Browsing by Author "Liang, Dong"

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    DCHS1 DNA copy number loss associated with pediatric urinary tract infection risk
    (Sage, 2020-08) Qureshi, Aslam H.; Liang, Dong; Canas, Jorge; Hooks, Jenaya; Arrregui, Samuel W.; Saxena, Vijay; Rooney, Robert; Nolan, Vikki; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Hains, David S.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Urinary tract infections (UTI), associated with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), can lead to chronic kidney disease. Genetic alterations in the innate immune defenses contribute to UTI risk. We investigated a novel gene, Dachsous Cadherin-Related 1 ( DCHS1), in children with UTI. We determined absolute DNA copy number (CN) of DCHS1 in children with UTI. In this case-control study, we utilized multiple complementary methods to determine the genomic CN of DCHS1. Children with ( n = 370) and without ( n = 71) VUR from two well-phenotyped clinical trials of UTI were copy-typed and compared to 491 healthy controls with no known history of VUR or UTI. Less than 1% of controls had a single copy of DCHS1, while 31% of children with UTI and no VUR and 7% of children with UTI and VUR had a single copy of the DCHS1 gene. Using immunostaining, we localized expression postnatally to the bladder and renal epithelia. Mice were also challenged with two uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains, and Dchs1 mRNA was quantified. This study represents the first report of DCHS1 in association with pediatric UTI. We hypothesize that its role in innate immunity is critical to lower urinary tract defense. Further investigation is required to determine the role of DCHS1 in innate immunity.
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    DCHS1 DNA copy number loss associated with pediatric urinary tract infection risk
    (SAGE, 2020-04-15) Qureshi, Aslam H.; Liang, Dong; Canas, Jorge; Hooks, Jenaya; Arrregui, Samuel W.; Saxena, Vijay; Rooney, Robert; Nolan, Vikki; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Hains, David S.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Urinary tract infections (UTI), associated with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), can lead to chronic kidney disease. Genetic alterations in the innate immune defenses contribute to UTI risk. We investigated a novel gene, Dachsous Cadherin-Related 1 (DCHS1), in children with UTI. We determined absolute DNA copy number (CN) of DCHS1 in children with UTI. In this case-control study, we utilized multiple complementary methods to determine the genomic CN of DCHS1. Children with (n = 370) and without (n = 71) VUR from two well-phenotyped clinical trials of UTI were copy-typed and compared to 491 healthy controls with no known history of VUR or UTI. Less than 1% of controls had a single copy of DCHS1, while 31% of children with UTI and no VUR and 7% of children with UTI and VUR had a single copy of the DCHS1 gene. Using immunostaining, we localized expression postnatally to the bladder and renal epithelia. Mice were also challenged with two uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains, and Dchs1 mRNA was quantified. This study represents the first report of DCHS1 in association with pediatric UTI. We hypothesize that its role in innate immunity is critical to lower urinary tract defense. Further investigation is required to determine the role of DCHS1 in innate immunity.
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    Deleted in malignant brain tumor 1 genetic variation confers urinary tract infection risk in children and mice
    (Wiley, 2021-07) Hains, David S.; Polley, Shamik; Liang, Dong; Saxena, Vijay; Arregui, Samuel; Ketz, John; Barr-Beare, Evan; Rawson, Ashley; Spencer, John D.; Cohen, Ariel; Hansen, Pernille L.; Tuttolomondo, Martina; Casella, Cinzia; Ditzel, Henrik J.; Cohen, Daniel; Hollox, Edward J.; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
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    DNA copy number variations in children with vesicoureteral reflux and urinary tract infections
    (PLOS, 2019-08-12) Liang, Dong; McHugh, Kirk M.; Brophy, Pat D.; Shaikh, Nader; Manak, J. Robert; Andrews, Peter; Hakker, Inessa; Wang, Zihua; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Hains, David S.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a complex, heritable disorder. Genome-wide linkage analyses of families affected by VUR have revealed multiple genomic loci linked to VUR. These loci normally harbor a number of genes whose biologically functional variant is yet to be identified. DNA copy number variations (CNVs) have not been extensively studied at high resolution in VUR patients. In this study, we performed array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) on a cohort of patients with a history of both VUR and urinary tract infection (UTI) with the objective of identifying genetic variations responsible for VUR and/or UTI susceptibility. UTI/VUR-associated CNVs were identified by aCGH results from the 192 Randomized Intervention for Children With Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) patients compared to 683 controls. Rare, large CNVs that are likely pathogenic and lead to VUR development were identified using stringent analysis criteria. Because UTI is a common affliction with multiple risk factors, we utilized standard analysis to identify potential disease-modifying CNVs that can contribute to UTI risk. Gene ontology analysis identified that CNVs in innate immunity and development genes were enriched in RIVUR patients. CNVs affecting innate immune genes may contribute to UTI susceptibility in VUR patients and may provide the first step in assisting clinical medicine in determining adverse outcome risk in children with VUR.
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    Human neutrophil peptides 1-3 protect the murine urinary tract from uropathogenic Escherichia coli challenge
    (National Academy of Science, 2022) Canas, Jorge J.; Liang, Dong; Saxena, Vijay; Hooks, Jenaya; Arregui, Samuel W.; Gao, Hongyu; Liu, Yunlong; Kish, Danielle; Linn, Sarah C.; Bdeir, Khalil; Cines, Douglas B.; Fairchild, Robert L.; Spencer, John D.; Schwaderer, Andrew L.; Hains, David S.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are critical to the protection of the urinary tract of humans and other animals from pathogenic microbial invasion. AMPs rapidly destroy pathogens by disrupting microbial membranes and/or augmenting or inhibiting the host immune system through a variety of signaling pathways. We have previously demonstrated that alpha-defensins 1-3 (DEFA1A3) are AMPs expressed in the epithelial cells of the human kidney collecting duct in response to uropathogens. We also demonstrated that DNA copy number variations in the DEFA1A3 locus are associated with UTI and pyelonephritis risk. Because DEFA1A3 is not expressed in mice, we utilized human DEFA1A3 gene transgenic mice (DEFA4/4) to further elucidate the biological relevance of this locus in the murine urinary tract. We demonstrate that the kidney transcriptional and translational expression pattern is similar in humans and the human gene transgenic mouse upon uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) stimulus in vitro and in vivo. We also demonstrate transgenic human DEFA4/4 gene mice are protected from UTI and pyelonephritis under various UPEC challenges. This study serves as the foundation to start the exploration of manipulating the DEFA1A3 locus and alpha-defensins 1-3 expression as a potential therapeutic target for UTIs and other infectious diseases.