Abstract

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disorder predominantly affecting the frontal and temporal lobes. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on FTD identified only a few risk loci. One of the possible explanations is that FTD is clinically, pathologically, and genetically heterogeneous. An important open question is to what extent epigenetic factors contribute to FTD and whether these factors vary between FTD clinical subgroup. We compared the DNA-methylation levels of FTD cases (n = 128), and of FTD cases with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (FTD-ALS; n = 7) to those of unaffected controls (n = 193), which resulted in 14 and 224 candidate genes, respectively. Cluster analysis revealed significant class separation of FTD-ALS from controls. We could further specify genes with increased susceptibility for abnormal gene-transcript behavior by jointly analyzing DNA-methylation levels with the presence of mutations in a GWAS FTD-cohort. For FTD-ALS, this resulted in 9 potential candidate genes, whereas for FTD we detected 1 candidate gene (ELP2). Independent validation-sets confirmed the genes DLG1, METTL7A, KIAA1147, IGHMBP2, PCNX, UBTD2, WDR35, and ELP2/SLC39A6 among others. We could furthermore demonstrate that genes harboring mutations and/or displaying differential DNA-methylation, are involved in common pathways, and may therefore be critical for neurodegeneration in both FTD and FTD-ALS.

Details

Title
Susceptible genes and disease mechanisms identified in frontotemporal dementia and frontotemporal dementia with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis by DNA-methylation and GWAS
Author
Taskesen, E 1 ; Mishra, A 2 ; van der Sluis, S 2 ; Ferrari, R 3 ; Hernandez, D G 4 ; Nalls, M A 4 ; Rohrer, J D 5 ; Ramasamy, A 6 ; Kwok, J B J 7 ; Dobson-Stone, C 7 ; Schofield, P R 7 ; Halliday, G M 7 ; Hodges, J R 7 ; Piguet, O 7 ; Bartley, L 7 ; Thompson, E 8 ; Haan, E 8 ; Hernández, I 9 ; Ruiz, A 9 ; Boada, M 9 ; Borroni, B 10 ; Padovani, A 10 ; Cruchaga, C 11 ; Cairns, N J 12 ; Benussi, L 13 ; Binetti, G 14 ; Ghidoni, R 13 ; Forloni, G 15 ; Albani, D 15 ; Galimberti, D 16 ; Fenoglio, C 16 ; Serpente, M 16 ; Scarpini, E 16 ; Clarimón, J 17 ; Lleó, A 17 ; Blesa, R 17 ; M Landqvist Waldö 18 ; Nilsson, K 18 ; Nilsson, C 19 ; Mackenzie, I R A 20 ; Hsiung, G-Y R 21 ; Mann, D M A 22 ; Grafman, J 23 ; Morris, C M 24 ; Attems, J 24 ; Griffiths, T D 24 ; McKeith, I G 24 ; Thomas, A J 24 ; Pietrini, P 25 ; Huey, E D 26 ; Wassermann, E M 27 ; Baborie, A 28 ; Jaros, E 24 ; Tierney, M C 27 ; Pastor, P 29 ; Razquin, C 29 ; Ortega-Cubero, S 29 ; Alonso, E 29 ; Perneczky, R 30 ; Diehl-Schmid, J 31 ; Alexopoulos, P 31 ; Kurz, A 31 ; Rainero, I 32 ; Rubino, E 32 ; Pinessi, L 32 ; Rogaeva, E 33 ; P St George-Hyslop 33 ; Rossi, G 34 ; Tagliavini, F 34 ; Giaccone, G 34 ; Rowe, J B 35 ; Schlachetzki, J C M 36 ; Uphill, J 37 ; Collinge, J 37 ; Mead, S 37 ; Danek, A 38 ; Van Deerlin, V M 39 ; Grossman, M 39 ; Trojanowski, J Q 39 ; van der Zee, J 40 ; C Van Broeckhoven 40 ; Cappa, S F 41 ; Leber, I 42 ; Hannequin, D 43 ; Golfier, V 43 ; Vercelletto, M 43 ; Brice, A 42 ; Nacmias, B 44 ; Sorbi, S 44 ; Bagnoli, S 44 ; Piaceri, I 44 ; Nielsen, J E 45 ; Hjermind, L E 45 ; Riemenschneider, M 46 ; Mayhaus, M 46 ; Ibach, B 47 ; Gasparoni, G 46 ; Pichler, S 46 ; W Gu 46 ; Rossor, M N 5 ; Fox, N C 5 ; Warren, J D 5 ; Spillantini, M G 48 ; Morris, H R 3 ; Rizzu, P 49 ; Heutink, P 49 ; Snowden, J S 22 ; Rollinson, S 22 ; Richardson, A 22 ; Gerhard, A 22 ; Bruni, A C 50 ; Maletta, R 50 ; Frangipane, F 50 ; Cupidi, C 50 ; Bernardi, L 50 ; Anfossi, M 50 ; Gallo, M 50 ; Conidi, M E 50 ; Smirne, N 50 ; Rademakers, R 51 ; Baker, M 51 ; Dickson, D W 51 ; Graff-Radford, N R 51 ; Petersen, R C 52 ; Knopman, D 52 ; Josephs, K A 52 ; Boeve, B F 52 ; Parisi, J E 52 ; Seeley, W W 53 ; Miller, B L 54 ; Karydas, A M 54 ; Rosen, H 54 ; van Swieten, J C 55 ; Dopper, E G P 55 ; Seelaar, H 55 ; Scheltens, P 56 ; Logroscino, G 57 ; Capozzo, R 57 ; Novelli, V 58 ; Puca, A A 59 ; Franceschi, M 60 ; Postiglione, A 61 ; Milan, G 61 ; Sorrentino, P 61 ; Kristiansen, M 62 ; H-H Chiang 63 ; Graff, C 63 ; Pasquier, F 64 ; Rollin, A 64 ; Deramecourt, V 64 ; Lebouvier, T 64 ; Kapogiannis, D 65 ; Ferrucci, L 66 ; Pickering-Brown, S 22 ; Singleton, A B 4 ; Hardy, J 3 ; Momeni, P 67 ; Veldink, J H 68 ; van Es, M A 68 ; Smit, A B 69 ; Posthuma, D 1 ; Pijnenburg, Y 70 

 VU University Amsterdam, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Complex Trait Genetics (CTG), Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; VU University Medical Center (VUMC), Alzheimer Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
 VU University Amsterdam, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Complex Trait Genetics (CTG), Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
 UCL London, Institute of Neurology, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, London, UK 
 Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Building 35, Bethesda, MD, USA 
 Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK 
 Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London Tower Wing, Guy’s Hospital, London, UK 
 Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia 
 South Australian Clinical Genetics Service, SA Pathology at Women’s and Children’s Hospital, North Adelaide, Australia 
 Research Center and Memory Clinic of Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades, Barcelona, Spain 
10  Barbara Borroni (Neurology Clinic, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy), Alessandro Padovani (Neurology Clinic, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy 
11  Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA 
12  Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA 
13  Molecular Markers Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy 
14  MAC Memory Clinic, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy 
15  Biology of Neurodegenerative Disorders, IRCCS Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche, “Mario Negri”, Milano, Italy 
16  University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Fondazione Cà Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy 
17  Memory Unit, Neurology Department and Sant Pau Biomedical Research Institute, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain 
18  Unit of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden 
19  Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden 
20  Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 
21  Division of Neurology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 
22  Institute of Brain, Behaviour and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Salford Royal Hospital, Stott Lane, Salford, UK 
23  Department of Psychology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA 
24  Newcastle University, Institute of Neuroscience and Institute for Ageing, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK 
25  IMT School for Advanced Studies, Lucca, Lucca, Italy 
26  Taub Institute, Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA 
27  Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Insititute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Insititutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 
28  Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Walter Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, Alberta, Canada 
29  Department of Neurology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra School of Medicine, Pamplona, Spain 
30  Neuroepidemiology and Ageing Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK 
31  Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany 
32  Neurology I, Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Italy, A.O. Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy 
33  Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto 60 Leonard Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, USA 
34  Division of Neurology V and Neuropathology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy 
35  Cambridge University Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge, UK 
36  University of California San Diego, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, USA 
37  MRC Prion Unit, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square House, Queen Square, London, UK 
38  Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany 
39  University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA 
40  Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases group, VIB-UAntwerp Center of Molecular Neurology, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium 
41  Neurorehabilitation Unit, Dept. Of Clinical Neuroscience, Vita-Salute University and San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy 
42  Inserm, UMR_S975, CRICM; UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR_S975; CNRS UMR 7225, F-75013, Paris, France; AP-HP, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Département de neurologie-centre de références des démences rares, Paris, France 
43  Service de Neurologie, Inserm U1079, CNR-MAJ, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France 
44  Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA) University of Florence, Florence, Italy 
45  Danish Dementia Research Centre, Neurogenetics Clinic, Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark 
46  Saarland University, Laboratory for Neurogenetics, Kirrberger Str.1, Bld.90, Homburg/Saar, Germany 
47  University Regensburg, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Universitätsstr. 84, Regensburg, Germany 
48  University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Van Geest Brain Repair Centre, Forvie Site, Robinson way, Cambridge, UK 
49  German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases-Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany 
50  Regional Neurogenetic Centre, ASPCZ, Lamezia Terme, Italy 
51  Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA 
52  Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN, USA 
53  William W Seeley (Department of Neurology, Box 1207, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA 
54  Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA 
55  Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 
56  Alzheimer Centre and department of neurology, VU University medical centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
57  Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sense Organs of the “Aldo Moro” University of Bari, Bari, Italy 
58  Medical Genetics Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy 
59  Cardiovascular Research Unit, IRCCS Multimedica, Milan, Italy 
60  Neurology Dept, IRCCS Multimedica, Milan, Italy 
61  Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy 
62  UCL Genomics, Institute of Child Health (ICH), UCL, London, UK 
63  Karolinska Institutet, Dept NVS, Alzheimer Research Center, Novum, Stockholm, Sweden 
64  Univ Lille, Inserm 1171, DISTALZ, Lille, France 
65  National Institute on Aging (NIA/NIH), 3001 S. Hanover St, NM 531, Baltimore, MD, USA 
66  Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA 
67  Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA 
68  Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands 
69  VU University Amsterdam, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology (MCN), Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
70  VU University Medical Center (VUMC), Alzheimer Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 
Pages
1-16
Publication year
2017
Publication date
Aug 2017
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
1957284238
Copyright
© 2017. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.