Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is due primarily to one of three common point mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), but the incomplete penetrance implicates additional genetic or environmental factors in the pathophysiology of the disorder. Both the 11778G-->A and 14484T-->C LHON mutations are preferentially found on a specific mtDNA genetic background, but 3460G-->A is not. However, there is no clear evidence that any background influences clinical penetrance in any of these mutations. By studying 3,613 subjects from 159 LHON-affected pedigrees, we show that the risk of visual failure is greater when the 11778G-->A or 14484T-->C mutations are present in specific subgroups of haplogroup J (J2 for 11778G-->A and J1 for 14484T-->C) and when the 3460G-->A mutation is present in haplogroup K. By contrast, the risk of visual failure is significantly less when 11778G-->A occurs in haplogroup H. Substitutions on MTCYB provide an explanation for these findings, which demonstrate that common genetic variants have a marked effect on the expression of an ostensibly monogenic mtDNA disorder.

Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common malformation of the human forebrain, and may be due to cytogenetic anomalies, teratogens, occur in the context of a syndrome, or be due to mutations in single genes associated with non-syndromic HPE. Mutations in ZIC2, a transcription factor located on chromosome 13q32, are the second-most common cause of non-syndromic, non-chromosomal HPE. Blood samples from over 1000 individuals with HPE-spectrum disorders and their relatives were analyzed for sequence variations in ZIC2. We examined clinical details and included all other known previously published and unpublished cases of mutations in ZIC2 through a literature search and collaboration with other centers. We find mutations in ZIC2 in 8% of probands with HPE, and describe 153 individuals from 116 unrelated kindreds, including 137 patients with molecularly-determined mutations in ZIC2 and 16 patients with deletions of the ZIC2 locus. Unlike HPE due to mutations in other genes, the vast majority of cases are sporadic and the proportional distribution of HPE types differs significantly from previously published analyses of non-chromosomal non-syndromic HPE. Furthermore, we describe a novel facial phenotype in patients with mutations in ZIC2 which includes bitemporal narrowing, upsplanting palpebral fissures, a short nose with anteverted nares, and a broad and well-demarcated philtrum, and large ears. This phenotype is distinct from the standard facial dysmorphisms associated with non-chromosomal, non-syndromic HPE. Our findings show that HPE due to mutations in ZIC2 is distinct from that due to mutations in other genes. This may shed light on the mechanisms that contribute to the formation of the face and the forebrain and may help direct genetic counseling and diagnostic strategies.

Kabuki Syndrome (KS) is a rare syndrome characterized by intellectual disability and multiple congenital abnormalities, in particular a distinct dysmorphic facial appearance. KS is caused by mutations in the MLL2 gene, encoding an H3K4 histone methyl transferase which acts as an epigenetic transcriptional activator during growth and development. Direct sequencing of all 54 exons of the MLL2 gene in 45 clinically well-defined KS patients identified 34 (75.6%) different mutations. One mutation has been described previously, all others are novel. Clinically, all KS patients were sporadic, and mutations were de novo for all 27 families for which both parents were available. We detected nonsense (n=11), frameshift (n=17), splice site (n=4) and missense (n=2) mutations, predicting a high frequency of absent or non-functional MLL2 protein. Interestingly, both missense mutations located in the C-terminal conserved functional domains of the protein.Phenotypically our study indicated a statistically significant difference in the presence of a distinct facial appearance (p=0.0143) and growth retardation (p=0.0040) when comparing KS patients with an MLL2 mutation compared to patients without a mutation. Our data double the number of MLL2 mutations in KS reported so far and widen the spectrum of MLL2 mutations and disease mechanisms in KS.

Dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen presenting cells that develop from hematopoietic stem cells through successive steps of lineage commitment and differentiation. Multipotent progenitors (MPP) are committed to DC restricted common DC progenitors (CDP), which differentiate into specific DC subsets, classical DC (cDC) and plasmacytoid DC (pDC). To determine epigenetic states and regulatory circuitries during DC differentiation, we measured consecutive changes of genome-wide gene expression, histone modification and transcription factor occupancy during the sequel MPP-CDP-cDC/pDC. Specific histone marks in CDP reveal a DC-primed epigenetic signature, which is maintained and reinforced during DC differentiation. Epigenetic marks and transcription factor PU.1 occupancy increasingly coincide upon DC differentiation. By integrating PU.1 occupancy and gene expression we devised a transcription factor regulatory circuitry for DC commitment and subset specification. The circuitry provides the transcription factor hierarchy that drives the sequel MPP-CDP-cDC/pDC, including Irf4, Irf8, Tcf4, Spib and Stat factors. The circuitry also includes feedback loops inferred for individual or multiple factors, which stabilize distinct stages of DC development and DC subsets. In summary, here we describe the basic regulatory circuitry of transcription factors that drives DC development.