Biology subjects

Ekici, A. B.

Publications and source records attributed to Ekici, A. B..

10 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

LAMA5 deficiency disrupts ECM-WNT crosstalk in chondrogenesis and contributes to idiopathic short stature

Idiopathic short stature (ISS) affects 2%-3% of the population and is genetically heterogeneous, with emerging evidence implicating the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the growth plate. We identify LAMA5, encoding laminin-5, as a candidate ISS gene, with rare heterozygous variants present in 1.2% of affected individuals. To define its functional role, we generated CRISPR/Cas9-mediated LAMA5-knockout (KO) urine-derived stem cells (USCs) and induced chondrogenic differentiation in two- and three-dimensional culture systems. Loss of LAMA5 impaired chondrogenesis, with disruption of cell-cell junction programs and abnormal architecture of chondrogenic spheroids. Bulk RNA sequencing combined with weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed WNT7A and FLI1 as key dysregulated genes within the module most strongly associated with the KO phenotype. Gene Ontology enrichment of this module highlighted embryonic limb morphogenesis as the top biological process, and WNT7A was assigned to canonical WNT signaling. Pharmacologic activation of WNT signaling using lithium chloride (LiCl) partially restored expression of WNT7A, FLI1, TFAP2A, GRHL2, and PITX1 toward wild-type levels, indicating that attenuated WNT activity is a principal downstream consequence of LAMA5 deficiency. Consistent with this, we identified an individual with ISS carrying a heterozygous PITX1 missense variant, supporting convergence of ECM (LAMA5) and transcriptional (PITX1) perturbations on a shared WNT-centered limb-morphogenesis network. Together, these findings demonstrate that laminin-5 is required for proper ECM-WNT signaling integration during human chondrogenesis and suggest that dysregulated WNT activity represents a mechanistic link between LAMA5 dysfunction and impaired endochondral growth. Partial rescue by WNT pathway re-activation highlights a potentially targetable downstream mechanism in ISS pathogenesis.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2025

Single-cell dissection of urine-derived stem cell hierarchies reveals robust chondrogenesis and clinical scalability

Developing of models of human cartilage and bone growth is essential for the study of growth disorders and to advance towards personalized therapeutic interventions. The majority of in vitro strategies depend on the use of invasively obtained mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or the laborious generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We have now established urine-derived stem cells (USCs) as a non-invasive stem cell source capable of osteogenic and robust chondrogenic spheroid differentiation. Single-cell RNA sequencing of USCs revealed a hierarchy originating from parietal epithelial cells of the kidney, with a proliferative TOP2A subpopulation governed by MYC and E2F4 regulatory networks. Pseudo-time analysis of chondrogenic USCs uncovered alternative chondrogenic differentiation trajectories with an ALDH1A2 intermediate state and a TIMP3-expressing chondrocyte-like subpopulation as the major endpoint, exhibiting cartilage-specific gene ontologies. In conclusion, a streamlined, xeno-free culture and differentiation protocol was developed, thereby establishing the basis for clinical-grade cell expansion and cartilage matrix formation. This positions USCs as a powerful tool for studying cartilage biology and a potential platform for development and use in regenerative therapies.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2025

Distinct myeloid precursors and their interaction with mesenchymal cells orchestrate the spreading of psoriatic disease from the skin to the joints

Psoriatic disease initially affects the skin, but later extends to the joints. Herein, we describe a two-step process that orchestrates spreading of inflammation from the skin to the joints. Induction of psoriatic skin disease in photoconvertible mice, followed by sequencing and computational characterization of skin-derived cells in the joints, identified a unique population of CD2+ MHC-II+ CCR2+ myeloid precursors that built up a skin-derived myeloid cell compartment in the joints. Single-cell cross-species reference mapping and mitochondrial variant tracing showed an orthologue human cell population. Interactome analyses in the joints showed that in a second step, resident regulatory CD200+ fibroblasts critically regulate the priming of the CD2+ MHC-II+ CCR2+ myeloid precursors, which subsequently regulate the IL-17 expression in T cells. Hence, spreading of inflammation requires a distinct migratory myeloid precursor population and a permissive local tissue environment, similar to tumour metastasis. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=121 SRC="FIGDIR/small/665302v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (24K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@38c440org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@dc574dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1e79f72org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19508cf_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

immunology↗

bioRxiv2024

IgA displays site- and subclass-specific glycoform differences despite equal glycoenzyme expression

BackgroundGlycosylation is an important posttranslational modification of proteins and in most cases indispensable for proper protein function. Like most soluble proteins, IgA, the second most prevalent antibody in human serum, contains several N- and O-glycosylation sites. While for IgG the impact of Fc glycosylation on effector functions and inflammatory potential has been intensively studied, only little is known for IgA. In addition, only glimpses exist regarding the regulation of IgA glycosylation. We have previously shown that IgA1 and IgA2 differ functionally and also show differences in their glycosylation pattern. The more pro-inflammatory IgA2 which is linked to autoimmune diseases displays decreased sialylation, galactosylation, fucosylation and bisection as compared to IgA1. In the present study, we aimed to investigate these differences in glycosylation in detail and to explore the mechanisms underlying them. MethodsIgA1 and IgA2 was isolated from serum of 12 healthy donors. Site specific glycosylation was analyzed by mass spectrometry. In addition, human bone marrow plasma cells were investigated using single cell mRNA sequencing, flow cytometry and ELISpot. ResultsWe found that certain glycoforms greatly differ in their abundance between IgA1 and IgA2 while others are equally abundant. Overall, the IgA2 glycans displayed a more immature phenotype with a higher prevalence of oligomannose and fewer fully processed glycans. Of note, these differences cant be explained by differences in the glycosylation enzyme machinery as mRNA sequencing and flow cytometry analysis showed equal enzyme expression in IgA1 and IgA2 producing plasma cells. ELISpot analysis suggested a slightly increased antibody production rate in IgA2 producing plasma cells which might contribute to its lower glycan processing rates. But this difference was only minor, suggesting that further factors such as steric accessibility determine glycan processing. This is supported by the fact that glycans at different positions on the same IgA chain differ dramatically in fucosylation, sialylation and bisection. ConclusionIn summary, our detailed overview of IgA1 and IgA2 glycosylation shows a class, subclass, and site-specific glycosylation fingerprint, most likely due to structural differences of the protein backbones.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2024

High-throughput differentiation of human blood vessel organoids reveals overlapping and distinct functions of the cerebral cavernous malformation proteins

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are clusters of thin-walled enlarged blood vessels in the central nervous system that are prone to recurrent hemorrhage and can occur in both sporadic and familial forms. The familial form results from loss-of-function variants in the CCM1, CCM2, or CCM3 gene. Despite a better understanding of CCM pathogenesis in recent years, it is still unclear why CCM3 mutations often lead to a more aggressive phenotype than CCM1 or CCM2 variants. By combining high-throughput differentiation of blood vessel organoids from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) with a CCM1, CCM2, or CCM3 knockout, single-cell RNA sequencing, and high-content imaging, we uncovered both shared and distinct functions of the CCM proteins. While there was a significant overlap of differentially expressed genes in fibroblasts across all three knockout conditions, inactivation of CCM1, CCM2, or CCM3 also led to specific gene expression patterns in neuronal, mesenchymal, and endothelial cell populations, respectively. Taking advantage of the different fluorescent labels of the hiPSCs, we could also visualize the abnormal expansion of CCM1 and CCM3 knockout cells when differentiated together with wild-type cells into mosaic blood vessel organoids. In contrast, CCM2 knockout cells showed even reduced proliferation. These observations may help to explain the less severe clinical course in individuals with a pathogenic variant in CCM2 and to decode the molecular and cellular heterogeneity in CCM disease. Finally, the ability to differentiate blood vessel organoids in a 96-well format will further facilitate their use in drug discovery and other biomedical research studies. STATEMENTS AND DECLARATIONSO_ST_ABSConflicts of interest statementC_ST_ABSThe authors declare no competing interests. The here described protocol for high-throughput organoid synthesis has been filed as a patent application at the European Patent Office (Process number: EP24213596.0) Author contribution statementMR, DSk, and UF designed the study. DSk, VS, LM, and RAP performed most of the functional experiments. SH and TA performed the CAM assays. SR performed the immunohistochemical stainings. SB, DSi, DSk, and VS performed the confocal microscopy and high-content imaging analyses. AE, CB, and EMB performed the scRNA sequencing analysis. AW and CAH performed and analyzed the karyotyping of the hiPSC clones. DSk, RAP, VS, KC, MR, and SB analyzed the data. DSk, VS, LM, and MR prepared figures. All authors contributed to the interpretation of the results. DSk, RAP, VS, and MR drafted the manuscript, and all authors contributed to writing. Ethics statementThis study does not involve human participants or animal subjects. Availability of data and materialsAll relevant data are published within the paper and the supplementary files. ScRNA sequencing data can be accessed through the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (record number: GSE276497).

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Network and systems based re-engineering of dendritic cells with non-coding RNAs forcancer immunotherapy

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells that induce and regulate adaptive immunity by presenting antigens to T cells. Due to their coordinative role in adaptive immune responses, DCs have been used as cell-based therapeutic vaccination against cancer. The capacity of DCs to induce a therapeutic immune response can be enhanced by re-wiring of cellular signalling pathways with microRNAs (miRNAs). Since the activation and maturation of DCs is controlled by an interconnected signalling network, we deploy an approach that combines RNA sequencing data and systems biology methods to delineate miRNA-based strategies that enhance DC-elicited immune responses. Through RNA sequencing of IKK{beta}-matured DCs that are currently being tested in a clinical trial on therapeutic anti-cancer vaccination, we identified 44 differentially expressed miRNAs. According to a network analysis, most of these miRNAs regulate targets that are linked to immune pathways, such as cytokine and interleukin signalling. We employed a network topology-oriented scoring model to rank the miRNAs, analysed their impact on immunogenic potency of DCs, and identified dozens of promising miRNA candidates with miR-15a and miR-16 as the top ones. The results of our analysis are incorporated in a database which constitutes a tool to identify DC-relevant miRNA-gene interactions with therapeutic potential (www.synmirapy.net/dc-optimization).

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2020

scRNA-Sequencing uncovers a TCF-4-dependent transcription factor network regulating commissure development

Intercortical connectivity is important for higher cognitive brain functions by providing the basis for integrating information from both hemispheres. We show that ablation of the neurodevelopmental disorder associated bHLH factor Tcf4 results in complete loss of forebrain commissural systems in mice. Applying a new bioinformatic strategy integrating transcription factor expression levels and regulon activities from single cell RNA-sequencing data predicted a TCF-4 interacting transcription factor network in intercortical projection neurons regulating commissure formation. This network comprises a number of regulators previously linked to the pathogenesis of intellectual disability, autism-spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, e.g. Foxg1, Sox11 and Brg1. Furthermore, we demonstrate that TCF-4 and SOX11 biochemically interact and cooperatively control commissure formation in vivo, and regulate the transcription of genes implied in this process. Our study provides a regulatory transcriptional network for the development of interhemispheric connectivity with potential pathophysiological relevance in neurodevelopmental disorders.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2019

Prenatal diagnosis of HNF1B-associated renal cysts: Need to differentiate intragenic variants from 17q12 microdeletion syndrome?

ObjectiveLarge deletions of chromosome 17q12 (17q12DS) or intragenic variants in HNF1B are associated with variable developmental, endocrine and renal anomalies, often already noted prenatally as hyperechogenic/cystic kidneys. Here, we describe pre- and postnatal phenotypes of seven individuals with HNF1B aberrations and compare their clinical and genetic data to previous studies.\n\nMethodsPrenatal sequencing and postnatal chromosomal microarray analysis was performed in seven individuals with renal and/or neurodevelopmental phenotypes. We evaluated HNF1B-related clinical features from 82 studies and reclassified 192 reported intragenic HNF1B variants.\n\nResultsIn a prenatal case, we identified a novel in-frame deletion p.(Gly239del) within the HNF1B DNA binding domain, a mutational hotspot as demonstrated by spatial clustering analysis and high computational prediction scores. The six postnatally diagnosed individuals harbored 17q12 microdeletions of varying size. Literature screening revealed highly variable reporting of HNF1B-associated clinical traits. Overall, developmental delay was more frequent in 17q12DS carriers, although both mutation groups showed a high phenotypic heterogeneity. The reclassification of all previously reported intragenic HNF1B variants provided an up-to-date overview of the mutational spectrum.\n\nConclusionsWe highlight the value of prenatal HNF1B screening in renal developmental diseases. Standardized clinical reporting and systematic classification of HNF1B variants is necessary for a more accurate risk quantification of pre- and postnatal clinical features, improving genetic counseling and prenatal decision-making.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2018

The mutational and phenotypic spectrum of TUBA1A-associated tubulinopathy

BackgroundThe TUBA1A-associated tubulinopathy is clinically heterogeneous with brain malformations, microcephaly, developmental delay and epilepsy being the main clinical features. It is an autosomal dominant disorder mostly caused by de novo variants in TUBA1A.\n\nResultsIn three individuals with developmental delay we identified heterozygous de novo missense variants in TUBA1A using exome sequencing. While the c.1307G>A, p.(Gly436Asp) variant was novel, the two variants c.518C>T, p.(Pro173Leu) and c.641G>A, p.(Arg214His) were previously described. We compared the variable phenotype observed in these individuals with a carefully conducted review of the current literature and identified 166 individuals, 146 born and 20 fetuses with a TUBA1A variant. In 107 cases with available clinical information we standardized the reported phenotypes according to the Human Phenotype Ontology. The most commonly reported features were developmental delay (98%), anomalies of the corpus callosum (96%), microcephaly (76%) and lissencephaly (70%), although reporting was incomplete in the different studies. We identified a total of 121 distinct variants, including 15 recurrent ones. Missense variants cluster in the C-terminal region around the most commonly affected amino acid position Arg402 (13.3%). In a three-dimensional protein modelling, 38.6% of all disease causing variants including those in the C-terminal region are predicted to affect binding of microtubule-associated proteins or motor proteins. Genotype-phenotype analysis for recurrent variants showed an overrepresentation of certain clinical features. However, individuals with these variants are often reported in the same publication.\n\nConclusionsWith 166 individuals, we present the most comprehensive phenotypic and genotypic standardized synopsis for clinical interpretation of TUBA1A variants. Despite this considerable number, a detailed genotype-phenotype characterization is limited by large inter-study variability in reporting.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2018

Need for high-resolution Genetic Analysis in iPSC: Results and Lessons from the ForIPS Consortium

Genetic integrity of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is essential for their validity as disease models and for potential therapeutic use. We describe the comprehensive analysis in the ForIPS consortium: an iPSC collection from donors with neurological diseases and healthy controls. Characterization included pluripotency confirmation, fingerprinting, conventional and molecular karyotyping in all lines. In the majority, somatic copy number variants (CNVs) were identified. A subset with available matched donor DNA was selected for comparative exome sequencing. We identified single nucleotide variants (SNVs) at different allelic frequencies in each clone with high variability in mutational load. Low frequencies of variants in parental fibroblasts highlight the importance of germline samples. Somatic variant number was independent from reprogramming, cell type and passage. Comparison with disease genes and prediction scores suggest biological relevance for some variants. We show that high-throughput sequencing has value beyond SNV detection and the requirement to individually evaluate each clone.

genomics↗