Biology subjects

Stanley, V.

Publications and source records attributed to Stanley, V..

6 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Cell-type-resolved somatic mosaicism reveals clonal dynamics of the human forebrain

Debate remains around anatomic origins of specific brain cell subtypes and lineage relationships within the human forebrain. Thus, direct observation in the mature human brain is critical for a complete understanding of the structural organization and cellular origins. Here, we utilize brain mosaic variation within specific cell types as distinct indicators for clonal dynamics, denoted as cell-type-specific Mosaic Variant Barcode Analysis. From four hemispheres from two different human neurotypical donors, we identified 287 and 780 mosaic variants (MVs), respectively that were used to deconvolve clonal dynamics. Clonal spread and allelic fractions within the brain reveal that local hippocampal excitatory neurons are more lineage-restricted compared with resident neocortical excitatory neurons or resident basal ganglia GABAergic inhibitory neurons. Furthermore, simultaneous genome-transcriptome analysis at both a cell-type-specific and single-cell level suggests a dorsal neocortical origin for a subgroup of DLX1+ inhibitory neurons that disperse radially from an origin shared with excitatory neurons. Finally, the distribution of MVs across 17 locations within one parietal lobe reveals restrictions of clonal spread in the anterior-posterior axis precedes that of the dorsal-ventral axis for both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Thus cell-type resolved somatic mosaicism can uncover lineage relationships governing the development of the human forebrain.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Comprehensive multiomic profiling of somatic mutations in malformations of cortical development

Malformations of cortical development (MCD) are neurological conditions displaying focal disruption of cortical architecture and cellular organization arising during embryogenesis, largely from somatic mosaic mutations. Identifying the genetic causes of MCD has been a challenge, as mutations remain at low allelic fractions in brain tissue resected to treat epilepsy. Here, we report a genetic atlas from 317 brain resections, identifying 69 mutated genes through intensive profiling of somatic mutations, combining whole-exome and targeted-amplicon sequencing with functional validation and single-cell sequencing. Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis elucidated specific MCD gene sets associating distinct pathophysiological and clinical phenotypes. The unique spatiotemporal expression patterns identified by comparing single-nucleus transcriptional sequences of mutated genes in control and patient brains implicate critical roles in excitatory neurogenic pools during brain development, and in promoting neuronal hyperexcitability after birth.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2022

Sperm mosaicism predicts transmission of de novo mutations to human blastocysts

De novo mutations underlie individually rare but collectively common pediatric congenital disorders. Some of these mutations can also be detected in tissues and from cells in a parent, where their abundance and tissue distribution can be measured. We previously reported that a subset of these mutations is detectable in sperm from the father, predicted to impact the health of offspring. Here, in three independent couples undergoing in vitro fertilization, we first assessed male gonadal mosaicism, then assessed the transmission of the mutations to their preimplantation blastocysts. We found an overall predictable transmission but slight under-transmission of mutations to blastocysts based upon measured mutational abundance in sperm, and we replicated this conclusion in an independent family-based cohort. Therefore, unbiased preimplantation genetic testing for gonadal mosaicism may represent a feasible approach to reduce the transmission of potentially harmful de novo mutations, which could help to reduce their impact on miscarriage and pediatric disease.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2020

Temporal stability of human sperm mosaic mutations results in life-long threat of transmission to offspring

Every newborn harbors scores of new single nucleotide variants (SNVs) that may impact health and disease1-4; the majority of these are contributed by the paternal germ cells5. In some cases, these mutations are identifiable in a subset of the parents cells--a phenomenon called mosaicism, which is capable of producing disease recurrence6-8. Here, we provide a comprehensive analysis of male gonadal mosaic mutations, employing 300x whole genome sequencing (WGS) of blood and sperm in 17 healthy individuals, including assessment across multiple samples and age groups. Approximately 1 in 15 healthy males is predicted to harbor a transmissible, likely pathogenic exonic variant that is mosaic in his sperm. In general, only a third of sperm mosaic mutations were detectable in blood cells, all were remarkably stable over the course of months to years, and 23% were present in 5% or more of sperm cells. There was no evidence of age-dependent clonal expansion or collapse, as seen in hematopoiesis. Thus, despite the observed increase of mutations in offspring of men with advanced paternal age, detectable sperm mosaicism remains stable, represents a life-long transmission risk to offspring, and suggests a testis stem cell niche that prevents widespread clonality.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

Somatic mosaicism in the mature brain reveals clonal cellular distributions during cortical development

The structure of the human neocortex underlies species-specific features and is a reflection of intricate developmental programs. Here we analyzed neocortical cellular lineages through a comprehensive assessment of brain somatic mosaicism--which acts as a neutral recorder of lineage history. We employed deep whole genome and variant sequencing in a single postmortem neurotypical human brain across 25 anatomic regions and three distinct modalities: bulk geographies, sorted cell types, and single nuclei. We identified 259 mosaic variants, revealing remarkable differences in localization, clonal abundance, cell type specificity, and clade distribution. We identified a set of hierarchical cellular diffusion barriers, whereby the left-right axis separation of the neocortex occurs prior to anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral axis separation. We also found that stochastic distribution is a driver of clonal dispersion, and that rules regarding cellular lineages and anatomical boundaries are often ignored. Our data provides a comprehensive analysis of brain somatic mosaicism across the human cerebral cortex, deconvolving clonal distributions and migration patterns in the human embryo. One Sentence SummaryComprehensive evaluation of brain somatic mosaicism in the adult human identifies rules governing cellular distribution during embryogenesis.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

MINPP1 prevents intracellular accumulation of the cation chelator inositol hexakisphosphate and is mutated in Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia

Inositol polyphosphates are vital metabolic and secondary messengers, involved in diverse cellular functions. Therefore, tight regulation of inositol polyphosphate metabolism is essential for proper cell physiology. Here, we describe an early-onset neurodegenerative syndrome caused by loss-of-function mutations in the multiple inositol polyphosphate phosphatase 1 gene (MINPP1). Patients were found to have a distinct type of Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia with typical basal ganglia involvement on neuroimaging. We found that patient-derived and genome edited MINPP1-/- induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are not able to differentiate efficiently into neurons. MINPP1 deficiency results in an intracellular imbalance of the inositol polyphosphate metabolism. This metabolic defect is characterized by an accumulation of highly phosphorylated inositols, mostly inositol hexakiphosphate (IP6), detected in HEK293, fibroblasts, iPSCs and differentiating neurons lacking MINPP1. In mutant cells, higher IP6 level is expected to be associated with an increased chelation of intracellular cations, such as iron or calcium, resulting in decreased levels of available ions. These data suggest the involvement of IP6-mediated chelation on Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia disease pathology and thereby highlight the critical role of MINPP1 in the regulation of human brain development and homeostasis.

genetics↗