a novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A."
    explanation: This directly supports DNMT3A as the disease-causing gene in HESJAS.
  downstream:
  - target: Impaired neurodevelopment
    description: DNMT3A dysfunction perturbs developmental programs required for normal neurodevelopment.
  - target: Impaired cranial growth and morphogenesis
    description: Abnormal developmental regulation contributes to microcephaly and craniosynostosis.
- name: Impaired neurodevelopment
  description: >-
    Disrupted developmental regulation downstream of DNMT3A dysfunction drives
    the severe developmental phenotype of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "A five-year-old girl presented with severe developmental delay."
    explanation: This directly supports severe neurodevelopmental impairment in HESJAS.
  downstream:
  - target: Global developmental delay
    description: Neurodevelopmental disruption produces profound global developmental delay.
- name: Impaired cranial growth and morphogenesis
  description: >-
    Altered developmental regulation contributes to reduced head growth and, in
    some patients, premature cranial suture fusion.
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features, and neurodevelopmental assessments revealed profound global developmental delay. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings were normal; however, brain 3D computed tomography revealed craniosynostosis."
    explanation: >-
      This case report directly links the disorder to abnormal cranial growth,
      microcephaly, and craniosynostosis.
  downstream:
  - target: Microcephaly
    description: Impaired cranial growth leads to microcephaly.
  - target: Craniosynostosis
    description: Abnormal cranial morphogenesis can lead to premature cranial suture fusion.
phenotypes:
- name: Microcephaly
  category: Neurological
  diagnostic: true
  description: Reduced head growth is a core clinical feature of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Microcephaly
    term:
      id: HP:0000252
      label: Microcephaly
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features"
    explanation: This directly supports microcephaly as a disease phenotype.
- name: Global developmental delay
  category: Neurodevelopmental
  diagnostic: true
  description: Severe developmental delay is a major manifestation of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Global developmental delay
    term:
      id: HP:0001263
      label: Global developmental delay
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "A five-year-old girl presented with severe developmental delay."
    explanation: This directly supports global developmental delay in HESJAS.
- name: Craniosynostosis
  category: Craniofacial
  description: Craniosynostosis has been reported as an additional cranial manifestation of HESJAS.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Craniosynostosis
    term:
      id: HP:0001363
      label: Craniosynostosis
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "brain 3D computed tomography revealed craniosynostosis."
    explanation: This directly supports craniosynostosis in at least a subset of affected patients.
- name: Growth delay
  category: Growth
  description: Poor postnatal growth is part of the opposing growth phenotype associated with HESJAS.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Growth delay
    term:
      id: HP:0001510
      label: Growth delay
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "there are recent reports of variants in the same gene giving rise to an opposing clinical phenotype presenting with microcephaly, growth failure, and impaired development—named Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome (HESJAS)."
    explanation: This directly supports growth failure and delayed growth as core HESJAS features.
- name: Abnormal facial shape
  category: Craniofacial
  description: Dysmorphic facial features are part of the recognizable syndrome gestalt.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: facial dysmorphic features
    term:
      id: HP:0001999
      label: Abnormal facial shape
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features"
    explanation: This supports craniofacial dysmorphism as part of the syndrome phenotype.
genetic:
- name: DNMT3A
  association: Causal heterozygous variant
  notes: >-
    Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is caused by heterozygous pathogenic DNMT3A
    variants and shows an opposite growth phenotype relative to
    Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome.
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Here, we present a case of HESJAS caused by a novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A."
    explanation: This directly supports DNMT3A causality in HESJAS.
  - reference: CGGV:assertion_6c4959e0-72fe-49e2-8e7e-639539dc9095-2023-06-07T220000.000Z
    reference_title: "DNMT3A / Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome (Limited)"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "DNMT3A | HGNC:2978 | Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome | MONDO:0032882 | AD | Limited"
    explanation: ClinGen classifies the DNMT3A-Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome gene-disease relationship as limited with autosomal dominant inheritance.
treatments: []
diagnosis:
- name: DNMT3A molecular genetic testing
  presence: Identification of a heterozygous pathogenic DNMT3A variant confirms the diagnosis.
  description: Molecular testing of DNMT3A is the core confirmatory diagnostic procedure for HESJAS.
  diagnosis_term:
    preferred_term: molecular genetic testing
    term:
      id: MAXO:0000533
      label: molecular genetic testing
    qualifiers:
    - predicate:
        preferred_term: has participant
        term:
          id: RO:0000057
          label: has participant
      value:
        preferred_term: DNMT3A
        term:
          id: hgnc:2978
          label: DNMT3A
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Next generation sequencing revealed a novel heterozygous variant in DNMT3A (NM_175629.2: c.1012_1014 + 3del)."
    explanation: This directly supports molecular confirmation through DNMT3A sequencing.
differential_diagnoses:
- name: Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome
  description: >-
    Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome is the major differential diagnosis because it
    is also caused by DNMT3A variants but presents with an opposite overgrowth
    phenotype rather than microcephaly and growth failure.
  distinguishing_features:
  - Microcephaly and growth failure favor Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
  - Overgrowth and macrocephaly favor Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome.
  disease_term:
    preferred_term: Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome
    term:
      id: MONDO:0014382
      label: Tatton-Brown-Rahman overgrowth syndrome
  evidence:
  - reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
    reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Pathogenic variants of DNMT3A have been implicated in Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome, an overgrowth disorder with macrocephaly and intellectual disability. However, there are recent reports of variants in the same gene giving rise to an opposing clinical phenotype presenting with microcephaly, growth failure, and impaired development—named Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome (HESJAS)."
    explanation: This directly supports Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome as the key contrasting differential diagnosis.
clinical_trials: []
datasets: []
notes: >-
  Asta deep research was completed for this disorder. Final curation relied on
  directly reviewed disease-specific evidence from the published case report.
📚

References & Deep Research

Deep Research

1
Asta
Asta Literature Retrieval: Pathophysiology and clinical mechanisms of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome. Core disease mechanisms, molecular and cellu...
Asta Scientific Corpus Retrieval 20 citations 2026-04-13T18:49:12.500880

Asta Literature Retrieval: Pathophysiology and clinical mechanisms of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome. Core disease mechanisms, molecular and cellu...

This report is retrieval-only and is generated directly from Asta results.

  • Papers retrieved: 20
  • Snippets retrieved: 20

Relevant Papers

[1] Therapies for Mitochondrial Disease: Past, Present, and Future

  • Authors: Megan Ball, Nicole J. Van Bergen, A. Compton, David R Thorburn, S. Rahman et al.
  • Year: 2025
  • Venue: Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/196ee50a950f29bc4134cfb8fe6bdfa9a3a1468b
  • DOI: 10.1002/jimd.70065
  • PMID: 40714961
  • PMCID: 12301291
  • Citations: 3
  • Summary: The latest developments in the pursuit to identify effective treatments for mitochondrial disease are examined and the barriers impeding their success in translation to clinical practice are discussed.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.429) > Mitochondrial disease is a diverse group of clinically and genetically complex disorders caused by pathogenic variants in nuclear or mitochondrial DNA‐encoded genes that disrupt mitochondrial energy production or other important mitochondrial pathways. Mitochondrial disease can present with a wide spectrum of clinical features and can often be difficult to recognize. These conditions can be devastating; however, for the majority, there is no targeted treatment. In the last 60 years, mitochondrial medicine has experienced significant evolution, moving from the pre‐molecular era to the Age of Genomics in which considerable gene discovery and advancement in our understanding of the pathophysiology of mitochondrial disease have been made. In the last decade, in response to the urgent need for effective treatments, a wide range of emerging therapies have been developed, driven by innovative approaches addressing both the genetic and cellular mechanisms underpinning the diseases. Emerging therapies include dietary intervention, small molecule therapies aimed to restore mitochondrial function, stem cell or liver transplantation, and gene or RNA‐based therapies. However, despite these advances, translation to clinical practice is complicated by the sheer genetic and clinical complexity of mitochondrial disease, difficulty in efficient and precise delivery of therapies to affected tissues, rarity of individual genetic conditions, lack of reliable biomarkers and clinically relevant outcome measures, and the dearth of natural history data. This review examines the latest developments in the pursuit to identify effective treatments for mitochondrial disease and discusses the barriers impeding their success in translation to clinical practice. While treatment for mitochondrial disease may be on the horizon, many challenges must be addressed before it can become a reality.

[2] Precision Therapeutics in Lennox–Gastaut Syndrome: Targeting Molecular Pathophysiology in a Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy

  • Authors: Debopam Samanta
  • Year: 2025
  • Venue: Children
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/455479c1bfbea7b90b73c109228f67c813d13888
  • DOI: 10.3390/children12040481
  • PMID: 40310132
  • PMCID: 12025602
  • Citations: 19
  • Influential citations: 1
  • Summary: A narrative review explores precision therapeutic strategies for LGS based on molecular pathophysiology, including channelopathies, receptor and ligand dysfunction, receptor and ligand dysfunction, cell signaling abnormalities, cell signaling abnormalities, synaptopathies, and the repurposing of existing medications with mechanism-specific effects.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.379) > Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe childhood-onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathy characterized by multiple drug-resistant seizure types, cognitive impairment, and distinctive electroencephalographic patterns. Current treatments primarily focus on symptom management through antiseizure medications (ASMs), dietary therapy, epilepsy surgery, and neuromodulation, but often fail to address the underlying pathophysiology or improve cognitive outcomes. As genetic causes are identified in 30–40% of LGS cases, precision therapeutics targeting specific molecular mechanisms are emerging as promising disease-modifying approaches. This narrative review explores precision therapeutic strategies for LGS based on molecular pathophysiology, including channelopathies (SCN2A, SCN8A, KCNQ2, KCNA2, KCNT1, CACNA1A), receptor and ligand dysfunction (GABA/glutamate systems), cell signaling abnormalities (mTOR pathway), synaptopathies (STXBP1, IQSEC2, DNM1), epigenetic dysregulation (CHD2), and CDKL5 deficiency disorder. Treatment modalities discussed include traditional ASMs, dietary therapy, targeted pharmacotherapy, antisense oligonucleotides, gene therapy, and the repurposing of existing medications with mechanism-specific effects. Early intervention with precision therapeutics may not only improve seizure control but could also potentially prevent progression to LGS in susceptible populations. Future directions include developing computable phenotypes for accurate diagnosis, refining molecular subgrouping, enhancing drug development, advancing gene-based therapies, personalizing neuromodulation, implementing adaptive clinical trial designs, and ensuring equitable access to precision therapeutic approaches. While significant challenges remain, integrating biological insights with innovative clinical strategies offers new hope for transforming LGS treatment from symptomatic management to targeted disease modification.

[3] 18O-assisted dynamic metabolomics for individualized diagnostics and treatment of human diseases

  • Authors: E. Nemutlu, Song Zhang, N. Juranic, A. Terzic, S. Macura et al.
  • Year: 2012
  • Venue: Croatian Medical Journal
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/880f053c7f060db4b990e447d0a22c4b69372ddb
  • DOI: 10.3325/cmj.2012.53.529
  • PMID: 23275318
  • PMCID: 3541579
  • Citations: 28
  • Summary: The potential use of dynamic phosphometabolomic platform for disease diagnostics currently under development at Mayo Clinic is described and discussed briefly.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.375) > Living cells represent an integrated and interacting network of genes, transcripts, proteins, small signaling molecules, and metabolites that define cellular phenotype and function. Traditionally the focus of biomedical research was on individual genes, single protein targets, single metabolites, and metabolic or signaling pathways. This "molecular reductionist" paradigm was based on the assumption that identifying genetic variations and molecular components would lead to discovery of cures for human diseases. However, most of diseases are complex and multi-factorial and the disease phenotype is determined by the alterations of multiple genes, pathways, proteins and metabolites (at cellular, tissue, and organismal levels). Therefore, an integrated "omics" approach is more viable direction for uncovering alterations in metabolic networks, disease mechanisms, and mechanisms of drug effects. > Recent advent of large-scale metabolomics and fluxomic (metabolite dynamics and metabolic flux analysis) completed the "omics revolution" (Figure 1), where genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and fluxomics all together complement phenotype determination of living organism. Such integrated "omics" cascades provide a framework for advances in system and network biology, integrative physiology, and system medicine as well as system pharmacology and regenerative medicine. Noteworthy is the "reverse omic" approach or "metabolomicsinformed pharmacogenomics, " where discovery of specific metabolite changes have led to discovery of genetic alterations (2). Therefore, bringing new "omics" technologies to clinical practice will improve disease diagnostics and treatment by targeting drugs and procedures for each unique transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles.

[4] Can network biology unravel the aetiology of congenital hyperinsulinism?

  • Authors: A. Stevens, K. Cosgrove, R. Padidela, M. Skae, P. Clayton et al.
  • Year: 2013
  • Venue: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/474ed97fdbb2a604459faa0b626a8b7d20ed6bf4
  • DOI: 10.1186/1750-1172-8-21
  • PMID: 23394473
  • PMCID: 3599136
  • Citations: 9
  • Influential citations: 1
  • Summary: A rational argument for the use of computational biology as a valuable resource for identifying new candidate genes which may cause disease and for understanding the complex mechanisms which define the pathophysiology of this rare disease is presented.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.373) > Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare disease, but is the most common cause of recurrent hypoglycaemia in infancy [1]. The treatment of CHI can be difficult and involves drugs which may not be successful and often are poorly tolerated. As a potentially life-threatening condition, CHI is associated with lifelong sequelae -including critical brain damage (epilepsy, cerebral palsy and neurological impairment) in up to 40% of cases. To date, nine candidate genes associate with CHI, but for the majority of patientsestimated to be approximately 65%, both the aetiology of the CHI and the mechanisms of disease are unknown. > Our current approach to the classification and treatment of CHI is based largely upon observational correlations between the pathological analysis of candidate gene defects and clinical symptoms of hypoglycaemia [1][2][3]. In this respect, there are similarities between CHI and many other diseases in which numerous mutations in different genes give rise to clinical phenotypes that are essentially indistinguishable from one another. However, under normal physiological conditions, cells function correctly because there is a high degree of interdependency between individual biochemical components (DNA, RNA, proteins and metabolites) and their complex interactions (DNA-protein interactions, protein-protein interactions, metabolic and biochemical pathways, etc.), and tissues function in a co-ordinated manner because there is interplay between different cell types. Diseases rarely result from an abnormality in a single gene, but are in fact the manifestation of disturbances in the multiple networks that integrate cellular processes, and those that link cells with tissues, and tissues with organ systems. As a result, current approaches to molecular diagnosis, however valuable, have shortcomings. These include a lack of sensitivity in identifying preclinical disease, a poor ability to predict prognosis, and ambiguity in defining and resolving a condition where several clinical phenotypes can be observed. All of these inadequacies are evident in CHI, with our current understanding of the causes of disease failing to distinguish transient from persistent disease at the point of presentation and to determine accurately the severity of disease.

[5] Drug repurposing in Rett and Rett-like syndromes: a promising yet underrated opportunity?

  • Authors: Claudia Fuchs, P. A. ‛. ’t Hoen, A. Müller, Friederike Ehrhart, C. V. van Karnebeek
  • Year: 2024
  • Venue: Frontiers in Medicine
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/b00d0859458647edeebf3cf53f9b39c79311d5ed
  • DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1425038
  • PMID: 39135718
  • PMCID: 11317438
  • Citations: 1
  • Summary: The potential of drug repurposing (DR) as a promising avenue for addressing the unmet medical needs of individuals with RTT and related disorders is explored and Leveraging existing drugs for new therapeutic purposes presents an attractive strategy.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.367) > Rigorous preclinical and clinical studies are also crucial for better understanding the complex pathophysiology of these syndromes. To date, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying these complex disorders are still not fully understood; hindering the identification and validation of potential drug targets. This specifically applies to CDD and FOXG1-syndrome: both conditions were identified as distinct clinical entities only recently and it is understandable that research efforts initially focused primarily on "classical" RTT. This discrepancy is reflected also in the very different numbers of repurposing studies highlighted in Figure 1. Continued efforts in pre-clinical (identification of valuable cell and animal models etc.) and clinical research (better understanding of the natural history, clinical manifestations, disease progression, biomarkers etc.) will be essential for advancing our understanding and improving outcomes for individuals affected by these syndromes. In particular, better characterizing the shared symptoms and pathways across these entities, will provide valuable insights into the underlying biology and potentially uncover new common mechanisms and targeted therapies. If the disorders demonstrate convergence in their underlying molecular pathways, this provides an opportunity for designing joint DR 10.3389/fmed.2024.1425038 strategies across RTT and RTT-like disorders. This could reduce the time needed for the development of DR and increase the number of patients benefiting from the treatments, resulting in more attractive business models. > Despite promising DR results in preclinical or early-phase clinical trials for RTT and related disorders in our opinion DR is still underrated and underutilized in this kind of disorders. DR holds immense potential for addressing the unmet medical needs and therapeutic challenges posed by such complex NDDs, and recent advancements screening and computational techniques, offer the unique opportunity to predict drug-disease interactions and prioritize candidate compounds for further investigation. By leveraging existing drugs and repurposing them for new indications, this approach offers a pragmatic and efficient strategy to accelerate the development of treatments for individuals affected by these debilitating conditions.

[6] Changes in Serum Proteomic Profiles at Different Stages of Pregnancy Toxemia in Goats

  • Authors: M. Uzti̇mür, C. N. Ünal, Gurler Akpinar
  • Year: 2025
  • Venue: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/4b9c488b5dbd65d7b26fd2ad9aed70e8c4b59942
  • DOI: 10.1111/jvim.70139
  • PMID: 40492724
  • PMCID: 12150350
  • Summary: Understanding the serum proteome profiles of goats with pregnancy toxemia might help identify the proteomes and pathways responsible for the development of this disease and improve diagnosis and treatment.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.366) > The pathophysiology and progression of this disease are not fully understood. > Traditional biomedical research has focused on the analysis of single genes, proteins, metabolites, or metabolic pathways in diseases. This molecular reductionist approach is based on the assumption that identifying genetic variations and molecular components will lead to new treatments for diseases [13][14][15][16]. However, many diseases are complex and multifactorial, and in order to determine the phenotype of such diseases, it is necessary to understand the changes that occur in more than one gene, pathway, protein, or metabolite at the cellular, tissue, and organismal levels [17][18][19]. Therefore, in recent years, proteomics, as one field of multi-omics technologies, has helped in evaluating the complex pathogenetic mechanisms of different diseases from a broad perspective and has made substantial contributions [20,21]. In veterinary medicine, proteomic analysis of metabolic diseases such as ketosis [16], hypocalcemia [22], and fatty liver [23] in dairy cows has contributed valuable insights for the definition of new pathophysiological pathways and new diagnosis and treatment protocols for these diseases. The proteomic approach can contribute importantly to a broad and detailed understanding of the changes that occur at the organismal level associated with the increase in BHBA concentration in goats with pregnancy toxemia. Our aim was to evaluate the serum protein profiles of goats with SPT or CPT using proteomic techniques to determine the proteomic profiles of these animals and to identify the relevant pathophysiological mechanisms.

[7] Recent Highlights of Metabolomics in Chinese Medicine Syndrome Research

  • Authors: Aihua Zhang, Hui Sun, Shi Qiu, Xi-jun Wang
  • Year: 2013
  • Venue: Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/d7d3d212213ec3339d418bd1e601e0ae79758cd1
  • DOI: 10.1155/2013/402159
  • PMID: 24302964
  • PMCID: 3834606
  • Citations: 47
  • Influential citations: 1
  • Summary: Past successes in applications of robust metabolomic approaches to contribute to low-molecular-weight metabolites (biomarkers) discovery in CMS research and development are focused on.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.363) > Fortunately, metabolomics has been used to explore the particular metabolites, potentially diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and pathways of syndrome. In an article currently published in Mol Cell Proteomics [2012;11(8):370-80], Wang and coworkers used UPLC-Q-TOF-HDMS combined with pattern recognition methods to investigate a comprehensive metabolome of JS in order to establish specific metabolites phenotype and generate a better understanding of the pathophysiology [20]. Results indicate that JS related metabolites play an essential role in glutamate metabolism, synthesis, and degradation of ketone bodies, alanine, and aspartate metabolism, which are tightly correlated with the genes of neurotransmitters, hormones, and cytokines in the metabolites interaction network. Interestingly, 44 distinct metabolites identified from these pathways are in various stages of progress at the JS. Furthermore, vitamin B6 metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, arginine, and proline metabolism were also the top functions listed by MetaboAnalyst for YAH patient. Significant changes associated with YAH disease, defined as metabolite changes in YAH versus controls, were identified for 40 metabolites that are potential candidates for biomarkers. Additionally, steroid hormone biosynthesis, primary bile acid biosynthesis, cysteine, and methionine metabolism were all related to YIH. It is noteworthy that 49 metabolites together are important for the host response to YIH through target metabolism pathways. The results not only indicated that metabolomics had sufficient sensitivity and specificity to distinguish JS from healthy controls but also contributed to a further understanding of disease mechanisms. > Understanding syndromes is a core research to develop more efficient therapeutic strategies and diagnostic criteria for patients. Clinical evidence has shown that patients with liver-stagnation and spleen-deficiency syndrome (LSS) that characterized by metabolic disorder of body fluid, and causing liver failure and weakness. It is difficult to get outcome immediately and not particularly effective in separating cases of LSS from other non-LSS disorders. Development of biomarkers with higher sensitivity and specificity is waiting to emerge.

[8] New therapeutic targets in rare genetic skeletal diseases

  • Authors: M. Briggs, Peter A. Bell, M. Wright, K. A. Pirog
  • Year: 2015
  • Venue: Expert Opinion on Orphan Drugs
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/1363107f71ae6d2d60abca471cddf3da5d13644b
  • DOI: 10.1517/21678707.2015.1083853
  • PMID: 26635999
  • PMCID: 4643203
  • Citations: 37
  • Influential citations: 1
  • Summary: An overview of disease mechanisms that are shared amongst groups of different GSDs and potential therapeutic approaches that are under investigation are described to generate critical mass for the identification and validation of novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.363) > proteins of the cartilage ECM such as type II collagen [50]. However, emerging knowledge suggests that the primary genetic defect may be less important than the cells' response to the expression of the mutant gene product [107]. Moreover, the largely overlooked response of a cell (i.e. chondrocyte) to the abnormal extracellular environment is also important for disease progression as illustrated by several GSDs discussed in this review. > It is important that 'omics'-based approaches and technologies are systematically applied to the study of rare GSDs so that definitive reference profiles and disease signatures are generated for each phenotype. These can then be used in a Systems Biology approach to identify both common and dissimilar pathological signatures and disease mechanisms. This approach is entirely dependent upon relevant in vitro and in vivo models (and also novel 'disease-mechanism phenocopies' [107]) for testing new diagnostic and prognostic tools and for determining the molecular mechanisms that underpin the pathophysiology so that effective therapeutic treatments can be developed and validated. This approach will eventually lead to personalized treatments and care strategies centred on shared disease mechanisms with the use of relevant biomarkers to monitor the efficacy of treatment and disease progression. > It is vital that all relevant stakeholders are involved from the outset in defining the appropriate outcomes of any potential therapeutic regime. The perceptions of a successful therapy can differ widely between the clinical academic community and the relevant patient-support groups and it is vital that there is engagement on all these issues. > In summary, the identification of causative genes and mutations for GSDs over the last 20 years, coupled with the generation and in-depth analysis of a plethora of relevant cell and mouse models, has derived new knowledge on disease mechanisms and suggested potential therapeutic targets. The fast-evolving hypothesis that clinically disparate diseases can share common disease mechanisms is a powerful concept that will generate critical mass for the identification and validation of novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers.

[9] Exploring the molecular mechanisms of subarachnoid hemorrhage and potential therapeutic targets: insights from bioinformatics and drug prediction

  • Authors: Yi Liu, Yang Zhang, Huan Wei, Li Wang, Lishang Liao
  • Year: 2025
  • Venue: Scientific Reports
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/19a91d9c8cabec6a5a186729d545077e252ecb67
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-97642-8
  • PMID: 40229542
  • PMCID: 11997208
  • Summary: The findings not only elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying SAH but also provide robust bioinformatics and experimental evidence supporting IRN as a promising therapeutic candidate, offering novel insights for future intervention strategies in SAH.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.363) > involved in SAH pathology. As a result, our understanding of the cellular composition and microenvironment in SAH remains incomplete 8 . > Advances in bioinformatics provide powerful tools to analyze large-scale gene expression data and understand complex biological processes. By integrating transcriptomic data with immune cell infiltration analysis, we can gain a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying SAH and identify potential key genes as therapeutic targets 9,10 . Previous studies have indicated that inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death play crucial roles in the development of SAH, processes that are often closely associated with changes in specific cell types and immune responses 11 . > The goal of this study is to explore the molecular mechanisms of SAH, with a focus on immune cell infiltration and its role in disease progression. We aim to identify key genes and signaling pathways associated with SAH and investigate potential therapeutic strategies. Specifically, we will examine Isorhynchophylline (IRN) as a potential treatment for SAH and analyze its effects on relevant targets and signaling pathways. Through a comprehensive understanding of the pathological features of SAH, this study aims to provide valuable insights into future clinical interventions and treatment strategies.

[10] The hyperornithinemia–hyperammonemia-homocitrullinuria syndrome

  • Authors: D. Martinelli, D. Diodato, Emanuela Ponzi, M. Monné, S. Boenzi et al.
  • Year: 2015
  • Venue: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/ed033868ee677da141e5c926bc7c93cac242ea06
  • DOI: 10.1186/s13023-015-0242-9
  • PMID: 25874378
  • PMCID: 4358699
  • Citations: 92
  • Influential citations: 5
  • Summary: The clinical phenotype of HHH syndrome is extremely variable and its severity does not correlate with the genotype or with recorded ammonium/ornithine plasma levels, suggesting the need for a better understanding of the still unsolved pathophysiology of the disease.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.360) > Although the disease responds well to treatment with low risk of relapse of hyperammonemia [38], slowly progressive pyramidal signs characterize the chronic course, as also seen in argininemia [89]. However, the mechanism(s) of pyramidal dysfunction in HHH syndrome still remains to be elucidated. Creatine deficiency may contribute to the pathogenetic mechanism of the syndrome, as creatine is relevant for mitochondrial energy metabolism, regulation of glycolysis, proteins synthesis, membrane stabilization and neuromodulation [77,78,85]. This could be in line with the finding of abnormally shaped mitochondria at electron microscopy studies in skin fibroblasts, hepatocytes and muscle biopsy from HHH syndrome patients [11,23,82]. Furthermore, a mitochondrial dysfunction has been recently related to the effects of ornithine and homocitrulline in causing oxidative stress and disturbed mitochondrial homeostasis [79,80]. > A further mechanism that can be involved in the pathophysiology of HHH syndrome is related to polyamines metabolism. Shimizu and colleagues reported increased total and fractional (putrescine, cadaverine, spermine, spermidine) polyamines in one HHH syndrome patient [30]. Indeed, the clinical similarities between HHH syndrome and argininemia, which has been associated to an abnormal polyamine metabolism [91,92], may suggest a common pathogenetic mechanism causing pyramidal dysfunction. > Overall, the pathogenesis of HHH syndrome is complex and not completely understood. It is likely that different mechanisms, including the impact of low mitochondrial ornithine on UC flux, the presence of hyperammonemic crises and the disturbance of other pathways in major organs play a role in determining the heterogeneous clinical presentation of ORC1 deficiency. > In addition, as molecular studies failed to disclose a correlation between type of mutations or ornithine transport capacity and disease severity, an effect of genetic modifiers, such as ORC genes redundancy, seems to be likely, but further studies are certainly needed to clarify this point.

[11] Renal ciliopathies: promising drug targets and prospects for clinical trials

  • Authors: L. Devlin, Praveen Dhondurao Sudhindar, J. Sayer
  • Year: 2023
  • Venue: Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/ab2155b6e12caba53d57ac0e8ce28860d69ec9fd
  • DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2218616
  • PMID: 37243567
  • Citations: 10
  • Summary: The advances in basic science and clinical research into renal ciliopathies which have yielded promising small compounds and drug targets are reviewed, within both preclinical studies and clinical trials.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.359) > Although renal ciliopathies can be classified into distinct syndromes, causative mutations in genes encoding proteins involved in the primary cilium or centrosome mean they may share overlapping mechanisms of disease, which may be amenable for therapeutic intervention (Figure 2). Abnormal functioning of proteins involved in ciliogenesis, such as CEP164, can prevent proper cilia formation, which will effect a myriad of downstream ciliary signaling pathways. Additionally, mutations in genes encoding for proteins involved in cargo trafficking or regulation, such as CEP290, will have implications for signal pathway transduction, as well as mutations in components of signaling pathways themselves, such as PKD1. In regard to renal ciliopathies, abnormalities in signaling pathways such as cAMP, Shh, Wnt, mTOR, and AMPK, likely cause misoriented cellular divisions, increased proliferation, increased fluid secretion and subsequent cystogenesis, consequently leading to further kidney damage. Ciliary and centriolar proteins which have roles in DDR and cell cycle regulation may also be driving a renal cystogenesis phenotype alongside increased fibrosis and apoptosis. Increased inflammation and dysfunctional mitochondria are also byproducts of dysregulated signaling pathways have been shown to contribute to the progression of renal ciliopathies. Extensive reviews of mechanisms of renal ciliopathy diseases have recently been performed [23,24]. Importantly, due to the wide range of cellular processes that primary cilia regulate, it is likely that in each syndrome there are multiple pathogenic drivers of disease. In some ways, this is advantageous as it offers many points for potential therapeutic targets. However, the cross talk between pathways and feedback loops introduces complications of changing one pathway without negatively affecting another. Further challenges arise with core biological pathways, such as Shh signaling, in which modification in vitro may be beneficial, but systemic treatment is unrealistic due to the expected severe side effects [18,24,116].

[12] Aberrant NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation Ignites the Fire of Inflammation in Neuromuscular Diseases

  • Authors: Christine Péladeau, J. Sandhu
  • Year: 2021
  • Venue: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/763a36db080236fca8cde89b2afcdf056f3584d0
  • DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116068
  • PMID: 34199845
  • PMCID: 8200055
  • Citations: 18
  • Influential citations: 1
  • Summary: Whether therapeutic targeting of the NLRP3 inflammasome components is a viable approach to alleviating the detrimental phenotype of neuromuscular diseases and improving clinical outcomes is examined.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.359) > Despite a large number of mechanisms that have been identified in muscle degeneration and nerve cell loss, none have proven to be the primary cause of the disease. There is much need for a deeper understanding of the biology of the pathogeneses and the molecular mechanisms that are activated early in the diseases in order to identify "druggable" targets and disease-modifying treatments for these devastating diseases. > Human iPSC technologies are emerging as useful platforms for disease modeling to study pathogenic mechanisms and discover novel therapeutics for neuromuscular diseases [211,237]. Indeed, patient-derived iPSCs are being used to create a "patient-in-adish" disease model to derive relevant cell types for testing potential therapeutics, paving the way towards personalized medicine. This approach allows drug screening in a dish prior to administration to patients and "bench-to-bedside" translation of potential therapies. Additionally, iPSCs may also be used to stratify patients with various phenotypes and guide future clinical trials for bringing improved therapies to patients. Since multiple cell types are involved in disease pathogenesis, future research efforts need to be focused on deciphering "disease-specific signatures" at single-cell resolution, and not only in neuronal cells but also in non-neuronal cells. The application of modern technologies, including single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, to neuromuscular diseases, will allow to ascertain cellular vulnerability and cell-specific mechanisms during various stages of disease progression. > The vital roles of the NLRP3 inflammasome in neuromuscular diseases such as DMD, LGMD and ALS, reveal that targeting this pathway is indeed a promising therapeutic strategy. Dysregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in muscle tissues by muscle damage, membrane instability, extracellular ATP and Ca 2+ ions or signals from infiltrating immune cells, clearly impacts the progression of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, modulation of these pathways involved with activation and assembly of NLRP3 inflammasome could be truly beneficial.

[13] Probing disorders of the nervous system using reprogramming approaches

  • Authors: J. Ichida, E. Kiskinis
  • Year: 2015
  • Venue: The EMBO Journal
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/07c84453351dfc9065d2f4870f5c534a96e63282
  • DOI: 10.15252/embj.201591267
  • PMID: 25925386
  • PMCID: 4474524
  • Citations: 4
  • Summary: Tables listing the various human neural cell types that can be generated and the neurological disease modeling studies that have been reported are presented, the current state of the field is described, important breakthroughs are highlighted and the next steps and future challenges are discussed.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.355) > Neurological disorders including schizophrenia, ALS, PD, FTD and epilepsy are often characterized by a profound clinical and genetic heterogeneity, suggesting that they might represent a syndrome rather than a single nosological entity (Fanous & Kendler, 2005;Tremblay et al, 2013;Jeste & Geschwind, 2014). The variable combination of positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia, the variable degree of upper and lower motor neuron dysfunction in ALS, the heterogeneity of cognitive symptoms in PD, the variable rate of progression in FTD and the differential response to anti-epileptic treatments in epileptic syndromes are some examples of the clinical diversity in neurological disorders. In addition, genetic studies in ALS, for example, have demonstrated that the disease can be caused by mutations in genes that encode proteins involved in diverse cellular functions ranging from RNA metabolism, vesicle transport, cytoskeletal homeostasis and the processing of unfolded proteins (Cleveland & Rothstein, 2001;Pasinelli & Brown, 2006;Sreedharan & Brown, 2013). While progress has been achieved in terms of genetic taxonomy, pathological stratification and the classification of patients based on their clinical presentation, little is known about how similar or different patients are, in terms of the molecular pathways that mediate their disease processes. Reprogramming technologies can be used to develop in vitro models of genetic and sporadic disease cases and effectively stratify patients, based on (i) the neuronal subtype that exhibits a disease-associated phenotype and (ii) the pathway that leads to this phenotype in each case (Fig 3). This approach may lead to the identification of overlapping disease mechanisms that will be broadly relevant and represent the best therapeutic opportunities, or toward a personalized approach to clinical trials and therapeutic treatments.

[14] Drug Repurposing in Rare Diseases: An Integrative Study of Drug Screening and Transcriptomic Analysis in Nephropathic Cystinosis

  • Authors: F. Bellomo, Ester De Leo, A. Taranta, L. Giaquinto, G. di Giovamberardino et al.
  • Year: 2021
  • Venue: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5e45caf9d574a1dc3ebf53a7fcb57c10bb2373f8
  • DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312829
  • PMID: 34884638
  • PMCID: 8657658
  • Citations: 18
  • Summary: A drug repurposing strategy applied to nephropathic cystinosis, a rare inherited disorder belonging to the lysosomal storage diseases is shown, combining mechanism-based and cell-based screenings, coupled with an affordable computational analysis, which could result very useful to predict therapeutic responses at both molecular and system levels.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.354) > Diagnosis and cure for rare diseases represent a great challenge for the scientific community who often comes up against the complexity and heterogeneity of clinical picture associated to a high cost and time-consuming drug development processes. Here we show a drug repurposing strategy applied to nephropathic cystinosis, a rare inherited disorder belonging to the lysosomal storage diseases. This approach consists in combining mechanism-based and cell-based screenings, coupled with an affordable computational analysis, which could result very useful to predict therapeutic responses at both molecular and system levels. Then, we identified potential drugs and metabolic pathways relevant for the pathophysiology of nephropathic cystinosis by comparing gene-expression signature of drugs that share common mechanisms of action or that involve similar pathways with the disease gene-expression signature achieved with RNA-seq.

[15] Investigating the role of NPR1 in dilated cardiomyopathy and its potential as a therapeutic target for glucocorticoid therapy

  • Authors: Yaomeng Huang, Tongxin Li, Shichao Gao, Shuyu Li, Xiaoran Zhu et al.
  • Year: 2023
  • Venue: Frontiers in Pharmacology
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/be229f6f2059faab4c97ec0a04bd055adab9dfe1
  • DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1290253
  • PMID: 38026943
  • PMCID: 10662320
  • Citations: 3
  • Summary: Natriuretic peptide receptor 1 (NPR1) was identified as a core gene associated with DCM through bioinformatics analysis and led to substantial improvements in cardiac and renal function, accompanied by an upregulation of NPR1 expression.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.354) > Multiple pathways and molecules are involved in this process; however, the detailed underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In recent years, with the development of high-throughput sequencing and gene chip technologies, the use of bioinformatics technology to explore the occurrence, development, and prognosis of diseases has become a hot topic for scholars worldwide (Hwang et al., 2018;Nayor et al., 2019;Rinschen et al., 2019;Sturm et al., 2019;Montaner et al., 2020). > The present study aimed to use bioinformatics technology to screen for DCM-related genes and investigate their mechanisms, with the purpose of revealing the pathogenesis of DCM and seeking treatment methods. The GSE3586 dataset, containing expression profiles related to DCM, was selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. This study aimed to predict the core genes that may play crucial roles in disease progression at the molecular level through the enrichment of relevant molecular pathways associated with DCM. Furthermore, the phenotype of the core genes was validated to further support the results of the bioinformatics analysis through basic and clinical experiments. Additionally, the role of glucocorticoids in DCM treatment is discussed in this article with the purpose of providing a theoretical and experimental basis for exploring the pathogenesis of DCM and elucidating therapeutic methods. This study also provides a theoretical reference for the interpretation, early diagnosis, and treatment of DCM.

[16] Clinical features and genetic analysis of a family with t(5;9) (p15;p24) balanced translocation leading to Cri-du-chat syndrome in offspring

  • Authors: Jing Zhao, Ping Chen, Yijia Ren, Shurong Li, Weiyi Zhang et al.
  • Year: 2025
  • Venue: Frontiers in Genetics
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5caf88001c66b473b6565f9e75eb6a4f1a8c4a0a
  • DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1550937
  • PMID: 40406061
  • PMCID: 12094932
  • Citations: 1
  • Summary: This study reports a rare familial balanced translocation pedigree, particularly noting that the offspring can suffer from Cri-du-chat syndrome, which suggests a potential new genetic model for this syndrome.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.353) > Using the Metascape database for GO enrichment analysis of the region containing 60 OMIM genes from 5p15.33p14.1 revealed the potential molecular mechanisms of the disease. The results showed that OMIM genes in the 5p15.33p14.1 region are mainly enriched in Na+/Cl-dependent neurotransmitter transporters, cell-cell adhesion mediated by cadherin, nephron epithelium development, and other signaling pathways (Figure 5A). Disease enrichment analysis showed that genes in this region are mainly associated with Cri-du-chat syndrome (Figure 5B) . Cri-du-chat syndrome is closely related to developmental abnormalities, neurological defects, and craniofacial malformations. Enrichment analysis supports the involvement of molecular mechanisms related to Wnt signaling, neurotransmitter transport, ubiquitination pathways, particularly through diseasegene associations from DisGeNET and GO functional enrichment. These results provide clues for revealing the molecular network of the disease and guide future research. > Using the Metascape database, GO enrichment analysis of 45 OMIM genes located in the 9p24.3-p22.3 region was performed. The results showed that OMIM genes in the 9p24.3-p22.3 region are mainly enriched in signaling pathways such as positive regulation of leukocyte activation, response to amine, cell population proliferation, positive regulation of cell development, etc. (Figure 5C). Disease enrichment analysis revealed that genes in this region are mainly associated with Chromosome 9p deletion syndrome (Figure 5D). This study, through multidimensional bioinformatics analysis, not only clarified the core biological functions of genes in the 9p24.3-p22.3 region, but also revealed their potential association mechanisms with major diseases, providing important theoretical basis and directional guidance for subsequent gene function validation, molecular mechanism research, and clinical translation. Balanced translocation carriers have the opportunity to produce phenotypically normal offspring, but they are at a higher risk of recurrent miscarriages and offspring with chromosomal abnormalities.

[17] Modeling psychiatric disorders: from genomic findings to cellular phenotypes

  • Authors: Anna Falk, Vivi M. Heine, A. Harwood, Patrick F. Sullivan, M. Peitz et al.
  • Year: 2016
  • Venue: Molecular Psychiatry
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/235b41240d78140de7ab06a3ad8a7d0b1bdff1a5
  • DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.89
  • PMID: 27240529
  • PMCID: 4995546
  • Citations: 77
  • Influential citations: 2
  • Summary: The challenges for modeling of psychiatric disorders, potential solutions and how iPSC technology can be used to develop an analytical framework for the evaluation and therapeutic manipulation of fundamental disease processes are critically reviewed.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.353) > The key challenge for iPSC-based disease modeling is to identify one or more relevant cellular phenotypes that accurately represent the disease pathophysiology. Increasing numbers of reports have demonstrated that for many diseases specific pathophysiology can be captured in human iPSC-based disease models. These range from cardiovascular disease, 44,45 cancer, 46,47 ocular disease, 48,49 diabetes mellitus 50,51 and neurological disorders of the brain. 52,53 Can the same approach be applied to complex psychiatric disorders? > The problem is that almost all psychiatric disorders are characterized by clinical signs and symptoms, but lack independent verification from objective biomarkers. Thus, how might these clinical phenotypes manifest themselves in terms of cell behavior? The identity of robust cellular 'readouts', which typify any psychiatric disorder, is a crucial unsolved problem and an area of intense study 54 (Table 2). When satisfactorily answered, this will herald a new degree of biological objectivity and quantification for the study of psychiatric disorders. > The aim is to find a single or small number of cell phenotypes or parameters that strongly associate with psychiatric disorders, and establish a cellular profile characteristic of cells derived from the general patient population. Although a consensus set of cellular phenotypes for psychiatric disorder is yet to be established, we can define some of their desired characteristics. First, cellular phenotypes have to relate to the biological pathways identified by genetics. Second, although there are many risk genes in disparate biological pathways, at some level, phenotypes should converge onto a much smaller grouping. Third, phenotypes need to be quantifiable. Finally, to be useful for drug development cellular phenotypes should be reversed by pharmacological treatment, although not necessarily by drugs in current use. > Although human iPSC-based approaches underrepresent the complexity of the human central nervous system, cellular phenotypes are likely to lie more proximal to molecular disease mechanisms than phenotypes seen at the level of a tissue or organism, 55 and thus may bypass compensatory homeostatic (2) Gene expression profiles of SCZ human iPSC neurons identified altered expression of many components of the cyclic AMP and WNT signaling pathways. > (3

[18] Role of Transcriptomics in Precision Oncology

  • Authors: Ruby Srivastava
  • Year: 2024
  • Venue: Reports of Radiotherapy and Oncology
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/0bd862558bbb7286336111d9dfd232b5f905d3d9
  • DOI: 10.5812/rro-142195
  • Citations: 4
  • Summary: : Transcriptome profiling is one of the most widely used approaches in the field of multiomics research. It plays a crucial role in the prognostic, diagnostic, and predictive treatment of cancer patients. Novel next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies permit the identification of cancer biomarkers, gene signatures, and their abnormal expression, affecting oncogenic and molecular targets and novel biomarkers for cancer therapies. Multiomics studies have changed the overall understanding o...
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.353) > : Transcriptome profiling is one of the most widely used approaches in the field of multiomics research. It plays a crucial role in the prognostic, diagnostic, and predictive treatment of cancer patients. Novel next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies permit the identification of cancer biomarkers, gene signatures, and their abnormal expression, affecting oncogenic and molecular targets and novel biomarkers for cancer therapies. Multiomics studies have changed the overall understanding of cancer and opened a precise perspective for tumor diagnostics and therapy. The use of these approaches has strengthened our understanding of disease pathophysiology and classifications at the molecular level, including specific interference with drug mechanisms of action. Still, it has limited added value in the clinical setting. The omics data on precision medicine include the application of data from genes, transcripts, and proteins for diagnosis, monitoring of diseases, risk factor determination, counseling, and development of novel therapeutics. Bioinformatics applications have expanded statistics-based analysis toward deriving molecular pathways and process models for characterizing phenotypes and drug action mechanisms. In this review, we will discuss transcriptomics and interference analysis that allows the identification of predictive biomarkers at the molecular level to test drug response and analyze the molecular process interface of disease progression-relevant pathophysiology and mechanism of action to propose predictive biomarkers.

[19] Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Models for Phenotypic Screening in the Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses

  • Authors: A. Morsy, Angelica V Carmona, P. Trippier
  • Year: 2021
  • Venue: Molecules
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/d510bd31c2c0312641423e0a06892605943439bc
  • DOI: 10.3390/molecules26206235
  • PMID: 34684815
  • PMCID: 8538546
  • Citations: 10
  • Influential citations: 2
  • Summary: An overview of available iPSC models for a number of different NCLs is provided and findings in these models that may spur target identification and drug development are highlighted.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.352) > The NCLs encompasses a group of rare, fatal, pediatric neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders.Several gene mutations (CLN1-CLN8, CLN10-CLN14) can lead to NCL; however, a partial understanding of the function of the disease-associated proteins has hindered therapy development.Current treatment options are only symptomatic and focus on delaying progression.To date, there are only two clinically approved drugs, Brineuria, for the treatment of CLN2 disease, and Neurogene's recently approved gene therapy to treat CLN5 disease.Different organism models have become available for NCL disease research which have provided a myriad of important information about the protein function or dysfunction for each of the associated genes, possible disease mechanisms, and have enabled detailed preclinical studies and in a small number of cases, clinical trials. > Herein, we have highlighted the contributions of different disease models to NCL research, focusing on the established patient-derived iPSC phenotypic screening models.The ability of iPSCs to encompass the precise pattern of genetic variants, along with acquiring disease pathogenesis and phenotype makes them a more translational model compared to mice and eliminates the problem of species difference.However, compared to animal models, fewer iPSC models currently exist. > The brain is a complex network of many different cellular phenotypes and screening compounds in just one phenotype, i.e., neurons, is not a complete representation of the environment in the brain.While most studies in NCL patient-derived iPSCs employ either NPCs or neurons there are emerging studies looking at biochemical and pathophysiology effects of NCL on other cell phenotypes, one such example is the use of BMECs to model the blood-brain barrier that identified an impaired barrier phenotype in CLN3.Differentiation of iPSCs into other phenotypes including oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, microglia etc. is ongoing and results are expected in due course.These cell types will allow the construction of increasingly complex co-culture models that more readily represent the human brain and thus allow a greater understanding of the disease.

[20] Human Dermal Fibroblast: A Promising Cellular Model to Study Biological Mechanisms of Major Depression and Antidepressant Drug Response

  • Authors: P. Mesdom, R. Colle, É. Lebigot, S. Trabado, Eric Deflesselle et al.
  • Year: 2020
  • Venue: Current Neuropharmacology
  • URL: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/79368e365458486de96794333613c12a6063bf54
  • DOI: 10.2174/1570159X17666191021141057
  • PMID: 31631822
  • PMCID: 7327943
  • Citations: 12
  • Summary: This review highlights the great and still underused potential of HDF, which stands out as a very promising tool in the understanding of MDD and AD mechanisms of action.
  • Evidence snippets:
  • Snippet 1 (score: 0.351) > Background: Human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) can be used as a cellular model relatively easily and without genetic engineering. Therefore, HDF represent an interesting tool to study several human diseases including psychiatric disorders. Despite major depressive disorder (MDD) being the second cause of disability in the world, the efficacy of antidepressant drug (AD) treatment is not sufficient and the underlying mechanisms of MDD and the mechanisms of action of AD are poorly understood. Objective The aim of this review is to highlight the potential of HDF in the study of cellular mechanisms involved in MDD pathophysiology and in the action of AD response. Methods The first part is a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines on the use of HDF in MDD research. The second part reports the mechanisms and molecules both present in HDF and relevant regarding MDD pathophysiology and AD mechanisms of action. Results HDFs from MDD patients have been investigated in a relatively small number of works and most of them focused on the adrenergic pathway and metabolism-related gene expression as compared to HDF from healthy controls. The second part listed an important number of papers demonstrating the presence of many molecular processes in HDF, involved in MDD and AD mechanisms of action. Conclusion The imbalance in the number of papers between the two parts highlights the great and still underused potential of HDF, which stands out as a very promising tool in our understanding of MDD and AD mechanisms of action

Notes

  • This provider combines search_papers_by_relevance with snippet_search.
  • No synthesis or second-stage model call is performed.