Exome sequencing identifies novel compound heterozygous IFNA4 and IFNA10 mutations as a cause of impaired function in Crohn's disease patients

Sci Rep. 2015 May 22:5:10514. doi: 10.1038/srep10514.

Abstract

Previous studies have highlighted the role of genetic predispositions in disease, and several genes had been identified as important in Crohn's disease (CD). However, many of these genes are likely rare and not associated with susceptibility in Chinese CD patients. We found 294 shared identical variants in the CD patients of which 26 were validated by Sanger sequencing. Two heterozygous IFN variants (IFNA10 c.60 T > A; IFNA4 c.60 A > T) were identified as significantly associated with CD susceptibility. The single-nucleotide changes alter a cysteine situated before the signal peptide cleavage site to a stop code (TGA) in IFNA10 result in the serum levels of IFNA10 were significantly decreased in the CD patients compared to the controls. Furthermore, the IFNA10 and IFNA4 mutants resulted in an impairment of the suppression of HCV RNA replication in HuH7 cells, and the administration of the recombinant IFN subtypes restored DSS-induced colonic inflammation through the upregulation of CD4(+) Treg cells. We identified heterozygous IFNA10 and IFNA4 variants as a cause of impaired function and CD susceptibility genes in Chinese patients from multiple center based study. These findings might provide clues in the understanding of the genetic heterogeneity of CD and lead to better screening and improved treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Asian People / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • CD4 Antigens / metabolism
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Line
  • Chemokines / genetics
  • Chemokines / metabolism
  • Child
  • China
  • Colitis / chemically induced
  • Colitis / metabolism
  • Colitis / pathology
  • Crohn Disease / genetics*
  • Crohn Disease / pathology
  • Cytokines / genetics
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Exome / genetics*
  • Female
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / physiology
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / blood
  • Interferon-alpha / genetics*
  • Interferon-alpha / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism
  • Virus Replication
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • CD4 Antigens
  • Chemokines
  • Cytokines
  • IFNA10 protein, human
  • IFNA4 protein, human
  • Interferon-alpha
  • RNA, Small Interfering